Someone tried telling me the other day that the muslim religion and christianity were very much alike. This doesnt sound correct to me. Is there anyone out there who is well educated on this that can help me out?
2007-12-23 00:10:14 · 30 answers · asked by kt 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They are actually very much alike...The Quran also tells many of the stories of the Bible, especially the New Testament...the one major difference is that they make Jesus a mortal Prophet instead of the Son of God. They believe Muhammad is the last of the Prophets and do not believe that he was divine in any way. Because the stories are so similar (in the Quran and the Bible) many of the core teachings are very much alike. Islam is an Abrahamic faith just like Christianity and Judaism are. Christians don't think that their faith is a corrupt one so they view Islam as heretical. Likely, the Jewish faith views the Christians in the same way.
If it doesn't sound correct and you are only now trying to seek an educated viewpoint then your views are probably based in prejudicial assumption and rhetoric.
Try seeking out the truth BEFORE you make a judgement next time.
2007-12-23 00:39:17 · answer #1 · answered by sunflowerpinwheel 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure what qualifications you are seeking to support any answer but I have degrees in Psychology, Theology, and Psychotherapy. I agree with you that there is much misunderstanding around both Christianity and Islam.
Not my intention to write a long piece but here are some thoughts:
1. Islam, Christianity and Judaism all uphold and worship the same one God...Allah = Yahweh = God. Alll 3 religions accept the samr foundational text (Old Testament)
2. Islam afforded protection to Christians as a tenet of Islam is freedom of religious choice. Unfortunately the Crusades rather abused this Islamic tolerance!
3. During the "Dark Ages" Islamic scholars preserved Christian scholarship and without this Islamic "warehouse" of understanding Christianity would never have re-emerged.
4. Islam accepts Jesus Christ as a "prophet"
All in all there are many foundational similarities. There is no need to see conflict between religions but to rejoice the similarities and accept the differences without conflict.
I do hope you receive some Islamic input.
2007-12-23 00:35:19 · answer #2 · answered by AS 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Islam and Christianity are very different. Listed here is just a sampling of doctrinal differences - there are literally hundreds of others:
Islam considers Jesus Christ to be a prophet just like Moses, Abraham, and Noah thereby rejecting the notion of His divinity (Koran 4:171; 5:114). In Christianity however, Jesus is much more than a prophet. He is God (Matthew 17:5; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; Philippians 2:6; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 4:15).
In Islam Allah has no sons (Koran 112:3). In Christianity, God the Father declares Jesus to be His son (Hebrews 5:5)
In Islam, Jesus is a created being (Koran 3:55, 58). In Christianity Jesus was pre-existent before creation and, in fact, not only has always existed as God, is Himself the Creator (Hebrews 1:2)
Islam denies the crucifixion of Jesus (Koran 4:154-158). The crucifixion is a central tenet of Christianity. In fact, he died and rose again (Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 9:16).
Salvation is earned by good works in Islam (Koran 17:13); in Christianity, salvation is a free gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ. You cannot earn salvation by your good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
2007-12-23 00:39:10 · answer #3 · answered by Hyker D 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Islam and Christianity both agree on...
Jesus was the Messiah, sent from God to show the Jews how to live.
Jesus was a Prophet.
Jews denied Jesus Prophecy.
Jesus was born of a Virgin Mother and had no Human Biological father
Jesus did not sin.
Mary was an eternal virgin (not all Christians believe this).
Jesus left Earth and was Risen up to Heaven alive.
Mary never sinned.
Jesus will return at the end of time when judgement happens.
Muslims DO NOT BELIEVE...
Jesus is God,
Jesus is the Christ (GOD).
Jesus died on Earth and was Risen/the Ressurection.
Further Muslims believe - When Jesus returns he will crush the "Cross" and prove to Christians that he is not God, just a man and prophet. He will give "People of the Book" (Jews and Christians) a chance to convert to Islam. And then he will defeat the Anti-Christ and assist Allah/God with Rapture/Judgement.
Very similar - us Muslims and Christians.
****
NO MATTER HOW CHRISTIANS DENY IT... CHRIST WAS A PROPHET. IT SAYS IT IN THE BIBLE. IT SAYS JESUS WAS A PROPHET, PRIEST AND A KING (GOD)... DO NOT SLANDER CHRIST AND DENY HIS PROPHECY....
***
Do not listen to juvenile with their pranks in Pharmacies. MOST ARABS IN THE USA ARE LEBANESE AND PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN EXILES. So assuming an Arab in the USA is a Muslim and would be offended by the prank proves idiocy.
2007-12-23 00:34:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I am not extremely educated with the quran, but I can give you an unbiased answer. I am Christian and my husband is Islamic, so I have read the quran, but as I said I am not well educated and am still in the process of reading it.
To start with both of the books justify religious/holy war(not just the quran as one of the responders here says). Both religions believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah, but Christians believe He is the Son of God and our Lord and Savior and Muslims believe, although his birth was miraculous, he is a prophet and not the Son of God because they believe a God had no need for a son and since God is omnipotent he does not need to send a human sacrifice for mankind.
Christians believe in the Trinity, Muslims be in the oneness of God.
Christians believe the only way to heaven is to accept Christ as the Son of God and our Lord and Savior. Muslims believe you must believe in the oneness of God, the angels, that Muhammed was a prophet, the books of God(torah, bible and quran), say the 5 prayers a day and go to mecca(if affordable).
