Violence and Qu’ran

July 7, 2010 Weylan Deaver

The New Testament teaches Christians are at war with evil. But Christians fight with spiritual (i.e. non-physical) weapons for a spiritual kingdom. When it comes to our relationship to fellow men, the gospel teaches we are to be peacemakers, turning the other cheek when mistreated, not retaliating, but leaving vengeance to God (cf. Matt. 5:9; Luke 6:29; Rom. 12:17-21; 2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:12; 2 Tim. 2:3-4; etc.). Jesus put it this way: “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:44f., ESV).

That’s a far, far cry from advocating physical violence against the enemies of the church in the name of Christ. Anyone teaching or practicing physical violence in the name of Christ to further the religion of Christianity is, in fact, contradicting the New Testament.

When it comes to the religion of Islam, there are, without question, many who advocate and practice physical violence against those they consider “infidels.” Often, politically-correct (and ignorant) American politicians condemn terrorist atrocities, offering the explanation that Islam has been hijacked by radical extremists. But is that so? Consider several quotations from A. J. Arberry’s respected translation of the Koran (New York: Collier Books, 1955).

“And fight in the way of God with those who fight with you, but aggress not: God loves not the aggressors. And slay them wherever you come upon them” (from sura II).

While on the one hand aggression seems discouraged, killing in the name of Allah is definitely okay: kill your enemy wherever you happen to find him. It makes the part about non-aggression seem a little hollow, doesn’t it?

“O believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Whoso of you makes them his friends is one of them” (from sura V).

Whereas Jesus taught his followers to do good to enemies, the Koran forbids even friendship with Christians. A Muslim who befriends a Christian is, per Muhammad, as bad as a Christian (and Christians—as unbelievers—deserve to be slain).

“I shall cast into the unbelievers’ hearts terror; so smite above the necks, and smite every finger of them!” (from sura VIII).

Notice the word “terror,” as in “terror”-ist. The gospel of Christ is a message of peace, hope, and kindness. Granted, it has ample warnings of the coming Judgment, but God will take care of that after we leave earth. Muhammad’s is a message of terror and Muslims smiting unbelievers on earth. Huge difference.

“Then, when the sacred months are drawn away, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them, and confine them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms, then let them go their way” (from sura IX).

Again, more slaying of non-Muslims. It’s difficult to harmonize all the sanctioned smiting with not being an aggressor, but theological coherence and consistency are not Muhammadan hallmarks.

“…the Christians say, ‘The Messiah is the Son of God.’ That is the utterance of their mouths, conforming with the unbelievers before them. God assail them! How they are perverted!” (from sura IX).

In the eyes of a Muslim, it is perversion to believe Jesus is truly the son of God. With a religion that far removed from Christ, it is no wonder Islam practices what it does. Jesus proved himself to be God’s son and died on the cross for every future Muslim some 600 years before Muhammad was even born. Millions today live in fear of speaking against Muhammad. In point of fact, Muhammad should have lived in fear of blaspheming Jesus Christ. One day, Muhammad, and all his followers, will be judged by the words of Christ (John 12:48).

“O believers, fight the unbelievers who are near to you, and let them find in you a harshness” (from sura IX).

They can’t help but be noticed, the complete opposite approaches to life found in the New Testament and the Koran. The former encourages gentleness (Gal. 5:23; 2 Tim. 2:25); the latter prescribes “harshness.” Jesus taught kindness and love toward enemies—not cutting off their heads.

“When you meet the unbelievers, smite their necks, then, when you have made wide slaughter among them, tie fast the bonds; then set them free, either by grace or ransom, till the war lays down its loads” (from sura XLVII).

More of the same: smiting and slaughter for unbelievers. Anyone who thinks the Koran does not teach violence ought to look again. American society will tolerate and warm up to Islam at its own peril. If their influence and respectability continue to grow on the world stage, is there any doubt that Muslims will increasingly enforce on unbelievers the kind of treatment the Koran demands? So, back to the question. Are Islamic terrorists simply radical people who have hijacked, twisted, perverted, misinterpreted the Koran to sanction violence? Or, are Islamic terrorists really the ones living up to what Islam has always taught?

After the Mosque: Jihad on the Home Front

100 year old Electric Cars

Before internal-combustion engines became the standard, there was a serious effort to produce electric-powered vehicles.

One of the manufacturers was Cleveland, Ohio-based Rauch & Lang Carriage Co. The company also served as its own coachbuilder.

Rauch & Lang produced this 1914 Electric Brougham B4 that is featured at the San Sylmar, Calif.-based Nethercutt Collection.

Despite more than a century of experimentation, however, electric-powered vehicles are not as far advanced as those early inventors probably anticipated.

“Internal-combustion engine technology advanced at a faster pace than battery-powered electrics and doomed the electric car,” The Nethercutt Collection states. “Today’s electric car technology has not advanced much beyond this 1914 example.”

Rauch & Lang produced electric-powered cars from 1904 to 1920, when it sold its passenger car business to Stevens Duryea Co.

The sale was a sign of the end an era; one that is currently sputtering back to life.

One of the drawbacks of that era, as with one of the drawbacks of this era, is the fact that electric-powered cars do not have sufficient range, nor power, for most motorists.

On the TV show, Chasing Classic Cars, I saw a 1914 similar to the one featured here, and the driver steered using a horizontal bar (called Tiller steering), which in the case of this classic Rauch & Lang could be operated from the back seat.

This model, which comfortably seats four, and which has plush red velvet upholstery, could be easily operated at 30 mph.

However, a speed more than that was more difficult to handle due to the Tiller steering.

Powered by an 80-volt electric motor, these cars are virtually silent.

It cost $2,000 new.

partakers of the divine nature

(#460 on page 118 of The Catechism of the Catholic Church.)

THE PROFESSION OF FAITH

SECTION TWO
THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

CHAPTER TWO
I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY SON OF GOD

ARTICLE 3
“HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY”

Paragraph 1. The Son of God Became Man

I. WHY DID THE WORD BECOME FLESH?

456 With the Nicene Creed, we answer by confessing: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.”

457 The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who “loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins”: “the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world”, and “he was revealed to take away sins”:70

Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in the darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior; prisoners, help; slaves, a liberator. Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?71

458 The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God’s love: “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”72 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”73

459 The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”74 On the mountain of the Transfiguration, the Father commands: “Listen to him!”75 Jesus is the model for the Beatitudes and the norm of the new law: “Love one another as I have loved you.”76 This love implies an effective offering of oneself, after his example.77

460

The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”

:78 “For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.”79

“For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”

80 “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”81

80 St. Athanasius, De inc. 54, 3: PG 25, 192B