Islam is increasingly becoming the major topic of discussion in the United States. The Mosque at Ground Zero, The Christmas Day Bomber, The Gunman at Ft. Bliss here in Texas, and the recent Burn the Qur’an Day all filled the airwaves and blogosphere. Alarmingly, many professing Christians do not know the major differences between Islam & Christianity. Mary Jo Sharp recently had two formal debates with Muslims.
The first was with Ehteshaam Gulam in Michigan (June 2009) on the topic: “Did Jesus Die On The Cross.” This debate took place in a local church. The second was with Tabasum Hussain, Ph.D. in Ontario, Canada (February 2010) on the topic: “Women: The Qur’an & The Bible.” This debate took place in a local mosque.
The debates are lengthy, but are necessary in order to fully expand upon the stark differences between the two religions. The Sharp-Gulam debate can be watched in its entirety on a single YouTube video. The Sharp-Hussain debate is divided among four separate YouTube videos.
Feel free to take notes and use the information from these debates as you equip yourself and others on these topics of discussion.
“DID JESUS DIE ON THE CROSS?”
“WOMEN: THE QUR’AN & THE BIBLE”
I find you are a great debater,alot better than I could ever be.I have recommeded confidentchristianity several times in avraidire.eu,plus linked to the 2 debates.
Your articles on why Christianity did not copy from the pagan religions is very good.Thanks for your work.
Let me educate you, Mary Jo Sharp. Winning a debate has NO connection to being right. Debates prove nothing. Muslim apologists like me have already proved you wrong about a lot of stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTdXE4arFXQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TqajD_YuuQ&playnext=1&videos=KPzuYOgUTH0&feature=mfu_in_order
Plus you don't know Arabic. But if you want I can recommend some good books and teachers. It's not a hard language to learn.
No Arabic = No Knowledge of Islam.
Islam is the only religion that has evidence for itself— what evidence do you have for your faith? NONE.
Thanks
Ehteshaam Gulam
http://www.answering-christian-claims.com
Hello Ehteshaam:
I just saw videos,the second one was in very bad taste.But first:
APOLLONIUS,DID HE RESURRECT?
No,you are wrong.MICHAEL LICONA,who knows ancient Greek,has read the biography of Apollonius.He says the end part has of a man from Nineveh (which didn't exist anymore at that time)who had a DREAM.In the DREAM he saw a VISION of Appollonius.There was NO resurrection,read the book to verify.
MOHAMMED WAS NOT UNIQUE(parallels)
I had said before that we have the case of a 3rd century founder of a new religion called MANI,in Iran.He said an ANGEL appeared to him with the truth,he later said he was the PARACLETE of the gospel of JOHN,he also accepted Jesus as a prophet,sounds like Mohammed,only earlier.For a while it was practically the state religion of Iran.
CAN WOMEN BE MINSITERS?
I say yes,read the article in avraidire.eu.By the way,Mary Jo,in the article on Jesus proclaiming the Trinity in Matthew,in French,at the botton,I included links to your blog and 3 links to articles of yours.I told readers to use GOOGLE TRADUCTION to translate from English to French:
http://www.avraidire.eu/2010/06/can-women-preach-and-be-ministers-in-a-church/
Minoria,
Mary Jo Sharp needs to know Arabic in order to talk about my religion, Islam. I am more than willing to recommend teachers or books she can learn from.
Thanks
Ehteshaam Gulam
http://www.answering-christian-claims.com
Hello Ehtesham:
Then by logic you would need to know koine Greek and Hebrew to talk about the Bible.Listen,read chapter 18:83-98 of the Koran,it has about Two-Horned or Dhul-Qarnayn.It says:
1.He was a prophet of God.
2.Had 2 horns.
3.Went west and found the sun went into water.
4.Went to where the sun rises(east) and found a people.
5.Later found a gate and barrier and GOG and MAGOG.
ROMANCE OF ALEXANDER
In the 3rd cent AD somebody wrote a fictional life of ALexander the Great called The Romance of Alexander.In the late 6th or early 7th century a CHRISTIAN VERSION appeared which had ALL that is in chapter 18:83-98.The only EXTRA detail is that it says
the NAME of the man:Alexander.
DID MOHAMMED READ THE BOOK?
NO.But he heard the same story orally.At the same time another heard it also and wrote his Christian Legend of the Romance of Alexander.Chapter 18:83 even says "They will ASK YOU about TWO-HORNED"(so it proves the story of two-horned was around among the people).
SO WHAT?
The problem is that the real ALexander the Great was NOT a prophet of God,a monotheist,never met Gog and Magog,or do any of the things in the Koran.Of course Two-Horned is the same as the Two-Horned-ALexander of the Christian Romance of Alexander.Here is a historical error in the Koran.
