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Is
Islam a Peaceful Religion?
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Introduction:
I do not claim to be an expert
on the Islamic faith
yet through reading and study I have arrived at
some conclusions. At the onset you need to know
that I am a Christian but not just a Christian by
birth or in name only. Though I was born into a
nominal Christian home it was not until I was in
my mid-teen years that I came into the understanding
of who and what an authentic Christian is. It was
at that time that I realized that I needed to heed
the call of God upon my life. It was not that I
was seeking to find God, rather God found me. God’s
Spirit revealed to me that Jesus the Christ died
for me and that I was being called into reconciliation
with the Triune God. The Holy Spirit implanted faith
within my heart. As the result of this action, I
believed. I opened my heart and life to God and
experienced the new birth, i.e., a spiritual rebirth.
I was adopted into the family of God hence I am
a child of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ
as my Savior and Lord. I am part of the elect of
God not of my choosing but of God’s.
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| With
all that I have said in the above paragraph you need to
also know that it is my desire to be used by God as a servant
of the Most High. Through preaching, teaching and writing
I seek to share what God places upon my heart with both
believers and non-believers alike.
What you will find in this
article is what I have come to believe about a people whom
I consider are being held in the clutches of spiritual darkness,
seeking for the light but not knowing how or where to find
it. I believe that it is only through Jesus Christ that
one is able to be freed from spiritual darkness. God’s
Spirit brings the individual into the Light of the Gospel.
This is not a repudiation of the individual’s free
will.
My hope and prayer is that
this material will challenge you to pray, love, and earnestly
reach out to Muslims always remembering that God
loves them as intensely as God loves each one of
us. |
| Is
Islam a Religion of Salaam?
The
Arabic word above is “Salaam,”
the salutation of peace that Muslims often use in greeting
one another. It is similar to the Hebrew greeting which
is “shalom.”
We are being
told by politicians and many religious leaders that Islam
is a peaceful religion whereas other religious leaders brand
all of the followers of Allah a warlike people out to destroy
Western Society.
Shortly after the 9/11 attack
on our nation President George Bush
declared that “Islam
is a Religion of peace!” The picture to the
left is that of Mr. Bush in a mosque in the Washington,
DC area.
With the invasion by the
United States military into
Iraq it was thought that the
people of that country would be welcoming our troops with
open arms. After deposing of their
evil dictator we have discovered that Iraq
is anything but a model of a peaceful populace. In fact,
the country has been torn asunder
by civil war with the Sunni’s, Shiite’s
and Kurdish factions at each other throats. The few Christians
in that country, which had relative peace prior to our invasion,
are now the brunt of the various Muslim factions. Large
numbers of the Iraqi Christians
have migrated from their country in search of freedom from
the forces of militant fundamentalist Muslims. It appears
that Iraq has become a center for what is now often being
referred to as “Islamofascism.” |
| Who
is right? Is Islam basically a religion of peace or otherwise?
Is Islamofascism a reality?
I’m sure that I do
not have the full answer to these questions. However, it
appears to me that with a billion plus people claiming the
faith of Mohammad there is a wide
spectrum of views from ultra-right fanatical militant
fundamentalist Muslims, i.e., Islamofascists,
to those who hold a centralist position to |
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liberal
and secular Muslims. In this respect Muslims, Christians
and Jews are very similar with each faith having adherents
holding a wide range of views.
Though both Jews and
Christians have their ultra-right militant segments
these are a small percentage of the overall total
number of Jews and Christians. However,
within Islam the percentage of militants is
scary. Unfortunately
many Muslims holding a centralist
position are either easily swayed or influenced
by the extremists. Contrary to what the TV personality
Rosie O’Donnell
has publicly stated claiming that the militant fundamentalist
Muslims are no worse in their actions than are the
fundamentalist Christians. I personally resent her
unfounded claim. I, at one point in my life, was associated
with Christian fundamentalism.[1] And though
Christian fundamentalists appear
to be angry and have a few militant
“crazies” they in no wise can be
likened to the Muslim terrorists. Other than for a
few crazies or mentally deranged people few
Christian fundamentalists can be compared and/or
likened unto the Nazi-like Muslim
fundamentalists. |
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| In
November 2006 a group of Muslim imams (religious leaders)
were heading back to Phoenix. While at the airport where
they were waiting to board a US Airways flight to Phoenix
they began praying in public. This upset many of the
people who were also going to board that particular
flight resulting in the airline authorities briefly
detaining this group of Muslims. This upset the group
of Muslims in question as well as a number of other
people who accused the airline
of discrimination by stereotyping. However, I do know
that if I had been at that airport and saw a group of
Muslims chanting their prayers I, too, would undoubtedly
have wondered if indeed
they could be terrorists. To me this was not necessarily
a case of discrimination or prejudice, rather it was
simply using caution by
the airline. This certainly is not to say or indicate
that all Muslims are terrorists. Only a certain percentage
are. However, that percentage
is larger than I am comfortable with. Remember
it was a group of militant Muslims who took down the
New York City Twin |
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| Towers
on 9/11. This group of terrorists
did this in the name of Allah.
