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 A man cries as he prays at the graves of the victims from the May Lahore attacks against Ahmadiyya community mosques July 14, 2010 in Chenab Nagar, Pakistan.
January 5th, 2013
04:00 AM ET
My Take: New Year’s resolution – don’t get murdered
By Qasim Rashid, Special to CNN (CNN)–My New Year’s resolution is to not die for my faith. I’d hoped that 2012 would bring a revolution among Muslims and Muslim-majority nations to free oppressed minds. Yet I find myself still waiting to not die. That’s the “curse” of being an Ahmadi Muslim in too much of the Muslim world. Ahmadi Muslims believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) is the long awaited messiah and Mahdi the Prophet Mohammed foretold, sent to unite mankind and establish peace. But this isn’t an evangelical piece, so please, keep reading. Instead of peace, 2012 brought increased persecution in which vigilante murder, unjust arrest and outright discrimination against Ahmadi Muslims continued. A new type of persecution also increased, from which even death is not an escape. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter On December 3, armed extremists destroyed 120 graves belonging to Ahmadi Muslims at a cemetery in Lahore, Pakistan. When I condemned the attack on Twitter, the response from some was just as ignorant. “You’re an infidel! Stop calling yourself a Muslim!” “You’re causing Fitna (or chaos) stop with these infidel beliefs!” Across Pakistan, Europe, Indonesia—and yes, even here in America—this is reality for Ahmadi Muslims. I get it. Some Muslims aren’t thrilled that Ahmadi Muslims believe the messiah has come because they expect Jesus, son of Mary, to literally descend from heaven. Ahmadi Muslims believe the Quran is clear that Jesus died a natural death many years after surviving the crucifixion. But this isn’t about persuading anyone to believe us. Instead, it is about confronting Fitna’s actual source and recognizing the biggest poison for Muslims worldwide: religious bigotry. Sometimes that bigotry is peripheral. The other day I tweeted a quote from Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison praising the head and Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, “… under (your holiness’) leadership the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been a true blessing for us here in the United States." Like clockwork I lost a dozen followers. Sometimes that bigotry is disguised as a compliment. “You’d be such a good Muslim, if only you weren’t a Qadiani,” someone once told me in person. Qadiani is a pejorative for Ahmadi Muslims. The “compliment” reeks of patronization, is actually an insult, and ignores the shocking possibility that perhaps I am a “good Muslim” because I am an Ahmadi Muslim. Sometimes that bigotry is direct. “You Qadiani mother--er! You will burn in hell for your beliefs! You godd- Jewish agent I’ll kill you!” No comment. The above religious bigotry I can handle. When some of the above sometimes turns to death threats, I can only foolishly hope my wife doesn’t find out. (She has this funny thing where she doesn’t want her husband brutally murdered. I know I know, women!) CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories But sometimes that bigotry is full-blown state-sanctioned persecution and violence. Like in certain Arab states where Ahmadi Muslims are incarcerated and deported for the crime of being an Ahmadi Muslim. Or like in Pakistan where simply claiming Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the messiah is a criminal offense warranting capital punishment for the use of derogatory remarks in respect to the Prophet. No exaggeration—as we lawyers like to say—that’s the black letter of the law. Fortunately, no Ahmadi Muslim in Pakistan has been executed for this crime, yet. But is it anything less than an execution when the Taliban murders 86 Ahmadi Muslims in broad daylight and the police, who admitted to knowing of the attack beforehand, look on from afar? Look, I’m not looking for special treatment. Nor do I want sympathy. But I do want one thing for the sake of humanity: That Muslims condemn all forms of religious bigotry—peripheral, patronizing, direct and violent. While this simple request is what’s right, some turn a deaf ear, despite Prophet Mohammed's pluralistic example. Ahmadi Muslim Islamic Sect has appealing message for U.S. politicians but has global enemies Mohammed championed religious equality in the Charter of Medina he signed with Jews. He assured protection of religious freedom in his letter to Christian monks at St. Catherine’s Monastery. He also afforded all Arabs carte blanche forgiveness when peacefully retaking Mecca—on the single condition that religious freedom reign free. Even Prophet Mohammed's rules of war were specifically designed to protect, not persecute, religious freedom. Every Ahmadi Muslim, Shia Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Baha’i, Sikh, atheist, agnostic, pagan—and the list goes on—has that fundamental human right to religious freedom. Establishing that right creates the peace and mutual respect we all ostensibly want. I say ostensibly, because when it comes to religious freedom in too much of the Muslim world, I’m still waiting to not die. I’ll continue to wait, alongside millions, until Muslims recognize religious bigotry for what it is—a cancer—and expel it from their midst. Yet, my in-box will reflect that this simple plea has, for some, fallen on deaf ears. Well, I guess I better not slack on my New Year’s resolution.
