Page:The young Moslem looks at life (1937).djvu/144

 MOSLEM MISCONCEPTION OF CHRISTIANITY

"Thank God, no!" Thankful he was not a Christian! His answer startled me for a moment, but considering the Moslem point of view with reference to Christianity, that was the only answer my young Moslem companion could give. For Islam is shot through with the most amazing misconceptions concerning Christian belief and practices. And these misconceptions of the Moslem must be clearly understood by us if we are to give his views sympathetic consideration. Let us look now at the Moslem criticisms of Christianity. Some of them will appear at once as absurd; perhaps others will do us good.

1. The text of the Bible has been corrupted and it is not to be relied upon. As we have seen in Chapter Three, the Bible is regarded by Moslems as not genuine, either in the Old or the New Testament. This is the view of scripture that Mohammed held, and to Moslems it is completely true. As for the corruption and changing of the text of the Old Testament by the Jews, that charge has never been proved. And the Gospel which God revealed in the form of a sacred book to Jesus, as the Koran is said to have been revealed to Mohammed well, there never was any such book. The revelation of his mind, and heart, and purpose, and will for man which God gave to the world was Jesus Christ. The real gospel of Christianity is not a book, but a life.

2. Christians worship three gods. This idea, of course, is due to a misconception of the Christian