Serious Question for Christians (and Muslims if interested) - can I get an honest response?

Question

So, Im sitting here in amazement at how much Muslims and Christian have in common:

Both religions teach that they are the One True Faith.
Both religions have a Holy Book that is the inspired word of God.
Both religions teach that those that are non-beleivers are destined for eternal torment.

There is a couple of major differences - for instance, there is a massive amount of historical literature on Mohammed, proving that he was a real human - while there is little to none regarding the historical Jesus. Mohammed also taught that Jesus was not divine, and that beleiving so was a path to Hell.

So, Muslims' reasonings' for obeying the Koran are the SAME as your reasons for obeying the Bible - divinely inspired word of the creator of the universe.

Why is it that you are not Muslim?? Muslims - why are you not Christians?? Do either of you lose sleep at night wondering who is correct? Or do you just assume you are correct and they are wrong?

Please be serious.

Im curious why I have received thumbs down. Is there something offensive to my question, or is it the fact that I speak the truth what causes you alarm??? Get real folks - thumbs down for a serious, respectful question is proof of your inadequate intelligence.

Niiki - thanks for dodging the underlying question, and then not citing your sources for all that historical data you seem to have on Christ.... That is, historical data OUTSIDE the Bible....

Answer 1

The historian Josephus cronicled some information about Jesus...I think if you key in his name on a search engine, there is a website that will lead you into things he wrote about Jesus Christ. You could also check at a library.

All I know is that for me the Christainity thing works...so why would I want anything else? I live at peace with what I understand...and that God is love....and I use the Bible....but I believe that I am supposed to love others as I love myself...and that includes even people I disagree with.

I don't think it is up to me to decide anything about spirituality for anyone else except myself...so what other people do is up to them...and if God wants them to understand anything different...He is capable of opening their minds to a new or different understanding...He can call people to Him as He wills...and then give them the choice to follow Him or not....we all have free will...but we don't even have the choice unless He opens our minds to what the choices are.

I don't investigate other religions because I am at peace...but if I were not at peace...I would still be searching.

I don't think about other people being wrong or right about things...they just have a different understanding than I do. Maybe I am the one who needs to learn more...and if that is the case, God will help me to see that at some point.

Many religions teach that God is love....and if we all practiced just that one principle, it seems to me like the world would become a better and safer place to live in.

Answer 2

The Christian/ Jewish Scriptures are divinely inspired. Proof of this claim is the many hundreds of prophecies made and shown to have come to pass. Some prophecies were made about events just a few years in the future, many more are about events that happens centuries after the prediciton. An example is the prophecy in the Old Testament that the Messiah would be born in Bethelehem, to a virgin mother, killed by religious authorities, and would be raised from the dead 3 dyas later. These were made more than 400 years before the birth of Jesus. At the time of the prophecy Bethelehem was a backward, very un-important village.

These events happened as predicted in the Old Testament. The Qu'ran contains no similar prophecies.

Answer 3

I understand what you mean, but at the core, the two beliefs are practically imcompatible. One faith believes that God became a man and died for our sins on a cross. The other (Islam) believes that we are responsible for our own sins and that God never became a man and is not a trinity. In fact, Muslims do not even believe that Jesus died on the cross. They believe that some other guy (whoever he was) died on the cross instead and that Jesus ascended to Heaven.
Mohammed is not a prophet to the Christians because the New Testament says, "The prophets were until John (the Baptist) . . ." He was the last biblical prophet.
When it comes to our Gods, they are not the same. The God of the bible is Jehovah or Yahweh, not Allah. They even have different personalities and agendas. So then, how can we be dealing with the same theology?

Answer 4

There are a lot of similarities between the three Abrahamic faiths. In my opinion even more so between Jews and Muslims.
It's not so much the similarities as the differences (within just Christians and Muslims -as per your question) that seperate us. Christians are emphatic that Jesus is Divine, Muslims are emphatic that He was not. And even within this sentence there are theological differences - Christians believe He died and rose and therefore still lives, Muslims believe He died, therefore there is the difference in "is Divine" and "was not".
Yes, we both have Holy Writ, and the adherents to each religion differ along the same lines - some believe it to be a literal interpretation only, some a more figurative interpretation, and some pick and choose what they will follow while others strive to follow all that is written. It is my believe that they were both written by God and were given to His followers in their respective regions of the world, and included those parts of the Gospel that could be adhered to by the followers. God will not give meat before milk. He will not give us more than we can handle. And throughout time this has been established. He gives us only that which we are able to understand - no more (because the principle would be altered by man to fit our understanding) and no less (because we would be unsatisfied and ask for more than was needed).
Truth is truth, and just because you know some truth doesn't mean you know all truth. And just because you know more truth than the next guy doesn't mean the truth that guy has isn't truth.

