Many Christians do not believe that Islam is a religion of peace. They think that the uproar around the world over a cartoon is proof that Muslims simply love war and want there to be constant strife around the world. I am a Christian, I once thought this too, but now I know that this is not the case. Perhaps it is in human nature to fight and, while still fighting, desire peace. William Wallace did not want to fight, he wanted freedom and he knew that freedom and peace were worth fighting for. This is the mindset of Islam. All Muslims long for peace and peace is promised to them in the Quran... but at what price to the rest of us? Christians, throughout the centuries, have been guilty of "converting" at gun point (or by the edge of the sword), yet, those who have understood the commands of God as outlined in the Bible know that this is not the way we should spread the gospel. We cannot convert souls by threatening them with death. Islam believes otherwise:
And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers. [2:193]
"...until persecution is no more". This sounds like a verse of hope, hope for peace. But what is the price? There may be no other religion. But what if the Muslim seeks peace with other religions?
Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not. [2:216]
Some may say that the God of the Bible commands similar things. He told the Israelites to kill everyone in the Promised Land: Men, women, children, livestock. But these commands in the Quran are not for a specific group of people at a particular time. Rather, they are standards being set by Allah:
And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers. [2:191]
As you look through the Quran you will see many verses that call for peace, that call for charity: "be good to parents and to kindred and to orphans and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind". And you will find verse after verse claiming that "Thou(Allah), only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful".
God, the true God of the Bible, is merciful even as many are condemned because he has chosen to save some though they don't deserve it. Allah is merciful, at the edge of the sword. He gives you one chance to convert, and if you do not the Muslim is called to "slay them wherever ye find them" though he is called to "begin not hostilities". Am I afraid of the great Satan, Islam? No, because I trust in the One True Living God. He will save me from the fiery furnace [2:167] and even if he does not, I will never bow to Islam. Do I hate Muslims? No, but I do pity them for they live in darkness and have not [yet] seen the light.
(source: Skeptics Annotated Quran)
4 comments:
A little to serious for me while doing my daliy blogging... If I had a buzz, that probobly would have killed it. But, this was an interesting piece.
thanks, just had to get that out.
So when should a Christian slay the unbeliever?
that's an interesting question Lucas, and I would be interested in hearing what you mean(unpack it a little)?
An obvious deviation for Christians from Islam (or Judaism) is that we are called out of the world but still live in it (2 Corinthians 1:12). We do not live in a Christian Theocracy (though, somehow critics some times claim we do). Thus, many laws from the OT that would demand death simply cannot be exercised, so I think your question really could only apply within the Church, which would negate the question. I am no expert on the NT, but I would be puzzled by any command to put to death an unbeliever. What context could that possible apply to? Does the Bible talk about condemnation for unbelievers in a way that may seem hostile or may offend the world? Yes it does. God is a just God, both before and after death.
Anyhow, let me know what you're thinking.
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