You can read the whole Christian Romance of Alex here to see if it is true:
http://www.answering-islam.org/Books/Budge/alexander.htm
I am not against learning Arabic. I would enjoy a new language and would welcome your suggestions. Plus, I think it could only improve my understanding of what the original texts of Islam said.
However, to go one step further and say a person cannot know anything about Islam if they do not know Arabic is problematic. This would mean that millions of Muslims that do not speak Arabic, or do not read Arabic, or who are illiterate know nothing about Islam. Also, it implies that the Muslim scholars who translated the Arabic into English are not to be trusted. What is the purpose of the translation if we cannot know anything by doing so? I do not agree with you Ehteshaam. I think the Muslim Arabic scholars who have translated the Arabic into English can be generally trusted to give us a clear rendering of the meaning of Arabic words and phrases.
I do understand, however, as with Greek, there are some words that just do not translate well. However, this does not imply that the whole endeavor is lost. It also does not imply that all our English speaking/reading Muslims know nothing of Islam.
You do see the problem here, right?
Extrapolate out your ideology into other fields as well.
1) If you don't know Greek, you don't know anything about the New Testament, Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Homer, and Greek philosophy in general.
2) If you don't know Hebrew, you don't know anything about the Old Testament.
3) If you don't know hieroglyphics, you don't know anything about the ancient Egyptians.
4) If you don't know Latin, you don't know anything about biology or Roman history.
5) If you don't know French or German, you don't know anything about Romantic era and modern philosophy.
I don't think you mean affirm all of this through your statement; although this sort of end result is the logical conclusion.
MJ
*original texts = primary texts
In the debate with Madame Hussain she accepted that Aisha was 9 when Mohammed(who was more than 50,52 I think)consummated his marriage with her.But there are some Muslims who say NO,it is not in the Koran,the ARABIC does not allow it.Then read this:
ABOUT AISHA AND THE DEBATE IF SHE WAS 9 WHEN HER MARRIAGE WAS CONSUMMATED:
There is a website called WIKILSLAM that has some articles that would show she really was 9.It was posted by someone in avraidire.eu.The info is absorbing:
ARTICLE 1(the MOST IMPORTANT):
It says that according to the ARABIC language itself,sura 65:4 really does mean a prepuberty girl(and not just an adult WOMAN who never had a menstruation for X reason).It is very interesting because many Muslims say "We reject the hadiths and only accept the Koran and it does not say it":
http://www.wikiislam.net/wiki/Pedophilia_in_the_Quran
ARTICLE 2:
"About her being 9 in the hadiths":
http://www.wikiislam.net/wiki/Aisha%27s_Age_of_Consummation
ARTICLE 3:
More on the same thing,but better organized,plus more info:
http://www.wikiislam.net/wiki/Qur%27an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Aisha
ARTICLE 4:
"Refutation of Muslim Arguments that she was NOT 9":
You have all heard that according to X hadith we have that she was really 16,17,18 at the age of consummation:
http://www.wikiislam.net/wiki/A_Refutation_to_Muslim_Apologetics_against_Aisha%27s_Age_of_Consummation
Minoria,
I don't see what the age Aisha (may God be pleased with her) has to do with anything.
Yes, it is a fact, Aisha was 9 years old when she Married Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). There are some Muslims who try to deny it, yes, but they are not being honest here.
When a girl reaches the age of puberty she can get married in Islam/ Arab culture. Get your 21st century/ American age limit non sense out of the discussion.
Aisha in an authentic hadith said she became a woman at the age of 9.
It is also interesting to note that Aisha considered herself to be a woman at the age of nine when she stated:
When the girl reaches nine years of age, she is a woman. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab: al-Nikah, Bab: Maa Jaa'a fee Ikraah Al Yateemah 'alaa al tazweej, Hadith no. 1027)
Shaikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri in his commentary on Sunan al-Tirmidhi said:
Aisha knew (that she hit puberty) when she became nine years old.
(Shaikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Tuhfat AI-Ahwadhi, Kitab: al-Nikah, Bab: Maa Jaa'a fee Ikraah Al Yateemah 'alaa al tazweej, Hadith no. 1027)
My own grandmother got married at 14 years in Saudi Arabia. Nothing wrong with that.
Same with the Virgin Mary. Biblical Scholars say she was 12-14 years old when she was impregananted by the Holy Spirit/ Preganant with Jesus/ engaged to Joesph—- so be consistent here. Mention that fact as well.
Mary Jo Sharp, if your serious, I'll get back to you soon.
Thanks
Ehteshaam Gulam
http://www.answering-christian-claims.com
This would mean that millions of Muslims that do not speak Arabic, or do not read Arabic, or who are illiterate know nothing about Islam.
