Differences

[Alvis]

What are the differences between Islam and christianity? I know they differ on the nature of God and the purpose behind the death of Jesus but what else?

They seem much more alike than different to me.

 

[MehGuy]

One leads to hell, and one leads to everlasting paradise.

 

[Alvis]

One leads to hell, and one leads to everlasting paradise.

That's what they both say!

 

[seashale76]

My advice to you is to read the Quran and al-hadith and the bible. Seriously. People can tell you stuff- but until you read it for yourself you don't know what kind of spin you're getting. Go to websites and the translations are there for free. I read them all. I could personally never be a Muslim after reading all I did- but don't take my word for it. Islam was considered a Christian heresy when it first appeared. I personally think Islam has more in common with the LDS faith than anything- as Muhammad and Joseph Smith both bear striking similarities in many ways.

 

[Alvis]

My advice to you is to read the Quran and al-hadith and the bible. Seriously. People can tell you stuff- but until you read it for yourself you don't know what kind of spin you're getting. Go to websites and the translations are there for free. I read them all. I could personally never be a Muslim after reading all I did- but don't take my word for it. Islam was considered a Christian heresy when it first appeared. I personally think Islam has more in common with the LDS faith than anything- as Muhammad and Joseph Smith both bear striking similarities in many ways.

I have read the Qur'an, it's very similar to our bible. I'm not aware of the Al-hadith, I'll look into it.

I see so much similarity between christian and Islam. Both ardently defend violence, both wish to subjugate the rest of the world and establish a theocracy based on God's laws, both send non-believers to eternal hell fire, both reward the righteous with heavenly goodness, both oppose secularism, humanism and the "world", both have an us vs them mentality, both hate each other and both actively view sex and women extremely negatively.

Honestly, aside from minor theology differences on the nature of God (1 vs 3) and the actually or not of Jesus' death, the rest is very much alike.

I could never be a muslim either. But I'm struggling to find any real differences between christianity and Islam at this point, besides their slight differences in theology.

 

[seashale76]

I have read the Qur'an, it's very similar to our bible. I'm not aware of the Al-hadith, I'll look into it.

I see so much similarity between christian and Islam. Both ardently defend violence, both wish to subjugate the rest of the world and establish a theocracy based on God's laws, both send non-believers to eternal hell fire, both reward the righteous with heavenly goodness, both oppose secularism, humanism and the "world", both have an us vs them mentality, both hate each other and both actively view sex and women extremely negatively.

Honestly, aside from minor theology differences on the nature of God (1 vs 3) and the actually or not of Jesus' death, the rest is very much alike.

I could never be a muslim either. But I'm struggling to find any real differences between christianity and Islam at this point, besides their slight differences in theology.

I honestly don't recognize my faith any anything you've presented. So you're either only using Calvinism and Westboro Baptist types as your measuring stick or you're being disingenuous. So many people have come along and changed the meanings of things (especially anything post 1529) that many Christian groups really do share a lot in common with Islam. For all that they all use similar words, the meanings behind them are often quite different from what the early Church believed. Perhaps you should consider that said changes on their parts are errors.

I'll take your hellfire example:

sheol = hades = the grave
gehenna = the lake of fire
hades =/= gehenna

The KJV translates Hell for the words Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna, while in other English translations, the word Hell is only used for Gehenna. The imagery of gehenna in the New Testament is a metaphor the people of that time would have been quite familiar with.

The ancient Christian view is that 'hell' and 'heaven' are two experiences of the same state- which is being directly in God's presence. What you experience is based solely on your disposition to God. God is love, God is a consuming fire, Christ is the light of the world, etcetera. People experiencing 'hell' are directly experiencing the love and presence of God- and that will be torturous for those individuals.

St. Isaac of Syria wrote in Mystic Treatises: "... those who find themselves in Hell will be chastised by the scourge of love. How cruel and bitter this torment of love will be! For those who understand that they have sinned against love, undergo greater suffering than those produced by the most fearful tortures. The sorrow which takes hold of the heart, which has sinned against love, is more piercing than any other pain. It is not right to say that the sinners in Hell are deprived of the love of God ... But love acts in two ways, as suffering of the reproved, and as joy in the blessed!"

Now contrast that with what you likely believe about hell- and you and I both call ourselves Christians- yet we certainly don't believe the same thing on that score.

 

[Alvis]

I honestly don't recognize my faith any anything you've presented. So you're either only using Calvinism and Westboro Baptist types as your measuring stick or you're being disingenuous.

