Islam & Christianity: Aren't they so similar?

Discussion in 'Politics & Religion' started by onLoad, Mar 16, 2008.

  1. #1
    Surprisingly enough, there are unbelievable similarities between the two religions.

    Islam

    1. Monotheistic - God (Allah) is recognized as the Creator.
    2. God is omnipotent, omniscient, immanent within His creation yet transcendent.
    3. God has a unique relationship with humans (master and servant).
    4. God makes agreements or Covenants with humans.
    5. Have similar eschatology (pertaining to the last days or the end of the world) -- this world will come to an end someday and no-one knows when.
    6. A figure referred to as Satan or Antichrist (dajjal) (a figure of evil) will be defeated at the end of the world.
    7. After the world has ended, God will judge humans, based on their actions in compliance with a moral code, specified in the Covenant which God makes with us.
    8. This judgement will determine one's eternal abode, heaven or hell (bliss or punishment).
    9. Human beings have a spirit (ruh) which is eternal, continuing its existence after our physical death. As to its origin, the Quran says, "When I [God] have fashioned him [Adam] (in due proportions) and breathed into him of My spirit . . ." [Quran 15:29]
    10. Humans have the ability (free will) to choose between good and evil (obeying or disobeying God, complying with the moral code of the Covenant or transgressing).
    11. Angels exist who are the servants, and sometimes messengers of God.
    12. Satan (shaitan) exists, as well as evil spirits who follow him; they are the enemies of humanity.
    13. Divinely revealed scriptures exist which are the primary source of religious knowledge. The Quran was revealed to Muhammad and it is the final scripture given to man.
    14. Miracles occur on occasion.
    15. If a person errs or transgresses, God may forgive them, if they sincerely repent.
    16. Prophets brought spiritual instruction.
    17. There are similarities between the Quranic and biblical version of many stories, such as Adam and Eve, Moses and the children of Israel, etc.
    18. At the time of the end of the world, Jesus Christ will come again.
    19. Jesus Christ was born to the virgin Mary.
    20. Faith without acts is useless (it is not enough to simply say "I believe).
    21. God severely punishes the worship of any deity other than God Himself as well as disrespect toward Him.
    22. Humans have rights (hence the prohibitions on murder, theft, lying, violence).
    23. Parents have special rights (to be honoured) as do spouses (hence adultery is forbidden).
    24. Fornication and lewd behaviour are forbidden.
    25. Transgressions similar to the Christian "seven deadly sins" (avarice, pride, greed, gluttony; envy, lust, sloth) are all spiritual illnesses.
    26. Society's laws must be obeyed.
    27. Intoxication is forbidden.
    28. Suicide is forbidden.
    29. Homosexuality is forbidden.
    30. Prayer is a means of communicating with God; God hears prayers and sometimes grants requests.
    31. Special congregational service of worship (salat) once per week on Friday, in a mosque, is an obligation (in addition to five times a day obligatory service of worship - also preferably in congregation.)
    32. Charity and relieving the suffering of others carries spiritual rewards.
    33. Certain standard prayers exist.
    34. Fasting and similar ascetic practices for religious purposes carries spiritual rewards.
    35. Pilgrimage (hajj) is obligatory.
    36. Celebrate the advent and birth of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on the 12th Rabi Awwal (Islamic calendar date)

    Christianity

    1. Monotheistic - God is recognized as the Creator.
    2. God is omnipotent, omniscient, immanent within His creation yet transcendent.
    3. God has a unique relationship with humans. (master and servant).
    4. God makes agreements or Covenants with humans.
    5. Have similar eschatology (pertaining to the last days or the end of the world) -- this world will come to an end someday and no-one knows when.
    6. A figure referred to as Antichrist or Satan (a figure of evil) will be defeated at the end of the world.
    7. At the end of the world, God will judge humans based on their actions in compliance with a moral code, specified in the Covenant which God makes with us.
    8. This judgement will determine one's eternal abode, heaven or hell (bliss or punishment).
    9. Human beings have a soul which is eternal, continuing its existence after our physical death
    10. Humans have the ability (free will) to choose between good and evil (obeying or disobeying God, complying with the moral code of the Covenant or transgressing)
    11. Angels exist who are the servants, and sometimes messengers of God
    12. Satan exists, as well as evil spirits who follow him; they are the enemies of humanity.
    13. Divine scriptures exist which are the primary source of religious knowledge; revelation in this department is finished (there are no more biblical books yet to be revealed)
    14. Miracles occur on occasion.
    15. If a person errs or transgresses, God may forgive them, if they sincerely repent.
    16. Prophets brought spiritual instruction.
    17. There are similarities between the Quranic and biblical version of many stories, such as Adam and Eve, Moses and the children of Israel, etc.
    18. At the time of the end of the world, Jesus Christ will come again.
    19. Jesus Christ was born to the virgin Mary. (Immaculate Conception).
    20. Faith without acts is useless (it is not enough to simply say "I believe).
    21. God severely punishes the worship of any deity other than God Himself, as well as disrespect toward Him.
    22. Humans have rights (hence the prohibitions on murder, theft, lying, violence).
    23. Parents have special rights (to be honoured) as do spouses (hence adultery is forbidden).
    24. Fornication and lewd behaviour are forbidden.
    25. Transgressions similar to the Catholic "seven deadly sins" (avarice, pride, greed, gluttony; envy, lust, sloth) are all spiritual illnesses.
    26. Society's laws must be obeyed.
    27. Intoxication is forbidden.
    28. Suicide is forbidden.
    29. Homosexuality is forbidden (as stated in the book of Deuteronomy, as well as in the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorra).
    30. Prayer is a means of communicating with God; God hears prayers and sometimes grants requests.
    31. Congregational worship at church once per week on Sunday is an obligation.
    32. Charity and relieving the suffering of others carries spiritual rewards.
    33. Certain standard prayers exist.
    34. Fasting or depriving oneself for religious purposes carries spiritual rewards.
    35. Pilgrimage still exists, but is not obligatory
    36. Celebrate the advent and birth of Jesus Christ, Dec. 25. This is known as Christmas.

