The Stark Differences Between Christianity and Islam
28 Oct 2006
You’ve undoubtedly heard the expression, “comparing apples to oranges.” The expression is used when someone attempts an invalid comparison of things. This is exactly what today’s Christian bashing world does when it attempts to compare militant Islam with Biblical Christianity. The two are clearly incomparable.
Recently, the stark differences between Mohammed’s Religion of the Sword and Christ’s Golden Rule have been clearly displayed. When Amish school children were murdered in Pennsylvania, prayers and forgiveness were the order of the day. How different was this from flying “fatwas” and exploding suicide bombers, which our world has become accustomed to expect every time some Muslim gets looked at sideways?
The dissimilarity in the Christian community’s reaction to unspeakable crimes committed against it and the Muslim community’s reaction to the least little twit is attributable to the teachings of the two faiths’ founders. Whereas Jesus taught His followers forgiveness (Matthew 5:38-39), Mohammed taught his followers revenge (Surah 2:194). Whereas Jesus taught His followers to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44), Mohammed taught his followers to fight and kill their enemies (Surah 8:59-60). Whereas Jesus forbade His followers from taking up the sword and wielding it in defense of their faith (Matthew 26:52), Mohammed not only commanded his followers to take up the sword and wield it in defense of their faith (Surah 8:65), but also taught that doing so was the greatest thing any Muslim could ever do for Allah. According to Mohammed, “A single endeavor (of fighting) in Allah’s cause in the forenoon or in the afternoon is better than the world and whatever is in it.”
The recent comments of Sheik Taj Aldin al-Hilali, Australia’s most prominent Islamic cleric, provide another clear contrast between the world’s two largest religions. According to the good Sheik, women who refuse to wear head scarves and full Muslim garb are “uncovered meat” inviting rape. Apparently, Muslim men’s inability to control themselves is a given in the Muslim religion. Thus, to prevent being raped, all Muslim women must go around covered with veils and scarves like “Cousin It” was with hair on the old Adam’s Family television show. Otherwise, a slightly exposed ankle may arouse a Muslim male’s lust resulting in the rape of any partially veiled woman.
Contrast the outrageous comments of Sheik Taj Aldin al-Hilali with Christ’s prohibition against His followers even looking upon a woman to lust after her (Matthew 5:28). In Christianity, which is a miraculous internal transformation of sinful men—freeing them from enslavement to sin and enabling them to do the right thing—Christians are expected to restrain themselves from sin and treat others with respect. However, in Islam, which is a religion of mere external regulations and rituals—leaving sinful men chained to their sinful desires and under sin’s control—Muslims, at least Muslim men, are expected to be dragged around by their sinful lusts. Undoubtedly, such a belief is fostered in part by the Prophet Mohammed’s inability to tame his own sinful lusts. For instance, Mohammed not only added a six-year old girl to his harem, but also took the wife of his adopted son, insisting that his desire for his son’s wife was the result of Allah turning his heart to do the divine will.
According to Christianity, salvation is threefold. First, there is the past aspect of salvation. We have been saved from the penalty of sin. This is called justification. Second, there is the present aspect of salvation. We are being saved from the power of sin. This is called sanctification. Finally, there is the future aspect of salvation. We will be saved from the presence of sin. This is called glorification.
Islam, unlike Christianity, offers man no threefold salvation. According to Islam, there is no past aspect of salvation. No one, with the lone exception of jihad martyrs, is saved from the penalty of sin and assured entrance into paradise (Surah 46:9; 3:157). Everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, are going to hell; although the righteous will eventually be rescued from hell by Allah (Surah 19:71-72). Furthermore, there is no present aspect of salvation in Islam. Far from being saved from the power of sin, Muslims are under sin’s power and being overpowered by their sinful desires. Finally, the Muslim’s paradise is not a place where Muslims find themselves forever free from the presence of sin, but a place where Muslims will eternally frolic in the pleasures of sin. According to the Koran, the Muslim heaven is a place of everlasting sensual enjoyment, where there are rivers of wine, the finest of foods, garments of silk, bracelets of silver, beautiful virgins, and handsome young boys (Surah 4:57; 47:15; 52:17-24; 55:64-56; 76:12-22).
The contrast between militant Islam and Biblical Christianity couldn’t be starker. One is merciful, the other malicious. One is voluntary, the other compulsory. One requires repentance from sin, the other is a resigning to sin. While you may reject both or choose one or the other, the one thing you can’t do is compare them. Comparing Christianity to Islam is like comparing apples to oranges. It simply can’t be done!
If you would like to know more about Islam, the world’s fastest growing religion, you may order Don's book THE TRUTH ABOUT ISLAM from our online store.
Don Walton
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