In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful...the Best Knower.
In the Nation of Islam, we are taught from Master Fard Muhammad -- the Teacher of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad -- that "Christianity" is 551 years old. It is not that the Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth is 551 years old, but that "Christianity" as an institution and a name is 551 years old. This was taught to us beginning in the year 1934.
If, in 1934, "Christianity" was "551 years old", that would take us back to the year, 1383.
With that in mind...check this out...
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Christian
O.E. cristen, from L. Christianus, from Gk. christianos, from Christos (see Christ). First used in Antioch, according to Acts xi.25-26.
Christianity "the religion of Christ," is from c.1303. Christian Science is from 1863.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
And this...
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Christ
O.E. crist, from L. Christus, from Gk. khristos "the anointed" (translation of Heb. mashiah, see messiah), from khriein "to rub, anoint," title given to Jesus of Nazareth.
The L. term (Christus) drove out O.E. h¿land "healer" as the preferred descriptive term for Jesus. A title, treated as a proper name in O.E., but not regularly capitalized until 17c. Pronunciation with long -i- is result of Ir. missionary work in England, 7c.-8c. The Ch- form, regular since c.1500, was rare before. Christmas is O.E. Cristes m¿sse and retains original vowel sound; Father Christmas first attested in a carol attributed to Richard Smart, Rector of Plymtree (Devon) from 1435-77. Christmas tree first attested 1835 in Amer.Eng., from Ger. Weihnachtsbaum. Christmas cards first designed 1843, popular by 1860s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
In light of the above, we are compelled to ask a very important question:
If the name "Christianity" was not in usage until around 1303 (or as late as 1383) -- which means more than 1,300 years AFTER the advent of Jesus, then what name did JESUS give to the doctrine that he taught?
It is also worthy of note that "Christ" is a "Greco-Latin" word, and Jesus did not speak either Greek nor Latin, according to history. Which leads us to a second question...
How did the Teachings of a Man who spoke neither Greek nor Latin come to be named in "Greco-Latin" terminology? Why don't we refer to the religion Jesus brought in the Language that JESUS spoke -- Aramaic and/or Hebrew?
This is not to discredit JESUS or what He Taught. It is simply to provoke deep thought into that which has been given to the world in His Name.
All comments welcomed.
RM
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
"Why Must There Be One True Religion...?"
Salaam (Peace) to all.
The question was asked, "Why Must There Be One True Religion? Why is it Christianity?"
Quite Simply, there can be only One "True" Religion because there is only One "True" God.
We have it from the Bible that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." This could not be possible if God sanctioned more than one "religion" or "path" to Himself.
From the Qur'anic perspective, we are instructed that, "If there were in [the heavens and the earth] gods besides Allah, they would both have been in disorder. So glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Throne, being above what they describe!
The planets in our solar system revolve around One Sun.All Life on this Planet depends on One Water.All Humans have One basic Form, and share One Divine Essence or "Spirit".
However, the Fact that there is One True God, and One True "Religion" does NOT mean that there will be only ONE INTERPRETATION or VIEWPOINT of God and His True Religion.
Therefore, it is not wise to assume that just because another's view of God and His True Religion is "different from mine", it is automatically "wrong".
Unfortunately, too few "religious" people are willing enough to consider that their view of the "True" religion could be incomplete, or altogether incorrect. And so, we become like spiritual children, unable to see past the apparent differences between various religions to the common Principles of Truth and Righteousness that are the foundation of ALL Divinely inspired Religions.
There is only One True Religion, and it could be summed up as "Obey God!"Now, one may call it "Christianity", another may call it "Judaism", another may call it Islam, and yet another, "Buddhism", etc, and so on.
If we are more concerned about the "name" attached to it, than we are concerned about the Principles that undergird it, then we will no doubt end up serving Satan, THINKING we are serving God.
According to the Bible, Jesus said, "Many shall come to me in that day, saying, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?' And I will say unto them, 'Depart from me, ye that work iniquity; I know you not.' "
These unfortunate souls "believed" they were on the right path, because the were doing all that they did -- much of which they saw JESUS do -- in the NAME of Jesus, but evidently they were misssing something more important than just emulation of what they Saw and working in His "name".
They missed a PRINCIPLE...the Essential Principle upon which Jesus' Life and Teachings were based. Jesus, according to the Bible, didn't care what people "called" themselves. He was more concerned with what was in their Hearts...and even moreso, He was concerned with healing the sin-sick soul, and making the wounded whole. He was interested in Resurrecting the Spirit of God in Man.
Apparently, these "self-righteous" disciples or servants of His were more concerned with "appearing" to be good Christians than they were concerned with "being" good Christians.
While I agree that there is only One True God, and only One True Religion, and I also believe that Jesus was one of the Greatest Exponents of the One True God and the One True Religion; I find it very interesting that the Jesus of the Bible never gave a "name" to what He Taught as a "religion".
Respectfully,
RM
The question was asked, "Why Must There Be One True Religion? Why is it Christianity?"
Quite Simply, there can be only One "True" Religion because there is only One "True" God.
We have it from the Bible that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." This could not be possible if God sanctioned more than one "religion" or "path" to Himself.
From the Qur'anic perspective, we are instructed that, "If there were in [the heavens and the earth] gods besides Allah, they would both have been in disorder. So glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Throne, being above what they describe!
The planets in our solar system revolve around One Sun.All Life on this Planet depends on One Water.All Humans have One basic Form, and share One Divine Essence or "Spirit".
However, the Fact that there is One True God, and One True "Religion" does NOT mean that there will be only ONE INTERPRETATION or VIEWPOINT of God and His True Religion.
Therefore, it is not wise to assume that just because another's view of God and His True Religion is "different from mine", it is automatically "wrong".
Unfortunately, too few "religious" people are willing enough to consider that their view of the "True" religion could be incomplete, or altogether incorrect. And so, we become like spiritual children, unable to see past the apparent differences between various religions to the common Principles of Truth and Righteousness that are the foundation of ALL Divinely inspired Religions.
There is only One True Religion, and it could be summed up as "Obey God!"Now, one may call it "Christianity", another may call it "Judaism", another may call it Islam, and yet another, "Buddhism", etc, and so on.
If we are more concerned about the "name" attached to it, than we are concerned about the Principles that undergird it, then we will no doubt end up serving Satan, THINKING we are serving God.
According to the Bible, Jesus said, "Many shall come to me in that day, saying, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?' And I will say unto them, 'Depart from me, ye that work iniquity; I know you not.' "
These unfortunate souls "believed" they were on the right path, because the were doing all that they did -- much of which they saw JESUS do -- in the NAME of Jesus, but evidently they were misssing something more important than just emulation of what they Saw and working in His "name".
They missed a PRINCIPLE...the Essential Principle upon which Jesus' Life and Teachings were based. Jesus, according to the Bible, didn't care what people "called" themselves. He was more concerned with what was in their Hearts...and even moreso, He was concerned with healing the sin-sick soul, and making the wounded whole. He was interested in Resurrecting the Spirit of God in Man.
Apparently, these "self-righteous" disciples or servants of His were more concerned with "appearing" to be good Christians than they were concerned with "being" good Christians.
While I agree that there is only One True God, and only One True Religion, and I also believe that Jesus was one of the Greatest Exponents of the One True God and the One True Religion; I find it very interesting that the Jesus of the Bible never gave a "name" to what He Taught as a "religion".
Respectfully,
RM
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