An Evaluation of Walter Veith’s Video “The Islamic Connection

 

DISCERNING THE MYTHS IN REGARD TO ISLAM

The Islamic Connection” is a video of a presentation made by Walter Veith on the topic of Islam. In the video, Walter Veith presents evidence to support his view that there is a direct connection between Islam, the Roman Catholic Church, and the ancient & modern Babylon mystery religion. The video basically asserts that the religion of Islam began as a covert initiative launched by the Roman Catholic Church, and that at its core Islam is a Luciferian religion under the control of Rome. The video is published by Amazing Discoveries, a private ASI supporting ministry based in Canada. It can be purchased as a DVD resource from the AmazingDiscoveries.org website, or it can be viewed as “video on demand” streamed from this webpage URL: http://amazingdiscoveries.tv/media/129/216-the-islamic-connection/

Why This Evaluation?

Since the early 1960’s when Middle East Union president Elder Robert Darnell became the first Adventist leader to study Islam, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been active in learning about Islam and sharing with Muslims our distinct Adventist faith and knowledge of Jesus, to help prepare them for the Judgment and the Second Coming. To those involved in this ministry, commonly know as Adventist Muslim Relations (AMR), it is readily apparent that most of the information on Islam contained in Walter Veith’s video cannot be sustained by historical facts or by scholarly theological analysis. In fact most of the material presented in the video appears to be either highly inaccurate or grossly distorted. The distribution of any material that is contrary to truth is to be frowned upon, especially when it is specifically promoted as “truth” by a ministry with an Adventist affiliation. As people who sincerely value truth, Adventists have a honorable calling to abide by the golden rule—to treat others the way we wish to be treated. This means to be treated with fairness and respect, so that we can be seen to be just and trustworthy in the way we seek to establish truth.

The highly-sensitive and even dangerous nature of Islam–Christian relations in many countries makes it even more imperative that Adventist materials on Islam shall be anchored in truth, shall be humble and respectful, and shall reflect a sincere desire to discern God’s activity among all people groups, including Muslims. Even if the core of Islam really was as evil as the video portrays, the Bible teaches that even among those propagating error and deception, God’s missionary heart is at work, since there is no person outside of God’s desire to save. Therefore God’s mission, and not evil, should be our focus. Those involved in interfaith ministry with Muslims have observed that the video’s errors and general tone of condemnation has precipitated in its viewers a reluctance to associate with Muslims and befriend them for the purpose of witness and ministry in the love of Christ. Instead of fermenting condemnation of Muslims, surely it will be better to take to heart the counsel of Ellen White:

Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.”—The Ministry of Healing, 143.

In view of the negative impact that the video is having upon Adventist–Muslim relations and witness, it is appropriate that a careful evaluation be made of the video and its profound claims.


About Walter Veith

The Adventist Yearbook lists Walter Veith as a credentialed minister of the Cape Conference in South Africa, where he serves as a pastor and evangelist. According to statements made by Walter Veith during his video presentation, he was brought up as a Roman Catholic and at some point is his life converted to Adventism. The “Walter Veith” webpage posted on the Wikipedia website states:

“Walter Julius Veith is a Seventh-day Adventist author and speaker known for his work in nutrition, creationism and Biblical exegesis. He studied zoology at the University of Stellenbosch [South Africa] and obtained his doctorate in zoology from the University of Cape Town in 1979. He was professor and chair of the Department of Zoology at the University of Western Cape, South Africa.”

Wikipedia goes on to state that Walter Veith is the author of three published books:

Diet and Health  (1998), 

The Genesis Conflict  (2002), 

Truth Matters - Escaping the Labyrinth of Error  (2003).

The last two books have been published by Amazing Discoveries, a private non-profit ASI ministry owned by Adventist church members and based in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. Some of the pictures shown by Walter Veith in his video The Islamic Connection are slides made from graphics printed in the book Truth Matters. The editor’s preface to the book Truth Matters includes the following noble statement written by the book’s editor Wendy Penner:

“In our world today truth must matter. It is most costly, exceedingly rare, and most precious.

  Without it, everything is a lie, and nothing is worth living.”  (underline in original)

About Will Baron

The writer of this evaluation, Will Baron, is a former New Ager and Theosophist with a knowledge of Western occultism and Eastern mysticism. After 12 years of involvement in the terrible deception of the Babylon mystery religions, he was rescued from the deception through the power of the gospel and reading Ellen White materials. He subsequently authored the best-selling book Deceived by the New Age (Pacific Press 1990). Will Baron has been active for several years in Adventist Muslim Relations (AMR) interfaith ministry and engagement with people of non-Christian cultures. He has given presentations on these topics to the GC Interfaith Relations Committee, the NAD-AMR Annual Gathering and to local Adventist churches.

 

Evaluation Introduction

In reviewing the video, it appears that Walter Veith has done extensive research on Roman Catholicism and the occult mystery religions, including Freemasonry and the New Age movement. Walter Veith often quotes from the published writings of Helen Petrovna Blavatski, the founder in 1875 of the Theosophical Society. He also quotes extensively from the works of Alice Bailey, an esoteric Theosophist, spirit medium and author, whose channeled writings spearheaded the development of the modern New Age movement from its Theosophical Society roots.

Most of what Walter Veith teaches about occultism, Masonry and New Age spirituality appears to be accurate, including the fact that New Age religion is Luciferian. For example, the 24 occult books written by Theosophist mystic Alice Bailey were originally published by “Lucifer Publishing Company”, a publishing business Bailey established in 1922 to distribute the materials she had channeled from her spirit guide called Djwhal Khul. After two years, to facilitate better marketing of the books, Alice Bailey changed the publisher’s name to ”Lucis Press”. Lucis is simply a Latin term closely related to the word Lucifer. It is of note that much of the occult initiation vocabulary used by Alice Bailey in her New Age books is very similar to the initiation vocabulary used in Freemasonry.

In the video The Islamic Connection (hereafter abbreviated to “TIC”), Walter Veith passionately promotes his view that there is a strong and direct connection between Islam, Catholicism, and the occult mystery religions, and that these three movements are Luciferian at their core.

 

In a summary, Walter Veith believes and teaches the following:

(a) Freemasonry and New Age are Luciferian Movements

The mystery teachings and practices of occultism in its various forms, such as Freemasonry and New Age spirituality, derive from the ancient pagan mystery religion of Babylon, and at their core involve the worship of Lucifer. Freemasonry and New Age are thus part of a Luciferian movement.

 

(b) Leaders of Catholicism, Freemasonry, New Age and Islam are Secret Initiates

In Catholicism, Freemasonry, New Age and Islam, there is a marked distinction between what the leaders of these movements and organizations know and believe, and what the ordinary followers of these religions and movements know and believe. Walter Veith calls the ordinary followers the “goyim”, a word derived from the Hebrew language of Judaism to signify a “non-Jew” or Gentile. Walter Veith regards the leadership of Catholicism, Freemasonry, New Age and Islam to be the “insiders”, the “inner circle”, the “initiates”, who are privy to secret knowledge and beliefs that they withhold from the goyim, the ordinary members, those outside the inner circle of leadership.

