Posted: 12/10/07

An Open Response to Islam and the letter "A Common Word Between Us And You"

 -from Patrick Burwell, OnlyJesusSaves.com

"The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians."

We agree with your statement that peace is needed and if Islam will lay down their arms today peace would finally be attained. Because history shows if everyone else put down their weapons Islam would rule the world in short order. There is an obvious disparity between you and us…

"The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity."

We agree on principle but have to point out that your "One God" and ours is not the same. You believe in what is no god, an idol, and we believe in the Creator that came into this world, gave His life to save us from the payment for our violations of His Law and then raised himself from the dead, and ascending into Heaven to be seated at His Father's right hand. And this Y'Shua, "Jesus" as the Greeks named him, will reign again here when he returns. No Muslim 12^th Imam will be with Y'Shua at His return and there will be no end to the Kingdom Of Jesus.

The Old Testament is what Jesus is quoting in Mark 12:29-11 and those verses read:

Deuteronomy 6: 4
"Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."

The name of God, the Father, is Yahweh. Yours and ours are not the same; we do not have a common God.

We've read your Q'uran and it says that you are to lie when necessary to gain what you want (as you have in every peace accord you have ever attended), steal if need be (ask Israel how true this is), and to murder if your other tactics fail your attempted coerced conversion to Islam. A South Korean Pastor held in Afghanistan was murdered this year, 2007, by Muslims for only refusing conversion to Islam. Two other Korean women were repeatedly raped by those same Muslims, all without one word of protest from the Mullahs. Your young men blow themselves up in a crowd of "infidels", on a regular basis, to murder in order to further your religion through the fear of death. No, you have no leg to stand on in crying for peace. You give us no means other than our abject surrender and conversion to Islam to have peace with you and that we shall not do.

Your quote of Jesus in your letter missed what God was saying. This is a simple error of missing the context and thereby missing the meaning. The "love of neighbor" is merely the fulfillment of what is expected by God, as explained in the Law and by what the Prophets said.  But Jesus continued, making the path even narrower, by making the requirement of God one of absolute perfection. Jesus said for us to love each other as He, Christ, has loved us. And this sacrificial love, even for members of one's own family, is not possible in anyone who is not made new by Yahweh Himself. You must be born again.

The Christian life is about being what is impossible to be without Jesus. But don't be mistaken, God's requirement for love makes no room for submission to lies. Indeed, Yahweh requires we refuse such deception as you offer.

God also requires we defend the weak and oppressed, help those in need all the while we speak and live the truth. So we must defend ourselves against your oppression and speak out against your lies. Therefore, we cannot accept an accord of peace offered in deception.

What the Q'uran says can never change; no other course is possible in your book, while Christian scripture is the progressive revelation of Yahweh, understood hermeneutically. The Q'uran cannot be interpreted as anything but unchanging; it leaves no room for anything else, cannot be interpreted as saying anything else; cannot progress at all. Again, this a major difference between us and not a commonality.

In conclusion, therefore, Christianity's response to the two "common words" you espouse as being a starting point for understanding and peace between Christians and Moslems is no common ground at all. Your god is an idol of your own making and does not even exist. [That is a violation of the second commandment of God.] And your scripture is from the father of Lies and should be rejected by all as such; there is no truth in it that is not corrupt.

So where is this common ground you speak of? Only in a humble surrender to Jesus can peace ever be found. Civility can be attained, possibly, but never will there be peace without Jesus being Lord of all parties. You said, "The basis for this peace and understanding already exists.", but the only lasting peace the world has ever attained with Islam has been through a forced civility. Christianity would rather have a willing peace with you but we cannot do so on these terms you have engendered.

Jesus provides individual reconciliation with God, and thus others, through Him, but Jesus alone is the Savior, Messiah and King. Reject His payment for your sins, and His sovereignty over you, and you reject the Mercy of Yahweh, God Himself. Hell eternal is your only result. 70 virgins do not await the faithful Muslim at death; only the judgment of an angry God. We shall either meet you rising from your knees from your contrite forsaking of all that is Islam in your surrender to Jesus, or, Christ will crush you, as He will all who reject God's mercy, with the Glory of His return.

But, as to "peace" between Christianity and Islam, it is your choice entirely, for we have tried to make peace with you for centuries to little avail. So far the only peace ever gained with Muslims is when they are born again into Jesus Christ's faith or by a forced submission to civilized society.

So this "peace" you ask for is for you to receive personally and to advocate among your own brethren.

Until then, we await your choice.

By Patrick Burwell Click here for bio and archived articles