Christians believe the bible to be the only word of God. Muslims believe the quran to be the only true, unchanged book of God. They believe that if there is a contradiction in the torah or the bible to the quran that those books were changed.
Both religions teach love, charity, kindness and a belief in God. Both teach to fear God. In Christianity one must go through Jesus to reach God(none come to the father except through me). Islam teaches one goes directly to God in prayer.
Some facts: The bible(old testament) was written from the dead sea scrolls which are unchanged. The new testament from the epistles which are also unchanged. All of these original documents have been discovered and the age of them are proven.
There has been nothing found of the quran until the 10th century, a full 3 centuries after the death of muhammed. There is nothing found written that dated to the time of Muhammed, all discoveries were again dated to the 10 century. As another poster stated, there have been numerous prophecies of the bible that have come true and few of the quran.
My opinion: Christians treat the Old Testament as a learning tool and believe there is basically a new law since the birth of Christ(New Testament). Modern true Christians no longer believe in Holy war and murdering those of a different faith. Modern true Muslims no longer believe in Holy war and murdering those of a different faith.
Both now follow the standards of teaching and living a life of love, charity, peace, tolerance and spreading the religion to others as both believe their religion to be the true religion.
I hope I have answered your question at least a little. I restate that I am not extremely educated in either religion, but do know the basics. I am going to star this so my contacts can see it and maybe give you more insight at least to Islam.
As another posted replied, I, although not necessarily shocked or surprised, am saddened by the intolerance shown in most of the answers you have received.
2007-12-23 01:05:02 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
They are. Jesus is a Muslim Prophet just like Moses and Adam...
The differences are superficial.
I have been to about 10 Muslim nations, grew up Catholic, and did a Thesis on the Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
Both await the second/third coming of Jesus at the end of the world.
Both have a similar belief in God and his Commandments.
Both persecute non-believers and heretics...albeit it's the loud minority of each.
Both have many denominations too.
I also consider Mormons, not just Christians, but good Christians. It's the smallest fraction that tarnishes there name. The Polygamists aren't even counted in the 5 largest groups of Mormonism.
Technically Christians are Jews, and Muslims are Christians and Jews, because each religion was built on the beliefs of the next.
Gabriel is extremely prevalent in both Christianity and Islam, however he only appears in Daniel, who Jews denounce as a genuine prophet.
2007-12-23 00:16:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Christianity and Islam share a lot of stories and prophets. Islam is a bit more scientifically accurate than the Bible, only because the Qu'ran was written 570 or so years after the latest writings in the Bible and people were a bit more learned at that point.
The religions are very much the same in that: they both are very degrading to women, they both don't have a shred of evidence as to their validity, they both have caused more damage to humanity and more mental illness than any other thing, they both ask you to believe on faith rather than evidence, both holy books contain hundreds of contradictions, thousands of errors and so much moral filth that it is hard to believe that even the savages who wrote these books could stomach some of it.
I suggest you read the holy books for yourself and when you come across the filth that is in them don't whitewash it. Be honest with yourself and admit it when you disagree with something. And don't become a victim of religious terrorism...that's the fear they attempt to instill in you in order to get you to believe.
Why Women Need Freedom From Religion:
http://ffrf.org/nontracts/women.php
2007-12-23 00:25:00 · answer #7 · answered by AiW 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes they are very much alike, but it is the little things that cause all the diffrences. The two religions really seperate with Jesus. Both belive in Abraham, Moses, basicly the same until Jesus. Christians believe he was the Son of God, while Muslim's believe he is just another prophet.
2007-12-23 00:16:48 · answer #8 · answered by redhotboxsoxfan 6 · 8⤊ 0⤋
Well, one big difference is that Muslims believe Jesus was only a mortal prophet, one secondary to Muhammad at that.
Also, as you know, Christianity is a religion of peace. Its peacefulness has even inspired the founding of denominations such as the Quakers, Mennonites, and Amish etc. The members of those denominations refuse to harm another even if the other intends to harm them. That's how peaceful it is.
Islam on the other hand... Well, read my Blog and see for yourself (read "Introduction" first please, I accidentally made it in reverse order).
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-vKI.61U1erTUyNHU1qLoAtahpHNWUw--?cq=1&l=6&u=8&mx=8&lmt=5
In response to Blasphemer Bill.
Islam is more scientific than Christianity?!
That's one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard!
How then would you explain these (see Blog for more)?
"They ask you about Dhu'l-Qarnain [Alexander the Great]. Say, ‘I will cite something of his story. We gave him authority in the land and means of accomplishing his goals. So he followed a path until he reached the setting place of the sun. He saw that it set in black, muddy, hot water. Near it he found people." Qur'an:18:83
"I heard the Prophet saying, ‘If anyone of you dreams something he dislikes, when you get up, blow thrice on your left.'" Bukhari:V7B71N643
"I heard Allah's Apostle saying, ‘There is healing in black cumin for all diseases except death.'" Bukhari:V7B71N592
There is nothing like this in the Bible!
2007-12-23 00:28:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
A major difference is what they each say about God.
Muslims do not attribute any likeness to the creations to God whereas christians attribute God with being a body, spirit, being in a place, speaking with letters and sounds and language etc.
Muslims say that God's Attributes are unlike the attributes of the creations.
2007-12-23 11:57:05 · answer #10 · answered by rose_ovda_night 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