 

(c) Leaders of Catholicism, Freemasonry, New Age and Islam Worship Lucifer

The inner circle of the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church are initiates of the Babylon mystery religion and they worship Lucifer. They have a secret agenda to bring the whole world under the control of Rome. Their goal is to bring civilization into subjugation to the Babylon mystery religion and the authority of Lucifer.

 

(d) Catholic Church and Jesuits Lauched Freemasonry

The Roman Catholic Church and its Jesuits launched Freemasonry as a global means of bringing key religious, political, military, banking and business leaders under the influence of Rome and initiating them into the Luciferian mystery religion of Babylon.

 

(e) Islam was Luanched by the Catholic Church and is a Luciferian Religion

The religion of Islam was an initiative launched by the Roman Catholic Church with the express objective of destroying the faithful apostolic Christian community that had been established by the Early Church in the geographical area of the Near and Middle East. The “inner circle” leadership of Islam is aware that Islam is a Babylon mystery religion and that at its core Islam worships Lucifer. Thus in essence Islam and Roman Catholicism are the same religion.

 

In the TIC video, Walter Veith uses a PowerPoint slide presentation featuring dozens of pictures in which he endeavors to point out the solid connection between Catholicism and the occult mystery religions and Islam, thereby demonstrating his view that Islam is a Luciferian religion under the control of Rome. This evaluation document covers only point (e) above—the issue of the purported connection between Islam and the Roman Catholic Church, a church regarded to be rooted in the Babylon mystery religion. Veith’s views on the Catholic Church are not addressed in this evaluation.

EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN THE VIDEO

 

THE GOD “ALLAH” WAS A PAGAN DIETY

TIC asserts that the “god” of the Muslims, Allah, was a pagan deity.

Evaluation: 

In fairness to Muslims, it is appropriate to ascertain how Muhammad himself viewed who “Allah” was based on the testimony of the Qur’an, which states:

And argue not with the People of the Scripture [Jews and Christians] unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender. {Al-Ankabut 29:46, Pickthall translation, with parenthesis in original; brackets and bold emphasis supplied}.

It is clear that the Qur’an regards “Allah” to be the God of the Old and New Testament Scriptures. In fact “Allah” is the Arabic word used for “God” in all Arabic translations of the Bible, and it is the word used for “God” by all Christian Arabs when they are communicating in their Arabic mother tongue.

The Wikipedia webpage on Allah: states the following:

Allah is the standard Arabic word for God. The term is best known in the West for its use by Muslims as a reference to God in the context of Islam. It is also used by Arabic speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Mizrahi Jews, Baha’is, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholic Christians, in reference to God. The term Allāh is derived from a contraction of the Arabic definite article al- "the" and ilah "deity, god", to al-lāh, meaning "the [sole] deity, God" (ho theos monos). Cognates of the name "Allāh" exist in other Semitic languages, including Hebrew and Aramaic. Biblical Hebrew mostly uses the plural form (but functional singular) Elohim. The corresponding Aramaic form is Ĕlāhā in Biblical Aramaic, and Alâhâ in Syriac

If one is to assert that Muslims worship a pagan deity because the Arabic word for “God”, Allah, had previously been used by pagan Arabic-speakers to denote their notion of “god”, then by the same logic one must assert that the English word “God” is also a reference to a pagan deity, because it is derived from the modern German word Gott, which originally was the old German word “gudan”, a German pagan deity.

According to Wikipedia:

The English word [God] itself is derived from the Proto-Germanic ǵuđan. Most linguists agree that the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European form ǵhu-tó-m was based on the root  ǵhau(ə)-, which meant either "to call" or "to invoke".  The Germanic words for god were originally neuter—applying to both genders—but during the process of the Christianization of the Germanic peoples from their indigenous Germanic paganism, the word became a masculine syntactic form.   {underline emphasis supplied}

It is of note that two well-respected former Muslims who became Adventists and now operate an ASI ministry, have declared that when they became Adventists, “we did not change to a different God, but still worship the same God, but as Adventist Christians we now know God in a much closer and more fulfilling way” (stated to Will Baron during a National ASI Convention). All Muslims, Jews and Christians regard their God to be the God of creation, the God who created the universe. But their understanding of God and his attributes can differ. However what does not differ is the foundational identity that the God whom they worship is the God of Creation and the God of the Bible.

 

ISLAM’S HAJJ PILGRIMAGE CONNECTS ISLAM WITH PAGAN RELIGIONS

The practice of Islam involves the Hajj, a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage that Muslims with financial means are obligated to make to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. TIC states that pilgrimages were a symbol of pagan religions and states that the Hajj involves “worship at the shrine of Mohammad”, therefore Islam is obviously connected with paganism.

Evaluation: 

Even though the practice of pagan religions may sometimes involve pilgrimages, it is fallacy of reasoning to conclude that Islam is a pagan religion because it promotes a pilgrimage. Pilgrimages were a common religious practice in the ancient world, and were carried out by both pagans and the people of God. For example God commanded the Israelites to take part in three annual pilgrimage festivals whereby Israelite men were obligated to appear before the LORD in Jerusalem to celebrate the festivals of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost and Tabernacles (see Lev. 23:14-17). Just because a religious group takes part in a pilgrimage, it cannot be concluded that the group is pagan; otherwise by the same logic we would have to say that the religion of the Israelites was connected with paganism. The issue is not pilgrimages per se, but the purpose of the pilgrimage, and the deity who was to be honored by it. Among comparative religion scholars who have carefully studied Islam, there is a very strong consensus that Islam is a “monotheistic” and an “anti-pagan” religion.

The strong anti-pagan sentiment of Muhammad and Islam is evident from the fact that Muhammad destroyed the pagan idols that were being worshiped by the pagans at the Kaaba worship place in Mecca where the Grand Mosque is now located. This is described in the Wikipedia webpage on the Conquest of Mecca:

Then along with his companions Muhammad visited the Kaaba. The idols were broken and their gods were destroyed. Thereupon Muhammad recited the following verse from the Qur'an: "Say the Truth is come and falsehood gone; Verily falsehood is ever vanishing."   {Wikipedia, Conquest of Mecca}

The people assembled at the Kaaba, and Muhammad delivered the following address:

"There is no God but Allah. He has no associate. He has made good His promise that He held to his bondman and helped him and defeated all the confederates… People of Quraish, surely God has abolished from you all pride of the time of ignorance and all pride in your ancestry, because all men are descended from Adam, and Adam was made of clay."   {Wikipedia, Conquest of Mecca}

In the TIC video, Walter Veith refers to the Hajj as “worship at the shrine of Muhammad”. The Wikipedia website has web pages on the Hajj and on the Masjid Al-Haram mosque (the Grand Mosque in Mecca), and also on the Kaaba, the central cube in the Grand Mosque. However these web pages have no mention whatsoever that any of these three entities are in any way a “shrine of Muhammad”. The idea that the Kaaba is a shrine to Muhammad is entirely absent from mainstream Islam. Muhammad was not even buried in Mecca, but his grave is located 60 miles away in Medina. Pilgrims sometimes do visit the burial place of Muhammad, but there is no worship involved in this visit, for the core of Islam strongly opposes any worship that is not directed to God alone.