     
    onLoad, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  2. pipsbank

    pipsbank Banned

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    #2
    Christian believe that Jesus is a God but in Islam Jesus is one of the prophet.
    Bible has a lot of version while Qoran have only one version
     
    pipsbank, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  3. ThraXed

    ThraXed Peon

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    #3
    29;41 The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider's house;- if they but knew.

    This is the difference
     
    ThraXed, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  4. LeoSeo

    LeoSeo Well-Known Member

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    #4
    Do you even understand what is meant there? "who take protectors other than Allah" That's something the most common; monotheism, among semitic religions, that's why they are also called monotheistic religions.

    As for the thread, similarities are quite normal, as Judaism, Christianity and Islam comes from the same and only God, Allah, at least in Islamic belief. Yet only Koran remains the same(unedited), so there might be a few differences. The difference in the interpretations and how the rules are performed, happen to make it look like the differences are bigger than they actually are.
     
    LeoSeo, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  5. ThraXed

    ThraXed Peon

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    #5
    Yes...it is mainly reffering to Jesus, he is a seperate person from God, Christianity is not a monotheistic religion.
     
    ThraXed, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  6. LeoSeo

    LeoSeo Well-Known Member

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    #6
    LeoSeo, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  7. ThraXed

    ThraXed Peon

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    #7
    Christians say it is, but people with common sense know it's not. Jesus and God are not the same person.
     
    ThraXed, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  8. guerilla

    guerilla Notable Member

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    #8
    They are remarkably similar, and based on similar foundations. Which makes all of the religious friction so regressive.

    You'd think the primary enemy of these religions would be atheism, not relatively similar derivatives of themselves.

    I think the real fight is over Jesus vs. Mohammad. But if God is the almighty, does it really, really matter who the messenger is when the message is fairly consistent?
     
    guerilla, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  9. pingpong123

    pingpong123 Well-Known Member

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    #9
    There are similarites guerilla but in christianity jesus isnt just teh messenger according to our beliefs, he is also god himself:).
     
    pingpong123, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  10. pingpong123

    pingpong123 Well-Known Member

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    #10
    Thraxed i can find versus in the bible itself where jesus himself says he is also god, i have allready stated this in my debates with the jehovas witnesses in my old posts. Its in the bible itself:), if you dont believe there is a chance that jesus can be god then you cant believe that god is all powerful and through him all things are possible:).
     
    pingpong123, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  11. lightless

    lightless Notable Member

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    #11
    Nobody cares about similarities.
    Does anybody care that the all other religions and races and so on are humans and that they live, breathe, think, have mothers, sleep, eat and so on ?

    We think and emphasize differences. That seems to be the way of mankind.
     
    lightless, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  12. guerilla

    guerilla Notable Member

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    #12
    I think that depends upon your sect. Jesus IIRC is the Son of God, but is not God himself for Protestants. Could be wrong.
     
    guerilla, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  13. HARRY256

    HARRY256 Well-Known Member

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    #13
    Similar? Yeah both religions but they differ in a lot of things, As stated in the first post.
     
    HARRY256, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  14. pingpong123

    pingpong123 Well-Known Member

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    #14
    Guerilla arent you talking about jehovas witnesses here?
     
    pingpong123, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  15. guerilla

    guerilla Notable Member

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    #15
    No! Church of England, Reformed Protestants, Archbishop of Canterbury etc.

    I could be wrong, I'm no expert on religion, nor do I pretend to be.
     
    guerilla, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  16. tbarr60

    tbarr60 Notable Member

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    #16
    Christianity is based on salvation by grace, not works. Islam is based on man's works. As humans we think of things in terms of earning. We earn a paycheck so the employer owes us. We pay for a vacation so the airline, hotel, etc owes us those services. Islam and all other works based religions want us to think that we can put God in a position of debt. Does that make sense?

    There are many differences between the two but that is the major one.
     
    tbarr60, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  17. LeoSeo

    LeoSeo Well-Known Member

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    #17
    And with your reasoning, Christians go to heaven or hell based on what? They are not judged with what they do? If heaven is not something deserved, what's the reason behind the existence of hell?
     
    LeoSeo, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  18. Ckrismoney

    Ckrismoney Well-Known Member

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    #18
    Christians believe JESUS is the SON of GOD.

    Christians have a Bible that has made predictions 1,000's of years in advance that come true.

    The Qoran has not made any predictions except the one's that are already in the Bible.

    The Bible is also a recount of history and rules by GOD.

    The Qoran is just rules.

    The Christian Bible says love all and pray for your enemies.

    The Qoran says kill Christians and all other religions wherever you find them.

    What kind of simularity can been seen!

    NONE!
     
    Ckrismoney, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  19. guerilla

    guerilla Notable Member

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    #19
    I believe it is "persecutors", not enemies. It would be an important semantic difference.
     
    guerilla, Mar 16, 2008 IP
  20. funforums

    funforums Well-Known Member

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    #20
    From where did you got this?
     
    funforums, Mar 16, 2008 IP