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help!!  I am getting hard questions..

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help!!  I am getting hard questions..
Ameeraana
09/11/03 at 20:57:30
[slm]

 I was at work today and we were discussing religion when one of my co-workers asked if I believed in the Bible.  I told her no, but that the Gospels are from God while the rest of the Bible is written by man.  First she refuted and said the Bible is "inspired" by God.  Does anyone know how to dispute that?  and then she told me that Jesus calls himself God and that the resurrection of Jesus is in the Gospels so then why do we not believe in that?  I had no idea what to say because I have never personally studied the Gospels.  Is there anyone that can give me a crash course and then the Islamic perspective on the Gospels?  I inshallah will one day read the Bible myself but I am so busy that all I go off of is from the Qur'an.  you can reply here,  or private message me....  I would like to know what I should reply to questions about why we are supposed to, and yet dispute the Gospels.

 Also, since the Qur'an teaches us that Allah put the likeness of Jesus on another man and that man was crucified, does anyone know the name of the person killed in place of Jesus?  Is there any historical accounts that this person disappeared without a trace?  Is the resurrection of this man just a fantasy or could there be a medical reason like he was buried alive while in a coma or something???  And sorry to make it more complicated... what did the "Jesus" the people believed do after he was "resurrected"?  I really have no clue!!!

 Thank you

fi aman allah,

Ameera
Re: help!!  I am getting hard questions..
Kathy
09/11/03 at 22:58:03
[slm]

[quote]First she refuted and said the Bible is "inspired" by God. [/quote]

I would just say to this..'parts are and  parts are not.'

[quote]and then she told me that Jesus calls himself God [/quote]

There is nowhere in the bible wher Jesus (as) says I am God, Worship me.
Just ask her where... she will point out a part in John... but it takes quite a streach of the imagination to make her point.  Why do not all the Gospels say this? Why did Jesus only say it once? I mean Allah swt tells us a million times all through His book that He is God and worship Him... doesn't she find that a bit odd?...and who was Jesus (as) praying to in the garden of Gesthemite? ...and on the cross(sp?)

[quote]the resurrection of Jesus is in the Gospels[/quote]

Muslims believe in the InJeel (the original Gospels revealed by God). unfortunately the one that is presently in the the Bible has been totally screwed up by translators and men  who needed to futher thier own personal  interests.

Muslims do believe Jesus (as) will come back... but we are not privy to what actually happened the day of the crucifixion, other than what you pointed out.

If you go to Ahmed Deedat sight... they will give you a crash course on the Bible.

[quote]what did the "Jesus" the people believed do after he was "resurrected"?  [/quote]

According to the Bible he proved he was still alive... there is a Doubting Thomas story as well as a Dinner story. However Christians use these stories to prove that he died and came back to life. I remember when i read it from the perspective that he did not die... it seemed awfully clear that he spent his time proving he did not die.

Christians believe that Jesus (as) ascended in heaven.  It is not in all the Gospels...ask her why? Why do some christian sects have it and others do not? Why was it taken out of the revised editions?

[quote] could there be a medical reason like he was buried alive while in a coma or something[/quote]

It goes without a doubt that Jesus (as) could have been buried alive. Back in those days they were buried in tombs, women annointed and oiled the dead 'buried' bodies. So it isn't the same kind of burial we see today. many times in history "live" people were assumed dead and buried.  The Bible even speaks of Lazarus... he was dead... but Jesus "rose" him.... so why aren't they also worshiping him?

Bottom line... we just do not know..

Many of us Muslims fall into the trap of debating with the Christians using their book.  their book contains lies and is not the word of Allah. It has been changed too many times.  You put your back up against the wall if you agree to debate with them using their book. We just shouldn't do it.