A study of the Hajj reveals that this pilgrimage primarily involves symbolic reenactments in remembrance of some of the important events in the life of Abraham, who according to Islamic traditions built a sanctuary to God in the desert at the place where the Al-Haram Grand Mosque now stands, the purpose being to keep alive the worship of God among the line of Ishmael. The Hajj is meant to be a commemoration of the trials that Abraham was put through by God, especially the command to sacrifice his son. One of the most significant rites in the Hajj is the sacrifice of animals to commemorate the story of Abraham’s willingness to slay his son. The rite includes “the stoning of the devil”, a ritual in which stones are thrown at a pillar representing the devil, who tried to persuade Abraham to refuse to give up his son. The throwing of the stones at the pillar is a symbolic act of defiance against the devil who tries to persuade mankind from being obedient to God. Far from being a pagan worship ritual, the Hajj is in essence a call back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Ishmael, and Jesus. This is not mentioned in the TIC video, nor is the fact that the Qur’an actually portrays a very accurate picture of the true nature of Satan as an enemy to mankind, a deceiver, a creator of false desires in the heart of the believer and an evil being who is bent on taking a person away from the path of truth and obedience to God.

 

MOHAMMED CONTEMPLATED IN A CAVE

TIC presents slides showing the Virgin Mary coming out of a cave. Jesuits are also shown coming out of caves, and it is stated that pagan sacrifices were carried out in caves. It is then revealed that Muhammad was contemplating in a desert cave when he was first inspired with the content of what became the Qur’an. The inference is made that because Muhammad contemplated in a cave, Islam must be of pagan inspiration and is related to the Mariology teachings of the Catholic Church.

Evaluation: 

There cannot be anything intrinsically bad about contemplating in a cave, for the Lord God Jehovah himself spoke to the prophet Elijah when he spent the night in a cave in the Sinai desert (see 1 Kings 19). At least one of the Psalms of David, Psalm 142, was written in a cave, for the introduction to the Psalm states: "A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer.”  Nowhere in the Bible do we find any association between caves and paganism, nor is there any counsel that the people of God should avoid caves. In fact in Adventism in our modern times we have a well-known example of a person who underwent a deep religious conversion while contemplating on God in a desert cave. That person, Doug Batchelor, went on to become a gifted and prominent Adventist TV and radio evangelist, and subsequently wrote a best-selling book describing his conversion experience while living in a cave and studying a copy of the Bible he had found in it.

 

A MOSQUE HAS BEEN BUILT ON THE SITE OF A PAGAN TEMPLE

A slide is shown of a mosque built on the site of the pagan temple at Luxor in Egypt. The inference is that Islam must therefore be connected with the pagan mystery religion of ancient Egypt.

Evaluation: 

Just because a mosque is built on plot of land that was at one time a pagan place of worship does not prove that Islam is a pagan religion. By the same token, if a Christian Church were to have been built on the site of an ancient pagan temple, that circumstance would not demonstrate that Christianity was a pagan religion. In fact there are some Adventist church buildings that were previously used for spiritualism worship. For example the “Community Adventist Fellowship” church of Adventist evangelist John Carter is housed in what was formerly a New Age Christian Science church complex prior to its purchase by The Cater Report ministry. This former use of the building does not indicate that The Carter Report ministry is affiliated with paganism. Both John Carter and Adventist evangelist Mark Finley have held public meetings in the Shrine Auditorium, a large auditorium in Los Angeles that belongs to the 33rd degree Scottish Rite Freemasons, the same masons who take an oath of allegiance involving the Qur’an. Holding meetings in a Masonic auditorium doesn’t indicate that John Carter or Mark Finley have a connection with either the Babylon mystery religion or with Islam.

THE QUR’AN TEACHES THAT JESUS DID NOT DIE ON THE CROSS

The TIC video quotes the Qur’an verse of An-Nisa 4:157 in order to demonstrate that Islam teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross, thus confirming the TIC view that Islam is obviously a Luciferian religion.

Evaluation: 

Of all the issues raised in the TIC video, perhaps the most profound topic concerns the controversial Qur’an verse of An-Nisa 4:157. It would be accurate to say that traditionally most Muslims do believe that Jesus did not die on the cross, primarily because the Qur’an verse of An-Nisa 4:157 seems to teach that Jesus was not crucified, nor did he die. This controversial verse appears to confirm the popular Christian view that Islam is an antichrist religion. But does the Qur’an really teach that Jesus did not die on the Cross?

Here is the verse of An-Nisa 4:157 as quoted from the Qur’an:

That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah,” but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.   {An-Nisa 4:157, Yusuf Ali translation, with parenthesis in original; bold emphasis supplied}.

Most Muslims have traditionally understood this verse to mean that Jesus did not die on the cross, and at the last minute he escaped crucifixion. The most popular explanation is that God miraculously caused all the disciples to look like Jesus, and in the confusion one of the disciples, some say Judas Iscariot, was mistakenly crucified in his place. Thus it looked like Jesus was being crucified, but in reality it was not Him, and He escaped and ascended to heaven without seeing death. In view of the profound nature of issues pertaining to the death of Jesus, it is very appropriate that the verse of An-Nisa 4:157, and the teaching of the Qur’an on the death of Jesus, be very carefully examined.

TRADITION AND SCRIPTURE ARE NOT ALWAYS THE SAME

Before examining what the Qur’an actually teaches on the topic of the death of Jesus, it will be useful to bear in mind that when considering the beliefs of any religion, one needs to be aware that some of the popular “traditions” of a religion may well be different from the actual teachings of that religion’s scriptures. This situation can be evident in all religions, including Christianity.

For example within Christendom, the Bible passages of Romans 14:5-6 and Colossians 2:16-18 have been very much misunderstood by the majority of Christians:

One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.  {Romans 14:5-6 NIV}.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.  {Colossians 2:16-18 NIV}.

The vast majority of Christendom has understood these two passages to mean that under the New Covenant, the Sabbath is no longer binding upon the believer, and one is free to choose any day of the week, for example Sunday, as a special “day to the Lord”. Thus Sunday has become Christianity’s traditional day of rest and worship. Adventists caution that we should avoid focusing on any one or two Bible texts in isolation. Instead, Adventists advocate a hermeneutic of carefully examining the context of all verses, and also carefully examining the overall weight of evidence of all Scripture on any topic under consideration. In harmony with this principle of context and overall weight of evidence, Adventists believe that the Ten Commandments and the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath is very much part of the biblical New Covenant, even if Christian “tradition” deems otherwise.

 

THE OVERALL WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE FROM THE QUR’AN

To be fair to Muslims, one should apply the principles of context and overall weight of evidence to the Qur’an, and ascertain if the Qur’an as a whole really teaches that Jesus did not die, and thus was not crucified on the cross as taught in the Bible. Let’s take a close look at three other verses from the Qur’an which are very relevant to the topic of the death of Jesus.

