A Muslim who thinks this way is on dangerous grounds. Jesus Christ's revolutionary separation of what belongs to God, and what goes to Caesar (Church and State) - never occurred in Islam.
I believe that the fundamental aspects percieved of Jesus' ministry was a militancy born of compassion and self-enlightment ...the focus shifted onto the individual and the differentiation between material and that of a realization of the sanctity of the eternal reflected potentially in every soul (democracy). Realized chiefly through acts of compassion , charity , reflection and brotherhood . And unlike Mohammed who took nine wives , Jesus did divest himself of these worldly attachments and possessions tending a little more towards the monastic, than the hedonist and militant<G>
Orthodox Jews (just as fundamentalist Muslims) never separated practical aspects of their lives from God either - but they never considered it to be "God's War" to impose their beliefs on others.
Well to each to his own , but originally, I do believe that the orthodox Jew was very much prone to impose his belief upon others back in the good 'ol days ...very much so and you can read of its many instances in the Bible of their doing so , (with the help and aid of their "god's" pestilence and plagues...and a sharp sword or spear as well ) as every last man and woman of some cities and other tribes of the region felt the wrath of the orthodox Jew and their tribal God .
You know the one , "Javeh" or Jahweh. The Greeks were kind enough to rule over them for a while , and even saved the translations of the old testament for this extremely irrascible & supertstitious tribe of humans.
The first 3 centuries of Christianity , there was great debate as to whether this little vengenful tribal god "Yahvew , was in fact even the same "GOD" of what Jesus spoke of . An interesting debate for sure , and there was even a joke going around those times called the Joke of Javeh which was :
" the trouble with this little fellow called Jahweh , is
he thinks he is GOD" !
There were greater Gods going around at that time, than this little fellow Yahveh , if you recal.
sorry , don't mean to offend any orthodox jews here , but the same can be said of this little tribal fellow called "allah" too so I will equally offend any those of the orthodoxy of Islam too. Though well intentioned perhaps from the start , but saddled each with long corridors of tribal superstitions and wives-tales and men on drunken Jhiads...there is a greater reason for there to be by necessity that holy separation of church and state, and not a holy union of them.
In Christianity you find the church built on the bedrock of one apostle Peter and his flaming sword, and then see centuries to follow of what that flaming sword wrought in terms of persecutions and miseries galore. In Islam , one sees not the crescent moon but the cresent scimitar, all in defense of the teachings of the prophet , who was himself an assassin.
Though some may not want to see it , but the Jew and his "religion" were regarded as some of the more superstitious people on the earth of that time to both Rome and Grecian civilizations , and later the christians who rapidly sought to and codify and create some of the most intollerant practices and holy wars to plague the earth and the minds of men for some centuries to follow.
But there were Barbarians at the gate , some with one wife , and some with nine ....
Yet you have to give the romans credit for one thing besides their great love of beurocracy, and that they were the greatest road builders of all time , aqueducts and architecture... and the Greeks did well too in the arts of Philosophy. Look at any great American Institutional building of Governement or law, or education...and you see Greece and Rome. In Zeus we Trust!
regards.
;-) |
