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A study found that violent offenders rated themselves higher in morality than both, fellow inmates and the public. They even thought they were equal in following the law! It highlights:
- "The least competent people are usually the most confident in their abilities.” (1)
- We all have our own blind spots and urgently need external feedback.
This also applies to our opinions. Surely, the (Muslim) world’s most shocking blind spot has got to be its view regarding the cross of Christ!
First example:
Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, hated the cross so much that whenever he found an object in his house with such a sign on it, he would destroy it. (2)
Muhammad’s hatred of the cross was so great that he allegedly taught Jesus will return to the earth as a cross-destroying prophet of Islam, to eliminate Christianity from the face of the earth.(3)
Since he is an example to be followed by all Muslims, (4) that hatred for the cross has been displayed by his followers ever since the advent of Islam. (5) One recent incident took place in Pakistan, 2021. A Muslim attempted to bring down a large cross from a church roof. He fell, was injured and looked after—by Christians. (6)
Why is there such an intense hatred for the cross in Islam? After all, Jesus did not even die upon it according to the Quran. (7) Is it not irrational to find a harmless sign abhorrent? Similarly, who would be interested in destroying a logo of a well-meaning charity that looks after the needy?
The real reason for Islam’s hatred of the cross, is found in the main message of the Quran that totally opposes the Good News of the Bible. The unique belief of Jesus’ followers, is grace: God's unconditional love, unlike all other religions where one needs to earn Gods love. Jesus showed this through parables, his death and resurrection on the cross. (8) That Jesus was doing good and died are historical facts, recorded outside the Bible and held by the consensus of all scholars. They also confirm that the grave was empty. (9)
Those who still prefer to believe one has to earn the love of God, do they not make him inferior to parents who love their children first of all, for who they are, not for what they do?
Second example:
Satan hates the cross too because he fears it. Popular films show it being used in Christian exorcism. That ritual has its roots in the command of Jesus to his followers to expel evil spirits in his name. (10) Satan is also known to disguise himself to look like a friendly angel of light. (11) To many people he has managed to make the message of the cross appear foolish.
Atheists are therefore content with the scientifically impossible view that the universe came into being from nothing. Many like to be good and help the weak, not realizing that such noble values are contradicting the evolutionary principle of survival of the fittest. Where do such universally accepted moral laws come from anyway? Do they not demand a divine law giver?
To many others Satan was able to make the cross appear trendy as, either a fashionable necklace or an upside-down tattoo. Satanist allow the latter to be one of their symbols.
Easter is another attempt of misinformation by the “friendly” angel of light. Eggs, bunnies and holidays have side lined the cross at the very centre of the celebration. Many have no idea anymore what the cross of Christ actually stands for.
What the cross is really about
To remove the blind spot the world has of the cross, people need to first realise that it is at the centre of a true story. The eternal kingdom of God is where the story begins in the biblical book of Genesis, chapter 1 to 2, and where the story ends in Revelation chapter 21 to 22. It is where the relationship between God, humans and creation, and between humans and creation, is at peace, safe, sound, complete, right, just and good.
In between are currently the kingdoms of the world. These intruders are governed by belief systems, such as liberalism, socialism, communism, Islam, democracy, capitalism, colonialism, globalism and many more. All have common characteristics, like: broken relationships with God and one another, oppressors, oppressed, (12) greed. They all have a beginning and will come to an end.
Here is how the kingdom of God breaks into the kingdoms of the world: In the Bible, also known as Torah, Zabur and Injeel, God has revealed Himself and His will as follows: He is absolutely Holy. All of us have failed to keep some of God’s commandments, such as not to lie, steal, be greedy, proud, lust after women, etc.
The punishment for such selfish behaviour that brings dishonour upon God and people is physical death and eternal separation from Him in hell. God requires justice but also offers to be the justifier because he loves us. (13) Therefore, he took the sentence for sin upon himself in Jesus and died on the cross for it. (14) There he paid the ultimate price that we all deserved, but could never have paid ourselves. Afterwards He rose again from the dead on the third day. All this is remembered and celebrated at Easter.
The Christian faith is unique in that Jesus has revealed God as a loving, perfect, heavenly Father who suffers with his children. Even those of us whose earthly fathers were disappointing, know how a perfect father should be. In all other faiths God is distant and absent because suffering is beneath him.
The Gospel announces the real king and the real kingdom. You and I are invited to pick sides and participate. Start by repenting and believing in the Jesus described here. Be prepared for suffering in your efforts to stand up for truth and bringing about justice. It is worth it. The best is yet to come!
If you are still in doubt pray sincerely that God would show you whether all this is true! Please watch a testimony of a young Iranian man who found out that it is indeed true here:
https://youtu.be/zO94r8imqN8?si=E4_8Mf3-8VNjYQMe
Do contact the publishers with your comments and/or questions:
info@christianityexplained.net
Sources:
(1) Insight, by Tasha Eurich. Quote highlighted by 989 Kindle readers at the time of access, 28th March 2024. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Insight%2C+by+Tasha+Eurich&crid=E9T20ZZN0PEN&sprefix=insight%2C+by+tasha+eurich%2Caps%2C151&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
(2) Sahih al-Bukhari 5952 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5952
(3) Sahih al-Bukhari 2476 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2476 The reason for using the word “allegedly” is found in the fact that the hadith was only written down about 150 to 230 years after the death of Muhammad. The chain of narration, known as “Isnad” has led to different Hadith collections by Shia and Sunni communities. According to Sunni Imam Mumtaz, ultimately every hadith needs to be taken on trust: https://www.tiktok.com/@loveroftruth0/video/7327649015300934944 Since the Quran relies on being interpreted by the hadith, we really only know “the Muhammad of faith”, not “the Muhammad of history.” Especially so, because Mecca, the city that lies at the centre of Islam, is only mentioned as late as 741 AD in historical sources outside of the Quran: https://madainproject.com/mecca_through_time
(4) Surah 33:21
(5) https://www.raymondibrahim.com/2023/04/06/why-muslims-hate-the-cross-part-1/
(6) https://www.britishasianchristians.org/baca-news/muslim-man-nearly-kills/
(7) Surah 4:157 You may like to watch 2 short animated Youtube videos about the final days of Isa al Masih, according to the Holy Injil. Just click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWhfVh8R-Uk
(8) What's So Amazing About Grace? Phil Yancey, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, p 45
(9) https://christianityexplained.net/to/all/jesus-rose-from-the-dead/
(10) Matthew 10:1-8
(11) 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
(12) For example: Dhimmis in Islam cannot preach the Gospel to Muslims anymore. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhimmi Furthermore: Surah Al Taubah, 9:29 says that one of the reasons for the jizya tax is that the People of the Book ‘acknowledge their subjection.’ This is interpreted by the Ahmadiyya community as ‘admitting the superior power of Muslims.’ (see footnote here: https://www.alislam.org/quran/view/?page=1150®ion=E52 How can such a humiliating status be reconciled with the idea they are not oppressed?
(13) Exodus 3:7-10 Isaiah 59:7-16
(14) John 1, Philippians 2