Surah Maryam 19:33

“So Peace is on me [Jesus] the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!”  {A. Yusuf Ali translation, bold emphasis and brackets supplied}.

According to the Qur’an passage from which the above verse is taken, the context of the verse is Jesus speaking at the time he was a young boy in the care of his mother Mary. In the verse, note carefully the sequence of present, past and future tenses that are used in the grammar. In the sentence, Jesus speaks in the present tense as a young boy, and prophetically states that peace will be upon him (future tense) on the day that he dies, and on the day that he shall be resurrected to life again. Bear in mind that Jesus is regarded by the Qur’an to be a great prophet of God. Thus according to the Qur’an, any words spoken by Jesus as recorded in the Qur’an must be truth from God; and if Jesus prophesied that in the future he would die and resurrect, then this prophecy must have had fulfillment exactly as stated.

Surah Ali-Imran 3:55

Lo! God said: “O Jesus! Verily, I shall cause thee to die, and shall exalt thee unto Me, and cleanse thee of (the presence of) those who are bent on denying the Truth; and I shall place those who follow thee (far) above those who are bent on denying the Truth, unto the Day of Resurrection. In the end, unto Me you all must return, and I shall judge between you with regard to all on which you were wont to differ.”  {M.Asad translation, bold emphasis supplied}. 

According to the passage, the context for this verse is the Palestine ministry of Jesus, with God speaking to Jesus at the time he was ministering. The Qur’an verse says that God informed Jesus that he (God) shall cause him (Jesus) to die. Bear in mind that according to the Qur’an, God is sovereign and omnipotent, and everything that God says he will do, he shall surely accomplish. Thus if God said that he will cause Jesus to die, then the omnipotent God verily did cause Jesus to die.

Surah Al-Maida 5:117

[Jesus said to Allah,] “Nothing did I tell them [the followers of Jesus] beyond what Thou didst bid me to (say): ‘Worship God, (Who is) my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer.’ And I bore witness to what they did as long as I dwelt in their midst; but since Thou hast caused me to die, Thou alone hast been their [followers of Jesus] keeper: for Thou art Witness unto everything.”   {M. Asad translation, brackets and bold emphasis supplied}.

According to the Qur’an, the context of the above passage is a dialogue between Jesus and God [the Father] at some point in time after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. In language that is written in the past tense, in this verse Jesus says to God the Father, “Thou hast caused me to die, Thou alone hast been their [followers of Jesus] keeper…” 

Again, bear in mind that according to the Qur’an, because Jesus was a prophet of God, everything Jesus says as recorded in the Qur’an must be truth from God; thus if Jesus stated that God had caused him to die, then for a certainty Jesus had died.

 

From the three passages examined above, it is very evident that according to the Qur’an:

(a) When he was a boy, Jesus himself prophesied that he would die and resurrect to life.  {19:33}.

(b) When Jesus was ministering in Palestine, God stated that he would cause Jesus to die.  {3:55}.

(c) After his ascension to heaven, Jesus stated that God had caused him (Jesus) to die.  {5:117}.

Thus from context of the verses and from the overall weight of evidence of the Qur’an itself, it is very clear that the Qur’an teaches that Jesus did indeed die and resurrect to life. Thus there appears to be an apparent contradiction between the three verses just examined, and the controversial verse of An-Nisa 4:157.  Is the verse of An-Nisa 4:157 in error and in opposition to the witness of the Bible and the three other Qur’an verses?

 

EXAMINING THE CONTEXT OF AN-NISA 4:157

Let’s take a closer look at this controversial verse. Here is the verse again:

That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah,” but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.   {An-Nisa 4:157, Yusuf Ali translation, bold emphasis supplied}.

In reading several verses before and after the above verse of 4:157, it is plainly evident from the context that the verse is specifically describing the Jews. The Qur’an passage as a whole is a description of the apostasy of the Israelites and Jews from the way of God. For example the verses 153 thru 155 of the passage state:

The People of the Scripture [the Jews] ask of thee that thou shouldst cause an (actual) Book to descend upon them from heaven. They asked a greater thing of Moses aforetime, for they said, “Show us Allah plainly.” The storm of lightning seized them for their wickedness. Then (even after that) they chose the calf (for worship) after clear proofs (of Allah’s Sovereignty) had come to them. And We [God] forgave them that!  And We bestowed on Moses evident authority. And We [God] caused the Mount [Sinai] to tower above them at (the taking of) their covenant; and We bade them: Enter the gate, prostrate!  And We bade them: Transgress not the Sabbath!  And We took from them a firm covenant. Then because of their breaking of their covenant, and their disbelieving in the revelations of Allah, and their slaying of the prophets wrongfully, and their saying: Our hearts are hardened – Nay, but Allah hath set a seal upon them for their disbelief, so that they believe not save a few.   {Al-Nisa 4:153-155, M. Pickthall transl., parenthesis in the original; brackets supplied for clarity}.

In the verses of the Qur’an immediately following the controversial verse 157, we can clearly see that the Al-Nisa passage is concerned with the apostasy of the Jews, for verse 160 states:

Because of the wrong-doing of the Jews, We [God] forbade them good things which were (before) made lawful to them, and because of their much hindering from Allah’s way.   {Al-Nisa 4:160, M. Pickthall translation, bold emphasis and brackets supplied for clarity}.

The historical context of the Al-Nisa passage is connected with the fact that the Jews were mocking Muhammad and his claims to have a message from God. The Jews were boasting that if they could kill Jesus, surely they could kill Muhammad also. In response, Muhammad reminds them that it was not they who killed Jesus, nor crucified him, but it only seemed to them that they did this. 

Adding brackets to the verse of An-Nisa 4:157 for clarity, the verse is basically stating this:

That they [the Jews] said (in boast), “We [Jews] killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah,” but they [the Jews] killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them [the Jews], and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they [the Jews] killed him not.   {An-Nisa 4:157, Yusuf Ali translation, brackets & bold supplied}.

The Qur’an verse of An-Nisa 4:157 is basically saying that the Jews did not kill or crucify Jesus, even though it seemed to them that they had killed him and they boasted that they had crucified Jesus. Carefully note that the verse itself does not say that Jesus did not die, nor does the verse specifically state that Jesus was not crucified.

We may ponder: How did the traditional Muslim understanding of Al-Nisa 4:157 come about? 

During and after the bloody crusades of the Middle Ages when European armies inspired by the popes battled Muslims in a frantic effort to bring the Holy Land under papal control, relations between Christians and Muslims began to deteriorate appreciably. Muslim scholars and comment-ators on the Qur’an began to distance themselves from Christianity and the teachings of the Bible. They began to interpret An-Nisa 4:157 as a denial of the crucifixion of Jesus, and they claimed that the Bible passages describing the crucifixion death of Jesus had been corrupted and were not accurately conveying truth. This understanding of An-Nisa 4:157 became the default norm.

 

WHO DID “KILL” JESUS OF NAZARETH?

