Who Do You Follow?

In my last post, Man of the West, I laid the groundwork for this post. I ask a simple question. Who do you follow? Today you’ll find out who I follow, and a bit about why. I will also introduce you to what I believe to be an antithetical force to who I follow, and I’ll explain why it’s antithetical.

In Man of the West, I professed my faith as Roman Catholicism. That means I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. Christianity is based, in part on Judaism. We share the Old Testament in the Bible with the Jewish faith. The Jews believe there will be a Messiah. Christians believe that the Messiah is Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, both Christians and Jews know of the Ten Commandments. These commandments were given directly to Moses by God, while the Hebrews were escaping bondage in Egypt. They are part of a Covenant between God and the Hebrews, and provide a list of behaviors. They are as follows:
1. I am the LORD your God; you shall not have strange gods before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the LORD’s Day.
4. Honor your father and mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
(via Catechism of the Catholic Church)

A cursory look at these commandments would indicate that a person who lives by them will be leading a good life. It would also indicate that they are concerning a person’s own behavior, and none of the commandments intrude on others.

Christians go even further. In Matthew 22: 35-40, Jesus gives us the two greatest commandments.
And one of them, a doctor of the Law, putting him to the test, asked
him, “Master, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus
said to him, “‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart,
and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.’ This is the
greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like it, ‘Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ On these two commandments
depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Again we note that a person who follows these two commandments will lead a good life, and that these two commandments do not impose on others. The Ten Commandments and the Two Great Commandments are based on Love. Love for God, and love for others.

Now, we are human beings. We are fallen and broken. We don’t always live by those commandments, but when we don’t, it’s not due to the commandments themselves, or due to any instruction from the Bible. It’s due to us not doing as we’ve been instructed. This is key. The Bible does not instruct us to impose on others.

Even the instruction in Matthew 28: 19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” This passage, in the past, has been mis-interpreted to mean via the use of force. The words themselves, and the Commandments, show that the use of force is against God’s commandments.

This is who I follow. Now let’s take a look at the antithesis of that belief, specifically Islam. Please keep in mind the following analysis is based on the cursory research of an infidel, a non-believer.

Islam is a monotheistic religion that began with the prophet Muhammad‘s divine revelations. Islam is divided into three main sects: Sunni, Shia and Muhakkima. These divisions arose after the death of Muhammad.

The religious practice of Islam is centered on the Five Pillars of Islam, based upon the sect one is in. The five pillars are the Muslim Creed, called Shahada, prayer, or salah, almsgiving, or Zakat, fasting, or Sawm, during Ramadan, and a pilgrimage to Mecca, called the hajj.

In Islam, Muhammad began receiving divine messages from the Angel Gabriel when he was 40 years old. The messages ended with his death at the age of 62. These messages incorporated parts of the Torah, the Jewish Holy Book, the Psalms and the Gospels from the Christian Bible. Muslims believe the Quran, the Muslim Holy Book, are the literal words of God.

Muslims also rely on hadiths, oral and written interpretations of the words, and the actions, or sunna of Muhammad. And this is where things become problematic. Remember, these are the literal words of God to Muslims.

In the Quran 2:191 it is written, “Kill them wherever you come upon them and drive them out of the places from which they have driven you out.” (quran.com)

In the Quran 3:28 it is written, “Let not believers take disbelievers as allies rather than believers.”

In the Quran 3:85 it is written, “Whoever seeks a way other than Islam, it will never be accepted from them, and in the Hereafter they will be among the losers.”

In the Quran 5:33 it is written, “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and spread mischief in the land is death, crucifixion, cutting off their hands and feet on opposite sides, or exile from the land. This ˹penalty˺ is a disgrace for them in this world, and they will suffer a tremendous punishment in the Hereafter.”

In the Quran 8:12 it is written, “[Remember] when your Lord inspired to the angels, “I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, so strike [them] upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip.”

In the Quran 9:5 it is written, “Fight and slay the unbelievers wherever ye find them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war. But if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

In the Quran 9:29 it is written, “Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of truth, even if they are of the people of the Book [meaning Christians and Jews], until they pay the jizya [taxes on non-Muslims] with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”

In the Quran 9:123 it is written, “O you who have believed, fight against those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness. And know that Allāh is with the righteous.”

In the Quran 22:19-22 it is written, “These are two opposing groups that disagree about their Lord: as for the disbelievers, garments of Fire will be cut out for them and boiling water will be poured over their heads, melting whatever is in their bellies, along with their skin. And awaiting them are maces of iron. Whenever they try to escape from Hell—out of anguish—they will be forced back into it, ˹and will be told,˺ “Taste the torment of burning!”

In the Quran 47:4 its written, “So, when you meet (in fight Jihad in Allah’s Cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden. Thus [you are ordered by Allah to continue in carrying out Jihad against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam (i.e. are saved from the punishment in the Hell-fire) or at least come under your protection], but if it had been Allah’s Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost.”

To be clear, there is danger in pulling verses out of a text with out the context. But, given that the Quran is the literal word of Allah, it is hard to see how these can be taken any way but literally. Certainly, there are numerous Muslims who do take them literally.

Here’s what I see. I see my Christian faith calling me to love God, and love my neighbor. It has at its center, free will, given to us by God himself. We can use it to follow him or live in sin. What you don’t find in the Bible, certainly not in the Gospels, are any verses calling for the smiting of unbelievers.

I am not generalizing. There are many Muslims who only seek to live their lives as best they can. They do not seek to bother anyone. But they are not the ones causing trouble, not just here but around the world.

The verses from the Quran trouble me. I feel like I have been placed in the hands of people who may, or may not, literally translate what they believe to be the literal words of Allah.

In my next blog, I will continue this examination by taking a look at shariah, and its incompatibility with the U.S. Constitution.

While you think about what you’ve read, answer this question for yourself. Who do you follow?