5 Responses to “February 17, 2009”

1. Michael
   February 17th, 2009 @ 5:54 pm

   Dr. Brown, I’ve heard speculation that Islam could play a major role in end times. I was listening to Joel Rosenberg last week on Glen Beck and he says that there is an uncanny resemblance to what we know about the anti-christ and the muslim messiah (or mahdi). I don’t know if there’s any truth to this, but I suppose if a so-called “moderate” muslim ever did come to ultimate power in a futuristic one-world government, it is possible there could be a period of peace and then fundamental Islam would eventually take over and force people to submit to its demands. I guess this would be a case where trusting in a peace-loving muslim could come back to haunt you. Who knows? I don’t put too much stock in how end times will play out though. I’ve got plenty of nominal muslim friends and I just pray God can use me to point them to truth about Jesus.

2. min.r.g.Askew
   February 17th, 2009 @ 9:34 pm

   I believe if moderate would come to power it would be very temporary . because islam extremist would not allow peace in the mideastern part of the world if so what would the extremist do . How can they the extremist practice their religion when peace is not a part of their religion. I havent read the koran but I have heard excerts from it read by a few ministers, and what i have heard is very disturbing. As long as people practice this religion I can see no peace or an end to terroism because this what their religion teaches even among those of the same faith are in danger if they dont agree with the extremist.I truly thank God through my Lord Jesus Christ that Christianity teaches love and peace.

3. Marcus French
   February 18th, 2009 @ 4:56 pm

   Michael,

   FYI: Joel Richardson has some good resources regarding the Islamic End-Times Paradigm: http://www.joelstrumpet.com

4. Lewis
   February 24th, 2009 @ 10:59 am

   I believe it is correct to say that if all Muslims followed the Quran to the letter, there would be no such thing as moderate Muslims. But it occurs to me that if all Jewish people followed the Torah to the letter there would also be no small outcry. Dr. Brown gave the example of the man beheading his wife based on Muslim law, but how would the world react if a Jew followed the Torah concerning a child who curses his parents? Exodus 21:17 states that anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death. Or what if Lev 10:20 were routinely enforced: ” ‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife–with the wife of his neighbor–both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. Or how about if Deu 25:11-12 were ever enforced : If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

   Is it fair to point to verses in the Quran that seem extreme while ignoring extreme verses in the Torah? Shall we not use equal weight and measures? One of the major differences is of course that the orthodox Muslim will follow the letter of the Quran, while I am unaware of even the most orthodox of Jews following the letter of the Torah. I have heard no reports of children being killed in Israel for cursing their parents. And I assume parent cursing is not a rare event among the Jewish people.

   So why then don’t Orthodox Jews follow the letter of the law? Is it because certain laws only applied to a certain time, a certain season if you will in Israel’s history? If this is the case how do we know which laws were not permanent? Indeed, the fact that certain laws are not followed in the Torah gives ammunition to gay activists who ask–then why follow the bit about homosexuality? Why choose only some laws to follow? And if certain laws in the Torah can be laid aside, cannot certain laws in the Quran also be laid aside?

   I find this all a bit confusing. What say you Dr. Brown?

5. mwiya
   February 24th, 2009 @ 12:41 pm

   Lewis,
   Your question is to Dr. Brown….but i hope u don’t mind me posting my thoughts on the question
   In my opinion I think the reason why Torah is not enforced to the letter as it should be by any people claiming to be so calle “torah observent” is because of the culture we live in as you said. If people zealous for Torah sought to enforce it in the manner persons like Paul did before His meeting the Lord, they would be called religious extremists! The Morality of the Law seems to be harsh to us simply because we do not understand God’s morality. The reason a kid who cursed his children should have been stoned (and even now deserves to be stoned under law) is because the first commandment with promise is to honor our father and mother that it goes well with us and we have long lives on the earth. As John said if we don’t love one another how can we say we love God who we can not see? Its about Love ultimately and respect. From our christian perspective, no human can pass such judgements on another because we all sin! The judgement is just but we are not upright enough to pass the judgement, one day we shall judge even angels. But not right now. Again the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. God would rather see a sinner repent than die, as such he offers Grace and mercy to all.

   Perphaps the reason why the world see’s some of islam’s more stricter rules such as those on adultery as too cruel is because much of western thought has been affected by christianity. We in christianity forgive as Jesus taught us, I fear that perhaps we do not talk about how one who commits adultery is worthy of death yet because Christ forgave us all we forgive those who trespass against us also. Thus because of our poor explanations on justice, mercy, Love snf forgiveness we have made those affected by christian thought yet denying its power to have a warped concept of what true justice really looks like!

   I wonder how many pastor’s would be bold enough to say that adulterers deserve death! Yet should be forgiven for Christ died for all our sins and forgave us so how can we being sinning men made of dust be so hard as not to forgive our neighbors? The press would have a field day!!

   grace and peace

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