The most interesting thing about Surah 5 is how alot of the Surah is actually a furious denunciation of the people of the Book, so I don’t understand how exactly this proves your point. The Surah goes on to criticise Jews and Christians saying that in fact most of us are defiantly disobedient and this of course aligns with other surahs which blatently state and call Christians the worst of all creatures.
Surah 98:6 : Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
It was your fellow Bahai servant who defined our Christianity is polytheistic and pantheistic at root. We are clearly those who disbelieved (Islam and Islamic Tauwhid) and we also classified with the polytheists. The mention of some monks and priests of whom we know nothing about, given the nature of Christianity in arabia at the time, to whom the Quran praises tells us nothing about how Muslims like those Isis Muslims ought to treat us Christians who have disbelieved in Islam.
Where is the Surah which commands that our property be protected? That our lives be protected at no cost? That Christians are just as valid as Muslims in their practice? I don’t believe such a verse exists. So when you say that Isis cherry picks verses, I only see you cherry picking verses when the entire context seems to be against your opinion that Islam tolerates Christianity. If we pay the Jizya with willing submission, yeah, I suppose we are tolerated. It’s why I don’t buy your claim that Isis is totally Misunderstanding Islam. If that charge can be laid against Isis it can be laid against a great deal of Muslims throughout history, Muslims who conquered and subjected Christian people to the treatment we see now since the time of Muhammad.
Do you agree with the Quran World Citizen that I am one of the Worst creatures in the world?
You are not vile but a GOOD person and the Quran does not call you vile it praises your sincerity.
The verse about not accepting Muhammad is self explanatory to me. I understand that Muhammad was prophesied in the Bible and so a Christian who rejects Muhammad is also rejecting Jesus and the Bible and that is up to God how He judges them for that mistake in the next world. Disbelief is condemned because Christians were given clear signs of the coming of Muhammad but still refused to accept Him like the Jews were given clear signs of Christ yet rejected Him.
No one is a vile creature except those who acted in a vile manner. People who acted with upright conduct were praised.
2: 62. Those who believe, and those who are Jewish, and the Christians, and the Sabeans-any who believe in God and the Last Day, and act righteously-will have their reward with their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
The term ‘unbeliever’ needs to be understood within the historical and social context 1400 years ago. An unbeliever those days was not a New York blue collar office worker. Part of the Quraysh culture at the time was to bury their first born alive in the sand if it was a girl - that is vile. It was a barbaric lawless environment.
Muhammad condemned rightfully those who acted in a vile manner but as above in 2:62 He says that those Christians and Jews who believe in God will have their reward.
Christianity is a Monothestic religion. Maybe that person understood the trinity as 3 gods.
Cherry picking is just using the verses that suit ones bias but what I try to do is cross reference subjects to get a balanced view and a more complete picture. For instance the Quran does condemn those who don’t accept Muhammad but it also says that Christians who believe in God don’t fall under that category and the condemnation of vile creatures is directed at people who act in a vile manner not all Christians as 2:62 clarifies if we cross reference and don’t take verses in isolation. Cherry picking involves no cross referencing just picking a verse and and running with it as if there is no other verse in the Quran elaborating on the subject. We need to look at all the verses on a subject to have a clearer understanding as well as a knowledge of the history and social laws and customs of 1400 years ago. Then there are some English translations which do not give the full meaning that was intended so cross referencing sometimes 7 English translations is necessary to bring up a close translation.
Example slave girls. Some versions don’t mention you must marry them before sex and other versions only say contract. But proper and thorough research reveals marriage with permission is intended and not as a lover or for illicit sex, but that takes months and months of research.
I try to present the wider picture of all the verses of what the Quran says on a subject and I find that most misconceptions arise from quoting single verses without proper research. Many verses elaborate on a subject.
If I’ve left out anything please let me know.
A sura in the Quran that says not to make friends with Christians is a mistranslation in many English versions. The correct translation is not to take Christians or Jews as political, military or moral allies.
The tax was supposed to be fair and not a burden and people such as the poor, aged or sick were exempt. In return they were protected and in the event of war didn’t have to fight.
But the Caliiphs who became greedy used it corruptly. There is nothing wrong with a fairly administered tax like we have in the west but with the Caliphs nothing was fair. I don’t think many, if any Muslim States use that tax today but Isis want to revive the corrupt evil oppressive nature of the Caliph who went far astray from the Quran.