As I’ve previously mentioned, I just completed a course in world religions, studying Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, indigenous religions, etc. Pretty interesting stuff for a guy like me. I visited a Hindu temple nearby and interviewed the young priest. Then I wrote a paper on Islam. But I’ve been studying Islam for years, and my studies continue. I’m presently reading Did Muhammad Exist, by Robert Spencer, a guy you frequently see on TV as an expert on Islam. What he says in this book agrees with what a lot of the scholars I cited in my Islam paper say. Turns out that Islamic history is really shaky, and there’s lots of information on this. There are no collaborating non-Muslim sources for most of it. The only information on Muhammad himself, the Qur’an, or the “history of Islam” most Muslims are taught is very, very vague, unsubstantiated, contradictory, and downright legendary! It’s possible Muhammad never existed! Continue reading “Are You Sure?”
Willful Blindness
So many stories in the Book of Acts read just like news stories today! Take the story of Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21), as an example. Paul felt a strong desire to go to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22). He was even in a hurry to get there before Pentecost (20:16). On the journey there, Christian people at several places urged him not to go to Jerusalem. For his part, Paul felt “compelled by the Spirit” to go (Acts 20:22), yet the believers in the city of Tyre urged him “by the Spirit,” not to go! (21:4b) When he reached Caesarea, God actually sent the prophet Agabus to warn him that he was going to be taken prisoner, bound, and turned over to the Gentiles (21:10, 11) All the believers who heard this pleaded with him not to go (21:12), but he would not be dissuaded. Should he have listened to them and to Agabus? Or was he right in believing the Spirit wanted him to go anyway?