islam (Creator, homosexuality, mission, prophet, pray)

[TashaN]

Originally Posted by Wandered Off

Perhaps because we don't have much control over our beliefs. How about you just believe Odin is the chief among many deities, even for a few minutes... I suspect you can't, which shows why belief is a shaky reason for eternal judgment.

Why you can't control it when you have the chance to believe what you want?

[TashaN]

Originally Posted by *Paul*

I simply found it to be less convincing than the scriptures, it never spoke to my heart at all or told me anything, but then again my heart is already won by Jehovah and His Word.

Maybe because you made up your mind before even reading it?

[Angama]

Originally Posted by Abu Khalid

Maybe because you made up your mind before even reading it?

To be fair, Islam does the same exact thing when reading the Christian Scriptures. The Christian Scriptures mean whatever they say it means. So what's the difference?

[TashaN]

Originally Posted by ayani

yousaf....

i'm writing to you as a muslim on the verge of, most likely, converting to Christianity.

what i did find that i liked a lot was a simple theology, a unifying theology, much beauty, and truth. and the asma-al-husna. yet i didn't find peace... honestly. or inner truth and happiness. in other words, i didn't find spiritual life, or certainty.

i found myself arguing angrily with Christians, offended over issues that before islam, wouldn't have caused any offense, and winding up insulting people over these issues, and nearly severing ties with some very dear people.

i have become very, very good at arguing logically for the Quran. yet i have found that i don't have much inner peace. mostly logic, indignation, and inner barriers.

I feel sorry that you ended up being angry with Christians, but for me, Islam make me apperciate life more, and drive me more to love people, to love life, and love God before all that.

Originally Posted by Muffled

I had problems (as a Christian) with some passages that I read in the Qu'ran but the Holy Spirit guided me into a true understanding of them. I was reading a version authorized by the governement of Saudi Arabia and it had footnotes. I had to stop reading the footnotes because they were so bogus. I haven't read all of the Hadith but what I have read of it leads me to believe that it is not the word of God. It makes interesting reading but I would not try to establish doctrine based on it. Also I have read that the authenticity of the Hadith is in question as in the Book of Thomas which is not in the Biblical Canon because it lacks authenticity.

The Quran is the word of God, but the Hadith is the words and deeds of Prophet Mohammed which was also inspired by God.

Originally Posted by K.Venugopal

Allah would of course feel no injustice in being partial to those who believe in Him because His stated aim in creating man is to have loyal worshippers (which worshippers, in turn, desire nothing more than become loyal slaves of Allah). "I have only created jinns and men that they may worship Me." (Quran - 51:56.) Though Allah repeatedly says He has no needs, He obviously had the need of worshippers, a need He felt so badly that not only did He create man solely to fulfill this purpose but also threatened eternal hellfire for those who do not worship Him. Allah, in effect, is being undignified.

That is your own judgement. You can't just pick and choose.

[56] I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me.
[57] No Sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should feed Me.
[58] For Allah is He Who gives (all) Sustenance, - Lord of Power - steadfast (forever). (Quran 51:56-58)

[146] Except for those who repent, mend (their life), hold fast to Allah, and purify their religion as in Allah's sight; if so they will be (numbered) with the Believers. And soon will Allah grant to the Believers a reward of immense value.
[147] What can Allah gain by your punishment, if ye are grateful and ye believe? Nay it is Allah that recogniseth (all good) and knoweth all things. (Quran 4:146)

[12] If only thou couldst see when the guilty ones will bend low their heads before their Lord, (saying "Our Lord! we have seen and we have heard: now then send us back (to the world): we will work righteousness: for we do indeed (now) believe."
[13] If We had so willed, We could certainly have brought every soul its true guidance: but the Word from Me will come true, "I will fill Hell with Jinns and men all together." (Quran 32:12-13)

Allah decided already that there gonna be heaven and hell. Who am i to question that?

Can i create myself?
Can i protect myself from diseases?
Can i live forever?

If i could do all these things, i wouldn't have believe in God, because i would have been a god myself.

