Debating a Muslim

[QuestLove]

So, my best friend is Muslim and wants to convert me, but I’ve been having trouble explaining to Him the need for the Incarnation and Death and Resurrection of Jesus. I also have trouble explaining the Saints to him.

I hate arguing by nature. I hate doing this because I am often in doubt.

There is also his questions on the nature of the Trinity. He does not understand how God could be One God, but Three Persons.

I think both of you should just leave it alone and discuss other topics. It sounds like both of you are trying to convert each other but are equally grounded in their own faith. You are probably never going to convince each other…

 

[peace2u2]

I think both of you should just leave it alone and discuss other topics. It sounds like both of you are trying to convert each other but are equally grounded in their own faith. You are probably never going to convince each other…

I agree. I think we have to respect each others beliefs. Your friend does not see the Divinity of Jesus because your friend has not encountered Him yet.

But you certainly should point out what the Church teaches about your friends salvation - of course it is possible:

Catechism of the Catholic Church

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims… “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”330

read more:
usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm#

You and your friend have more in common than you think. Pray that God will remove any obstacles that prevent your friend from receiving the fullness of God’s Grace.

 

[AggieCatholic86]

Respect Islam because of the virtue and discipline it has. But love it does not. It comes down to I would rather be a follower of Jesus than Muhammed, similarly Buddha vs Muhammed.

Jesus took no 6 year old as a bride, never mind multiple brides. Jesus performed miracles, the Quran readily admits that Muhammed never performed miracles. Jesus’ followers, the apostles were almost ALL martyrs for proclaiming that they were witnesses to the resurrection of the Christ. Muhammed’s followers split up right after he died, and during his life they conquered, killed, took women and children as slaves as they dominated other peoples. Jesus forgave an adulterous woman, I doubt Muhammed would ask the same of his followers. Would you rather have a God of love and mercy, or would you rather have a God whose more fire and wrath? Jesus never demanded we dominate the gentiles and force them to pay a tax, the Qur’an does.

If you are learned you can see the parallels between the old covenants and the new covenant of Christ, the Qur’an has no symmetry as the “last covenant.”

 

[jimkhong]

Respect Islam because of the virtue and discipline it has. But love it does not. It comes down to I would rather be a follower of Jesus than Muhammed, similarly Buddha vs Muhammed.

Jesus took no 6 year old as a bride, never mind multiple brides. Jesus performed miracles, the Quran readily admits that Muhammed never performed miracles. Jesus’ followers, the apostles were almost ALL martyrs for proclaiming that they were witnesses to the resurrection of the Christ. Muhammed’s followers split up right after he died, and during his life they conquered, killed, took women and children as slaves as they dominated other peoples. Jesus forgave an adulterous woman, I doubt Muhammed would ask the same of his followers. Would you rather have a God of love and mercy, or would you rather have a God whose more fire and wrath? Jesus never demanded we dominate the gentiles and force them to pay a tax, the Qur’an does.

If you are learned you can see the parallels between the old covenants and the new covenant of Christ, the Qur’an has no symmetry as the “last covenant.”

Here is a recent contrast from my country that hit home to me:

Scenario 1: A Muslim lady whose daughter was in the airline MH17 said: ‘In my heart I would like to not to forgive but I know that in my religion, Allah will avenge my daughter’.

Scenario 2: A Youtube video made the rounds in my country the same week, where a elderly man (known as ‘Uncle Sim’) hit the car of a Muslim lady (this is during Ramdhan, remember) who in response emerged from her car, hurled abuse and repeatedly hit his car with her steering-wheel lock (it is a long rod that you use to secure your sterring wheel to prevent car theft). She later apologised on a local radio station, to which Uncle Sim responded, "There is no need to apologise because I am a Catholic and it is in my religion to forgive’.

 

[dzheremi]

Similarly, I heard on a podcast by Fr. Josiah Trennam (sp?) of the Antiochian Orthodox Church the following story:

The small homosexual community in Russia wanted to have a pride parade in Moscow. The mayor, who is a practicing Orthodox Christian, told them no. They threatened to complain about the refusal to the International Criminal Court, to which the mayor said “Go ahead; we do not do that sort of thing, and they will not force us to”. In support of the mayor’s stance, the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church (this was a few years ago, when it was still Patriarch Alexei) appeared on TV together with the Grand Mufti, the leader of Russia’s Muslim community. The Patriarch spoke first and said “There will not a gay pride parade in Moscow. We are a Christian country; we love people, and when you love people, you do not help them to sin.” The Grand Mufti followed up by saying “I agree with the Patriarch, and will only add that if there is a gay pride parade in Moscow, I cannot promise that blood will not be spilled.”

:nope: