I recently read the Quran. As well as reading the Quran, I have finished all the works of Rumi the Sufi. Although I am a Christian, I value all other
perspectives and feel that truth is anywhere we choose to look. As long as our view of God is based on love, we can see Him at work in the entire
world. I also firmly believe that man's enemy is Satan. I recently discussed these issues in a Muslim forum.
Jesus is a messenger to the Muslims, just as Mohamed is considered a messenger. As I have a broad understanding of many ancient works, I realized
something right away about this fact.
Does it seem to be a paradox that Jesus message was to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself? I am unaware of how the Muslim stands with this
message so I wanted to get an understanding first hand in their forums. I call this a paradox because Jesus goes on to define the neighbor as the
enemy. In Luke 10, this is the story of the good Samaritan. The Samaritans and the Jews were bitter enemies. A Jew fell on the path of life one day
and His fellow Hebrews passed him by. Only his enemy stopped to help. The Samaritan went so far as to pay his way at an Inn and offered to come back
if he needed more.
The reason I mention this paradox in my mind is simple: Issac is the brother to Ishmael. This means they are family. The entire rivalry is based on a
birthright argument as stated in the Bible. Regardless of who was right, we know from God that the family is the most sacred bond that anyone can
hold. My questions in the forums was really one of confusion.
How can one brother hate the other brother and still claim to be a follower of Jesus message of love? It seems that this cancels belief in God since
Jesus states that a true believer loves his neighbor (even enemy). Since Issac is Ishmael's brother, then the family bond should override this feud
over the birthright, even in the eyes of God. Would God approve of this family feud carrying over to bloodshed and violence?
Is it not safer to understand that Satan is the real enemy here? I know it sounds cliché to use Satan, but is it hard to believe a malevolent being
exists in our large universe? 90% of our universe is invisible to our senses. It stands to reason that consciousness is not restricted to just
visible substance. It also stands to reason a benevolent being, bound by law, would seek to protect us in a way that allows us to learn how to defeat
an enemy by truth and not hatred. If God is what He claims, then truth is the sword to use.
Throughout history, the entity known as Satan has sought to divide and conquer. This is the Roman tactic to keep nations subservient to the tyrant. It
seems man and God are bound to using man as the proxy for their battle. It seems obvious that a world descending into chaos, brother fighting against
brother, is specifically what Satan would want. If peace can come from love, then why is hate trying to dispel hate. Only love, it seems, can dispel
hate. Both sides seem to be bound by some cosmic law of free will and influence of that will.
One more question. I see the flaming sword protecting the tree of life as bias and hatred against others. Since Jesus says that the key to eternal
life is love for everyone, including God and enemies, is it safe to say that Satan is using this knowledge to blind both brothers to the truth? Is it
possible that Jesus was trying to tell us that a true believer brings peace to the world, not with the sword of hate, but with the sword of truth?
LOVE?
As I contend
HERE , this story we live is a lesson for
the development of our sentience. We must make the choice of love or suffer our mistake.
edit on 18-7-2011 by SuperiorEd because: (no reason given)