D
dronald
Guest
Tertullian, one of the first to write extensive apologetic works against heresies during the 2nd Century writes much on how Muslims treat Christianity as it relates to their Islamic beliefs. I think it’s telling that other heresies were using the same tactics that Muslims use today!
I find myself bringing up these quotes by Tertullian so I thought I would make a thread that shows just how little times have changed:
The work is called “The prescription against Heretics” starting at chapter XIV
10]For since they are still seekers, they have no fixed tenets yet;168 and being not fixed in tenet, they have not yet believed; and being not yet believers, they are not Christians.
I start here, because this is Islam as it relates to the Bible. They have no true fixed tenant in regards to our Scriptures and what they officially mean. Muslims often pick and choose Scriptures they like, while throwing out the ones they don’t; without any official explanation on why certain words should be rejected or accepted. No official tenant of belief actually comes from our Scriptures as it relates to Islam. No Muslim reads Jesus’s words found in the Bible and says “We believe [X] because the Bible says so, according to Jesus!” Rather, Muslims simply use the Bible and distort it to prove a point, and don’t actually use it with fellow Muslims to prove a tenant of their Faith. That’s what the Qur’an is for.
4]*If in these lie their resources, before they can use them, it ought to be clearly seen to whom belongs the possession of the Scriptures, that none may be admitted to the use thereof who has no title at all to the privilege.
Who owns the Scriptures? To whom do they belong? Muslims here are refuted by Tertullian, knowing straightaway that the Scriptures do not belong to them. The Christian Scriptures again are only used and twisted to argue against Christianity; and are not found as authoritative in their Mosques, homes, wherever.
And here comes the most telling…
*[1]Now this heresy of yours185 does not receive certain Scriptures; and whichever of them it does receive, it perverts by means of additions and diminutions, for the accomplishment of it own purpose; and such as it does receive, it receives not in their entirety; but even when it does receive any up to a certain point186 as entire, it nevertheless perverts even these by the contrivance of diverse interpretations
**3]*They rely on those which they have falsely put together, and which they have selected, because of188 their ambiguity. [4]*Though most skilled189 in the Scriptures, you will make no progress,190 when everything which you maintain is denied on the other side, and whatever you deny is (by them) maintained. [5]*As for yourself, indeed, you will lose nothing but your breath, and gain nothing but vexation from their blasphemy.
**
This is the driving home point I believe as it pertains to Muslims. Muslims take Scriptures in part, they ignore other parts and use ambiguous Scriptures to prove their point.
I just think it’s amazing that hundreds of years before Islam, and thousands before Muslims got ahold of our Scriptures, Tertullian describes what their conduct will be like perfectly.
He says more; check it out here:
tertullian.org/anf/anf03/anf03-24.htm#P3318_1168273
I find myself bringing up these quotes by Tertullian so I thought I would make a thread that shows just how little times have changed:
The work is called “The prescription against Heretics” starting at chapter XIV
10]For since they are still seekers, they have no fixed tenets yet;168 and being not fixed in tenet, they have not yet believed; and being not yet believers, they are not Christians.
I start here, because this is Islam as it relates to the Bible. They have no true fixed tenant in regards to our Scriptures and what they officially mean. Muslims often pick and choose Scriptures they like, while throwing out the ones they don’t; without any official explanation on why certain words should be rejected or accepted. No official tenant of belief actually comes from our Scriptures as it relates to Islam. No Muslim reads Jesus’s words found in the Bible and says “We believe [X] because the Bible says so, according to Jesus!” Rather, Muslims simply use the Bible and distort it to prove a point, and don’t actually use it with fellow Muslims to prove a tenant of their Faith. That’s what the Qur’an is for.
4]*If in these lie their resources, before they can use them, it ought to be clearly seen to whom belongs the possession of the Scriptures, that none may be admitted to the use thereof who has no title at all to the privilege.
Who owns the Scriptures? To whom do they belong? Muslims here are refuted by Tertullian, knowing straightaway that the Scriptures do not belong to them. The Christian Scriptures again are only used and twisted to argue against Christianity; and are not found as authoritative in their Mosques, homes, wherever.
And here comes the most telling…
*[1]Now this heresy of yours185 does not receive certain Scriptures; and whichever of them it does receive, it perverts by means of additions and diminutions, for the accomplishment of it own purpose; and such as it does receive, it receives not in their entirety; but even when it does receive any up to a certain point186 as entire, it nevertheless perverts even these by the contrivance of diverse interpretations
**3]*They rely on those which they have falsely put together, and which they have selected, because of188 their ambiguity. [4]*Though most skilled189 in the Scriptures, you will make no progress,190 when everything which you maintain is denied on the other side, and whatever you deny is (by them) maintained. [5]*As for yourself, indeed, you will lose nothing but your breath, and gain nothing but vexation from their blasphemy.
**
This is the driving home point I believe as it pertains to Muslims. Muslims take Scriptures in part, they ignore other parts and use ambiguous Scriptures to prove their point.
I just think it’s amazing that hundreds of years before Islam, and thousands before Muslims got ahold of our Scriptures, Tertullian describes what their conduct will be like perfectly.
He says more; check it out here:
tertullian.org/anf/anf03/anf03-24.htm#P3318_1168273
Rita