College professor: 'Jesus was a Muslim'

[Truth light]

The head of the religion department at Luther College in Iowa recently argued that Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity, was in fact, a Muslim.

College professor 39Jesus was a Muslim39

 

[LoAmmi]

Interesting reasoning, but I'm not sure it follows logically. In the end, if you define Muslim as following the religion, Jesus obviously did not do that. If you merely define it as social justice, Jesus fits just as well as a Jewish rabbi focused on that, as other rabbis were, as anything else. Seems like a weird thing to say.

I don't see him as either, honestly.

 

[JJWhite]

Two different definitions...

- Trying to submit to God's Will with whatever resources you have... broad meaning.

- Trying to submit to God's Will by following Qur'aanic law... specific meaning.

I'd say Jesus fit in the first, as do many... even Adam, but he wasn't of the second category... of course, Muslims believe that when he returns the second time, he will pray behind a Muslim Imam (specific meaning), so that would indicate him following Qur'aanic law.. but that's an Islaamic related belief.

 

[awitch]

Apparently only Muslims have social justice movements. Who knew?

 

[JJWhite]

Apparently only Muslims have social justice movements. Who knew?

That was funny of him to put it that way... lol

 

[LoAmmi]

Apparently only Muslims have social justice movements. Who knew?

Yeah, I found that odd.

 

[TG123]

The head of the religion department at Luther College in Iowa recently argued that Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity, was in fact, a Muslim.

College professor 39Jesus was a Muslim39

That makes as much sense as saying Muhammad was a Jew, because like Jews he believed that God existed too.
BTW Buddha fasted as well and Muslims fast, so Muslims are in fact devotees of Buddha only they don't know it. And I guess Muhammad was probably a Buddhist himself...

... see how much fun we can have when we play around with others' belief systems and nitpick from history to come up with facts we twist around to defend our points of view.

 

[Arthra]

In that Jesus submitted to God's Will... in that sense I believe He would be a "Muslim"...in the generic sense as a "Muslim" means one who submits to God.

I wouldn't use the image of Jesus which is so commonly used though... as I believe it is disrespectful to have representations of Prophets around. The long curly locks that have likely been a stereotypical represenation shouldn't be encouraged.

 

[LoAmmi]

I wouldn't use the image of Jesus which is so commonly used though... as I believe it is disrespectful to have representations of Prophets around. The long curly locks that have likely been a stereotypical represenation shouldn't be encouraged.

I'm more amused by the Caucasian man usually presented in any representation of Jesus. Lots of them running around Israel in the first century.

 

[Azadok2day]

I'm more amused by the Caucasian man usually presented in any representation of Jesus. Lots of them running around Israel in the first century.

The Jews were and are Caucasians , God promised that Abrahams descendants would be as numerous as the sands , Israel today does not fit that category . The ten tribes that were driven north over the caucus mountains eventually settling in Europe and then America are the descendants of Abraham . The Christian nations are the ten lost tribes read Genesis 48 and 49 .

 

[TG123]

In that Jesus submitted to God's Will... in that sense I believe He would be a "Muslim"...in the generic sense as a "Muslim" means one who submits to God.

I wouldn't use the image of Jesus which is so commonly used though... as I believe it is disrespectful to have representations of Prophets around. The long curly locks that have likely been a stereotypical represenation shouldn't be encouraged.

Why not the word 'Christian'? We submit to God's will too. And Jesus is held in higher esteem by Christians than He is by anyone else.

 

[Christianmilitaryofficer]

Why not the word 'Christian'? We submit to God's will too. And Jesus is held in higher esteem by Christians than He is by anyone else.

I would disagree with that, sort of. Most Christians hold who they think Christ is in esteem, but then show a rather disturbing lack of concern for what Christ did and taught. Since in many Protestant circles, belief is the salvatory necessity, actually doing the things Christ commanded and taught are of a completely secondary, and even unimportant nature. As such, the reverence is not really there, since it does not follow with any real commitment.

Muslims do try to follow the teachings of Christ, as they understand them, and personally, I think Christ would rather people do what He taught, as opposed to paying lip service and not doing it.

 

[TG123]

I would disagree with that, sort of. Most Christians hold who they think Christ is in esteem, but then show a rather disturbing lack of concern for what Christ did and taught. Since in many Protestant circles, belief is the salvatory necessity, actually doing the things Christ commanded and taught are of a completely secondary, and even unimportant nature. As such, the reverence is not really there, since it does not follow with any real commitment.

Muslims do try to follow the teachings of Christ, as they understand them, and personally, I think Christ would rather people do what He taught, as opposed to paying lip service and not doing it.