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  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Editor’s Note: Qasim Rashid is a national spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. Follow him on Twitter 
As long as you are chained to the dogma of any religion, your mind will not be freed. Religion of any description is a mechanism designed to control people by exploiting their fear of the finality of death. Live your life....it is all you will ever have.
Yep.
According the bible religion is defined as the following:
"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." (James 1:27)
The definition above is what the Christian bible (God's word) says that religion truly is.
A lot of Christians don't bother to read or study God's word which ironically, is spiritual food for the Holy Spirit and is required and necessary for a closer connection with God.
Regardless of one's religion, folks should treat one another with love. Doing this is working the will of God – in my opinion.
How do you know that the claims made in the bible arent true?
What investigation have you done into the claims of Christianity that has convinced you it isnt true?
@ Chad
And now the Twister shows up... How are you this morning buddy?
Fine, fine 🙂
I think it's a very difficult question to answer for the VAST majority of atheists simply because no one has ever asked them to substantiate their belief that the God of Israel doenst exist. It is just a foreign idea. They start with the assumption that the God of Israel doesnt exist then proceed from there.
Regarding the question, "How do you know that the claims in the bible are not true?"
Have you ever touched a hot stove? You know you touched it because you felt pain on a physical level and your mind remembers this experience.
When you connect with God via the Holy Spirit upon accepting Jesus Christ into your life, it's like touching a hot stove. Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, you actually feel a very real connection from God. It's hard to put into words but millions of people have had this experience and when it happens, you then know unequivocally that God and his son, Jesus Christ are real.
Because of this very real feeling when you receive the Holy Spirit, you then know on a physical and spiritual level that God and his word (the bible) are real and truthful. This is how I know that the word of God (bible) is valid and truthful.
Chad – "I think it's a very difficult question to answer for the VAST majority of atheists "
Generalize much?
The God of Israel doesn't exist until I've seen proof it does. There is no such proof. This is usually the point where you post your unsubstantiated claims of proof again, which are then shot down again by someone, ad nauseum.
Chad
thats good man:)
as to your question:
I can claim that Jesus decended from Heaven last night and said he and his Pops...along with the ghost that tags along with em are done here. They are leaving this reality for all time.
absurd you say? Prove that it didnt happen.....using your standards, you cant.
disproving ANY supernatural claim, by any standards you d accept is impossible...Vampires, Werewolves, Ghosts, Demons, Santa and his elves, any one of the 5000 gods and goddesses we ve created... all impossible to disprove.
But in the end, let's say it turns out that Jesus Christ is really the son of God, the story behind Christ is true and the only way to God is through acceptance of Jesus Christ. Again, pretending that in the end, this turns out to be true – it would become obvious that the reason for Christians to speak so boldly about Jesus Christ being the only way to God is because it was in fact true and the efforts of Christians expressing this was to spread this truth – again, pretending that this turns out to be the truth.
not a generalization really, 8 out of 10 will answer the question along one of:
1. why do you (chad) reject Thor?
2. religious institutions are horrible
3. you (the theist) havent proved that the God of Israel is real, and until you do, He does exist (that is the belief)
now,
#1 is fallacious on a couple levels.
–A. My investigation, or lack thereof, into the reality of Thor doesnt have any impact whatsoever on the reality of the God of Israel. That amounts to "oh yeah? well, you havent investigated other gods!". No excuse for you, and not a reason to reject God.
