Steve, Chris, DCF and others,
My comments on documentation is commonly known by people in my age bracket. Especially for those of us raised in a Judao-Christian atmosphere. I don't intend to hang on documents to justify my faith. I found a great deal of spiritual nourishment in my youth reading the Holy Bible. I have read the Quran and found no conflict with my faith. I got caught up in the document validation and authentication discussion that Steve and Raymond were carrying on. I don't promise that wont happen again but I must state emphatically at this point that I am not a scholar of either religion and am definitely not qualified as a spokesman for Islam or against Christianity. My posts on this thread or any other should be taken only for what they are, an expression of my faith. This faith originated in my Christian heritage and continues and is confirmed in the Islamic religion.
That said, I want to again try to clarify what I believe and how that belief is not contradictory in my understanding of the two sources of documentation, Quran and Holy Bible.
As a youth having been preached to on a number of occassions, I took it on my self to read the new testament of the Holy Bible. As I did this I formed an impression of Jesus. I was impressed by his teachings to his followers, by the miracles he performed, etc. I found in this study a wonderful and irrefutable example of the way all human beings should attempt to live out their days on this earth. Jesus made it abundantly clear that the entire message of Old and New Testament could be hung on two principles To do unto others as you would have them do unto you and to worship no God but God. This as you know is termed the Golden Rule. I was enriched as I read and followed the life of Jesus and confirmed for my self that he was devoted to guiding his followers in understanding the application of the Golden Rule in all aspects of life. This for me has always been the essence my reward with having read the New Testament.
Now in modern day life as a youth I was disappointed when I went to churches and to preachers and did not find this to be the focus of the church. When expressing my concerns I was advised by several opinions that I respected to focus on the message of Jesus not on what is happening in the Church or being done by individual priests or church goers. I think that is good advise and I would apply the same to Islam. That is, I don't focus on the position taken by so called Islamic nations or on the behavior of some individual Muslims. I do focus on the message of Islam. In the tests of fellowship, for Christianity, the focus is on salvation through the cross. The "scriptures" that are used to base this standard on are not based on the sayings of Jesus, or the message Jesus was commanded to bring to his followers. It is based on what was said about him or attributed to him. It is also sterile in reference to the Golden Rule. Again the Golden Rule for me has always been where I felt the truth confirmed in my heart.
Setting aside my opinions about the documentation, I can believe in the message of Jesus as presented in the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran. I can also believe in the message of Mohammed as presented in the Holy Quran. And, I will say it again I see no contradiction in my faith. Faith as opposed to religious doctrine. The doctrines are the religion, faith is in my heart. I can find confirmation for my faith being based on the Golden Rule in both disciplines. I can find a focus on that message in both disciplines. I can find Geo-politico, Socio-religio divisiveness in both disciplines that is based on what appears to me to be a violation of the Golden Rule. So, this confirms for me what the Bible and the Holy Quran say I can expect from the world. That doesn't change my faith or religion. I believe in God and the message that has been confirmed by all of his messengers since Adam. |
