I follow and participate in many Christian Groups on social media. Occasionally, a post will arise from Muslims contending that Christianity is blatantly wrong and present what they (The Poster) believe to be supporting facts and trick questions from our own Christian Bible to support the claim. I suppose one could turn the Qur’an around on them, but then I would find that inappropriate for a Christian to fight fire with fire. Instead, I have taken to answering the questions they present instead of just reading and denouncing blindly. In my extensive response to a poster, I have proceeded to take on each one of the large barrages of questions they presented with their (Assumed) Christian responses. I present an actual “Educated Christian†response.
The following questions were posted as if a record of a conversation between a Muslim and a Christian. I decided to interject how I would answer these questions as if I was the Christian side of the conversation.
“Muslim: Who is God?
(Assumed) Christian: Jesus
My Response: God is the creator of all things. He Is, Was, and Always Shall Be.
Muslim: Is Jesus the son of Mary?
(Assumed) Christian: Yes
My Response: Christ Jesus who Muslims recognize as (Isa, Eisa, ‘Iesa, Christ Jesus) was born in human form as both man and God to a virgin named Mary or as Muslims recognize as (Maryam, Marium)
The Birth of Jesus the Messiah
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,†the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.â€
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’â€
Matthew 1:18-23 (NLT)
Muslim: Who created Mary?
(Assumed) Christian: God.
My Response: Mary (Maryam, Marium), like all human life, is a descendant of Adam and Eve, and thus was created by God.
Muslim: Who is God?
(Assumed) Christian: Jesus
My Response: This is a repetitive question intended to confuse the reader and attempt to trip up the responder. As previously responded, God is the creator of all things. He Is, Was, and Always Shall Be.
Muslim: Jesus is the begotten son?
(Assumed )Christian: Yes
My Response: To answer this question you have to understand the word begotten.
be·​got·​ten | bi-ˈgä-tᵊn , bē-
Definition of begotten (Entry 1 of 2)
past participle of BEGET
There is no killing the suspicion that deceit has once begotten.
— George Eliot
This small, austerely decorated restaurant on the unfashionable end of Melrose Avenue has begotten a second establishment …
— Jean T. Barrett
begotten adjective
Definition of begotten (Entry 2 of 2)
: brought into existence by or as if by a parent
“He didn’t send his only begotten son through a whirlwind …”
— Jesse Jackson
… she was also a self-absorbed alcoholic with a penchant for promiscuous infidelity and scant interest in such minor matters as her only begotten child.
— Deborah Orr
— see also MISBEGOTTEN, ILL-BEGOTTEN
First Known Use of begotten
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Birthright
(1.) This word denotes the special privileges and advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Jews. He became the priest of the family. Thus Reuben was the first-born of the patriarchs, and so the priesthood of the tribes belonged to him. That honour was, however, transferred by God from Reuben to Levi(Num 3:12, 13; Num 3:12).
(2.) The first-born son had allotted to him also a double portion of the paternal inheritance (Deut 21:15 -17). Reuben was, because of his undutiful conduct, deprived of his birth-right (Gen 49:4 1 Chr 5:1. Esau transferred his birth-right to Jacob (Gen 25:33).
(3.) The first-born inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it might be (2 Chr 21:3. By divine appointment, however, David excluded Adonijah in favour of Solomon.
(4.) The Jews attached a sacred importance to the rank of “first-born” and “first-begotten” as applied to the Messiah(Rom 8:29; Col 1:18; Heb 1:4 6). As first-born he has an inheritance superior to his brethren, and is the alone true priest.
(EBD) Easton’s Bible Dictionary
So here through these definitions, we establish Jesus (Isa, Eisa, ‘Iesa, Christ Jesus) born into human form is referenced as the “Begotten†Son as the result of the Virgin birth into a human form.
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:18 (NLT)
Muslim: Who is his father?
(Assumed) Christian: God.
My Response: God is the Father of all creation, everything, and all things.
Muslim: Who is God?
(Assumed) Christian: Jesus.
My Response: Once Again, This is a repetitive question intended to confuse the reader and attempt to trip up the responder. As previously responded, God is the creator of all things. He Is, Was, and Always Shall Be.
Muslim: Jesus died on the cross?
(Assumed) Christian: Yes
My Response: Jesus was crucified on the cross as substitutionary atonement to cover the sins of man. Until Jesus died on the cross the punishment for our sins was death.
Muslim: Jesus is a servant of God?
(Assumed) Christian: Yes
My Response: We are all to be servants of God, Jesus being both Man and God came in human form to teach us how to be servants of God, pray to God, and show
God directly to his people and how to live the life God has given us.
