Isn't it crazy that in a world where performance is highlighted above everything else--God is interested in the messy process of forming us to the image of Jesus?
Isn't it amazing that He doesn't care what we can do--but that He longs for us to "be?"
Isn't it extraordinary that God is not in the business of answering our questions--but that He is in the business of being eternally present?
Don't be conformed to the wisdom of this world--
8 comments:
Jeremy: Have you read the Koran? Islam is supposed to be a religion of peace, but from some of the interpretations of the verses, there's nothing but violence. What is your take on this?
Good question--
I haven't read a copy of Quran yet so I don't feel like I can answer the question in an informed way. From what I understand from some of my Muslim friends as I watch them respond to the "violent" interpretations being lived out, this isn't the way of Muhammed, nor the Quran. My experience in a Muslim country--albeit short--painted a picture for me of a quiet, gernerous, disciplined people. Not sure if this helps--ask one of your Muslim friends as they would probably have more insight and could actually take you to the passages that seem to be misconstrued.
I'll pick up a copy of the Quran.
Hey, I've got a book for you to look into sometime. It was a text for my Exodus/Deuteronomy class, but I liked it so much that I'm not selling it back to the school, and I'm starting to read the sections on other books.
From Creation to the Cross by Albert Baylis
It's a really good dive into the Old Testament and Jewish culture.
Jeremy: Did Muhammed, himself, write the Koran, or did it really come from Allah? From the many contradictions found in the Koran, many think it was written entirely out of his own mind.
In response to the first post. Recently, the Pope said that jihad violence is against God's nature, and Catholic officials fear that in response, Muslims enraged by this "insult" will commit, what else? jihad violence. But,
Muslims murder 3,000 innocents in New York and expected no criticism.
Muslims murder 202 turists in Balie and expected no criticism.
Muslims murder 333 schoolchildren and their teachers in Beslan, Russia, and expected no criticism.
Muslims murder 292 innocents, mainly Kenyans and Tanzanians at two US Embassies and expected no criticism.
Muslims murder 241 US and 58 French peacekeepers in Beirut and expected no criticism.
Muslims fire 4,000 Katyusha rockets into Northern Israel killing over 50 innocent civilians and expected no criticism.
Muslims murder 52 in London and 191 in Madrid and expected no criticism.
Muslims behead Western hostages in Iraq, Buddhist monks in Thailand, Christian school girls in Indonesia and expected no criticism.
Muslims murder 500,000 in Darfur and expected no criticism.
Muslims regard Jews as "sons of pigs and monkeys", and vow to wipe Israel off the map and expected no criticism.
Muslims force women to wear hideous sacks, stone to death women for getting raped and for leaving the home unescorted, engage in honor killings of sisters and daughters for unapproved dating, and expected no criticism.
Muslims danced in the streets and handed out sweets to their kids to celebrate the 9/11 atrocity, and expected no criticism.
Since 9/11, Muslims have killed over 26,000 and wounded over 50,000 in terrorist attacks worldwide and expected no criticism.
Muslims have carried out over 5,800 fatal terrorist atrocities since 9/11, and countless thousands since Islamic conquest began in 623 AD and expected no criticism.
But, if a Pope dares to tell the truth aout Islam, or Danes publish cartoons about Mohammed, then let the outpourings of Islamic hate and outrage begin.
And, Islam is a religion of peace? How would you answer this, Jeremy?
In response to the first comment regarding who wrote the Qur'an (much of this info came from enotes.com) The holy book of Islam was written by followers of the prophet Muhammad (c. 570–632). From 610 until his death, Muhammad received visions from Allah (God). Muhammad's followers recorded these visions in what is now the Qur'an. Although parts of the 114 chapters of the Koran were recorded during his lifetime, the final version was compiled after his death. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is only a copy of an eternal book that is kept by Allah in heaven as his complete message to humankind. Half poetry and half prose, it has a powerful effect on listeners when read aloud. Nonbelievers often demanded that Muhammad perform miracles, but he explained that he was an ordinary man—not God. According to Muhammad, the Qur'an was a miracle because of its perfect use of the Arabic language.
As to the next comment with some staggering statistics--seems like you have done your homework. I appreciate people who back their paradigm up with "facts" however I question whether you have any Muslim friends, and therefore have any life experience to go along with such "facts." The sad thing is that I could recite similar stats of deaths and atrocities that have occured in the name of "Jesus" or the "Church" both in ancient and very recent history.
Whether or not it is a peaceful "religion" is of no concern to me. I am called to love and to bring the story of Jesus, in flesh, to mankind. Join me in this!
I'm in 100% agreement with this statement: "The sad thing is that I could recite similar stats of deaths and atrocities that have occured in the name of "Jesus" or the "Church" both in ancient and very recent history." Jews in Germany and Russia, African Americans in our own country, as well as Japanese-Americans during WWII to name a few and even German-Americans after the atrocities of the Holocaust were revealed, had victim totals far and above that quoted above. I imagine that those outside our country could (and have) made some unjustified blanket statements about Americans -- which includes me and YOU, Anonymous. I, for one, do not agree with slavery, discrimination, or the Holocaust, or anything even remotely like it, yet I am an American of German descent. Does that make me like them by association? I think not. My grandfather was a member of the KKK. What does that say about me and about Jeremy who is his great-grandson? Absolutely nothing. My uncle was horrified when I went on, not one, but TWO mission trips to Russia because that is who he spent the War shooting at. Does his prejudice stop me from loving my Russian "family?' Indeed not! We should all be cautioned about "throwing the baby out with the bath water," especially when dealing with facts gleaned from narrow media sources and without having any personal and/or individual experience. Have these things happened? Certainly, but by a very, very non-representative faction of a group of people who happen to be Muslims. Sadly, I don't think that I've stated any new information for those who call themselves Anonymous. I just feel sad to hear echoes of jihad in their own words.
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