On the other hand... what I do.. is ask them to explain their book to me and ask questions... then watch whose back is up against the wall.
Re: help!!  I am getting hard questions..
hayat
09/12/03 at 03:53:25
[slm]

"Mein Vater ist größer als ich.“ (Johannes 14:2)
This is the german part i found in another muslim forum discussing about christianity and especially trinity. so i will try to translate it directly, but i think in an englisj bible it will look a bit different; its: "My father is bigger/greater than me" John 14:2
and in the same thread a website was also mentioned; i am not sure about all the contents, but there were in fact some interesting quotes in that thread, unfortunately they were then translates into german, so i wont paste them here; and think before i take the effort of translating the whole thing back into english, just have a look at the original text, its: http://www.gospeltruth.net/menbornsinners/mbsindex.htm
oh and if its not okey that i post website-addis than @ moderators delete/edit this post please. thx

[wlm] :-)
Re: help!!  I am getting hard questions..
muahmed
09/13/03 at 08:39:52
[slm]

I follow the following strategy

if ( christian and talking about religion )
{
  hand him a book by Ahmed Deedat and/or point him to some website that has debates/lectures by him e.g.

[url]http://www.islam.org/audio/ra622_4.ram[/url]
[url]http://www.themodernreligion.com/comparative.html[/url]


}

Re: help!!  I am getting hard questions..
oneway2paradise
09/24/03 at 20:59:15
[slm]

I think the best thing is to be honest and say, I'm not sure but I'll look it up and get back to you.   I highly highly recommend a book called [i]What Did Jesus Really Say?[/i]  It is rather long but you can use it as a reference book instead of reading it cover to cover if you like.  However, my husband recently gave it to a man interested in Islam and he read the entire thing, masha Allah, along with other books we gave them.  Now, he and his wife are both Muslims and her teenage daughters are considering it, too.  It's an amazing book.  A Muslim brother really took the time to analyze the Bible, masha Allah.  May Allah bless him for his work.

[slm] :-) :-*
Re: help!!  I am getting hard questions..
Nomi
09/24/03 at 22:09:52
[slm], thought this might help

[center]How many sons does God have ?
[size=1][i]astagfirullah[/i][/size]
[/center]
Son?
My question to u is, How come Christians take the "God's Son" title literally with Jesus and they don't take it literally for the rest of the prophets and people who were called the Sons of God? e.g.

In John 3:16 Jesus was called God's only Begotten Son.

In Exodus 4:22 "Thus saith Jehova, Isreal is my son, even my firstborn." Isreal was called God's First Son.

In Jeremiah 31:9 "I am a father to Isreal, and Ephraim is my firstborn." Ephraim is God's First Son and First Born.

In Psalm 2:7 "... Jehova had said onto me (David), thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." David was called God's Begotten Son.


God?

Second question... how come Christians take the "God" (theos in Greek) title literally with Jesus in Isiah 9:6 and they don't take it literally for the rest of the prophets and people who were called Gods ?

The Prophets who were called "God" in the Bible are as follows:

Prophet Moses in Exodus 7:1

The Devil in Corinthians 4:4 (the word for God in this verse is theos in Greek, the same used for Jesus that was translated as "God")

Multiple Prophets in Psalms 82:6

King David in Psalm 45:3

Note: The only unique title given to GOD in the Bible that was not given to others at all are Jehova, GOD, and GOD LORD. "God", "Most Mighty" and "Almighty One" are titles that were given to Jesus, other Prophets and to Satan himself in the Bible.

Very important note: Did you know that in the languages of Arabic and Hebrew the father of the house can be called the God of the house? Jesus was the God (father or leader) of his people and their father according to Isiah 9:6. Jesus being the leader and the king, it is normal for him to be called the father of his people (Father in Isiah 9:6), and because he is their father he automatically becomes their God. My father is my God in Arabic and Hebrew.

Finally

If Jesus was GOD, then why in John 8:28 Jesus said "I do nothing of myself"? Can't GOD do anything he wills?

If Jesus was GOD, then why in Matthew 19:16 Jesus said "Why call me good, there is none good but One, that is GOD"?
========

"i bear wittness that Jesus [peace be upon Him] was the second last messenger of God and Mary [peace be upon Her] was among The Most Chaste women"

From the Noble Qur'an

[i]"And certainly We created man of an extract of clay, Then We made him a small seed in a firm resting-place, Then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation, so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators. Then after that you will most surely die. Then surely on the day of resurrection you shall be raised. Holy Qur'an (23:12-16)"
[/i]

=======
PS: Do not argue much, just present the book (which Muhammad Ahmed talked about) to her inshaAllah. Hidayah is in Hands of Allah [swt]
09/24/03 at 22:24:15
Nomi


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