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 Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 12:12 am
Regardless of interpretation or what you've heard about it, it's a pretty awesome read. Even if just from a theological and intellectual standpoint. As an atheist, I'm still taking things into account. I have to because it's my nature to inquire. I've never found God, but that doesn't mean I should stop looking when I can. At any rate, a lot of what they have to say about Jesus seems to properly cooincide with Biblical testament. And thing is, where I noted the differences, I found many of the later Christian adaptions to have been matters of fact assumed by Jesus' followers after his passing. So it would seem that there are multiple interpretations and recordings of his time on earth. But at the same time, seeing as how they agree on many things, I think it's safe to say that he would have at least been real, and a prohpet of God all the same. The stories about Gabriel and Muhammed are awesome, as Gabriel served as a guide for many of Muhammed's dealings with both heaven and earth. At one point it even gets into Muhammed going into heaven, and it was quite descriptive and immensely fascinating. I don't want to ruin the details for anyone who hasn't read it. I just figure that if God is an important part of your life, it's at least worth the read. I mean, if nothing else, it's a testament on behalf of the Musim faith and people, who are also children of God in their own right.
That subject aside, I still find it hard to believe that God would send people to hell for not exclusively adhering to Jesus and Jesus alone. For would that not make Jesus more of a God than God and thus be, idolotry? Just try to bear with me on that interpretation. I'm having a hard time getting past it. A part of me could almost accept that Christ is the true love of God, but as that, I see it as the true love of God that all God loving and fearing people share, whether they be Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, but a lot of people don't agree with me on that. So I could be wrong on that account as well. I also agree with the Qu'ran's teaching of not accepting something until you have proven it, or put it to test. I forget what it says exactly, but it's something to that effect.
I guess it just bugs me. Whether in the present day, or in history, I see all these people loving and worshipping God, but at the same time so busy fighting and killing each other for which way is right. Isn't enough that they do so?
But I'm just rambling. I suppose there's a reason I'm a heathen for thinking like that.
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:32 am
You are quite right. Most Jesus worship has become idolatry of what his corpse means. No difference between the cross and the flag for some. Part of my heresy is that I differentiate between Christ and Jesus and see them as different people but interacted with each other for at least most if not all of his life.
Edit: If Jesus did turn out to be just a man or even made up, I don't think it would shake me up too much to be honest.
I've read a few passages from the Koran in one of my college classes. I liked some parts, didn't like others. I even wrote a defense paper showing that Islam was a religion of peace during some rampant Islam-phobia in 2004 Louisiana. I still have my copy of an English translation of the Koran in my room. I'm working on reading the Bible from cover to cover right now. I was thinking of my next book was going to be the Iliad and/or Odyssey since it's quoted in some of the heretical scriptures I use but I might take up the Koran next. Don't know just yet if I want to dig more into Gentile thought or into other Abrahamic thoughts.
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 11:26 am
A little over looked passage the "Jesus only-s" ignore or weasel out of addressing.
John 13:
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Just because one can praise Jesus "better" than some pagans can praise their Gods, doesn't mean a thing if there is no love (agape). Do note no mention of what "correct beliefs" one has to have or being part of the "right" religion. Demonstration of moving away from tribal worship/ethics to a universal worship/ethics.
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:38 pm
Quote: That subject aside, I still find it hard to believe that God would send people to hell for not exclusively adhering to Jesus and Jesus alone. For would that not make Jesus more of a God than God and thus be, idolotry? Not really, since the trinity puts equal power/divinity/weight on all three persons. God is the one we return to, dwelling in heaven as king essentially. Christ awaits us, preparing our place since we being the body of the church are his bride. And the Holy Spirit exists to teach and train us (like a spiritual etiquette coach). All three are indespensible for christians and no one is really "above" the others. I'l be taking an intro to islam course next semester. I already know that there are things in it (the quran) that i do not believe. and conversations with my muslim friends (who are all pretty devout and really inspired me to become more in tune with my faith whee ) have explained a bit that what christians lack is a complete revelation of god's plan for humanity. i do believe that islam is a peaceable religion (or can be practiced fully as such). The militants are most likely contorting the scripture to justify hate, as christian leaders in the past used to lie to gullible/helpless minorities to gain power. That aside, the whole thing with jins is kinda suspect for me. i hope to learn more about it in my class in the spring, but it all sounds a lot like the old slave tales that got passed down generation after generation. and there's the whole denial of the divinity of christ thing, but I agree that reading the q'uran is the best way to understand this religious group. I tell many agnostic and atheist friends to read the bible before judging it and christians. A good number still are pretty ignorant, and happily so! Even if I don't agree with them, I respect non-Christians/those against christianity if they have read the book themselves and came to this conclusion rather than the "I had a bad childhood experience with church/christians" since that reasoning is both ignorant and biased.
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:41 pm
Heres something,i think no matter what belief you are,i myself is Asatru,i believe in the nordic Gods & Goddesses (pagan)
But in everything you can learn something,weather its The bible the hebrew Bible,the Koran,the illad,the odsessy,The Poetic edda the Prose Edda you name it,you learn from it =].hell i've learned alot from Video games like Final Fantasy 13 or Anime xD,i myself find Yeshua/Jesus weather made up or not,very wise,test all and hold onto whats good,and the love part is also very important. =]
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 3:24 pm
Splendid Sailor Venus That subject aside, I still find it hard to believe that God would send people to hell for not exclusively adhering to Jesus and Jesus alone. For would that not make Jesus more of a God than God and thus be, idolotry? Just try to bear with me on that interpretation. I'm having a hard time getting past it. A part of me could almost accept that Christ is the true love of God, but as that, I see it as the true love of God that all God loving and fearing people share, whether they be Christian, Jewish, or Muslim.... Its not that Jesus is the true love of god, he is god, both a seperate part and equal whole. So it is impossible to worship Christ over the Father or the Father over the Son. the Church is God/Jesus/Holy spirit's bride and true love. I feel to best explain it I have to go back to the garden. Mankind was created innocent but was given a choice, remain childlike or eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. and well, we all know how that went. so God built a covanent with those that still strived for good, he would send a savior to take the punishment they deserved and in the mean time they were given laws to live by. (but of course no normal man is able to keep those laws because of their tendancies tword evil but their stoubourn nature resisted outside help) so god became flesh yada yada, and in the end a sinless being payed for the sins of the world. he was supposed to be the savior for muslims, jews and gentiles a bridge between man and god so ignoring him is like refusing to walk across the golden gate bridge and trying to pole vault the bay instead. hats how I see it anyway, hope that helps clear things up
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 4:47 pm
I derive much of my morality from the Qur'an. smile
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