The Antichrist in Muhammad: Jesus as the Son of God

12/12/2012

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forgiveness of sins, the divine grace-filled life on earth, and--following death and judgment--eternal life and the beatific vision.

"For the Son of God became man so that we might become God," as St. Athanasius boldly stated. If Jesus is not the "Son of God" who assumed human nature as he stated, the whole edifice of Christianity and our divine (adopted) filiation or sonship is unintelligible.

Christians know that when they proclaim that Jesus is the "only Son of God the Father," they are using the term "son" in an analogical manner, not in what would be called a univocal manner. In other words, the relationship between God the Father and God the Son is similar to, but certainly not identical with, the relationship between a human father and son. For all the similarity between the relationship between God the Father and God the Son to the relationship between a human father and human son, the similarity must be understood to include an even greater dissimilarity.

Muhammad, however, rejected the revealed doctrine that Jesus was the "Son of God" in all its senses, univocal or analogical. Of course, no one knows exactly why, but it appears to have been the conjunction of three weaknesses or prejudices or id�es fixes in his thought.

First, it is apparent that Muhammad understood the Christian idea of Christ's filiation or "sonship" to be a literal, almost fleshly concept. In other words, he understood the "sonship" of God the Son to be univocal, or identical with, the "sonship" of a human son. The Qur'an asks rhetorically: "How could he [Allah] have a son when He does not have a consort and He created all things?" (Qur'an 6:101)

The simpleminded and self-acclaimed "prophet" Muhammad evidently believed, or at least publically argued, that the Christian doctrine of divine filiation required that God the Father take a wife and have sexual relations with her. His spiritual imagination was rather mundane in this area.

Beyond this simplistic vulgar, pagan, materialistic concept of filiation which Muhammad never overcame, and which is clearly a misunderstanding of the Christian doctrine, there seems to have been no effort on Muhammad's part to understand the Christian concept. He painted, with the black paint of his unsubtle and uncompromising monotheistic doctrine, the polytheistic pagan and the Trinitarian Christian using the same unholy Qur'anic paintbrush.

In so doing, he foolishly condemned what he did not know and did not try to know. This was the work of a misled man, not of a prophet, and certainly not the work of God the Father who would not work at cross purposes with himself and impugn his eternal relationship with God the Son after he had divinely revealed it in the Gospel.

Second, Muhammad's horror with the concept of divine filiation may have been engendered by Muhammad's horror of polytheism, though whether this horror was political (as an expression against the ruling tribe of Mecca) or theological it is hard to tell. All the pagan gods around him--including the pagan god Allah before Muhammad cleansed him--seemed to have companions, partners, or sons and daughters. This sort of horror is displayed in the Meccan aya: " But they [the pagans at Mecca] have attributed to Allah partners--the jinn, while He has created them--and have fabricated for Him sons and daughters." (Qur'an 6:100)

We can understand Muhammad's discomfort with polytheism, and appreciate his jealousy for monotheism, but not at the misguided expense of the revealed truth of the Trinity.

Third, Muhammad seems completely ignorant of the Old Testament use of "son of God," which should have allowed him to understand its Scriptural basis. The term "son" and even "son of God" is not foreign to the Old Testament. (E.g., Ex. 4:22, Job 1:6; 2:1; Ps. 88:7, Wisdom 2:13). That's one reason Jesus and all the other witnesses to the term in the Gospels used it, though, to be sure, with reference to Jesus it was intended as a unique description of his relationship to God the Father.

In any event, only some (since they are numerous) of the supposed Qur'anic revelations which clearly contradict the Scriptural teachings and the de fide teachings of the Catholic Church on the divine sonship of Jesus will be cited:

"They [the Christians] have said, 'Allah has taken a son.' Exalted is He; He is the [one] free of need. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. You [the Christians] have no authority for this [claim]. Do you say about Allah that which you do not know? Say [to the Christians], 'Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed.'" (Qur'an 10:68-69) (Meccan)

"And say, 'Praise to Allah, who ...
- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Jesus, Muhammad, antichrist, Son of God, Andrew M. Greenwell

