There is no doubt that the Bible is one of the most widely read books in the world. Many Christians as well as Jews consider it to be an absolute authority in guiding their life. However, many if not most Christians today take on the label of the religion, but not the practice. Many attend worship services, but in their hearts reject many of the core teachings. Anybody can make up their own religion, for example, by taking from the Bible whatever they want and ignoring the pages they don’t want. Many Christians today when confronted with sources from their own bible, rely on the argument that this “doesn’t count” since “it’s just the Old Testament!”
This article lists several commands and teachings the bible orders its adherents to follow. However, it seems like all of these commands are practiced by Muslims and disobeyed by Most Christians:
Women’s Modesty
The Bible commands women to dress modestly, but it looks like Muslim women are the ones following this command.
1 Timothy 2:9 “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety.”
Many westerners today, as well as, anti-Muslim Christians like to criticize Muslim women for wearing the headscarf. They even accuse them of being oppressed. Muslim attire especially women’s is always present in the news and some even associate it with backwardness. The below verse also shows that followers of Jesus are supposed to be decent, but unfortunately one can barely see that modesty even in churches.
1 Corinthians 11:4-7″…any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled disgraces her head–it is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil”.
Premarital Relationships
The subject of dating also appears to be taken light heartedly among the Christian community of today. Many Christians see nothing wrong with the premarital relationships before marriage. The bible is clear on what it has to say about relationships between the two sexes. It also seems like this is a very sensitive subject for Christians to talk about. It is worth mentioning that we all know Islam takes a serious and clear stance on relationships between males and females.
Matthew 5:25 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the gentiles who do not know God”
Keeping the Beard
Every Christian movie depicts Jesus and other prophets as having beards. However, it is almost impossible to associate bearded people with christianity today. The majority Adherents of the Islamic faith, however, keep a beard. Hadiths narrated by the prophet Muhammed command Muslims to keep their beard.
Leviticus 19:27 “You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.”
Homosexuality
The Bible clearly speaks against homosexuality especially the Old Testament. Many Christians today are afraid to speak against homosexuality, because they fear being called homophobes. We have also noticed that in the last 15 years there have been churches that approve of same sex marriage. Islam, however, is clear on homosexuality…”it is plain wrong” and condemns it as an immoral act.
Romans 1: 26 “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
Leviticus 18:22 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”
Eating Pork
This one is obvious.
Leviticus 11:7–8 “And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.”
Dealing and Doing Business With Interest
Dealing with interest is an other commandment that has yet to be obeyed by present day Christians. The Bible clearly forbids giving or taking interest in many of its verses. However, it is a well known fact that Muslims today don’t take or give interest.
Leviticus 25:36-37 “…Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.
Exodus 22: 25 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.
Formal Physical Prayer
Today Christians do not have a formal physical prayer, but rather everyone prays in their own way. The Bible makes it clear that God’s prophets did pray in a certain way. This prayer usually include bowing down and prostration which is very similar to Muslim’s prayers today. Muslims pray five times a day and one of the main movements in their prayer is prostration. During prostration, Muslim fall on their face and place their forehead, hands and knees on the ground.
Matthew 26:39 “And he (Jesus) went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed…”
Joshua 5:14 “And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship…”
Nehemiah 8:6 “…then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”
Daniel 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”
Psalms 95:6 “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”
It is interesting to note that Prophet Daniel prayed towards Jerusalem. In the early days of Prophet Muhammad’s mission, Muslims also prayed towards Jerusalem. The direction however changed later to Mecca.
Carved Images and Idols
One can’t help but realize that Muslims are against drawing or having images of God, Muhammad and other prophets. Islam makes it clear that making images of holy men and idols is a big sin in Islam. The Bible also speaks against such acts. However, every church today displays crosses and images of Jesus and saints.
Deuteronomy 4:23 “Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden”
Leviticus 26:1 “Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them”
Fasting
When we talk about fasting, one thing comes to mind; Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast for a whole month. While many westerners have heard about Ramadan, Muslims also fast Shaaban, Shawwal, Ashura and other days. Christians today barely practice this act of worship and when they do it usually is not a complete fasting.
Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning”
This is what I call a selective practise of a religion, taking the good and easy stuff and leaving the more spiritual practises aside like fasting, praying and living in a godly way, Christians believe that their salvation comes through believing into Jesus christ alone and that’s so simplistic in my opinion, heaven and God’s company requires a long way that is full of tests, temptations and worship and this is something that even the prophets were not excluded from.
Totally agree, thanks for your feedback
Interesting points to tackle .. Keep up !
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