My Response: This is not true. Who told you this? I know Arabic and I am not 100% Arab (my Mom is, my dad isn't). Arabic is very easy, it's not difficult. In fact there are Indians and Pakistianis who speak and know better Arabic than Arabs.
Hello Ehteshaam:
I was not being inconsistent since 9 and 12-14 are not the same.
On top of that we do not know the age Mary had when she gave birth to Jesus.
It is true that a girl could marry at 13 BUT we also know:
1.She had to wait ONE year with no intimacy and living with her parents,even if she was married.
2.The Jews then had the DOWRY custom.The man who wanted to marry a girl HAD to give a DOWRY,otherwise he could not marry.
3.In the case of JOSEPH he is called a TEKTON in the gospels.That is a LANDLESS LABORER,he was no farmer,had no land,so was poorer than one but slightly above a slave.
He would have had to work for years to accumulate a dowry,or he could have married Mary BUT promising to accumulate the dowry,in which time she would have stayed with her parents for years.
In short we do not know her age.But with Aysha there is a specific age given.
NAZARETH
Then it had 120 people,probably all related.MAREK HALTER,a famous Jewish writer born in Poland,but who lives in France,and writes in French,in 2006 wrote MARIE(Mary).
He made a thorough investigation for his novel and says Nazareth had only 100 people.His novel is striking:
1.There Mary becomes the FRIEND of BARABBAS(yes,the one who was released).
2.At the end of the novel Marek Halter says he went to Warsaw and there an old woman gives him a "Gospel of Mary",supposedly written by she herself.
3.Reading it it says that Jesus did NOT die on the cross but survived.He was given a drug by Joseph of Arimathea that left him unconscious for 3 days.A novelist's flight of fancy:
http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Nazareth-Novel-Marek-Halter/dp/0307394840/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286830661&sr=1-7
THE PROTOEVANGELIUM OF JAMES
Written in 125-150 AD it has many errors about Jewish customs and so we know it was not written by a Jew.Scholars do not give it much credit.
It says Mary was 12 and Joseph was 90 when they got married.Why 90 for Joseph?The reason is THEOLOGICAL,at 90 Joseph would have been IMPOTENT and the author was promoting the view of the PERPETUAL virginity of Mary,she never had children,though Mark mentions her children.
Hello Ehteshaam:
I was not being inconsistent since 9 and 12-14 are not the same.
On top of that we do not know the age Mary had when she gave birth to Jesus.
It is true that a girl could marry at 13 BUT we also know:
1.She had to wait ONE year with no intimacy and living with her parents,even if she was married.
2.The Jews then had the DOWRY custom.The man who wanted to marry a girl HAD to give a DOWRY,otherwise he could not marry.
3.In the case of JOSEPH he is called a TEKTON in the gospels.That is a LANDLESS LABORER,he was no farmer,had no land,so was poorer than one but slightly above a slave.
He would have had to work for years to accumulate a dowry,or he could have married Mary BUT promising to accumulate the dowry,in which time she would have stayed with her parents for years.
In short we do not know her age.But with Aysha there is a specific age given.
NAZARETH
Then it had 120 people,probably all related.MAREK HALTER,a famous Jewish writer born in Poland,but who lives in France,and writes in French,in 2006 wrote MARIE(Mary).
He made a thorough investigation for his novel and says Nazareth had only 100 people.His novel is striking:
1.There Mary becomes the FRIEND of BARABBAS(yes,the one who was released).
2.At the end of the novel Marek Halter says he went to Warsaw and there an old woman gives him a "Gospel of Mary",supposedly written by she herself.
3.Reading it it says that Jesus did NOT die on the cross but survived.He was given a drug by Joseph of Arimathea that left him unconscious for 3 days.A novelist's flight of fancy:
http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Nazareth-Novel-Marek-Halter/dp/0307394840/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286830661&sr=1-7
THE PROTOEVANGELIUM OF JAMES
Written in 125-150 AD it has many errors about Jewish customs and so we know it was not written by a Jew.Scholars do not give it much credit.
It says Mary was 12 and Joseph was 90 when they got married.Why 90 for Joseph?The reason is THEOLOGICAL,at 90 Joseph would have been IMPOTENT and the author was promoting the view of the PERPETUAL virginity of Mary,she never had children,though Mark mentions her children.
"Same with the Virgin Mary. Biblical Scholars say she was 12-14 years old when she was impregananted by the Holy Spirit/ Preganant with Jesus/ engaged to Joesph—- so be consistent here. Mention that fact as well."
This is completely false. Minoria has already given a reply, but I think there are many additional points that have been left out. For those who are interested, I have 2 separate posts on my blog that deal with these issues:
http://islamo-criticism.blogspot.com/2012/03/joseph-pedophile-case-of-christian.html
http://islamo-criticism.blogspot.com/2012/04/christian-god-unholy-pedophile.html