The Qur’an passage of An-Nisa 4:157 teaches that the Jews neither killed nor crucified Jesus. We can ponder on the profound question: Who then did “kill” Christ Jesus?

According the Bible, it was not the Jews who had actually crucified Jesus, because under Imperial Roman law the Jews did not have the authority to carry out capital punishment. Jesus was actually crucified by Roman soldiers:

Finally Pilate handed him [Jesus] over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they [Romans] crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle…. the soldiers crucified Jesus....  {John 19:16-18, 23 NIV, brackets, bold and underline emphasis supplied}

The Qur’an is certainly accurate in saying that the Jews did not crucify Jesus. However, although the Roman soldiers were the ones who physically carried out the crucifixion of Jesus, according to the Bible neither the Jews nor the Romans were in reality the ones who actually “killed” Jesus. They were not the ones who actually brought about his death. In the words of Jesus himself:

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends   {John 15:13 NIV}.

I lay down my life for the sheep   {John 10:15 NIV}.

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. {John 10:17-18 NIV}. Underline emphasis is supplied in the above verses quoted from John’s gospel.

It is of note that the Spirit of Prophecy writings of Ellen White make a very interesting statement in regard to the death of Jesus:

But it was not the spear thrust, it was not the pain of the cross, that caused the death of Jesus. That cry, uttered “with a loud voice”, at the moment of death, the stream of blood and water that flowed from His side, declared that He died of a broken heart. His heart was broken by mental anguish. He was slain by the sin of the world.   {Desire of Ages, page 772, bold emphasis supplied}.

 

CONCLUSION ON THE VERSE OF AN-NISA 4:157

When the controversial verse of An-Nisa 4:157 is examined in the context of its immediate passage, which is focused on the apostasy of the Israelites and Jews, it is readily apparent that An-Nisa 4:157 is in full harmony with the three Qur’an verses which teach that Jesus did die in the flesh and bodily resurrected to life again. The verse is also in full harmony with the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus. Thus it is inappropriate to use Surah An-Nisa 4:157 as evidence to support the claim that Islam is a Luciferian religion because the Qur’an teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross, when in fact the Qur’an actually does teach that Jesus died and resurrected to life.

By showing Muslims that the Bible is in harmony with what the Qur’an teaches in regard to the death and resurrection of Jesus, Muslims can be inspired and motivated to study the Bible and trust in its divine inspiration. This approach opens the door for effective witness to Muslims in an area that most Christians think is closed.

 

Is it appropriate to use the Qur’an as a means of witness to Muslims?

Some who are not familiar with Adventist Muslim Relations (AMR) ministry may have a concern about using non-biblical religious sources, such as the Qur’an, as a means of sharing biblical truth with Muslims. However let it be remembered that the Bible itself sometimes quotes from non-biblical religious writings. An example in the New Testament is found in the Epistle of Jude, verses 14 and 15. Here Jude’s epistle quotes directly from a passage of the Jewish pseudepigrapha book of 1st Enoch, a work that has never been accepted as canon by any Protestant, Eastern Orthodox or Catholic denomination; nor has it been accepted as canon by Judaism. The book of 1st Enoch was in circulation within Judaism at the time of the Apostolic Church. Jude quotes 1st Enoch 1:9 and presents it as inspired divine truth in regard to the prophetic word of the patriarch Enoch. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Bible writer Jude was apparently not restrained from quoting a non-biblical source when teaching a divine truth.

In 2003 the General Conference Global Mission Department issued the following guideline for the use of non-biblical sources in Adventist witness:

In building bridges with non-Christians, the use of their "sacred writings" could be very useful in the initial contact in order to show sensitivity, and to lead persons along paths which are somewhat familiar. They may contain elements of truth that find their fullest and richest significance in the way of life found in the Bible. These writings should be used in a deliberate attempt to introduce people to the Bible as the inspired Word of God.

Thus according to official Adventist mission policy, we are encouraged to use those passages in the Qur’an that are in agreement with Scripture as a means of witness to Muslims, in order to lead them to an appreciation of the fuller divine truths revealed in the Bible.

It should be noted that, unlike the esteemed texts of the other world religions, the Qur’an actually bears a very positive witness to what it calls the “previous revelations” of God, a reference to the teachings of the Bible. The Qur’an claims that these Biblical revelations came from God, and are for guidance, truth and light. For example, see the following three verses in the Qur’an:

Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him [Allah] we have surrendered.  {Al-Baqarah 2:136, Pickthall translation, brackets supplied}.

It is (Allah) Who sent down to thee [Muhammad] (step by step) in truth, the Book [Qur’an], confirming what went before it; and He [Allah] sent down the Law [Torah] (of Moses) and the Gospel [Injil] (of Isa) [Jesus] before this as a guide to mankind.  {Al-Imran 3:3-4, Jusuf Ali translation, brackets supplied}.

Those who deny Allah and His Messengers, and (those who) wish to separate Allah from His Messengers, saying, “We believe in some but reject others”: They are in truth Unbelievers….To those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of the messengers, we [Allah and His angels] shall soon give their (due) rewards: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful.  {Al-Nisa 4:150-152, Jusuf Ali translation, brackets supplied}.

Furthermore, Mohammad was even commanded to consult with “the people of the Book”, those who followed the Bible, whenever he was in any doubt regarding spiritual matters:

And if thou (Muhammad) art in doubt concerning that which We [Allah and His angels] reveal unto thee, then question those who read the Scripture [the Bible] (that was) before thee. Verily the Truth from thy Lord hath come unto thee. So be not thou of the waverers.  {Yunus 10:95, Pickthall translation, brackets supplied}.

Over the years since the writing of the Qur’an, this command to Mohammad has been a providential bridge to help Muslims to appreciate the Bible and regard its authority as being divine. After all, the Qur’an itself claims to have been sent as a confirmation of the Bible before it, communicating the teachings of God in the Arabic language at a time when Arabic peoples had no access to the Bible in their own language.

 

THE QUR’AN “DEMOTES” JESUS CHRIST TO AN ORDINARY PROPHET

The TIC video states that the Qur’an, the revered scripture of Islam, “demotes” Jesus Christ to the level of an ordinary prophet of God.

Evaluation: 

While it is true that the explicit doctrine of the divinity of Christ is absent from the Qur’an, there are however many verses in the Qur’an which do highly exalt the person of Jesus Christ. In fact one of the main titles for Jesus in the Qur’an is Isa Al Masih (Jesus the Christ). Another is Al-Kalimatu Allah, “the Word of God”, a title for Jesus given in Surah 3:39 & 3:45; and Surah 4:171.

Here are many examples of the exaltation of Jesus in the Qur’an:

Jesus is the “way”   {43:61}.

Jesus is the “truth”   {19:34}.

Jesus is the “life”   {21:91; 66:12}.

Jesus was conceived supernaturally through the virgin Mary   {3:47; 3:59; 19:20}.

Jesus was conceived by the Spirit of Allah   {21:91; 66:12}.

Jesus is a Spirit of and from Allah   {4:171; 19:17; 21:91; 66:12}.

Jesus and Allah are “Lord”   {9:31}.