–B. Believers have a reason to reject the existence of Thor, namely that belief in the God of Israel is mutually exclusive with belief in other gods.
#2. Ok, so, I agree with you that religious institutions are horrible. The bible says the same thing! What does that have to do with the reality of the God of Israel?
#3. Saying that "God is false until you prove He is real" is equally as fallacious as "God is real until you prove Him false"
I'm saying that all responses in those three categories qualify the responder as having a problem answering the question.
@truly,
1. so I would say that your response is in bucket #3
2. if you are saying that proving the God of Israel is false is impossible, why do you make the claim He doesnt exist (strong atheism)?
Why not merely say that you dont believe He does, but you cant prove it(weak atheism)?
Chad
Show us your evidence for the God of Israel being more real than Thor. Something besides the observation that Thor isn't as popular any more. Both were believe in by ancient people's enough for them to write texts about them. The only difference that I can see is that more people still read about YHWH than Thor nowadays.
@lisa,
see #1 and #3 above..
@ Chad
..... as I thought .... you sir, are a shining example of willful ignorance.
So you and I agree that all other gods, vampires, santa ect. are not real...yes? so what is different about your God? what do YOU have to go on? has he appeared to you?, has he spoken to you?..... has he spoken to anyone in 2k years? any magic tricks? no?.... hmmm – Can you prove that Jesus (as presented in the bible) was infact here? no you cant... per Google ..the binble was brought together over decades STARTING 70 years after the suppose crucifiction and being finalized and publish some 300 years after the supposed death of jesus..... rings hard of a scam to me.
Ancient cilvilizations had all sorts ways to explain the natural world the tribes of Israel are no different... at all, infact they borrowed heavily for the civilization around them...
@truly...... "So you and I agree that all other gods, vampires, santa ect. are not real...yes? so what is different about your God? what do YOU have to go on? has he appeared to you?, has he spoken to you?..... has he spoken to anyone in 2k years? any magic tricks? no?."
@Chad "see #1 and #3 above.
======
@Truly... "Can you prove that Jesus (as presented in the bible) was infact here?"
@Chad "Can you name any serious scholar that claims Jesus didnt exist?
Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed,[5][6][7][8] and biblical scholars and cla ssical historians regard theories of his non-existence as effectively refuted.[9][10][11] Scholars generally agree that Jesus was a Galilean Jew who was born BC 7–2 and died AD 30–36.[12][13] Most scholars hold that Jesus lived in Galilee and Judea[14][15][16] and that he spoke Aramaic and may have also spoken Hebrew and Greek.[17][18][19][20][21] Although scholars differ on the reconstruction of the specific episodes of the life of Jesus, the two events whose historicity is subject to "almost universal as sent" are that he was baptized by John the Baptist and was crucified by the order of the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate.
[5] Jesus and His Contemporaries: Comparative Studies by Craig A. Evans 2001 ISBN 0391041185 pages 2-5
[6] Christopher M. Tuckett In The Cambridge Companion to Jesus edited by Markus N. A. Bockmuehl 2001 ISBN 0521796784 pages 122-126
[7] Amy-Jill Levine in the The Historical Jesus in Context edited by Amy-Jill Levine et al. 2006 Princeton Univ Press ISBN 978-0-691-00992-6 pages 1-2
[8] Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium by Bart D. Ehrman (Sep 23, 1999) ISBN 0195124731 Oxford Univ Press pages ix-xi
[9] In a 2011 review of the state of modern scholarship, Bart Ehrman (who is a secular agnostic) wrote: "He certainly existed, as virtually every competent scholar of antiquity, Christian or non-Christian, agrees" B. Ehrman, 2011 Forged : writing in the name of God ISBN 978-0-06-207863-6. page 285
^ Robert M. Price (an atheist who denies existence) agrees that this perspective runs against the views of the majority of scholars: Robert M. Price "Jesus at the Vanishing Point" in The Historical Jesus: Five Views edited by James K. Beilby & Paul Rhodes Eddy, 2009 InterVarsity, ISBN 028106329X page 61