Muslim: Who resurrected him?
(Assumed) Christian: God.
My Response: He was resurrected by the angels at the command of God, this was the plan from the beginning, and Jesus was well aware of this being both God and Man.
Muslim: Is Jesus a messenger?
(Assumed) Christian: Yes
My Response: Jesus was, of course, a messenger. He was also a teacher, a healer, a mentor, and a leader.
Muslim: Who sent him [Jesus]?
(Assumed) Christian: Jesus.
My Response: Jesus came, he was not sent, delivered, or deposited in any humanly understandable form. He was born in human form through the Virgin Mary so that he could live by example and teach us, and to ultimately pay the price for our sin.
Muslim: Who is God?
(Assumed) Christian: God.
My Response: Here we go again, This is a repetitive question intended to confuse the reader and attempt to trip up the responder. As previously responded, God is the creator of all things. He Is, Was, and Always Shall Be.
Muslim: Did Jesus worship while on earth?
(Assumed) Christian: Yes
My Response: Of course Jesus worshipped on Earth. How else were we going to learn? A true teacher teaches through action, not just words.
Muslim: Whom did he [Jesus] worship?
(Assumed) Christian: God
My Response: He worshipped God. Not because he had to, but because he was setting the example. He was here to teach us, and contend the temptations of man head on.
Muslim: Who is God?
(Assumed) Christian: Jesus.
My Response: back so soon? Hello, is this thing on? This is a repetitive question intended to confuse the reader and attempt to trip up the responder. As previously responded, God is the creator of all things. He Is, Was, and Always Shall Be.
Muslim: Did God have a beginning?
(Assumed) Christian: No
My Response: God is the beginning and the continuation forevermore.
Muslim: Then who was born on 25/DEC?
(Assumed) Christian: Jesus.
My Response: A lot of people, except Jesus Christ that is. We celebrate the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ on this day, though chronologically it is believed that he was born in the springtime.
Muslim: Is Jesus God?
(Assumed) Christian: Yes
My Response: Jesus was both God and Man, until the resurrection, then he returned to his heavenly form.
Muslim: Where’s God?
(Assumed) Christian: In Heaven.
My Response: God Is……. God Is everywhere, every day, in every way.
Muslim: How many Gods are there in heaven?
(Assumed) Christian: Only one God.
My Response: One God in trinitarian form, God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit each working together as one entity toward a common purpose.
Muslim: Where’s Jesus?
(Assumed) Christian: He is seated on the right hand of his father.
My Response: Ok, the common imagery for our own human understanding is that he is seated next to his Father at the throne. But there is no throne. This is symbolism for understanding sake. As God, Jesus Is everywhere, every day, in every way.
Muslim: Then how many are they in heaven?
(Assumed) Christian: Only one God.
My response: This is the same question as “How many Gods are there in heaven?†just rephrased. The same answer applies, One God in trinitarian form, God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit each working together as one entity toward a common purpose.
Muslim: Then how many seats?
(Assumed) Christian: One
My response: None, this is Heaven we are talking about not a stadium or castle.
Muslim: Where’s Jesus?
(Assumed) Christian: Seated next to God.
My Response: Yet again, here is another repetitive question intended to confuse the reader and attempt to trip up the responder. Jesus like God, Is everywhere, every day, in every way.
Muslim: How are they seated on one chair?
(Assumed) Christian: …………………….?
My Response: None, there are no chairs in Heaven, at least not as we perceive here.
The post continued into a Qu’ran says, and then the Bible says segment at this point.
Allah clearly tells us in Qu’ran :-
“O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist – it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” – Surah An-Nisa [4:171]
My Response: Jesus (Isa, Eisa, ‘Iesa, Christ Jesus) was referred to as the “Son of God†because he was born to human form through Mary by immaculate conception (Maryam, Marium). Jesus was both God and Man. You quoted from the Qu’ran “Exalted is He above having a son.†Jesus is only referred to as Son is the terms of comprehension of our limited human understanding. Jesus performed many physical miracles that both Christians and Jews alike do not deny.
Between 624 and 628, the Muslims were involved in a series of battles for their survival. In the final major confrontation, The Battle of the Trench and Siege of Medina, Muhammad and his followers prevailed and a treaty was signed. The treaty was broken by the Meccan allies a year later. By now, Muhammad had plenty of forces and the balance of power had shifted away from the Meccan leaders to him. In 630, the Muslim army marched into Mecca, taking the city with minimum casualties. Muhammad gave amnesty to many of the Meccan leaders who had opposed him and pardoned many others. Most of the Meccan population converted to Islam. Muhammad and his followers then proceeded to destroy all of the statues of pagan gods in and around the Kaaba.
