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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Can Christians and Muslim live side by side in America?

Presently, those in charge of the war declare we are winning. From the standpoint of human lives lost, I would have to say yes, the ramp up of troops has decreased the toll on our boys. Yet, to say we are winning is just plain ignorant. If we were winning the war on terror, a world wide war, then the World Muslim population would be accepting our values on human life and democracy. This is not happening and never will because the devout Muslim holds to the Koran and the Koran, fundamentally, does not provide for such belief. We, as devout Christians, cannot expect the devout Muslim to forsake their belief in the Koran anymore than they can expect the devout Christian to forsake their belief in the Bible. These two worlds have two fundamentally different views on life and government.

The question is: Can these two religious cultures live side by side in harmony? Christians, if they truly believe the Biblical text, are commanded to live in love with their neighbor. And though it is their Biblical mandate and responsibility to proselyte, they are not commanded do it by force, but through love. Any other method is wrong. The Muslim, on the other hand is commanded to do it by what ever means necessary including force. Some Muslims interpret these statements in the Koran to mean Holy War through prayer and others Holy War through the taking of physical life.

However, while Christians can live at peace with a Muslim if they refuse to convert, a Muslim cannot live at peace with a Christian if they will not convert. If they are faithful to their book they are commanded to exterminate all heathen. To the Muslim, all who are not of their faith are heathen and even some of those of the faith who are not of their particular sect are also considered heathen. Based on true faith in the Koran, only one group must survive. Therefore can Christians and Jews live side by side with Muslims? You decide.

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