[10] Michael Grant (a cla ssicist) states that "In recent years, 'no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non historicity of Jesus' or at any rate very few, and they have not succeeded in disposing of the much stronger, indeed very abundant, evidence to the contrary." in Jesus: An Historian's Review of the Gospels by Micjhael Grant 2004 ISBN 1898799881 page 200
[11] Richard A. Burridge states: "There are those who argue that Jesus is a figment of the Church’s imagination, that there never was a Jesus at all. I have to say that I do not know any respectable critical scholar who says that any more." in Jesus Now and Then by Richard A. Burridge and Graham Gould (Apr 1, 2004) ISBN 0802809774 page 34
[12] Robert E. Van Voorst Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence Eerdmans Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-8028-4368-9 page 16 states: "biblical scholars and cla ssical historians regard theories of non-existence of Jesus as effectively refuted"
[13] James D. G. Dunn "Paul's understanding of the death of Jesus" in Sacrifice and Redemption edited by S. W. Sykes (Dec 3, 2007) Cambridge University Press ISBN 052104460X pages 35-36 states that the theories of non-existence of Jesus are "a thoroughly dead thesis"
[14] The Gospels and Jesus by Graham Stanton, 1989 ISBN 0192132415 Oxford University Press, page 145 states : "Today nearly all historians, whether Christians or not, accept that Jesus existed".
[15] Paul L. Maier "The Date of the Nativity and Chronology of Jesus" in Chronos, kairos, Christos: nativity and chronological studies by Jerry Vardaman, Edwin M. Yamauchi 1989 ISBN 0-931464-50-1 pages 113-129
[16] The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3 page 114
^ Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, I. Howard Marshall, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (InterVarsity Press, 1992), page 442
[17] The Historical Jesus in Recent Research edited by James D. G. Dunn and Scot McKnight 2006 ISBN 1-57506-100-7 page 303
[18] Who Is Jesus? by John Dominic Crossan, Richard G. Watts 1999 ISBN 0664258425 pages 28-29
[19] James Barr, Which language did Jesus speak, Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1970; 53(1) pages 9-29 [1]
[20] Handbook to exegesis of the New Testament by Stanley E. Porter 1997 ISBN 90-04-09921-2 pages 110-112
[21] Discovering the language of Jesus by Douglas Hamp 2005 ISBN 1-59751-017-3 page 3-4
^ Jesus in history and myth by R. Joseph Hoffmann 1986 ISBN 0-87975-332-3 page 98
====
@Truly... " per Google ..the binble was brought together over decades STARTING 70 years after the suppose crucifiction and being finalized and publish some 300 years after the supposed death of jesus"
@Chad "lol
per google, the Old Testament of the bible was written over the course of >1000 years, up to ~400BC.
per google, the New Testament was written starting ~20 years after crucifixion, up to ~60 years after crucifixion.
======
@Truly... "Ancient cilvilizations had all sorts ways to explain the natural world the tribes of Israel are no different... at all, infact they borrowed heavily for the civilization around them..."
@Chat "what is your evidence for that statement? Let me guess.. you just "know it's true"?
Extreme fundamentalism is a plague, here and there.
I never thuoght anyone could accidentally show just how similar christians and Muslims are. Both are so afraid of other interpretations of god they will want tokill anyone who believes differently.
So very true! Perhaps the main thing we can do about religious hate is, like this article, let the world know. Expose bigotry to the light of day, never let it hide in the darkness of cloistered churches or other temples,.
Where are these marauding Christians? I am a Christian but love both diversity and religious freedom...
@John: check out Rainer Braendlein's posts below, which do nothing but condemn everyone who doesn't think exactly like him. It's the hallmark of religion.
I don't think Christians want to kill everyone who disagrees with them. In fact I don't know any. (I'm sure there are some out there, though). There are something like 11 countries in this world where the law of the land will execute you for trying to convert a Muslim to another religion. There is not a single country on the planet where you will be executed for proselyting a Christian, nor is the level of violence by Christians against anyone else within 5 orders of magnitude as great as the violence dished out by Muslims in the Middle east, Malaysia, Africa, and Central Asia. This statement gets made all the time, and it simply is factually not true.
