It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by ZeroDeep
First things first, Valhall is actualy a She
To detract the doctrine of Islam, one has to simply undermine one of its parents, Christianity. Anyone with a good philosophical head on thier shoulders will agree, Christianity was not meant to be taken literaly, but symbolicly like most ancient mythos, the ancients believed in the moral and truth in these stories, they did not take them literaly.
Islam speaks of Jesus as a historic figure, history does not dictate this, does it?
Originally posted by ZeroDeep
Well, quite simply, why would God send us a refresher, what was the inherent need, and if there was, why only to a certain geographical region of this planet?
There are many threads and many debates regarding the actualy existence of Jesus as a true to life being that walked this Earth, for very little evidence exists. Just skim some previous threads.
Originally posted by mithras
MAN is inherently capable of evil and needs cleansing of being capable.
[edit on 4-7-2004 by mithras]
Originally posted by ZeroDeep
Gospels are not first hand accounts, they are scriptual, and at a closer glance, some even contradict the others.
Also, if Allah sends thousands of prophets, why are the messages so different, and who are these others ?
Deep
Originally posted by Jakko
Originally posted by mithras
MAN is inherently capable of evil and needs cleansing of being capable.
[edit on 4-7-2004 by mithras]
Cleansing of being capable?
Being capable is not a sin, so there is no cleansing needed for that.
Giving in to what you're capable of in the negative direction, is what needs cleansing. But cleansing comes after you ignored Gods wisdom and chose to sin anyways.
Originally posted by ZeroDeep
' Best thing to do ' according to whom ? That was quite the ambigious statement. The best thing still entertains a relative definition of what is best.
Originally posted by mithras
Originally posted by Raphael_UO
I pray I say these words with humility, as I am to do with all things.
The way in which Mithras replied, does not match what I am taught to believe.
The way Vahall replied to Mithras, also does not match what I am taught to believe.
The way I've replied, is not in accordance with teaching of Islam, but I do that because I spend time discussing with reason, then someone has to destroy that reason with bigotry. This is simply rude isn't it and tempers go up.
As for whether you show humility in what you said. To me, your post is like a judgement that you are somehow above both of us or that you don't show emotion from time to time. Rather like a perfect example of man. Now that's just an opinion, but you criticised me (did you read why I said those things?) so I am allowed to say something back to you too? Perhaps you didn't mean to sound like that; then nor did I (and I presume Valhall since she is a Christian) want to sound like I (she) did.
[edit on 4-7-2004 by mithras]
This is very philosophical so I'm uncertain that I fully understand you.
Muslims (the way I understand it) believe that Allah doesn't use one label to define who has a chance of going to Heaven, instead one label (true monotheism) and a whole set of actions. While today's Muslims believe in Muhammad's message; before Muhammad there were (we believe) Muslims who believed in, say, Moses' message. Them olden Muslims didn't need to believe in Muhammad or the Qur'an. Instead all that mattered was one label (belief in no god but God) and a way of life of submission to Him - same as now. I continue this theme:-
Can we try to look at it from two perspectives? :-
Muslim doctrine:
MAN is essentially good, but can be tempted to do evil.
PEACE WITH ALLAH: One label (one god belief) + sin in life (actions) = salvation.
PEACE WITH MEN: Worldly life is improved by following a given fixed complete Islamic set of ethics (no drinking, no stealing etc.).
Christian doctrine:
MAN is inherently evil and needs cleansing of evil.
PEACE WITH GOD: One label (accept trinity) = salvation.
PEACE WITH MEN: Worldly life is improved by the Holy Spirit, which slowly improves sense of ethics. Initially vague ethics are given in commandments.
(I hope this is understood correct, please correct if wrong and I start again no problems)
Now,
Check your quote: you said "how can I be so sure. This is the same as... " ; bear with me, now:-
I meant how can I (me, as a Muslim) be sure about your (as a Christian) salvation because I don't know how Allah would view your own personal concept of the Trinity.