Jesus is the gospel or “good news”   {3:45}.

Jesus was sent down from Allah   {3:53}.

Jesus was sent from heaven   {5:114-115}.

Jesus is a pure son, without sin   {3:46; 19:19}.

Jesus is righteous (“saliheen”)   {3:46; 6:85}.

Jesus is the straight path (“siratun mistaqueem”)   {3:51; 43:61}.

Jesus has a special place of honor (“muqarrabeen”) with God, the only one so accorded   {3:45}.

Jesus is mediator/noble/exalted (“wajihan” or “wajih”), now and hereafter   {3:45}.

Jesus was given the secrets of the unseen (“ghyab”), the supernatural   {3:44}.

Allah gave Jesus “favor” and prophet status “above others”   {2:253}.

Jesus came to attest the law (“towrat”)   {3:50}.

Jesus breathed life into a clay bird, and miraculously it flew away   {3:49; 5:110}.

Jesus healed the blind and lepers   {3:49; 5:110}.

Jesus had the power to raise the dead   {3:49; 5:110}.

Muslims are ordered to believe (“aamanou”) in Jesus   {4:159; 5:111}.

Muslims are ordered to follow (“ettabio’un”) Jesus   {3:55; 43:61}.

Muslims are ordered to obey (“atee’uon”) Jesus   {3:50; 43:63}.

Although the Qur’an does not present the full picture of Jesus as found in the Bible, nevertheless it does make provision for Muslims to refer back to the previous revelations of the Old Testament (Torah in Arabic) and the New Testament Gospel (Injil in Arabic). A profound passage in Surah 5 (Al Maida) states:

And in their [God’s prophets] footsteps We [God] sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law [Torah] that came before him. We sent him the Gospel [Injil]; therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law [Torah] [that had come before him; a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah. Let the people of the Gospel [Christians] judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what has been revealed [in the Gospels], they are (no better than) those who rebel. To thee We sent the Scriptures in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety. So judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee.  {Al-Maida 5:46-48, Yusuf Ali translation with parenthesis in the original, brackets supplied}

Those involved in ministry to Muslim cultures can testify that many Muslims have been willing to explore the life of Jesus, and have come to accept Him as Lord and Savior, primarily because of the very positive witness about Jesus that they found in the Qur’an. They realize that the Qur’an’s picture of Jesus was incomplete, since its primary focus is on the human nature of Jesus, who is commonly presented in the Qur’an under the title, “Jesus, son of Mary”.

 

SHRINER FREEMASONRY INVOLVES AN OATH WITH HOMAGE TO THE QUR’AN AND MUHAMMAD, LINKING ISLAM TO THE BABYLON MYSTERY RELIGION  

Walter Veith points out that the initiation rite of Shriner Freemasonry involves a ceremony in which an oath is taken using the Qur’an and the ritual pays homage to Muhammad. This is offered as evidence that Islam is obviously closely associated with Freemasonry, a fraternal organization that has rituals, graphics and vocabulary that are clothed in Western occultism and the ancient Egyptian-Babylonian mystery religion.

Evaluation: 

Although Masonic rites are primarily secret initiations, information published in the public arena does indicate that the highest initiation into the Shriners involves an oath using the Qur’an. Shrine Freemasonry, an appendent body to regular Freemasonry, is officially called “The Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine”. The order utilizes Arabic cultural emblems in its insignia and in the architecture of its buildings. However, according to the Wikipedia article on Shrine Freemasonry, there is no formal connection between the Shrine and Islam:

Despite its theme, the Shrine is not connected to Islam. It is a men's fraternity rather than a religion or religious group. Its only religious requirement is indirect: all Shriners must be Masons, and petitioners to Freemasonry must profess a belief in a Supreme Being.   {Wikipedia}.

From what is known of Shrine Masonry, it is very clear that the teachings and fraternal activities of Shriner Masons do not in any way resemble the religious teachings and practices of either Sunni or Shiite Islam, or any of the minority sects of Islam. The fact that an initiate into the Shrine order must take an oath involving homage to the Qur’an and Muhammad does not prove that there is a connection or affiliation between Islam and occult Freemasonry. And it certainly does not demonstrate that Islam is a Babylonian mystery religion.

It should be noted that while one of the Shriner oaths of initiation pays homage to Islam, Masonic oaths also involve homage to the Bible, and this homage does not in any way implicate the Bible as having an affiliation with Freemasonry or the Babylon mystery religions. In the tradition of Free-masonry as a whole, Shriners must believe in a Supreme Being, or God, and the majority of them profess the Christian religion. However this profession does not demonstrate that the teachings and practices of Masonry are in full harmony with the teachings of the Bible.

 

THE CRESCENT MOON & STAR SYMBOL CONNECTS ISLAM TO PAGAN BABYLON

TIC shows several slides of the Crescent Moon and the Moon & Star symbols as they are used in Islam. TIC then shows slides of similar symbols being used in the ancient pagan Babylon mystery religion. The inference is that Islam has its roots in the pagan Babylon mystery religion.

Evaluation: 

The Wikipedia webpage on “Symbols of Islam” states the following:

The Quran does not specify any symbol for Islam and the current symbols are the results of the understanding and imagination of Muslim artists, politicians, or thinkers during the past times.

The crescent is commonly regarded as a symbol of Sunni Islam, and is often placed above minarets and domes of mosques. The symbol has become associated with the Caliphate [Islamic political leadership]. The crescent is used in the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye marking the beginning of the Muslim month of Ramadan, and is also used for the Islamic calendar, which is based on the lunar cycle.

In the 12th century it [the crescent] was adopted by the Turks, and since then the crescent, often accompanied by a Star and mentioned in the 53rd surah (chapter) of the Qur'an, has been the main symbol of Islam.

Note that in Surah 53, the only mention of a star is in the 1st and 2nd verses, which state:

“By the Star when it setteth, your comrade erreth not, nor is deceived.”   {M. Pickthall translation}.

No mention is made of the moon in Surah 53, nor is there any mention of using the star as a symbol.

In regard to the origin of the crescent and star symbol in Islam, Wikipedia goes on to state the following: 

Some of the 14 and 15th centuries portolanos [navigation charts] show the flag of Tunis as red with one or two crescents, which is presented on several portolanos as a symbol of the Ottoman Empire. From 16th to the 18th centuries this flag is usually shown with three white crescents. In 1793 the number of crescents was reduced to one and an eight-pointed star was later added on, when the rule of the Ottoman Empire ended. Turkey was the only Muslim state regarded as a world power at the time.

Though the crescent was originally a secular symbol of authority for Muslim rulers, it is now often used to symbolize the Islamic faith. However, the crescent was not a symbol used for Islam by Muhammad or any other early Muslim rulers, as the Islamic religion is, in fact, against appointing "Holy Symbols" (so that during the early centuries of Islam, Muslim authorities simply didn't want any geometric symbols to be used to symbolize Islam, in the way that the cross symbolizes Christianity, the menorah was a commonly-occurring symbol of Judaism, etc.). This is why early Islamic coins were covered with Arabic writing, but contained no visual symbols.

