FAQ on Islamic Sects
Submitted by skep-tik on Thu, 12/14/2006 - 4:01pm
Courtesy of Hugh Hewitt comes a FAQ on the differences between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. There is a difference. This will help you to get it.
Read on...
Comments
It's an interesting post. I
It's an interesting post.
I still wonder and wonder. If we're such hot Christians (I have no idea what Hugh Hewitt or Dean Barnett are), why would we be advocating or participating in war and international political meddling (as this post is)? I realize my reading of the Bible takes it largely at face value, but still some of the foundational aspects to Christian seem to be
1. We are just passers-through on this earth
2. We are to love our brethren, neighbors and enemies in a self-sacrificial way
3. We are to trust in God, not in man, or weapons, or strength.
Political meddling and war would seem foreign to #1, and positively contrary to #2 and #3.
Altogether now..."This world
Altogether now..."This world is not my home, I'm just-a-passin' through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue..."
1 is only moderately true. Yes our citizenship is in heaven yet we are given time on this earth to do what we will in accordance with the will and purpose of God. The potential problems with that viewpoint is that we
become so heavenly minded that we're no earthly good. We neglect the fact that God has placed us on this earth as his servants, and we are not raptured immediately at conversion so that we can guide others to Christ, grow in our faith, gain eternal rewards, and live obedient lives to Christ's commands.
If we take a "passin' through" mentallity to it's farthest extent we withdraw into our ivory towers and salt shakers and fail to fulfill any of the purposes of God on this earth.
Our time on this earth then is intended to be productive in obedience to God. WHich moves us on to #'s 2 and 3.
2. No question about it. that's the fact.
3. Absolutely and we do a fair bit of too much trusting in ourselves. (ok, I confess this is a personal commentary on myself as much as anything.)
On to the beginning of your comment.
I'm not sure I'm such a hot Christian, I'm trying but most days I'm not so hot.As far as the post/link advocating ware and foreign politics - I didn't read it from that perspective. However I would like to remind us both that the federal government bears the sword of justice on this earth. As Christians who are also American we have a unique and God given responsibility to be engaged in our governmental process - and failure to do that is, I think, disobedience to the principles of scripture. Therefore Christians who are American are required to be a part of the political process.As far as advocating/participating in war I suppose your take on that has to depend on whether or not you subscribe to an Augustinian "just war theory" as well as to whether you consider the current Iraq conflict to be a just war.
On the purpose of my post. Politics and war had nothing to do with it. I merely wanted to ellucidate the differences between the two largest factions of Muslims for those who didn't understand. :-)
You always make me think James. Keep it up.
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