From Muslim view, your life's equation is:
PEACE WITH ALLAH: (trinity, maybe (*)) + (are your "actions" sinful according to Allah) = Heaven or Hell? Unsure
(*)The "actions" should work with Allah, as you say humility and ten commandments are part of Christianity so that's pretty nice. But the question for me is the first part of the sum, will Allah mind you calling Jesus a God.(Trinity). Maybe if you visualise a truly single entity, He will let you off about the smaller misunderstanding that He was sort of probing himself onto Earth as Jesus, maybe. Understand me there?
From Muslim view, my life's equation is:
PEACE WITH ALLAH: (one god belief, fine) + (are your actions sinful according to Allah) = Heaven or Hell? Unsure
So a Muslim is not sure of his own salvation or yours.
___________________________________________________
Of course you are sure of your own salvation, and you are sure of mine. This is just down to our different beliefs about how God sees us, correct?:-
From Christian view, my life's equation is:
PEACE WITH GOD: (no acceptance of Christ as God, failed) = Hell
and your life's equation is:
PEACE WITH GOD: (accept Christ as God, passed) = Heaven
It's our basic belief of God that is the root of the matter. It is what I mean about I need proof as to which is the correct belief, before I take a path.
Hope that better explained.
Because, some of the ideas of the Ten Commandments stood firm, the message of humility Jesus gave (and which Muhammad gave) stood firm. Much of the basic teachings of behaviour to fellow man stood through. But the grand belief is quite different, original sin etc.
This, if I understand you, is indeed agreed.
I mean is you have to pick a belief about God first, to determine which is the True belief. There is no point in just saying "I choose Islam" for no reason. I believe you said you want to base your choice on: "which has the most humility." Okay, but you need to study the other religions first to decide. For me, that humility has a "inside feeling" role in deciding, but there is more than that. I want to see the texts from the Prophets themselves and not from Nicea - see my view?
The Qur'an is seen, by Muslims, as a gift from God. I mean the gift is detailed in that it says how to conduct your life on earth for peace with Him and other men. Even telling us how to fight is part of the gift, because fighting is inevitable, it happens. It has detail in terms of belief; it, for example, says there are Angels created from light, Jinn (another of his free-will creations) created from heat, it describes creation to some extent, things we slowly find out by science, and so on
Hmm, aren't you believing blindly about "original sin." How can you suggest your interpretation of the Bible is correct and mine is not?
As I see it (check the long posts I've had with KSoze): Everything is about blind faith. Belief in gravity as a force (some people think it's because matter is expanding), belief in evolution as creation. You have to research yourself and pick the right belief, the most likely, the one with least contradiction of logic.
I only put forward my belief in what the Qur'an is, which is what I'm asked. It's fruitless to think that before you accept Islam (I agree!), but if you've accepted Islam, you will accept that. If this may have sounded arrogant, sorry, but your beliefs in original sin might sound the same to me. The Qur'an is a gift of knowledge to us. As I have said, you have to tear all your beliefs away (about original sin) before you can try understand Islam. I've tried (still do), to do the same for Christianity in trying to understand it.
Indeed! This is exactly what I'm saying. I've done this putting aside before and come to a decision, but as I understand you, you haven't done it with Islam. Of course I should look at Hinduism and Bhuddism properly, too.
If you can understand my view here or not, please let me know.
The only thing I do not understand is how you can have an open mind and an opinion at the same time.
Hmm, surely it is your place to make your own judgement?
I had an open mind in deciding a religion. It is closed to Islam for now. If (scientific) evidence that it is wrong appears, I will re-open my mind. Also I will re-open my mind for discussion if you wish to compare the religious doctrines for which is better for the world.
Next is the explanation of the Trinity, I agree we've got to tackle it another way because it's down to that basic belief thing (not humility).
If you wish me to look for verses, or Sunnah, I will: but any good website ( islamonline.net ) will have those basics explained. This post is pretty long already and I do ramble, sorry. Thanks for your patient manner in explaining.
Originally posted by River Euphrates
Originally posted by mithras
Originally posted by Raphael_UO
I pray I say these words with humility, as I am to do with all things.
The way in which Mithras replied, does not match what I am taught to believe.
The way Vahall replied to Mithras, also does not match what I am taught to believe.