Islam, at around 1400 years old, is at about the stage where Christianity was when it wreaked havoc upon non-believers. With today's devastating weaponry, I'm not sure that we can survive while waiting for the possibility for Islam to grow up and mellow out.
Anyone heard of any mosques burning in TN?
the KKK is a christian group – like it or not.
We all seem to have forgotten the violence inNorthern Ireland where the IRA was leading one group of Christians to kill another. the jews have been violating the rights of the people they threw out of Israel. Although i have to admit it was the UN that 'gave' the land to the jews.
Muslims all over the middle east celebrated on 9-11-2001.
Religion and hate go hand in hand.
The one and only true God of the bible says, "If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20)
The radical Muslim extremists have really tainted the religion of Islam; regardless that it's a religion with borrowed Christian concepts and stories, false and misdirecting people to an afterlife of uncertainty. The ideas and concept of 'political incorrectness', regarding religion makes me sick; it's a tool to keep people from speaking the truth. The Truth is Jesus Christ – get over it non-believers. It is what it is – Jesus Christ is the son of the one and only true God and only through Christ can we come to the Father. It's really simple. I pray that many come to know the true God, a.k.a. – Love.
Your take on someone else's history. Whatever.
Other people have other "bibles". Your ignorance of that and claim of spirtual superiority aren't helping.
What a shameful disgrace you are.
Its as if no one else can make claims that THEY know the truth, and that YOU are wrong.
That's the problem with religion. You're all supposed to be humble in the face of an all-knowing god, but all you do is go to others and spit at them, tell them how wrong they are, and the only way to be "saved" is to do exactly what you do.
Shame, shame on you for your Christian bgibotry.
"... biggest poison for Muslims worldwide: religious bigotry."
This shall mean that a single Muslim could decide whether he wants to be bigoted or not. Yet, the Islam is simply bigoted in itself. If you are a "faithful", real Muslim, you have to be bigoted because your faith is bigoted, you have no choice at all.
Muhammed clearly says in his lousy Koran (which he made-up) that Christianity had been invented by former Muslims which had turned apostate from the genuine Islam. Hence, in Muhammad's eyes every Christian is an "infidel" which has forsaken the alleged genuine faith of Abraham, the alleged Religion of Truth. This causes that a real Muslim can consider a Christian only as a second-class person which he is allowed to handicap, and which he doesn't have to love, rather to hate. That is the dark mystery of Islam, and the Koran.
The only faith which causes love to all people independent from nationality, belief, colour, social status, etc. is genuine Christianity. Jesus Christ has died for the whole mankind, and by that he proved his love for the whole mankind, that means for every single human being which will ever live on this damned planet. I as a Christian have to imitate the love of Jesus Christ. Of course, it is good to tell the people the gospel but I will still love them even when they don't accept it. I mustn't be the judge of my fellow human beings, that is God's task, but my task and responsibility it is to love them with Christ's love (of course, criminal people are a case for the authority, don't get me wrong).
Muhammad presumed to be the divine judge of the mankind but in fact he was a murderer, a thief, a womanizer, everything which is nasty was found in Muhammad. Consequently, a follower of Muhammad can never be a loveable man but must rather be a beast or a monster like his master, and I guess that worldwide the Muslims more and more get this reputation.
Dear Muslim, if you want to change then accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died and rose again also for you (even for me). Get baptized and metaphysically connected with the releasing power of Jesus' death and resurrection. Die for the sin, and enter Christ through faith and baptism. Get a better life in Jesus.
http://confessingchurch.wordpress.com
The most damned individuals which ever lived on earth: Judas Iscariot, Muhammad and the popes.
every nutter has his wordpress blog to peddle...
I think Hitler and Stalin.... and a few million other psychopaths through out history will take offense at those you named moving to the head of the damned line....especially Judas..being trumped by a fictional dude would be the worst for these guys. Though...come to think of it... the Popes might get a standing ovation as they creep to the head of the line....
All religions written by humans ( I Know, a big surprise) have many things that are admirable and worth reading. "Don't lie or kill" – no contest here.