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1 - 10 of 37 Comments

Jorge
4 months ago
Steve Hakes..I'm sorry but your commnent doesn't make any sense, possibly not even to yourself right? How can you say that joseph is right when he fails to believe and practice basic christian doctrine? I prefer to side with a misguided christian than to side with anything related with atheism or agnosticism which represent the worst kind of hipocrisy, lies and denial of God's love. that's nihilism, the denial of believing in Jesus, not the opposite. your "philosophy" is a fraud unfortunately.How can you say or suggest with falied analysis that muhammad was a "prophet" when he failed to make any prophecies, miracles, and even to believe and practice the right doctrine and belief in God,Jesus?
Steve Hakes
5 months ago
The decontextualisation of some texts by the article, made me squirm. Eg, 'begotten' (Jhn.3:16 - not the biblical meaning, even if the creeds were justified). Mt.27:54//Mk.15:39, the Centurion’s belief that they had just crucified a son of a god, was also mishandled. ‘Son of God’ could double as ‘messiah’ – even Solomon had been Yahweh’s son. With Muhammad, I reject the idea that Mary was a goddess and co-created God’s son, which is what the Quran slates. Sadly, Muhammad never tuned in to true trinitarianism, nor understood the semantic range of ‘sonship’, so shot down a silly sideshow. God hasn’t had sex, yet all Christians are his sons by adoption – though “children of God” is wiser translation in today’s West (John always preferred to speak in the latter term). Hermeneutically, for each ‘son of God’ text, we must pinpoint where, in the semantic range, the meaning is. The article, not noting that, with reference to Jesus, it was sometime, not always, intended only as a unique description of his relationship to God the Father, has inconsistent exegesis. It does have some perceptive analysis of why Muhammad targeted the sideshow, though implies that therefore Muhammad wasn’t a prophet of God. I believe God’s prophets have always been fallible, but not that Muhammad was fallible, therefore he was a prophet of God!
To comment on comments, I would agree Joseph against Jorge, and add that not all untruth is lie: the lie requires a determination against the truth, not mere ignorance of it. Let us not, like Grima, be too quick to shout ‘lie’. I prefer to side with misguided theists, than with misguided antitheists. Indeed, without the mindest of absolutism, logically there is only the abolition of man (nihilism), which is where secular humanism is sleepwalking the West. Also, besides the fact that theism is true, theism allows us to be more liberal than atheism, as C S Lewis noted (Mere Christianity, 2.1). Relativism says that mathematics is meaningless; Absolutism says that mathematics is valid, and that not all sums are right. Secular Humanism says that all religions are equally wrong; Theism allows that not all theisms are equally right. Sadly, man’s sinful itch to dominate has infected religions into the twin evils of forced conversions and locked exits. God, the fount of tolerance, allows all to side with, or separate from, him.
amanda
5 months ago
I am writing this from a Muslim dominated country (where no other religion can be practiced ) .
Here a great plannings always go for converting people to their religion and spreading their service to other parts of the world.
According to me they take full freedom to practice and spread their religion in any part of the world ,(which we people have in their country ......i don't think so a need in spreading is not needed but at least the freedom to practice is needed) while if any matter of freedom such as just abolishing veil comes to deal they protest .Christians don't have freedom even to protest.
I read a news long back that a man converted to Christianity and he was murdered and his body was dragged through the streets.
GABRIELLA
5 months ago
Looking at the fruits of implementation of Islam in the world, it stands to reason to ban the ideology everywhere where people want to live in peace and harmony, democracy.
If you, as a Muslim, want to share in our civilized democratic regime, you must leave the teachings of Mohammed behind. Obviously, he was a misguided man who brought havoc and disharmony to the world. Why would anyone voluntary follow his teachings, escapes me totally. One needs to ne totally blind and duff not to see the results of the implementation of Islam in the world.- why do we tolerate it?
Tafur
5 months ago
Excellent writing.

It is a relief to read an article written as you have written this one, full of honesty and truth.

Unless we recognize the evil that is inherent in Islam, we will not have a chance to survive as a people, culture, civilization or nation. We must meet them and defeat them at their level, otherwise they will behead us as we pray for their salvation.

The only time Moslems have behaved themselves throughout history is following massive and catestrophic defeats. Tours, 732, Lepanto, 1571, Vienna, 1529 & 1683. There were other such battles, but these battles halted their aggression and gave Christians a chance to withstand their forces.

The Koran prohibits peace with the infidel. The Koran only allows for a truce in order to prevent defeat and then for only 10 years maximum. The truce must be broken when they have rebuilt their armies.
Gabriella
5 months ago
Dear Marie!

When you follow the news you see that radical Muslims brought their infamy on themselves by being violent and intolerant of anything and anyone that is not of Muslim ideology.
Just look at their demonstrations in the countries that took them in so that they could have a good, peaceful existence.
Marie, look at the Muslim countries and Christian countries and tell me what you see as the difference between them. One needs to be blind not to see the fruits of their ideology - fear, violence, oppression, etc. If you show me one good thing that Islam has brought to make the world a better place, I will consider what you have said.
Teachings of Mohammed are misguided thoughts full of revenge, scare tactics and violence against everyone and anything that is not of Islam.
Lilian
5 months ago
@a.marie, the Muslims are singled out correctly because they claim to believe in the Gospel and believe that the Angel Gabriel who announced the coming of Jesus Christ to the Blessed Virgin Mary also gave all the revelations of Islam to Mohammed. It could have been better if the Muslims had not meddled pretentiously and falsely with Christianity. Also, you should acknowledge the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries as infidels, as well as their special targeting of Christians and Jews as the enemies of Islam.
Manuel
5 months ago
a.marie:..are "mormons, jews, buddist, etc. " that, like muslims, also don't believe Jesus is god killing christians by following their sacred scriptures? you got yourself an answer right there!
Jorge
5 months ago
Joseph..you are saying a LIE: that secular-relativism is a greater enemy than islam is?? This is a complete dellusional statement. I agree it is devastating but it is no match and never will be a match when compared with islam. Your statement is not just false, it is immoral and in fact, it promotes ignorance, bigotry, hatred of the "other". All the rants you come up against me, unfortunately turn against you the next second.You have no moral ground in what this issue is concerned, because I am speaking the truth while you are lying.I am deffending the hundreds of millions of victims of islam and the billions of future victims of islam(if nothing is done to stop the current state of affairs), while you are a "crusader" for a lost cause. secularism/relativism is no match for christianity, never was and never will be. You irrational fear of secularism is totally out of touch with reality.You have mixed your prioprities totally I am afraid.
a.marie
5 months ago
why do you single out muslims? how about mormons, jews, buddist, etc. they don't believe jesus is god!

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