The way I've replied, is not in accordance with teaching of Islam, but I do that because I spend time discussing with reason, then someone has to destroy that reason with bigotry. This is simply rude isn't it and tempers go up.
As for whether you show humility in what you said. To me, your post is like a judgement that you are somehow above both of us or that you don't show emotion from time to time. Rather like a perfect example of man. Now that's just an opinion, but you criticised me (did you read why I said those things?) so I am allowed to say something back to you too? Perhaps you didn't mean to sound like that; then nor did I (and I presume Valhall since she is a Christian) want to sound like I (she) did.
[edit on 4-7-2004 by mithras]
Salaam
I hope my post does not cause any further offense. I believe Mithras misunderstood Raphael UO.....I believe Raphael UO also misunderstood Valhall and Mithras. I also believe that Valhall misunderstood Mithras.
Sometimes in a public debate, when we are in haste....we tend to say things that do not translate correctly into words.....sometimes we choose words that aren't best represented by our thoughts. This is usually a problem and a barrrier , especially when we express ourselves in written form , without giving subtle and key cues explicit to our facial expression.
I hope all of you forgive each other.....I believe if we all were to meet in person....we would all be the best of friends.
----River
Peace
[edit on 4-7-2004 by River Euphrates]
The only passage from the Qur'an which I know which talks of the Trinity goes something like:
They blaspheme who say Allah is one of three. This is not so. Allah is the one true God.
Please forgive my ignorance if I did not get the words correct. I believe the meaning behind the words is clearly there.
I saw Truth in what I read from the Qur'an (not just what I remember it saying).
Indeed Allah is not ONE of three.
To place this in my "hand analogy" it would say: "Those who say hand is one of three lie. Hand is not part of what is hand. I am the whole hand the one true hand."
The concept of the trilology would be easier to explain with simpler labels. The Qur'an uses labels such as "spirit of God" to explain the same concept without adding extra labels that may add to the confusion when trying to understand.
I believe this basic concept is the same with different labels.
Originally posted by mithras
Raphael_UO,
I'll reply to more of your post, but just skim reading it, I want to comment on something:-
I see what you're thinking.
In Islam: Jesus is seen as a man, and God is not within him or us. So the concept is different, in my opinion.
I know of many verses that expressly say Jesus is not God, here is one:
Pickthal trans. of 5:72 They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said: O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah hath forbidden paradise.
If there are references to spirits, I think they are angels, such as Gabriel. In the Qur'an angels are specifically said to be Created from light, not being God Himself. If you found a mention of spirit that seems to indicate a Holy Ghost concept, let me know.
You ask about Jesus. I will explain this as best I can as it was taught to me.
Jesus was a mortal man.
No man can have a perfect understanding of what is God, for only One can understand everything that is God.
God gave Jesus a perfect understanding of what is God.
These are the Truths that are hidden in the explaination.
Originally posted by mithras
You ask about Jesus. I will explain this as best I can as it was taught to me.
Jesus was a mortal man.
No man can have a perfect understanding of what is God, for only One can understand everything that is God.
God gave Jesus a perfect understanding of what is God.
These are the Truths that are hidden in the explaination.
I believe Jesus was a mortal man, and he was not God. Nor was God ever inside him.
Do you feel this fits your belief?
Originally posted by Raphael_UO
Jesus was a mortal man.
No man can have a perfect understanding of what is God, for only One can understand everything that is God.
God gave Jesus a perfect understanding of what is God.
These are the Truths that are hidden in the explaination.
Originally posted by mithras
I had trouble trying to see what you are saying, so wanted to pose the statement differently, anyway I can answer them like this, now (bear in mind making statements about Allah's nature is a very tricky subject for a Muslim):-
Jesus was a mortal man. Agreed if you change "was" to "is."
No man can have a perfect understanding of what is God, for only One can understand everything that is God. The reason "for only One..." is not necessarily true because it could just be our lack of capacity to understand, rather than because there is only One who can understand. The first part is true, at least because Allah made us that way. So overall the statement is not necessarily true.
God gave Jesus a perfect understanding of what is God. Disagreed. God created Jesus as a man, a man cannot understand what is God. So Jesus does not understand what God is.