Allah need no one, but we all need Him.

See it as if you were a parent, you would have loved if your children have loved you, and listened to you, not because you need them, but because you know that they will benefit alot from that, not that you actually NEED to be loved by them. You LIKE to be loved by them, but you DON'T need it. This is about a parent who naturally have needs, how about the God of the universe, who created everything?

[TashaN]

Originally Posted by ayani

this is difficult for me, as it's tied in to the larger picture of my life, my relationships, and my work.

It's true that many people approach God for their own benefits, but i'm not really sure that you sound reasonably here, ayani, when you say it's difficult because of your work and relationship. I just hope that you will find what is best for you in this life and the hereafter without thinking alone of the things you have mentioned. Your faith should shape your relationships, not the other way around, IMHO.

Originally Posted by ayani

both paths are non-trinitarian, yet what Jesus says about himself and what he teaches, and the really amazing mystery and sign of life, death, and resurrection.

[75] Al-Masih, the son of Maryam, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!

[76] Say: "Will ye worship, besides Allah, something which hath no power either to harm or benefit you? But Allah, He it is that heareth and knoweth all things."

[77] Say: "O People of the Book! exceed not in your religion the bounds (of what is proper), trespassing beyond the truth, nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by, who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the even Way.

And at the same Surah Allah say:[116] And behold! Allah will say: "O 'Isa the son of Maryam! didst thou say unto men, 'Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.

[117] "Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, 'Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when thou didst take me up thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all things. (Quran 5:116)

So, not only that he didn't ask people to worship him, but he also said that he is powerless, either it was in the Quran or in the bible itself. So all the signs you talk about are given by Allah himself, just like splitting the sea by Moses, or many other miracles by the prophets and messengers of Allah.

i'll write more on this later. but basically, i asked myself why i couldn't also sing her hymn, and follow Jesus teachings and example, if not worship him as God?

Only if it was really his teachings, but sadly, it's Pauls. Isa would have followed Mohammed if he was there when Mohammed was sent.

And Allah knows best.

[TashaN]

Originally Posted by Angama

To be fair, Islam does the same exact thing when reading the Christian Scriptures. The Christian Scriptures mean whatever they say it means. So what's the difference?

The answer is in the last line in my previous post. Paul (Saul)?!

[ayani]

i wouldn't just chalk it up to Paul....

Isa / Yasua says he is the way, the truth, and the life. he asks us to pray humbly and simply, to do the will of God, to forgive, to do good works, to have faith, and be patient in suffering.

yes, there are many Quranic parallels. yet Faisal, i'm feeling something different as i follow Isa, as opposed to when i read the Quran. i do believe, i'm coming to believe. i don't really look at the NT as being "hopelessly corrupted" anymore. the words there sound true, and inspire faith and encouragement in me. i read James and i read the same, and Paul does have a lot of really faithful, sincere, good words.

so, as a Christian, i would like to follow Isa, as he is written about in the NT.

[Angama]

Originally Posted by Abu Khalid

The answer is in the last line in my previous post. Paul (Saul)?!

You talking about this:
Only if it was really his teachings, but sadly, it's Pauls. Isa would have followed Mohammed if he was there when Mohammed was sent.

If so, I'm not sure how that remotely resolves my observation.

[TashaN]

Originally Posted by ayani

i wouldn't just chalk it up to Paul....

Isa / Yasua says he is the way, the truth, and the life. he asks us to pray humbly and simply, to do the will of God, to forgive, to do good works, to have faith, and be patient in suffering.

yes, there are many Quranic parallels. yet Faisal, i'm feeling something different as i follow Isa, as opposed to when i read the Quran. i do believe, i'm coming to believe. i don't really look at the NT as being "hopelessly corrupted" anymore. the words there sound true, and inspire faith and encouragement in me. i read James and i read the same, and Paul does have a lot of really faithful, sincere, good words.

so, as a Christian, i would like to follow Isa, as he is written about in the NT.

Good luck sis.

[6] To you be your Way, and to me mine. (Quran 109:1)

I hope you will find in your new faith what you are looking after.