But unfortunately the religions don't stop there. They all have a ton of BS that can't be followed by a sane person in the modern day. If you follow your religion literally and fully to the letter, you are a bigot and nutcase. It is that simple!
Religions can't stop there. Its not a "religion" until its full of restrictions, hatreds, and fringe ideas.
If they stopped at "don't kill and don't like", it would just be sound advice; not a religion.
If you think being a Muslim is hard try being a Christian. And if you believed Christ survived the crucifixion you are not even close to being one. So whatever mindless radical thought this would evoke sympathy is out of his mind. Why don't try choosing a God who sets you and your mind free instead of trying to transform your austere political religion?
Believing in any god clouds one's mind, to put it politely.
Guess Chicago is also not the place for you then –
@AtheistSteve
At least the apostles and the first Christians which are mentioned in the New Testament experienced the same like me. Such being the case I am not alone with my opinion, and is quite possible that I am objective.
I still claim that you are not objective. Probably you only can love people which at first loved you. But how would you handle a rude man? Be honest!
"Probably you only can love people which at first loved you. But how would you handle a rude man? Be honest!"
Awwww look at the lying Christian, your posts show you don't understand the teachings of the bible so shut up.
I wonder how many Muslim extremest made resolutions to murder...
Muslims have a lot higher chance to be k!11ed by a fellow Muslim than by anyone else. K1!!ing is their culture.
It is a death cult. I have no sympathy for them...they choose to be stupid, that's their choice.
Another big problem you people have is your racism against Jews. How "terrible" for this poor Muslim guy to be called Jewish
Step 1: Give up your religion.
Step 2: ?????????
Step 3: World Peace.
God in Quran says, (holy Islamic scripture)
“They even attribute to Him sons and daughters, without any knowledge. Be He glorified. He is the Most High, far above their claims.” Quran [6:100]
“The example of Jesus, as far as GOD is concerned, is the same as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, "Be," and he was.” Quran [3:59]
‘They said, "You have to be Jewish or Christian, to be guided." Say, "We follow the religion of Abraham – monotheism – he never was an idol worshiper." [2:135]
“Proclaim, He is the One and only GOD. The Absolute GOD. Never did He beget. Nor was He begotten. None equals Him." [112:1]
The Messiah, son of Mary is no more than a messenger like the messengers before him, and his mother was a saint. Both of them used to eat the food. Note how we explain the revelations for them, and note how they still deviate! [5:75]
It does not befit God that He begets a son, be He glorified. To have anything done, He simply says to it, "Be," and it is. [19:35]
“No soul can carry the sins of another soul. If a soul that is loaded with sins implores another to bear part of its load, no other soul can carry any part of it, even if they were related. ... [35:18]
O people, here is a parable that you must ponder carefully: the idols you set up beside God can never create a fly, even if they banded together to do so. Furthermore, if the fly steals anything from them, they cannot recover it; weak is the pursuer and the pursued. [22:73]
They do not value God as He should be valued. God is the Most Powerful, the Almighty.[22:74]
If you obey the majority of people on earth, they will divert you from the path of God. They follow only conjecture; they only guess. [Quran 6:116]
“There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in God has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. God is Hearer, Omniscient.” [2:256]
“God: there is no other god besides Him, the Living, the Eternal. Never a moment of unawareness or slumber overtakes Him. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Who could intercede with Him, except in accordance with His will? He knows their past, and their future. No one attains any knowledge, except as He wills. His dominion encompasses the heavens and the earth, and ruling them never burdens Him. He is the Most High, the Great.” [2:255]
Thanks for taking time to read my post. Please take a moment to clear your misconception by going to whyIslam org website.
Religion is a manmade club like any other, with rules and perks to make the club feel special from other clubs. The club gets together periodically to reinforce the delusions of members. Many branches of this club have dues which most call a tithe.
You've chosen the club that aligns best with your own fantasy concerning how to minimize your fears in life. You and others in the club are afraid so you've made up a god that soothes you by making decisions for you, helping you feel less alone in the universe, and promising you life everlasting. The various club gods offer perks to induce membership such as seeing dead relatives, virginal sex partners, planets to rule or even one's own god status.
