1 Father or 2 Fathers?

  My son was in a discussion with his friends over religion one night.  He came to me the next day, still frustrated by their view that Christians and Muslims are worshiping the same God, just in different ways.  He asked me for some advice regarding this matter and after some time I came up with this response to his friends.

To Nick and Ryan,

    First of all you would be correct IF, both religions were said to be entirely "human inventions".  If that were the case then it is plausible that 2 different people would come up with 2 different methods of worshiping God and therefore you cannot find fault with either being incorrect.  In fact, we could have an infinite number of religions if that were so.  But alas, that is not the case. Both religions have at their center 2 people (Jesus and Muhammad) who speak for God and what God demands of his created people to do to please him.  In other words they are God-driven religions and not Man-driven religions.

   Second,  they cannot come from the same source.

   To explain, let me use the following illustration...

   You meet 2 new people, Jeff and Al.  In talking with them, you ask Al, "What's your dad like?".  He answers, "My Dad is tough.  I have to earn everything I get from him: my food, my clothes, my transportation.. Even my birthday gifts have to be earned by doing a list of jobs he gives me and even if I do all the jobs I am not guaranteed to get what I ask for"

    You then ask Jeff the same question and he replies, "My dad is great.  He tells me he loves me and he gives me everything I need to live.  Food, water, shelter.  He even gives me things I don't deserve"

    After hearing them, would you EVER think that Jeff and Al come from the SAME family and have the SAME father?

    Probably not.  For to have a father that is so harsh with one son and so benevolent with the other would be difficult to fathom.  How could that ever be?

   The same goes for Christianity and Islam.

3 pillars at Mina

   Islam demands you pray 3 times a day, fast on religious holidays, wear certain clothing, visit certain religious sites (like Mecca).  There is no certainty of forgiveness. In some sects, you must sacrifice and animal.  In other sects you perform Hajj and visit, Mina (near Mecca) , to throw a stone at 3 different pillars to be forgiven your sin for the last year (note, they had to extend the stone-throwing time from 1 hour after sunrise to 3 hours after sunrise because people were rushing in and trampling others to get their first).
 
   While Christianity says, God loves you!  He sent his only Son to die on a cross for your sins and he rose from the dead so you can know for certain you are forgiven.   He only wants you to change your life because you ARE saved, not to BE saved.  (he even forgives sinners like the thief on the cross next to him who has no opportunity to do any good works). 

 


 Sound like the SAME father .... or two DIFFERENT fathers?