It was also a group of cold-blooded
killers, who in the name of God [Allah], attacked
the USS Cole killing a number of young US Navy men and women.
It was Muslim terrorists who
attacked the Marine barracks in Lebanon, killing hundreds
of US Marines. It was terrorists
who created havoc in London, Spain and a number of other
places through bombings and threats. This terror continues.
"Rosie, I can
find nowhere where large numbers of fundamentalist Christians
have committed such acts of terror as you seem to imply."
Peaceful people
do not do such dastardly acts even to their enemies.
Sometime
ago in reading the daily newspaper I came across the following
news item that appeared on the front page of The Arizona
Republic. Bear in mind this is just one of many articles
that appear in our newspapers and magazines on an ongoing
basis:
“Christian
charged for switch from Islam: Afghan
prosecutor urges death penalty."
Associated Press
"KABUL,
Afghanistan
– An Afghan man is being prosecuted in a Kabul court
and could be sentenced to death on a charge of converting
from Islam to Christianity, a crime under this country’s
Islamic laws, a judge said Sunday.
The defendant,
41-year old Abdul Rahman, was arrested last month after
the family accused him of becoming a Christian, Judge Ansarullah
Mawlavezada said in an interview. Rahman was charged with
rejecting Islam.
During
a one-day hearing, the defendant confessed that he converted
from Islam to Christianity 16 years ago while working as
a medican-aid worker for a Christian group helping Afghan
refugees in Peshawar, Pakistan, Mawlavezada said.
‘We
are not against any particular religion in the world. But
in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law,’
the judge said.
Mawlavezada
said he would rule on the case within two months.
The prosecutor,
Addul Wasi, said he had offered to drop the charges if Rahman
converted back to Islam, but he refused.
‘He
would have been forgiven if he changed back. But he said
he was a Christian and would always remain one.’ Wasi
said, ‘We are Muslims, and becoming a Christian is
against our laws. He must get the death penalty.’”
Now let me
ask you my friend, “Does this
seem like a peaceful religion to you?” Personally,
I think not!
Keep in mind
that Afghanistan has supposedly
become a democracy since the United States and the Coalition
forces occupied that country and over threw the Tabiban
Government. Yet, Islamic Law forbids the conversion of any
Muslim to another faith especially to Christianity. Saudi
Arabia, with whom the American Government maintains
a close relationship, is a country where there can be no
Christian assembling publicly without imprisonment. A Muslim
in predominately Muslim countries
is forbidden by law the convert to Christ. Any Muslim
converting to Christ can be imprisoned
and/or face the death penalty. Does this sound like
a peaceful religion?
Though not
all Muslims are terrorists and many Muslims oppose
and reject acts of terrorism in the name of Allah, yet the
religion of Islam is essentially intolerant
of all other faiths. This includes Judaism, Christianity,
Buddhism, etc. That Islam seeks to gain control of the governments
of the world is not a new revelation. Rather it is the goal
not only of the extremists but the hope and intent of the
vast majority of Muslims. It is being predicted that if
the present rate of Muslim growth continues in Europe within
the near future that continent will be under Islamic control.
Time will tell if this will happen. Europe today is largely
post-Christian. |
Religion
is not a friend of God:
It is largely the imams
in Islam who are able to continually agitate
Muslims, especially at their Friday prayer services
in the mosques to foster acts of hatred. As I read
the four Gospels in our
Christian New Testament I think of the Jewish religious
leaders who incited their followers to turn against
Messiah. Throughout the centuries of the Christian
Church it was usually the religious leaders, the
hierarchy, who inflamed
their followers hate and even to kill Jews, Muslims
and others. This remains a dark blot upon Christendom.
However, I am convinced that it was seldom
authentic followers of Jesus Christ who carried out
these evil deeds. One cannot read the Gospels without
coming to the conclusion that such acts blatantly
violate the express commands of Jesus regarding love
for others. The God of authentic
Christian Faith is the God of love. See
the book of First John.
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| So
what am I saying? I am simply taking the position that religion,
whatever the label, is not really a friend of God. In fact,
I am convinced that religion is the
greatest enemy of God. It is the feeble
attempt of human beings to reach out to a god or goddess
not to the God revealed in the Bible). The God of religion
(all religion including nominal Christendom) is a god that
must be appeased in some way or other. Whereas the God revealed
to us by Jesus Christ and in the pages of the New Testament
is the God of grace, mercy, peace and love. This is the God
whom I choose to worship, praise and adore. |
Shalom:
I hold the position that authentic Christians are to be
people of peace. Does this make me
a pacifist? Not strictly. I do believe that we as
both a nation as well as individuals should protect ourselves.
While on the other hand as followers of the Prince
of Peace we should never
be the aggressors. Aggressive warfare
is out-of-sink with Biblical Christianity. When our
nation was attacked on December 7, 1941 we entered the Second
World War. We were not the aggressors. As Christians I believe
we were justified in entering
into conflict with those axis powers who attacked our nation. |
| Should
Christians fear Islam?
