Mark Shea in response to a reader responding to a story on European women turning to Islam in-part said.
Islam is a man-made religion that, because it cobbled together a great deal of two revealed religions into a great civilization, has had a long run.
I guess it is too late to sue Mohammed for plagiarism. Maybe if the Walt Disney company helps to push copyright laws back another millennia we can get a restraining order for copyright infringement.
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I recall reading a book by a German scholar recently published arguing that large sections of the Koran were lifted from a “recapitulation” of Scripture prepared by Christian missionaries. If I recall correctly, the missionaries were Arians (which would explain a lot). He had to publish the book under a pseudonym, of course, for fear of being killed.
Unfortunatly Mr Shea stated the obvious, as he ususally does on his blog, or just not listen to you for that matter as his blog is his “bully pulpit” to sell his books.
Notwithstanding, the Moslems believe their Koran is their “New Testament”, and it is quite clear why the youth, in dire need for direction when there is none, ie America where 50-75% of children are born into fatherless homes, turn to some sort of structure and Islam has it.
The church in all of her liberal reforms was way off the mark as none was needed.
At christmas we were all talking and many of my cousins who have sons were talking with me about the church and when the subject of vocations came up, they refused and said that the church is corrupt and filled with “gays”. How can any young man, and myself included when I was young and today for that matter, I have a hard time respecting a priest when he gets up to the puplit to give his sermon and he sounds so effiminate you just cant relate to anything he is saying
“Man-made religion”? Certainly, but I would not rule out the role of demons either.
After reading a good portion of the english koran, it makes me wonder if Mohammed wasn’t telling the truth, inasmuch as he knew he was being told all this stuff by and angel calling itself Gabriel. Wouldn’t be the first time a man was decieved by an angel.
If you read the koran, you’ll see plenty of praise for God, which acts as the smokescreen for the outright lies about God and Jesus. The devil likes to blend truth with flattering lies to produce poisonous heterodoxies. The children of Ishmael want to believe that God loves them best, and that the children of Issac are all wrong. Typical sibling rivalry nonsense. It almost seems like the Jacob and Esau situation, the firstborn being supplanted by the second, and the inevitable resentment and conflict.
I don’t know if mohammed made all this stuff up by himself, but he may have had some supernatural assistance. Joseph Smith, call your office.
Islam’s story is very similar to the Mormon story, but only because it’s one kind of fairy tale that can be told. They’re both either:
1) flat out lies meant to make a “leader” out of a man at the expense of truth, OR
2) the fabrications of lunatics with illusions of grandeur as large as the world has ever seen.
And the parts that are addendums to truth are both absolute bull**** from the ground up.
Maybe one should look at Nostre Aetate where we are taught to hold the Moslems “In high esteem” Now that is a stretch!
3.The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.
Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom