A good article by William Kilpatrick, on why care should be taken in promoting "inter-faith" dialogue.
I would add to his points: that Islam specifically denies the Trinity of Christianity, calling it "blasphemous". With this central belief of Christianity denied by Islam, how much room, really, is there for commonality? We are all human, yes, but beliefs are not all the same, just because we will them to be so.
Other points Kilpatrick makes are germane:
Not mentioned by Kilpatrick is that the Koran is also about punishment of "unbelievers". That takes up about a third of the text.
Kilpatrick concludes:
I would add to his points: that Islam specifically denies the Trinity of Christianity, calling it "blasphemous". With this central belief of Christianity denied by Islam, how much room, really, is there for commonality? We are all human, yes, but beliefs are not all the same, just because we will them to be so.
Other points Kilpatrick makes are germane:
- Muhammad took (stole?) most of the Koran from half-heard, half-digested stories of the time, mostly from the Jewish Torah. In that sense, forget Wall Street: it's Islam that has perpetrated the greatest hostile reverse take-over in history.
- The Koran is all about Muhammad. So, it's really correct to call it "Muhammadanism", even if it sends Muslims into fits of rage: it's the truth of the cult, and it's such a dangerous truth, that Muslims hate to admit it. (While they will also copy him as the "perfect man", and ritually intone PBUH, whenever they mention his name).
- Islam is a "made up religion", not a revelations to Muhammad. Well, of course; just as are all religions made up.
Not mentioned by Kilpatrick is that the Koran is also about punishment of "unbelievers". That takes up about a third of the text.
Kilpatrick concludes:
What currently seems like the height of enlightened sensitivity on the part of bishops may eventually look like a display of simple foolishness. And, considering how rapidly our illusions about Islam are being deflated by the march of events, “eventually” seems due to arrive well ahead of schedule.
