Ordinary People
In my devotions this morning…
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations-these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.” CS Lewis
For some, the hardest thing to accept in the Christian view is the great value it places upon the individual soul.
Even in its ruined condition a human being is regarded by God as something immensely worth saving. Sin does not make it worthless, but only lost.
The major difference between Muslim and Christian religions is the enormous success of Islam in providing comfort to their followers. Christianism, in failing in providing such a degree of confort, have been progressively abandoned by western societies, so paradoxically, they have enjoyed a bigger degree of social welthfare, woman liberation and individual rights. Let’s no forget that these have been social achievements, not christian achievements. Under christianism, slavery and war have traditionally been permitted for centuries, letting nothing else but charity to fight the poorness.
I have no idea why you have chosen to make this about Christianity and Islam, but since you have, I must say, you were more than unfair.
What is Islam? Is it the radical taping of bombs on his person and throwing himself in a crowd of innocents? I am sure many Muslims would argue it is not.
So, to choose the best of one religion and compare it to the worst of another, is unfair to say the least.
Of course, what is Christianity? I don’t happen to equate Christianity to slavery and war, so, but if you wish to look to war, you can look for thousands of years of it everywhere, in all religions.
I mentioned in my post Christianity, because that is MY faith, but not to compare it with others, but to show the value of life, a soul, and how God regards it.
I think it was a beautiful post, and why you chose to enter my blog and make out of it something ugly is for you to figure out.
Much could be said about Diego’s statement. But instead of picking apart each detail, I think one idea needs to be focused on: God’s view of His creation. The original post shows the worth that God attributes to us as humans. That was the point as I see it. Diego’s post switches the focus entirely to social issues, issues that relate from one human to another and not God to humans. His point is a valid one; if anything is wrong with contemporary Christianity it is the lack of compassion for others around us. We focus on the spiritual needs of people while often ignoring the physical needs they legitimately have. Was not the practice of our Savior one of meeting physical needs as well as spiritual ones?
To elevate Islam over Christianity based on this idea of comfort seems baseless and a bit subjective. Why not grade them on the basis of teachings, view of God, and the benefits of the people that follow each one respectively? Or perhaps by the standard made at the first post? How does the God of the Bible view his people vs. how Allah views his. If one studies the Bible and God’s redemptive plan for humanity, then I think one comes away with a great deal of “comfort” for this life and the next. This is but one theme in the Bible that gives comfort.
But perhaps Diego means something else by his use of the word “comfort.” How is it that Islam provides a greater deal of comfort than Christianity? Would you like to explain yourself?
Hi Diego,
In addition to what Xerraire said, which I agree with, I would note that I find it odd to hear that Islam provides “comfort.”
From my fairly extensive discussions with Muslims my understanding is that you believe you are saved if your good deeds outweigh your bad (though Allah might make exceptions either way, but I’ll set that aside). That doesn’t seem very comforting to me. I know I haven’t been 51% good or even close to it (on God’s scale). Or even if I thought I was close, how could I be sure? How could I possibly keep track?
Christianity, on the other hand, offers assurance to the believer. We aren’t saved by what we do but by what Jesus did for us: He took the punishment we deserved and gave us his righteousness — if we trust in him.
Having said that, the bigger question isn’t which religion offers more comfort but which one is true.
This passage in the Koran explicitly denies that Jesus died on the cross:
Koran, Sura 4:157-158 — And for claiming that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of GOD. In fact, they never killed him, they never crucified him – they were made to think that they did. All factions who are disputing in this matter are full of doubt concerning this issue. They possess no knowledge; they only conjecture. For certain, they never killed him. Instead, GOD raised him to Him; GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.
That is a very clear claim that Jesus did not die on the cross, whereas we know from the Bible and even secular history that Jesus did die on the cross. Then one man came along over 500 years later with a radical new story about how Jesus didn’t die on the cross, though he had zero evidence behind it. Zero.
Is it possible that Mohammad was right about Jesus not dying on the cross? In a hyper-technical sense, I suppose so. But you’d have to throw every historical event ever up for grabs using that approach.
Christianity is true and it offers real comfort, both now and for eternity.
Peace,
Neil