…..The crescent and star, while generally regarded as Islamic symbols today, have long been used in pre-Islamic South Arabia as a symbol and in their coinage. Later caliphates and Muslim rulers established and recognized the symbol.

Given that the Crescent Moon & Star symbol was introduced into religious Islam relatively recently, it can hardly be asserted that the use of this symbol demonstrates that Islam has its roots in the ancient pagan mystery religion of Babylon. Symbols are simply external forms designed to convey relevant inner meanings. The meaning that people may attribute to a certain symbol can vary widely from culture to culture, and can also vary within the different sociological and religious contexts of any one culture. It is therefore unwise to compare the use of a symbol in one religion with its use in another religion without first understanding how it functions in its distinct cultures. For example in the Bible’s New Testament, the imagery of a dove is associated to the Holy Spirit; whereas for a native American Indian a dove was a symbol of rain to come, or the announcement of water. In Western secular circles, a dove is a symbol of peace. So the same symbol can have several different meanings. It is inappropriate to conclude that Islam is a pagan religion because in the past some ancient pagan religion had used a similar symbol that is currently used in Islam today.

 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH USES A CRESCENT & STAR SYMBOL

TIC shows a slide photo of a Catholic church in Germany that has a clock tower with the clock hands having a crescent moon attached to one finger, and a star attached to the other finger. This is presented as evidence for the connection between the Roman Catholic Church and Islam. Another slide is shown of a stained glass window in a Catholic Church in New Orleans. The window’s artwork has a crescent & star symbol in it.

Evaluation: 

Art and the symbols used in artistic designs can be a very personal matter for each artist or architect who uses them in building design projects. We really cannot speculate as to the motive why the two individual artists included a crescent and star in their designs for these two churches, nor can we assume that the inspiration of these two individual artists is representative of the symbolism for a huge global institution like the Catholic Church and its Vatican leadership. Given that the Crescent & Star symbol has been a relatively recent adoption by Sunni Muslims dating from the time of the Ottoman Empire, the use of these symbols on two obscure Catholic churches among the hundreds of thousands of Catholic churches world-wide can hardly be proof that the launch of the religion of Islam around AD 600 was a covert initiative of the Roman Catholic Church.

 

SOME MOSQUES ARE BUILT NEAR ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRALS

TIC presents a slide photo showing that the Catholic Cathedral in Amman, Jordan, is located on land adjacent to a mosque. While showing the PowerPoint slide, presenter Walter Veith makes the statement, “same symbolism, same religion.”

Evaluation: 

By the same logic, if an Adventist Church has a cross on its building and it is located on a lot adjacent to a Catholic Church which also has a cross on it, does this “same symbolism” make the Adventist Church the “same religion” as the Catholic Church?  Off course it does not. The video endeavors to prove guilt by association in circumstances where the association is casual and incidental. This is fallacious reasoning, causing unmerited suspicion and confusion.

 

MOHAMMED’S WIFE KHADIJA BINT KHUWAYLID WAS A ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN

TIC states that Mohammed’s wife came from a Roman Catholic convent, thus there was a close family connection between the founder of Islam and Catholicism.

Evaluation: 

TIC doesn’t provide any evidence whatsoever to substantiate this claim. None of the reputable scholarly sources on Islamic or Christian history have made the claim that Mohammed’s wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid had at one time been a nun. What is known is that she was a successful businesswoman who married Mohammed after being a widow for several years. She was later his first convert to Islam. TIC does not provide any historical evidence to demonstrate that specifically “Roman Catholic” monasteries, nunneries or convents even existed in Arabia prior to the marriage between Khadija and Muhammad in 595 AD. Even if the widow Khadija had at one time been a Catholic nun before she married Mohammed, this does not demonstrate that the founding of Islam was an initiative of the Roman Catholic church leadership. Walter Veith himself is a former Roman Catholic, however it would be inappropriate to question the validity of his present ministry on the basis that in the past he had been a Roman Catholic.

The source of the claim that Mohammed’s wife Khadija had been a Catholic nun appears to be the testimony of ex-Jesuit priest Alberto Rivera, who asserts that Cardinal Bea informed him of this while he was at the Vatican. In Alberto’s account, Waraqa, the paternal cousin of Khadija, is presented as a Catholic, which contradicts the solid historical evidence that Waraqa was not a Catholic at all, but was a dedicated Hanif Christian. According to the Wikipedia webpage on Alberto Rivera, the Christian research organization Cornerstone Magazine has thoroughly investigated Rivera and concluded that he is a fraud. The Cornerstone research on Alberto Rivera is sufficient to caution anyone not to take his claims seriously.

A ROMAN CATHOLIC CARDINAL SAID THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH STARTED ISLAM

The TIC video states that anti-Catholic activist Alberto Rivera has testified that he heard a Catholic Cardinal in South America acknowledge that the Catholic Church started Islam.

Evaluation:

In view of Cornerstone magazine’s research on ex-Jesuit Alberto Rivera, it is unwise to take any of his claims seriously. Even if a Roman Catholic Cardinal really did claim that the Catholic Church started Islam, this claim is not necessarily truth. The TIC video asserts that the Catholic Church is a religion of Lucifer, the father of lies. If the Catholic Church is an institution of the “father of lies”, it would be unwise to assume that statements made by Catholic leaders represent factual “truth”.

It is a well-known historical fact that Islam and Catholicism have been at odds since the time of the crusades when the Catholic Church launched a series of bloody wars against Muslims living in the Holy Land. It would be reasonable to assume that if the Catholic Church had started Islam, then surely Muslims would have had a lot more regard for it. There is no historical evidence whatsoever demonstrating that Islam has had any kind of positive regard for the Roman Catholic Church.

 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC AND ISLAMIC PRIESTHOOD IS FOR MEN ONLY

TIC continues the theme of the similarities between the Catholic faith and the Islamic faith by pointing out that the priesthood of these two faiths is for men only.

Evaluation: 

Islam categorically rejects the classical idea of a formal priesthood in the sense of a priest being a special person who is authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deity. The Wikipedia webpage on the topic of “priest” does not list Islam as being a religion that has priests. However the Wikipedia webpage on “priest” does make the following statement:

The term for "priest" in the sense of presbyter in Islam is imam. An imam leads prayer and acts as spiritual advisor. Islam does not have an office of priest in the sense of sacerdos, as the religion has no sacrificial rite comparable to the Christian Eucharist or the Jewish Korban. Ritual slaughter (dhabihah) may be performed by any sane adult Muslim.   {Wikipedia}.

Although the Adventist faith does not usually think of its ministers as being “priests”, the Adventist Church does use the title of “elder” for an ordained minister. In English versions of the Bible, “elder” is an English translation of the biblical Greek word presbuteros, which is very closely related to the word “priest”. The word presbuteros (elder), for example, is found in Titus chapter 1:

“…appoint elders (presbuteros) in every town, as I (Paul) directed you. An elder (presbuteros) must be blameless, the husband of but one wife…”   {Titus 1:5,6 NIV}.