Nope, just ordinary, non-denominational evangelicals. Ordinary christians. You need to step outside your church and look at the rest of christianity for a moment. It's not the rosy thing you have heard it was from your priest.

So many people have come along and changed the meanings of things (especially anything post 1529) that many Christian groups really do share a lot in common with Islam. For all that they all use similar words, the meanings behind them are often quite different from what the early Church believed. Perhaps you should consider that said changes on their parts are errors.

And what of it? Changes or no, it's all we have now.

I'll take your hellfire example:

sheol = hades = the grave
gehenna = the lake of fire
hades =/= gehenna

The KJV translates Hell for the words Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna, while in other English translations, the word Hell is only used for Gehenna. The imagery of gehenna in the New Testament is a metaphor the people of that time would have been quite familiar with.

Revelations say hell is a lake of fire as well.

The ancient Christian view is that 'hell' and 'heaven' are two experiences of the same state- which is being directly in God's presence. What you experience is based solely on your disposition to God. God is love, God is a consuming fire, Christ is the light of the world, etcetera. People experiencing 'hell' are directly experiencing the love and presence of God- and that will be torturous for those individuals.

So God's love is hell? What does love mean in this sense, his unending hatred?

St. Isaac of Syria wrote in Mystic Treatises: "... those who find themselves in Hell will be chastised by the scourge of love. How cruel and bitter this torment of love will be! For those who understand that they have sinned against love, undergo greater suffering than those produced by the most fearful tortures. The sorrow which takes hold of the heart, which has sinned against love, is more piercing than any other pain. It is not right to say that the sinners in Hell are deprived of the love of God ... But love acts in two ways, as suffering of the reproved, and as joy in the blessed!"

Now contrast that with what you likely believe about hell- and you and I both call ourselves Christians- yet we certainly don't believe the same thing on that score.

I have no beliefs about "hell." But I do know the christian doctrine of hell that is taught in churches is what I mentioned. A lake of fire.

This topic isn't about hell. The hell fire talk in the Qur'an is borrowed from the christian bible, so what's the difference anyway? This topic is about comparing the similarities and differences of Islam and christianity.

I'm wracking my brains, trying to think of any other real differences, aside from theology, which has no basis in every day life. It's not practical or useful. It's just different on paper. In practice, they are remarkably alike. Add intolerance for homosexuals, mandatory, enforced "giving" to the church/mosques and we've got a few more things in common. Aggressive, pushy proselytizing as well, for both of them. Disdain for science, obsession and near worship of the Bible and Qur'an too.

If the christians and muslims teamed up, they could literally rule the world. 3.5 billion people or so, not even every atheist, democrat or scientist in the world could stand up against that kind of force! If only they could get over their theology differences and unite to bring the world to its knees.

 

[Zoness]

So let's say I am going to do a side-by-side comparison of the two religions. The Quran is much shorter than the Bible. Let's be honest, I'm not going to read the bible in its entirety. So which books are the absolute "essential reading" if I am going to compare it to the Quran?

 

[seashale76]

So let's say I am going to do a side-by-side comparison of the two religions. The Quran is much shorter than the Bible. Let's be honest, I'm not going to read the bible in its entirety. So which books are the absolute "essential reading" if I am going to compare it to the Quran?

I'd say take what makes Christianity a different ball of wax from Judaism- the New Testament.

ETA: If I believed Christianity was what Alvis presents- I'd be an atheist now. There's a reason I'm an Orthodox Christian.

 

[Zoness]

I'd say take what makes Christianity a different ball of wax from Judaism- the New Testament.

What's the best translation for readability? I understand that might not be the same thing for study or intense theological debate but I intend to do honest side-by-side research of both without bias from my past.

 

[seashale76]

What's the best translation for readability? I understand that might not be the same thing for study or intense theological debate but I intend to do honest side-by-side research of both without bias from my past.

I personally like the New King James Version.

 

[Zoness]

I personally like the New King James Version.

Cool. Anyways, I intend to do a read-through of the New Testament and the Quran and Hadiths. I've never done a comparison of the two in a meaningful way so we'll see how that comes up with.

The NT will be harder because there is significant baggage with my Christian past but eh, I'll try hard to look past it.

 

[Alvis]

So let's say I am going to do a side-by-side comparison of the two religions. The Quran is much shorter than the Bible. Let's be honest, I'm not going to read the bible in its entirety. So which books are the absolute "essential reading" if I am going to compare it to the Quran?

Well, I'm talking about the religion itself, not the bible or Qur'an themselves. As you know, the religion does what it does regardless of whatever the book says. Sometimes they support it, sometimes they go against. I seem to recall some nice verses in both, but none of them follow those, so you catch my drift.

