Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

“Jesus Hates Muslims”…Kind of Odd To Me

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful
The anti-mosque hysteria that seems to be sweeping the nation is truly sad. It seems that some people believe that religious freedom should be defended…unless it applies to Muslims. In that case, it seems, some people believe Muslims should be denied such freedom. The anti-mosque hysteria has gotten to the point of the absurd in some cases.
For example, about a dozen Christians in Connecticut recently protested outside a mosque:

BRIDGEPORT — About a dozen right-wing Christians, carrying placards and yelling “Islam is a lie,” angrily confronted worshippers outside a Fairfield Avenue mosque Friday.

“Jesus hates Muslims,” they screamed at worshippers arriving at the Masjid An-Noor mosque to prepare for the holy week of Ramadan. One protester shoved a placard at a group of young children leaving the mosque. “Murderers,” he shouted.

Police arrived on the scene to separate the groups, but said no arrests were made.

Flip Benham, of Dallas, Texas, organizer of the protest, was yelling at the worshipers with a bullhorn.

“This is a war in America and we are taking it to the mosques around the country,” he said.

Mustafa Salahuddin, an Ansonia police officer and parishioner at the mosque, calmly watched the protesters from the mosque’s parking area.

“This is unfortunate, but it’s a free country,” he commented on the protest. “But I believe Jesus would have been appalled by this. We revere Jesus the same way they do.”

After about an hour the protesters packed up their placards and fliers into a couple of vans and drove off.

What I found most amusing – in the midst of the sadness of it all – is the claim that these people made: ”Jesus hates Muslims.” Really? How do they know? Did he tell them? If this be true, that would indeed be news, for, Muslims love Jesus. One cannot be a Muslim without belief in and reverence for Jesus Christ. He is mentioned more by name in the Quran than the Prophet Muhammad himself. There is an entire chapter of the Quran named after his mother the Virgin Mary.

The story of his birth is told twice in the Quran (3:42-47 and 19:16-33). In addition to the story of the birth, the Quran recounts how Jesus spoke in his infancy (3:46 and 19:29-33), healed the blind, those stricken with leprosy, and raised the dead back to life (5:110). The Quran even mentions that Jesus used to fashion birds out of clay and breathe life into them, all by the permission of God Almighty (3:49). In addition, the Quran recounts the story of what seems to be the Last Supper (5:112-116).

The Quran describes Jesus as being “honored in the world and the hereafter, and one of the intimates of God” (3:45) and “in the ranks of the righteous” (6:85). He is also described as “a word, from God, which God sent down to Mary, [and] a spirit from him” (4:171) and that Jesus was “strengthened with the Holy Spirit” (2:253, 5:110). Classical commentators have interpreted the “Holy Spirit” to mean either divine inspiration or the Angel Gabriel.

Why would Jesus hate Muslims when we Muslims love him so very much? Why would Jesus hate Muslims if we Muslims claim him as one of our own? Why would Jesus hate me as a Muslim when I wrote this poem in his and his mother’s honor?

What was it like, when you stood there alone?
Praying in the East, on you His Light ever shone?

What was it like, when the angel came before thee?
Frightening you greatly, shattering your tranquility?

What was it like, when you were told the news?
That unto you was born the Messiah of the Jews.

Did you not know, that you were more than worthy?
That God chose you above all, that He favored you greatly?

Did you not know, that before you came to be,
The Lord already declared that magnificent were thee?

What was it like, when the Spirit was blown?
When our master was conceived, a miracle to be shown.

What was it like, as you left in fear?
Afraid of the slander that may be placed in the ear?

How did it feel, when the pangs came in earnest?
Did you feel deserted, that the Lord had no interest?

What did it sound like, when our master to you spoke?
How soothing was his voice, covering you like a cloak?

How sweet was the fruit that fell from the tree?
Did it comfort your mind, fill you with tranquility?

How sharp were the stares when, with him, you arrived?
Did their shock give you pain, that they would think you would connive?

How powerful was his voice, when he proclaimed the truth?
Were they amazed by his grace, as he shattered the lies of the uncouth?

O Blessed Mother, upon you I perpetually pray for peace.
And also upon your son, I pray blessings cover him as a fleece.

And if, O Blessed Soul, I get a chance to kiss your hand,
It would be the most honored place I could ever stand.

Clearly, these people have no idea what is in our scripture and our faith about Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin. Clearly, these people have no idea about Islam in general. Otherwise, they would not descend upon a mosque and yell at people going to worship the very same God upon Whom Jesus Christ called. I know that Jesus doesn’t hate me, because, I love him so very much. And it was none other than my faith that made me, and all my other fellow Muslims, fall in love with him. If only these supposed followers of Christ knew this.

