Radical Islam is credited with worldwide atrocities in the media. Radical is used to distinguish moderate or liberal Muslims from those who accept and practice the teachings of the Koran (or Qur'an or Quran if you prefer) and Sharia Law. Sharia Law is broader than the Koran inasmuch as it includes traditions called the Hadith. The English word "radical" has the connotation of being extreme. However, the Latin word is radix or 'root.' If we consider radical as the root of a system or religion rather than affecting the fundamental nature of something, we have the basis or fundamentals of the religion.
In other words, "radical Islam" is Islam when we go to the root (Koran and Sharia Law)! By the same rational, "radical Christianity" is the Christianity reveled in the New Testament and practiced by the Church in the first century AD (in the year of our Lord). A better word would be "fundamentalists." Fundamentalism is defined as "the strict maintenance of the ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion or ideology." In Christianity, it is the ones that uphold "the strict and literal interpretation of the Bible." For example, among the disciples of Christ, fundamentalists are those that believe in the virgin birth, the resurrection, and the deity of Jesus.
In Islam, it is the duty of every Allah fearing Muslim to kill the infidel -- anyone that does not accept Mohamad as a true prophet (Surah 2:191 etc.). In Christianity, it is the duty of every God fearing Christian to teach or preach the Gospel (Acts 8:4). Muslims use the sword (i.e. physical, carnal or fleshly sword) in their efforts to convert the world (including Christians) to Allah and Islam. Christians use "the sword of the spirit which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) to conquer the world for Christ as the Son of God.
The role of a woman is vastly different in Islam then it is in Christianity. Although the Koran echoes some of the values found in the Old Testament, it falls far short of the teaching of Christ in the New Testament. For example, both the Koran (Surah 4:3) and the Old Testament permit or endorse polygamy or the plurality of wives. Christ, when questioned concerning divorce (Matthew 19:3-12), laid down the Christian doctrine of monogamy -- one man, one woman (verses 4-6).
However, the bottom line is the fact that
Muslims contend that Allah is the God of the Bible AND that Mohammad's
teachings and/or doctrines REPLACE Jesus Christ as God's prophet, and the Muslims
DENY Jesus is the only begotten Son of God!
Dale
I. Royal, Elk City, OK
