Corruption of Ideological Ideas from Christ to St Paul
Reader comment on item: The Jewish-Muslim Connection: Traditional Ways of Life

Submitted by James Hernon (United Kingdom), Sep 3, 2005 at 18:33

I read your article concerning similarities between Judaism and Islam and agree that both religions have more in common than not. I from my own studies find that claims are made concerning St Paul about corrupting the message of Christ. While I as a christian understand that many from without will find it hard to understand, St Paul did not take away the law as some claim, as Christ said not one letter or crossing of a T until all had been fulfilled. Christians who are in Christ do obey the law, nonetheless St Paul made it more clear that there was no law against love, the primary christian golden rule is to Love GOD with all your heart, mind, body and soul, and love your neighbour as yourself. The jewish form is commonly the Shema for the first (Hear you O Israel, the Lord your GOD is ONE and you shall love the the Lord thy GOD with all thy heart, mind, body and soul, also their secondary form is whatsoever is destestable to you, do not do to your neighbour. The positive of this secondary part of what christians call the golden rule is. Whatever you would have your neighbour do for you, then do so for them. These are LAWS, which are said to be the whole heart of religion.

Many have been asked to sum up the Bible or the Old Testament and they come to the Golden Rule. St Paul did not abrogate the law, as the law is alive until one is dead, after which comes judgement by GOD. The whole idea that christians have which is propogated by St Paul is that we are under grace not law, as the law only served to condemn as no one was saved by the law as humans didnt fulfill all the law all of the time and never can, so Christ died for our sins on the cross, taking the punishment we deserved, but the law still imputes guilt, therefore christians have confessionals whereby they confess their wrong doings and are either forgiven or not. So when it comes to the law, christians consider it impossible to fulfill it without christ and thus only through christs intercession for them and mercy and forgiveness is ones soul cleansed. All have sinned, all are quick to shed blood, no one not one seeks after the lord, all have gone astray.. this comes from the Old Testament. Therefore Christians believe since no one is ever justified concernign the law , but by faith they therefore are not too interested in becoming legalistic lawyers.. as some might say from looking at the talmud as there seems to be laws concerning everything, even carrying a pin on the clothing on the Shaboth is considered work! St Paul came to the question of the Gentiles (Non Jew) and said that the Gentile Christians did not have to undergo circumsizion, but had to abstain from fornication, food that was sacrificed to idols and also not to eat any animal which had been strangled or had died of itself. These were additions to the basic ten commandments. Now most orthodox jews would say that the 7 noachian laws are for non-jews. But I tell you that most christians have a highly developed sense of what is sinful, from gossiping to anger, to malice to many other areas, and these sinful problems they confess to their Priests who is GODs minister to either absolve them of the sin or not. Christians generally believe in seven sacraments which as said to impart grace to the recipient. True christians believe in the Holy Spirit, that if they have the Holy Spirit within them then life is ok! Without the Holy Spirit within them, they know they then cannot fulfill the christian life! That is why Christians are baptised, believe first then baptised. This baptism is a sacrement, instituted by Christ, St John the Baptist, Yahia, Yohannen was a prophet of GOD who came and baptised Jesus see Matthew 3:17 in New Testament. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, whom Muslims call Isa ibn Maryam, but most orthodox jews are still awaiting his first coming as they deny that the Mashiacha has not yet come, therefore denying the claims of the Gospel, which is why St Paul said that the Jews are the Christians enemies because of the Gospel. However muslims dont believe in the Deity/Divinity of Christ, but they do belive that ISA (pbuh) was a prophet. So there are also some other similarities between christianity and Islam as muslims also believe that ISA was born to a Virgin Called Maryam (The Virgin Mary). So there are some similarities in belief between Christians and Muslims. St Paul admonished Christians not to circumsize to seek to be under the law, as it would mean that Christ could not then intercede for them! So christians believe in Grace, through grace ye believe, not that any man may boast, for the works of the law if you be circimsized means fulfilling all the law, then why did Christ have to die if people were fully able to fulfill the law. Thats basically the differences between christians believe. I have read with interest what many Rabbi's and Muslim scholars have said and written.
And agree with you that there is a great similarity between the Jews, Christians and Muslims, which brings me to the question of why all the wars! etc The Jews, Christians and Muslims should as they share the same faith basically and worship the same GOD, be brothers to each other!

Thanks
James Hernon

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