So, do I loose sleep wondering who is correct? No.
I will be judged on how well I kept the truth I have, not on what I didn't know. I may have more truth than my Muslim counterpart in one area of life, but he/she may have more truth in a different area of life. I will never know all there is to know while in this life, but it doesn't mean I can't learn more about it throughout all eternity, and learn as much as I can while here on earth.

Answer 5

I don't agree with all your info but i surely do not think you should have got a thumbs down for that question. I found nothing offensive in what you said. Until I got on Answers, the only thing that I had heard on Mohammed(PBUH), is that he was in high regards to the Muslims.There may be facts that he existed but i have never heard anything about him being a prophet until recently. I just knew of his name until I started talking to some Muslims on answers.(that is why I used the pbuh , out of respect for them.)And as far as anyone telling anyone they are going to hell or that is the path to hell,nobody knows that but GOD. Everyone acts like they have firsthand knowledge.We can only do what we have been taught and leave the judging to the Lord.

Answer 6

Firstly let me correct you regarding your claimed lack of evidence that Jesus was indeed a very real person, fully man and fully God. No serious scholar would dispute that Jesus existed and even the Quran accepts this as fact.

The two books however despite some apparent similarities, fundamentally differ in all of the areas that really matter. For example the Quran is in solid and complete opposition to Christianity, and unlike the Quran, the Bible is rich in prophetic fulfillment.

Answer 7

This is how it Works.
Truth and religion (error)
Yep, thats it.
And it gets Even Stranger.
GOD will Back up HIS Followers (if all Ducks in a Row) with HIS Power.

the author of religions (devil) will back up his Followers with a little power now and then too, to make them Think they got the Real Thing (GOD Almighty).

Now with the True Believers running around with GOD's Power working Miracles,
and the false (religions) running around Faking Miracles (seem real, satan can't heal) How ya gonna Know what to Follow.
Jesus said IF it were POSSIBLE, even the Very Elect (HIS Kids, Born-Again) would BE DECIEVED. Where dose that Leave UnBelievers who want to go to Heaven---How can They Tell Who to Follow, if Both Sides are running around doing Miracles?
And it will get even Trickery Later On.
Chose CARFULLY, if you want to Get to Heaven.
There is a Test. It is in the Bible.
New Testament, it starts with "Try the Spirits" or Test the Spirits.
Any Spirit that Dosen't confess that Jesus Christ Came in the Flesh (was Born of a Woman and has a Human Body) is Not of GOD. It is in the Bible. And CONFESS is Deeper than just Repeating the Truth.
The devil can Repeat the Truth, but he is Dammed.

Answer 8

Actually, when you get right down to the core issues, Islam and Christianity have very, very little "in common".

People who attempt to make that claim are basing it on superficial similarities and certainly NOT on issues that matter. These superficial commonalities can make MANY belief systems seem similar until one digs to the depth of a scratch.

I believe in the one true God and in salvation thru His Son, Jesus. I do not lose sleep at night wondering. While I believe that "allah" is a false god, I'm sure that Muslims (and others) have pretty much the same thoughts about Christians and Christianity.

Right? Wrong? I believe it's far better to focus on MY faith and MY relationship with God vs. trying to convince others that they're "wrong" in their belief system. I trust in God to do that when the time and place is right for them. I'm sure that Muslims (and others) have the same thoughts.

I also believe that Satan uses "smoke and mirrors" to confuse and distract people from the one true God.

Thanks for the question. I hope that this was serious enough for you.

Answer 9

There are a lot more differences than the ones you mention. Christianity is grace-based because it recognizes the depravity of mankind while Islam is works-based and stresses the innate ability of mankind to please God. The central point of Christianity is the sacrifice of Christ as atonement for sin which is not part of Islam. And the differences only multiply from there.

Why am I not a Muslim? Many reasons, but one is that the humility of Christianity and recognizing my depravity appeals to me and fits my reality. It also fits my reality to know Christ's work enabled the Holy Spirit to dwell within me and to give me the strength to follow God and grow in holiness since I cannot do it on my own.

Answer 10

I don't lose any sleep,.
'the bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All Scripture is given by GOD and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong with their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right.
Using the Scriptures, the person who serves GD will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work
that's from the NCV.

I implore you to find the truth that is Jesus, HE said "I am the way the truth and the life."

He is the only way to stay out of the lake of fire.

Some don't want to believe and the bible says that in 1 Corinthians 2:13,14 And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit. And so we explain spiritual truths to spiritual people.
A person who does not have the Spirit does not accept the truths that come from the Spirit of GOD. that person thinks they are foolish and cannot understand them, because they can only be judged to be tru by the spirit."

So every time someone says the bible is foolishness they are actually agreeing with this scripture and proving it true.

Stay away frm Mohammad and his teachings.