Unlike Muhammad, Christ Jesus never had a need to wage battle or lead forces into conflict to support or defend his ministry.
Bible says :-
“… God is not the author of confusion …†(Corinthians 14:33 ).
My Response: The scripture is actually 1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV), to correct your reference.
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)
You have referenced this scripture out of context. To clarify the actual meaning of what you are presenting in defense of your point I share the entire scriptural section in its entirety.
A Call to Orderly Worship
26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.
34 Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.
1 Corinthians 14:26-35 (NLT)
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?.” (Numbers (23:19) King James Version.”
My Response: Here’s a clearer English translation,
19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
Numbers 23:19 (NLT)
This scripture is true fact. But what you fail to identify in your reference is this is a scripture from back in the time of Moses and that long preceded the birth of the Messiah.
The post continues with additional questions. It was these questions the engaged me to make this extensive response. My response was meant to be a quick copy and paste into social media, but, the sheer length of my response was too much for a simple reply. Hence this blog post was born.
Question #1 – If Christians ask you to come and go church, ask him to show you where they have told to go to church on Sunday?
With Christians, Sunday worship became a tradition, not a commandment. Christians can do “church†at any time in any place. The Church is a People, not a place or a specific day. The early Christians met in homes, and any places they could gather. During several periods they did this in secret to avoid persecution.
19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.â€
Matthew 18:19-20 (NLT)
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
1 Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.†8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?â€
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.â€
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,†she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?â€
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.â€
15 “Please, sir,†the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.â€
16 “Go and get your husband,†Jesus told her.
17 “I don’t have a husband,†the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!â€
19 “Sir,†the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?â€
21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.â€
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.â€
26 Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!â€
27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?†or “Why are you talking to her?†28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?†30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.â€
32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.â€
33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?†the disciples asked each other.
34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.â€
John 4:1-38 (NLT)
I know, you are going to throw 8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Exodus 20:8 (NLT), at me. Yes, the commandment is to keep the Sabbath day holy. It does not say that we are only to worship on that day. Some Christians have their main worship on Saturday in order to leave Sunday as a holy rest day. Muslim’s practice Salatul-Jumu‘ah or Friday Prayer. This is a congregational gather in similarity to Christian Sunday Worship. A question against question, Where in the Qur’an are you told to practice Salatul-Jumu‘ah?
Question #2 – If Christians say Jesus is God, ask him to show you where Jesus said “I am God?
36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Acts 10:36 (NLT)
It was not of Jesus’s purpose here in human form to go around boasting “I am God.â€
Question #3 – If Christians said Jesus performed many miracles, ask him to interpret John 5:30?
30 I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
John 5:30 (NLT)
Jesus, while on Earth in the mortal form performed his works within the confines of that mortal form. He was not restricted in his ability, but only in the physical form in which he could perform them. He did not act on his own conclusion but that of Gods. This was to show that all things are possible for those who are faithful.
Question #4 – If Christians said Jesus is the only begotten son of God, ask him to interpret Psalm 2:7?
7 The king proclaims the LORD’s decree: “The LORD said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father.
Psalms 2:7 (NLT)
The answer here is in the phrase of your question. First off you are quoting Psalms, which preceded Jesus’s birth in human form. King David was being told by God that he is accepting him as a “Spiritual Son†and to consider him a Father.
Jesus is the only “begotten†Son, begotten meaning actually Fathered as offspring.
Question #5 – If Christians said Christianity is the best way, ask him to show you the word “Christianity” in his bible?
The term “Christianity†did not develop until the 1st century AD. Obviously, to be Christian you would have had to have Christ identified as the Messiah, and even then Christianity was only a small group a jews in the Judean area and were not identified as any other subgroup title. The first reference to “Christian†doesn’t happen until the Book of Acts, and then it was presented as an identity from another person and not directly as an instruction of God.
28 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?â€
29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.â€
Acts 26:28-29 (NLT)
Question #6 – If Christians say the bible is from God, ask him to show you the word “bible” in the bible.
The word Bible is in the Bible. Usually on the front cover or the first few pages. This answer is just as ridiculous as the question intentionally. In my opinion, I find any book that refers back to itself by name highly suspect on its own as a divine reference. The Bible is the God Inspired words and instructions transposed to written language by man. The power of God is not the book, but the wisdom which it contains, therefore it has no need to refer back upon itself in order to claim its validity.