 

[Alvis]

I'd say take what makes Christianity a different ball of wax from Judaism- the New Testament.

ETA: If I believed Christianity was what Alvis presents- I'd be an atheist now. There's a reason I'm an Orthodox Christian.

Why an atheist? Is you entire reason for believing in something bigger than yourself due to religious teaching or the bible? I've never understood that.

 

[Alvis]

Cool. Anyways, I intend to do a read-through of the New Testament and the Quran and Hadiths. I've never done a comparison of the two in a meaningful way so we'll see how that comes up with.

The NT will be harder because there is significant baggage with my Christian past but eh, I'll try hard to look past it.

Feel free to do so, but make sure you extensively compare the OT and the Qur'an, they're much more alike. The NT is actually the oddball of the three.

And seeing as how the religious ideas stand despite whatever their holy books actually say, I don't really see the value in studying them. You can sit there and study all the laws of our society, but if the government is corrupt and ignore their own laws, what does it matter? So it is with the religions, at least as far as christianity is concerned.

The bible has just as much bloodshed, violence, cruelty and sadism as the Qur'an. Neither is superior to the other. I'll give christians credit for one thing though, most of them don't go around blowing people up who are not christians... yet. Aside from the abortion killers and that Norway shooter. Maybe we'll see a resurgence of modern day Salem witch hunts again? One can hope.

 

[LoAmmi]

I'll give christians credit for one thing though, most of them don't go around blowing people up who are not christians... yet.

See, I'd put "now" instead of "yet". History can be a cruel mistress. I guess technically they didn't blow too many people up but I will assume you get my meaning.

 

[Alvis]

See, I'd put "now" instead of "yet". History can be a cruel mistress. I guess technically they didn't blow too many people up but I will assume you get my meaning.

Well that's true, I know. That was why I put the burning times stuff immediately afterwards. christianity has a long, very bloody history. That in itself is a huge red flag. They have no interest in following anything Jesus said, so why should I have any interest in following what they say?

 

[LoAmmi]

Well that's true, I know. That was why I put the burning times stuff immediately afterwards. christianity has a long, very bloody history. That in itself is a huge red flag. They have no interest in following anything Jesus said, so why should I have any interest in following what they say?

Everyone seems to have a long, bloody history. I have no problem accepting that when it comes to my people. I don't hold it against Christianity that their people failed in many places. We all fail. It's what we do best.

I only take issue when people try to tell me how long and bloody another history is while whitewashing their own.

 

[Alvis]

Everyone seems to have a long, bloody history. I have no problem accepting that when it comes to my people. I don't hold it against Christianity that their people failed in many places. We all fail. It's what we do best.

I only take issue when people try to tell me how long and bloody another history is while whitewashing their own.

I find the hypocrisy, lying and excuses tiring. If you have a religion claiming to be about peace (islam) or love (christianity), then you had better damn well be able to back it up. Otherwise, don't lie about your religion to get new converts. It's not right.

Judaism also has nothing in the way of pacifism. christianity does. So to blatantly ignore all of that in lieu of acting like a violent, bloodthirsty warmonger (aka Bush) you really have to be an idiot to blindly accept that kind of hypocrisy. I do believe if people actually followed Jesus of Nazareth's teachings on how to treat others, the world would be a better place. It's too bad his religion that he apparently started has no interest in that. They're too busy defending your holy book and attacking muslims (whose book is no worse than theirs or yours), atheists, homosexuals and everyone else who isn't an evangelical. Great movement.

 

[LoAmmi]

I find the hypocrisy, lying and excuses tiring. If you have a religion claiming to be about peace (islam) or love (christianity), then you had better damn well be able to back it up. Otherwise, don't lie about your religion to get new converts. It's not right.

There are two ways to look at it. Do we judge a religion based upon its teachings or based upon its followers? I find both to be valid, but it must be specified which we are doing.

Judaism also have nothing in the way of pacifism. christianity does. So to blatantly ignore all of that in lieu of acting like a violent, bloodthirsty warmonger (aka Bush) you really have to be an idiot to blindly accept that kind of hypocrisy.

I hope you aren't suggesting that those who follow Judaism should act like violent, bloodthirsty warmongers and that we have nothing in our faith that discourages those activities.

I do believe in people actually followed Jesus of Nazareth's teachings on how to treat others, the world would be a better place.

You'd be surprised how many of his sayings are taken directly from the Tanakh or from rabbis that preceded him, so I agree.