Islam and Christianity (2)

I was going to say that the difference between Islam and Christianity is that Islam uses force to expand into the world, but that might not be fair.

It is true that Islam conquered Africa by force in the seventh century and advanced in Europe in the seventeenth century using military power, but the rapid growth in Islam this century has be largely voluntary. Young Moslem have taken their religion seriously and gone hard out, and millions of other have joined them.

Christianity also used force to expand during the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition. Even now, I am not sure if we have it right.

This is how it should happen.
We are to go into the world and tell people about Jesus.
The Holy Spirit confirms our words by healing those who are sick.
Those who hear and see decide that Jesus is so wonderful that they begin to love with him.
They will ask us to teach them how to live in a way that is pleasing to him.
We will say, Love God and love your neighbour.
They will say, “Wow!!”
We will say “Go for it”.

This is not what actually happens.
We go out and tell people. “You are so bad, that God is going to send you to hell.”
They say, “Yuk!"
We say, "Jesus will rescue you”.
Most say, “Your God does not sound very nice”.
A few say, "Yes, please".
Scaring people into heaven is not physical force, but it is verbal violence.

Christians must never use the coercive force to advance the Kingdom of God.

If we use force (as in Iraq), Islam will win the struggle.
If we use Jesus way, Christianity will win and the Kingdom will come.

See God and Force.


Technorati Tags: Islam coercion