The prophets you believe in never existed, were and are king of nothing. "Holy books" are a collection of stolen, modified, pre-fabricated myth and forgeries about a non-existent deity. You don't have to be afraid. You do not need religion.
Deal with the lack of afterlife by celebrating life and family in the here and now. Be responsible for your own decisions. Be kind to the earth and others on it. Forge a path with determination, or "go with the flow" and let life determine the course if you're the lazy type. Either way, you don't need a god or a club for any of that.
there are no gods... the end.
simply beautifull !!!
Jesus was the word in heaven, when he came to earth he received a human name for us to relate to him, in Heaven he is known as the Word of God- which is equivalent to God. Read my references:
. john 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
John 1: 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 John 5:
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one
Revelation 19: 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God
@ Jehu11
See End Religion's responce above.... and stop and THINK.
Thank you truly....
Have a wonderful year full of peace with your family and love ones
Thank you jehu11 for your complete courtesy. Here's hoping you and your family have a wonderful, peaceful year as well.
Well Qasim, Step back from it all for a moment, look at Islam from afar, look at the differnt factions... now look at Christianity, all of its differnt factions, look at the small population of Jews – even they have a couple factions.
now take a look around the world... at the Hindus, the Buddahist.....
now take a look back though time.... All of this should make something quite clear....religion is made up.
If you want to live a good life, that all you buddy, not the religion you re a part of. Dont Identify with any of these groups, If a muslim from another sect does end up killing you – then you ve died for nothing at all.... principles are the decisions and actions one chooses in life...not the religious brand name. There are no gods...nothing bad is going to happen to you for opting out of the madness.
Do not fear him who can destroy your body, but rather fear him who can destroy your body and cast your soul into hell.
Rupert Murdoch?
The being that created the hell that one can be thrown into fears me. How you like them apples.
@AtheistSteve
According to the Christian doctrine it is not possible to love others without having faith excepted relatives and the like.
I myself experienced it in real life that the Christian doctrine is true. I guess you are not objective when you claim you could love others without faith. Maybe you suffer from a delusion.
Now that's funny.
Someone who can't seem to use the reply button, making blanket statements about something without providing any reasons, calling me delusional.
Frankly I'm glad you have found Christianity to prevent you from being the obviously dangerous and hateful person you would be without it. For all our sakes...keep the faith.
How about reading Caesar's Messiah by Joseph Atwill... it will clear up all that imaginary stuff about the christian myth.
The Trojan Horse of religion.... hate disguised as love. It can't die fast enough. Rainer, how does it feel to have religion falling apart all around you?
From Fish to Human: Research Reveals How Fins Became Legs
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121210124521.htm
what happened? they stopped becoming legs???
I guess chiefly the pope is guilty that Christianity has got such a bad reputation amongst many people. What they hate they should not call Christianity but Catholicism. Of course, the Cheap-Grace-Protestants also deliver a distorted image of Christianity.
Genuine Christianity is good. Only its distored versions are bad.
You keep making that statement. "Christianity is good"...but you haven't told us why. Just claiming it isn't sufficient.
In what sense is Chrisiantiy good such that without it implies "not good".
I've already explained that loving others is possible without Christianity. So that isn't it.
In fact all you've managed to say is that Christianity is good "for you". You haven't provided one reason why Christianity is good for everyone. If Christianity is "good" intrinsically then it should be easy to point out how not having Christianity is "bad" without resorting to just your opinion.
I will be surprised if Rainer explains anything. He's here to do hits on anything that isn't his "one true faith" because he hates Islam. Intolerance disguised as love, that's religion.
We should not laugh at the Muslims that they let themselves get fooled by an idiot like Muhammad because we allow the pope to fool us. Two similar stories, only with different actors in the East and in the West.
Christianity is not harmful. The ten 10 commandments are so beautiful, pope or no pope. Islam does not have any thing to offer except violence.
Any 10th grader could write more socially responsible commandments than the 10 you find so beautiful.