Dr. Hassaballa Condemns Beheading of Monk in Istanbul

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful
 
In keeping with my consistent policy to condemn acts of violence against the innocent, let me be one of the first to condemn the beheading of a monk in Istanbul. The monk was from the countryside, and apparently the populace was enraged at a church hymn which the monk was accused of modifying. Assailants cut off his head, placed it on a pole, and paraded with the head in the streets. This, after many parts of the city were set on fire by angry mobs.
 
Such horrific violence is abhorrent to me, and I stand and speak out against such barbarity. This is not what God has called for His servants on earth to do. There is nothing godly about beheading a fellow human being. No Prophet of God would ever condone such brutality. I condemn it unequivocally.
 
If you are confused…do not feel bad.
 
No such incident has occurred in Istanbul…in current times. But, such an incident did occur in Constantinople around the year 511. Now, in your mind (be honest) were you thinking that it was Muslims who beheaded a Christian? The truth, you may be shocked to know, is that this incident was Christian on Christian violence:
 
The church of the day had a beloved hymn, the Trisagion or Thrice Holy, which praised, “Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal” (Orthodox churches sing it to this day). But the emperor, Anastasius, wanted to revise it in the Monophysite fashion, by lauding this God “Who was crucified for our sakes.” The new formula proclaimed that it was God alone who walked the soil of Palestine in the first century and suffered on the cross, a view that ignores the human reality of Jesus. So angry were the capital’s residents that they launched a bloody riot:
 
Persons of rank and station were brought into extreme danger, and many principal parts of the city were set on fire. In the house of Marinus the Syrian, the populace found a monk from the country. They cut off his head, saying that the clause had been added at his instigation; and having fixed it upon a pole, jeeringly exclaimed: “See the plotter against the Trinity!”
 

This is taken from Philip Jenkins’ book, Jesus Wars, on page 31. The point of the exercise of this blog post is perfectly summarized by Jenkins’ himself:

 

We can imagine the response if, in the twenty-first century, a Muslim mob beheaded a dissident theologian and paraded the grisly trophy around the streets. Not only would the crime be (properly) denounced, but Westerners would assume that such behavior was part of the fundamental character of that religion – a bloodthirsty, warlike intolerance that could be traced back to the sternest passages of the Quran. The beheading would be seen as a trademark of Islamic fanaticism. Surely, we would say, Christians would never act like that. But they assuredly did. (p. 31)

 
I could not have said it better myself.

A Muslim Also Objects

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful

So much has been made of the so-called “Muslims” of Revolution Muslim, a fanatical fringe group rejected by American Muslims, who made a thinly-veiled threat against Comedy Central for their recent depiction of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It led to the pervasively hateful “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” on Facebook, which was hardly an exercise of free speech, but more of an anti-Islam hate fest. Yet, Comedy Central is at it again, this time with a proposed series called “JC.”

“JC” is a cartoon series which would depict Jesus Christ as a “regular guy” who moves to New York to “escape his father’s enormous shadow.” Network spokesman Tony Fox noted that the show is only an idea, and the script is not even completed. Despite this fact, a number of religious groups and conservative leaders have chimed in against this show. A newly formed group, Citizens Against Religious Bigotry, believes the show would be offensive. They are joined by the Catholic League, the Parents Television Council, and talk show host Michael Medved. The coalition has claimed to have written to 250 Comedy Central advertisers and have 93,000 petition signatures against the show.

The group is decrying a double standard in which Christian figures are mocked, but the Prophet Muhammad is off limits for fear of offending Muslims. Michael Medved also said, “Does that indicate that Christians then are punished because they aren’t crazy? that they get punished because their religion does not encourage threats of violence?”

I object to his statement here. Our religion does not encourage threats of violence, even though some adherents have in the past. If anything, it is the Bible that threatens death for anyone who take the Lord’s name in vain:

And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him…And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed [the LORD] out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses. (Leviticus 24:16)

But, I digress…

The main thing is this quote: “You don’t have to be a Christian to be offended by this,” said Brent Bozell, head of the watchdog Media Research Center.

I agree. I am also offended by this proposed show, and I urge Comedy Central not to go ahead with the show. Jesus Christ, while not God in my belief, is still an extremely important religious figure to me. I honor and revere Christ as the Messiah, the son of Mary, a mighty and blessed Prophet of God. He performed many miracles by God’s leave, and he was an amazing religious figure. I object to Comedy Central having him live life in NY city as a “regular guy” who tries to “escape his father’s enormous shadow.” I urge the people at Comedy Central to show sensitivity to the feelings and religious sensibilities of not only hundreds of millions of Christians, but also hundreds of millions of Muslims as well. Jesus Christ, as does any religious figure, deserves respect and reverence, not ridicule and derision.

Muslims are as offended when Christ, or Moses, or any other Prophet or religious figure is maligned by popular culture. It is just as hurtful to me to see the show “JC” being made as it is showing the Prophet Muhammad in a bear suit. While I most probably do not agree with most of the views of people like Brent Bozell and Michael Medved, on this issue I take common cause with them. And see? The sky did not fall.