Posted by Dinah on October 21, 2003, at 7:55:37
In reply to Re: to me, you sound... » Tovah, posted by MamaB on October 21, 2003, at 5:52:12
>
> Tovah,
> A slight correction if you don't mind. While Muslims call their god "the god of Abraham" and in spite of what many think, their god is NOT the same god as that of Christians and Jews. The god of Islam does not subcribe to living by the Levitical Laws, nor did the god of Islam send his son to die for the sins of humankind. It's a common error.According to Genesis, Abraham had two sons. Isaac, his son by Sarah, is claimed as ancestors by the Jewish people. His descendents made a covenant with God, as a people, which included living by the Levitical laws.
Abraham also had another son, Ishmael, by the slave Hagar. The Muslim people claim Ishmael as an ancestor. According to Genesis, God told Abraham "As for the son of the slave-woman, I will make a nation of him, too, for he is your seed." So the claim of the Muslims that they are too descended from Abraham, and that Abraham's God is their God, has some Biblical basis. The fact that they do not follow a covenant not made with their people doesn't contradict that. Although I have not thorougly studied Muslim beliefs, I imagine that they, like Christians, believe that God made a separate covenant with them.
Most Christians also do not follow the laws of Leviticus. (Believe me, I know, because I attempt to follow them when I'm feeling good, and I can't tell you the number of church dinners which include pork.)
Yet, I'm sure Christians would not say that they do not worship the God of Abraham.
Christians believe that God sent his son, Jesus, to die for the sins of the world. The sins of the *world*, by the way. Jews do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and do not think of the role of the Messiah as being the same as Christians do. Yet, I'm sure that Christians wouldn't dream of telling Jewish people that their God, the God of the "Old" Testament, is not the God of Abraham.
So I find it totally conceivable that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all worship the God of Abraham. Each according to the traditions of his faith. Actually, I suppose that if you believe that there is but one God, it is easy enough to believe that all monotheistic religions worship the God revealed to us as the God of Abraham, but revealed to other peoples differently.
In fact, I know of at least one Hindu (now I'm not claiming that this is traditional Hindu belief since I really don't know enough) who says that he considers himself monotheistic as well, since all gods are various incarnations of the One God, much along the lines of the Christian view of the Trinity. But I can't swear to that since it was one person's view.
But I sure know that I am not going to tell my Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, of all things seen and unseen, who he may or may not consider his people. I'll leave that one up to him. :)
poster:Dinah
thread:268752
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20030908/msgs/271381.html