So because there are many Protestants who are hypocrites and indifferent, you are going to tar all Christians with the same brush? First of all my friend Christian = not Protestant. There are many non-Protestant Christians. Secondly, many Protestant Christians are the opposite of what you describe. Have you heard of the Mennonite Central Committee? Christian Peacemaker Teams? Salvation Army? These groups are composed mainly of Protestants who take Christ's teachings very much to heart. I have done a lot of work for social justice and human rights, work that got me beaten up with a metal pipe and hospitalized in the West Bank. My faith in Christ inspires me and drives me in my activism and work both in my city and abroad.

Many Muslims are good people and follow certain parts of Christ's teachings very well, like many Christians. Many others don't. If you think cruelty, indifference to suffering and hypocrisy are things only Christians exhibit and Muslims are free from, my friend you have a lot to learn.

 

[awitch]

The Jews were and are Caucasians

Like Charlton Heston in "Ben-Hur".

 

[LantanaAnna]

Jesus was not a Muslim. I am sure of this. In the Bible, Jesus is called Rabbi.
In fact there is some speculation on the Bible referring to Muslims as the antichrist.
Absolute baloney to say Jesus was a Muslim.

 

[LoAmmi]

The Jews were and are Caucasians , God promised that Abrahams descendants would be as numerous as the sands , Israel today does not fit that category . The ten tribes that were driven north over the caucus mountains eventually settling in Europe and then America are the descendants of Abraham . The Christian nations are the ten lost tribes read Genesis 48 and 49 .

Yes, I've read that little fantasy a bunch of times and I bet you're going to be different than everybody else. You actually do have some evidence for me to examine, right?

There's no doubt that the members of the lost tribes are among the Gentiles, but to somehow suggest that "Christians" are them is just silly and you have no basis for that. To suggest that you know where they went is silly and you have no basis for it. You are simply trying to make yourself special.

 

[DCJazz]

Jesus wasn't a Muslim. Sure he submitted to God, but as a son submits to his father, not as a human submitting to a god (even a false one). Well, even then he was still submitting to the will of the one true God so I guess that part fits in there.

However, I don't remember Jesus teaching us to hate our enemies; rather he commanded us to love.

As for calling him Christian... that's a bit odd, seeing as how it's more like 'Christ follower' or something like that. Why not just call him "Christ".

 

[Lord Emsworth]

Maybe Muhammed was a Christian, huh?

:o

 

[Booko]

So because there are many Protestants who are hypocrites and indifferent, you are going to tar all Christians with the same brush? First of all my friend Christian = not Protestant. There are many non-Protestant Christians. Secondly, many Protestant Christians are the opposite of what you describe. Have you heard of the Mennonite Central Committee? Christian Peacemaker Teams? Salvation Army? These groups are composed mainly of Protestants who take Christ's teachings very much to heart. I have done a lot of work for social justice and human rights, work that got me beaten up with a metal pipe and hospitalized in the West Bank. My faith in Christ inspires me and drives me in my activism and work both in my city and abroad.

I was thinking of my mom's church (RCA) which is decidedly in the sola fide camp where doctrine is concerned.

But to then leap to the idea that makes them unconcerned with Christ's instructions to do certain things is, well, short-sighted to say the least. Their theology is not remotely so thin as to think merely professing a belief in Christ is sufficient. A real belief in Christ leads the believer to work in the world, to help the poor and needy, the sick, the widow and orphan, and all of that.

And mom's now tiny mostly elderly church does exactly that. They were delivering food to the poor (though a joint program with the local Catholics) 2 days a week, but now the economy hit the bottom it's 6 days a week. They assist a battered women's shelter and a recovering addicts shelter. A "retired" pastor works out of that church in a mission to those in prison. You know, kind of exactly like what Christ commanded His followers to do.

So while sola fide may risk the danger of people not acting as Christ commanded because maybe they think it's unnecessary to do works, the way to see if it actually does end up that way in any case is to do precisely as Christ Himself advised: By their fruits shall ye know them.

Many Muslims are good people and follow certain parts of Christ's teachings very well, like many Christians. Many others don't. If you think cruelty, indifference to suffering and hypocrisy are things only Christians exhibit and Muslims are free from, my friend you have a lot to learn.

Even the Jedi can go over to the Dark Side.

 

[Booko]

Maybe Muhammed was a Christian, huh?

:o

Oh, I was thinking maybe they were all Buddhists.

In all seriousness, there are some "universal truths" that cross religious lines, and not just because Religion A copied from Religion B.

I sort of don't get the thing about saying Christ was a Muslim, just because of chronology if nothing else, and it strikes me as very odd that anyone who was a Muslim would have a picture of Christ in use anywhere for any reason, much less a not-very-representative one that's been Photoshopped in a way more than a few Christians would find offensive.

The prof in Iowa may not be a Muslim, but @Truth Light -- you are one. I'm mystified as to why you would repost this image at all, even with the best of intentions. The story didn't require it at all. Do you believe it's only Muhammad (pbuh) who should not be portrayed in images, or all of the Messengers?