Earlier I briefly touched on some of the acts that have
been perpetrated by radical Muslims that display pure evil.
In the Iraq conflict it is interesting to note that many
Muslims are fighting, killing and threatening each other.
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Sunni
and Shiites
are at each other’s throats though both groups
are followers of Muhammad with each claiming to be the
true Muslims. |
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The
Hezbollah
(“Party of God”) is seeking to destroy any
semblance of democracy in Lebanon. It hates the Jews
and wants Israel destroyed. |
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Hamas (“Islamic Resistance
Movement”) is a Palestinian Islamist militant
organization as well as a political party of considerable
strength. As with Hezbollah it too is anti-Semitic. |
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In
Darfur
the Muslim forces have slaughtered through genocide
thousands upon thousands of African Christians and animist
people in the villages. |
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Somalia
militant Muslims
continue to endanger the Christians of Ethiopia. Similar
militant Muslim groups are persecuting Christians in
the northern regions of Nigeria. |
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The
Islamic government
in Iran and other Muslim leaders advocate their intention
to eventually erase Israel from the planet driving the
Jews into the sea. |
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Persecution
of Christians is common throughout the Muslim
world including Pakistan, Indonesia, the Middle East,
regions of the former Soviet Union wherever Islam is
in control. |
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| Muslims
of all stripes
desire world domination. Whenever and wherever they gain control
they establish a Muslim theocracy.
Contrary to what some Christians would have us believe about
the peaceful ambitions of Islam we find it somewhat difficult
to fully accept this premise. We are told that in 19
of 21 nations governed by Muslim rulers there is ongoing
violence, bloodshed and hatred directed toward
Jews and Christians. Islam fans violence and intolerance
wherever it can. It is interesting to note that in the 1930s,
German-style fascism enamored the Arabs of Egypt and Palestine.
During the Cold War many Islamic governments were sympathetic
toward the Soviet Union. |
So
should we Christians fear Islam?
We
need to be aware of the danger
of this rapidly creeping powerful threat to the world. As
a Christian I am convinced that the Church of Jesus Christ
will not be overcome by Islam. Jesus promised that
the very gates of Hades itself would never
overcome his church. Yet, awareness and common sense is
vital. Countless numbers of our Christian brothers and sisters
in Christ are risking their lives because of their steadfastness
in following Jesus. They need our ongoing prayer and support.
The Muslim jihadists
look at Christianity and seldom realize its spiritual strength.
Nazism, fascism, militarism and communism have all failed
but the Gospel of Christ continues
to be the light that cannot and will
not be extinguished.
No, I do not fear
Islam though it certainly is a threat. I
am especially concerned over the state of the institutional
churches as spiritual lukewarmness,
doctrinal compromise, moral laxity and a faith that
is being watered-down on all
sides by theologians, seminaries, preachers, churches, etc.
runs rampant. The real enemy of the faith is alive and well.
He seeks to attack the Body of Christ from both within as
well as without. This enemy that I am referring to is Satan.
Note the warning given by the apostle Peter,
“Be
alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around
like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist
him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your
fellow believers throughout the world are undergoing the
same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8 &
9) TNIV. |
Islam
is not a sister faith of Christianity:
Contrary
to what the news media, the politicians of both parties
and many church leaders want the public to believe Islam
is not a sister faith of Christianity. It is a false
religion. Mohammad was a false prophet.
The Koran is not holy Scripture. It cannot stand
up to the Bible of the Jews
and Christians which alone is the uniquely and divinely
inspired written Word of God. Biblical Christian Faith and
Islam are poles apart. They do not teach the same things.[2]
Our Lord Jesus Christ warned his followers to expose
and avoid false prophets and false religious leaders,
“Watch
out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their
fruit you will recognize them. . . Not everyone who says
to me, ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
(Matthew 7:15-16, 21.”
Islam accepts Jesus as a mere prophet.
However, they deny his literal crucifixion as well as his
deity. Their Dome on the Rock
located in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount has an Arabic inscription
on it which says:
“God has no son”
But
what does the Bible say? The Bible teaches from beginning
to end that Jesus is the Son of God.
See – Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; 9:6; John 1:1, 14-17;
Col. 2:9; 1:15; Heb. 1:3; etc. |
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Regardless
of what the news media, the politicians and certain religious
leaders loudly declare Islam
is not a peaceful religion although there are many
individual Muslims who are advocates of peace. Neither is
it a sister faith of the faith of biblical Christians. The
response to this should be the extension of Christian love
to the Muslim people. Christlike love
overcomes the evils of the human heart as expressed in religion.
I am convinced that the greatest weapon that Christians
have in overcoming forces of evil are not guns, tanks and
the military but is the love of God. The Lord Jesus Christ
proclaimed love over and over again in the Gospels. One
of the greatest chapters in the New Testament is found in
1 Corinthians 13, the love
chapter. Why not get your Bible and read it for yourself? |
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| [1]“My
Sojourn in Fundamentalism” is a booklet available
from this ministry.
[2]
Contact us for a more detailed
booklet on Islam |
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