Michael Bresciani
A religion that asks us to kill for God - is no religion at all
By Michael Bresciani
As a very young man this writer read Kahlil Gibran's book "The Prophet" but I saw no particular significance to the book because at the time my belief in God was nearly non-existent. It was a bit quasi philosophical, but no more than that in my way of thinking.
A cursory examination of Islam in college and seminary could not prepare me for what Islam revealed about itself in the coming years ahead.
Like most Americans it was not until after the events of 9/11 that I began to dig into the basics of Islam and the Qu'ran. After seeing the call for death and pain to all those who were not Muslim in that book, I knew that this was a nightmare, not a religion.
Killing for God is not part of the New Testament and in fact only dying for God or others was allowed. Jesus Christ did the work already because he died for everyone so those who wanted to unite with God could thorough his death which covered all their sins and provided a reconciliation with God.
But the world has been using the term "three great religions" for such a long time now, that any search regardless of how honest it is, will be disregarded in order to keep the myth alive.
The world doesn't need three religions – it has always needed one Savior to get it out of its greatest problem – the sinfulness of the human heart.
In Judaism we have a religion that missed the time of God's visitation and consequently missed the Savior entirely.
In Islam they replaced the Savior with a so called "prophet" who went into the caves at Medina and came out proclaiming a great vision that he thought was Satanic. What made him change his mind is not certain, but many insist it was his wife.
In Christianity a man went about healing the sick, raising the dead and preaching the gospel of salvation. He capped his work with a resurrection from the dead. This is salvation and if we insist on making it a religion, it is the only faith that qualifies as actually producing a Savior.
The word "religion" is grossly mis-used in our world, but the Bible does not flaunt this word. In fact, the word "religion" is not found at all in the Old Testament and it is used only five times in the New Testament.
Of the five times "religion" is used in the New Testament, only once is it given a definition and that is found in the epistle of James. (James 1:27)
Comparing religions is one thing, but when a religion joins with a political power and a judicial system to take the life of one woman whose only crime was to offer a drink of water to another that is no "great religion" by anyone's definition.
Asia Bibi was charged with that crime and sentenced to death for it, but now has been released. With a $375,000 bounty on her head for anyone who kills her and death threats on those judges who freed her. It is apparent that the 97% of the Muslims in Pakistan who are calling for her death are once again proving that Islam is no "great religion."
This is not criticism for criticism's sake, but it is an assessment of a false religion that has driven entire nations to harbor the pure falsehood that God is not a God of mercy.
Asia Bibi's life is fuel for the madness of Islam throughout yet another Muslim dominated country. We don't wonder why Amnesty International said in a statement, "Blasphemy laws in Pakistan "have been used to target religious minorities, pursue personal vendettas, and carry out vigilante violence. On the basis of little or no evidence, the accused will struggle to establish their innocence while angry and violent mobs seek to intimidate the police, witnesses, prosecutors, lawyers and judges."
Giving up a life or taking a life is in direct defiance of the commandment not to kill. The clear admonition of the Lord is to quit sanctimonious sacrifice and start showing some real mercy.
"But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice... (Mt 9:13a)
Being willing to sacrifice another's life to placate God, is an idea that comes from Satan, not a "great religion."
© Michael Bresciani
November 7, 2018
As a very young man this writer read Kahlil Gibran's book "The Prophet" but I saw no particular significance to the book because at the time my belief in God was nearly non-existent. It was a bit quasi philosophical, but no more than that in my way of thinking.
A cursory examination of Islam in college and seminary could not prepare me for what Islam revealed about itself in the coming years ahead.
Like most Americans it was not until after the events of 9/11 that I began to dig into the basics of Islam and the Qu'ran. After seeing the call for death and pain to all those who were not Muslim in that book, I knew that this was a nightmare, not a religion.
Killing for God is not part of the New Testament and in fact only dying for God or others was allowed. Jesus Christ did the work already because he died for everyone so those who wanted to unite with God could thorough his death which covered all their sins and provided a reconciliation with God.
But the world has been using the term "three great religions" for such a long time now, that any search regardless of how honest it is, will be disregarded in order to keep the myth alive.
The world doesn't need three religions – it has always needed one Savior to get it out of its greatest problem – the sinfulness of the human heart.
In Judaism we have a religion that missed the time of God's visitation and consequently missed the Savior entirely.
In Islam they replaced the Savior with a so called "prophet" who went into the caves at Medina and came out proclaiming a great vision that he thought was Satanic. What made him change his mind is not certain, but many insist it was his wife.
In Christianity a man went about healing the sick, raising the dead and preaching the gospel of salvation. He capped his work with a resurrection from the dead. This is salvation and if we insist on making it a religion, it is the only faith that qualifies as actually producing a Savior.
The word "religion" is grossly mis-used in our world, but the Bible does not flaunt this word. In fact, the word "religion" is not found at all in the Old Testament and it is used only five times in the New Testament.
Of the five times "religion" is used in the New Testament, only once is it given a definition and that is found in the epistle of James. (James 1:27)
Comparing religions is one thing, but when a religion joins with a political power and a judicial system to take the life of one woman whose only crime was to offer a drink of water to another that is no "great religion" by anyone's definition.
Asia Bibi was charged with that crime and sentenced to death for it, but now has been released. With a $375,000 bounty on her head for anyone who kills her and death threats on those judges who freed her. It is apparent that the 97% of the Muslims in Pakistan who are calling for her death are once again proving that Islam is no "great religion."
This is not criticism for criticism's sake, but it is an assessment of a false religion that has driven entire nations to harbor the pure falsehood that God is not a God of mercy.
Asia Bibi's life is fuel for the madness of Islam throughout yet another Muslim dominated country. We don't wonder why Amnesty International said in a statement, "Blasphemy laws in Pakistan "have been used to target religious minorities, pursue personal vendettas, and carry out vigilante violence. On the basis of little or no evidence, the accused will struggle to establish their innocence while angry and violent mobs seek to intimidate the police, witnesses, prosecutors, lawyers and judges."
Giving up a life or taking a life is in direct defiance of the commandment not to kill. The clear admonition of the Lord is to quit sanctimonious sacrifice and start showing some real mercy.
"But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice... (Mt 9:13a)
Being willing to sacrifice another's life to placate God, is an idea that comes from Satan, not a "great religion."
© Michael Bresciani
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