The Latin version of this word is “presbyter”, often abbreviated as “prester”.  The modern English word “priest” comes from old English word “preost”, derived from that Latin word “prester”. Thus the English word “elder” in the Bible is actually equivalent to “priest”. Given that, historically, ordained Adventist “elders” are a male-only group, it could be argued that there is much more in common between Roman Catholic priests and Adventist “elders” than there is between Catholic priests and Muslim imams. For in the religion of Islam, an imam is not regarded to be a priest in the sense of being a person set aside to administer religious sacraments. An imam is a minister only in the role of being an instructor in religious belief and practice and being a congregation’s worship leader.

 

THE VIRGIN MARY IS THE QUEEN OF ROME AND THE QUEEN OF ISLAM

TIC stresses that the Virgin Mary is well-featured in the Qur’an, evidence that there is a strong connection between the Catholic Church and Islam. Walter Veith makes the profound statement that the Virgin Mary is, quote, “Queen of Rome and Queen of Islam!”

Evaluation: 

It is true that one of the surahs in the Qur’an, Surah 19, is titled “Maryam” (Mary), and the most common title for Jesus in the Qur’an is “Jesus, son of Mary”. However none of the verses about Mary in the Qur’an elevates Mary to a status beyond that which is described in the Bible, which teaches that Mary was a “virgin”, “has found favor with God”, “was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit”, was the “mother of Jesus”, and that she has been “blessed”. The number of verses dealing with Mary in the Qur’an is about the same as the number of verses on Mary in the New Testament.

It should be noted that Islam is extremely opposed to the worship of idols and images. This prohibition is so strong, that in Islam it is even forbidden to display a painting or other graphical representation that shows the face of any recognized prophet such as Mohammed, Jesus, or any of the Bible prophets or Apostles. While the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches openly worship and venerate images and icons of Jesus, Mary and the apostles, such practice is totally forbidden by the Qur’an and is entirely absent from Islam. There is no historical evidence whatso-ever to supports the view that Mary has a role as a queen in Islam. It is utterly and absolutely absurd to suggest that in Islam the Virgin Mary has been elevated to the status of “Queen of Islam”.

 

CATHOLIC POPE JOHN PAUL II HIGHLY ESTEEMED THE QUR’AN

TIC displays a photo of Pope John Paul II kissing a copy of the Qur’an. The implication is that the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church highly esteems the venerated scripture of Islam.

Evaluation:

If Pope John Paul II were to have actually read the Qur’an, he would find that it contains a most severe denunciation of the type of religious practice that is a hallmark of the Catholic Church, including the most severe rebuke against all form of worship and veneration of images and relics. The Qur’an teaches against any form of priesthood that administers sacraments; teaches against a hierarchical leadership structure with a prime leader who has authority over his subordinates (such as the pope); teaches against the idea that the performance of sacraments can bring salvation and eternal life; and teaches against the allowance of alcohol, tobacco, pork eating and immodesty in the life of believers. It is apparent that Pope John Paul’s act of kissing the Qur’an was nothing more than a publicity stunt designed to impress Muslims with his piety in an endeavor to gain their respect and support. It would be a complete mistake to assume that John Paul’s act of kissing the Qur’an represents some kind of endorsement by the pope or the Catholic Church for Islam and its beliefs.

Although Pope John Paul II did initiate diplomatic cordiality with Muslims, his successor Pope Benedict has acted to the contrary and he offended millions of Muslims in 2006 when he stated:

"The emperor (the Pope) comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war…Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." (quoted from Pope Benedict XVI’s Regensburg Lecture, Sept. 2006)

While The Islamic Connection (TIC) video highlights an instance of a pope appearing to venerate the Qur’an, the video ignores many years of savage brutality in which the papal-led crusader armies sought to butcher and destroy Muslims by the thousands upon thousands in a vain quest to re-conquer the Holy Land for the glory of the Roman Catholic Church. In the light of this brutal history, can it be honestly asserted that the inner core leadership of Islam and the Catholic Church are very well aware of the fact that they both serve and worship the same master and they know it is Lucifer?

 

PALASTINIAN LEADER YASSAR ARAFAT GAVE HOMAGE TO THE POPE

The video shows a photograph of the late Palestinian Authority leader Yassar Arafat kissing the hand of Pope John Paul II in an apparent act of homage.

Evaluation:

It should be noted that Yassar Arafat was not an imam, nor did he have any other kind of religious leadership role within Islam. His role was that of a politician, and he knew very well that courting the influence of the pope had the potential to bring about international political advantages for his Palestinian people. Arafat followed in the footsteps of several prominent leaders of Western countries that have also paid homage to the pope. To see a Muslim political leader pay homage is certainly a very ominous sign, and is in harmony with the prophetic word of God which states:

“all inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast…”   {Revelation 13:8 NIV}.

 

EVALUATION CONCLUSION

The Islamic Connection” (TIC) video fails to present any credible evidence to support its view that:
(1) Islam is a Luciferian Babylon mystery religion.

(2) Islam was founded by the Roman Catholic Church.

(3) Islam is controlled by an inner circle of leadership that is under the authority of Rome.

Most of the information on Islam presented in the video is either highly inaccurate or a gross distortion of the facts. Almost all of the arguments offered are based on fallacious reasoning and aberrations of logic. The overall effect of the video on Adventists who view it is to instill in them an attitude of hostility toward Muslims and a reluctance to want to befriend them for the purpose of sharing our knowledge of Jesus Christ and the gospel. In the opinion of the author of this evaluation, for righteousness sake it is appropriate that the video be withdrawn from circulation by Walter Veith and the Amazing Discoveries ministry.

 

What Attitude Should Seventh-day Adventists Have Toward Muslims?

When Christians as a whole, including Adventists, are confronted by the fact the majority of Muslims have a negative sentiment toward Christianity, it is very easy to adopt an attitude of condemnation towards Islam and to view it as a religion that is totally alien and hostile to the gospel.

However it is of note to recall that when the Apostle Paul visited Athens on his 2nd missionary journey, “he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols” (Acts 17:16 NIV). But Paul did not indulge in condemnation of the religion of the Athenians. Instead he looked for some common aspects between their religion and the gospel message, and he used that commonality as a means of introducing the good news, the gospel. In addressing a meeting of the Areopagus council, Paul complemented the Athenians on their religious fervor, stating, “Men of Athens!  I see that in every way you are very religious.” (Acts 17:22 NIV). Paul then told the Athenians that in their city he had discovered an altar with the inscription, “To An Unknown God”. He used the existence of this altar as a means of sharing the gospel, saying to the council members, “Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23 NIV). Notice that Paul does not refer to their “unknown god” as being an unknown pagan deity. Paul uses language that identifies their “unknown god” as being the true God that he wants to reveal to them. He then shares with them the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s strategy of “friendship” ministry is reflective of the way Jesus ministered to non-Jews, for example His dialog with the Samaritans. Ellen White so beautifully summed up this method of outreach in the Spirit of Prophecy statement, which is quoted on the first page of this document:

Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.”—The Ministry of Healing, 143.

As Adventists we need to follow Paul’s example and the counsel of Ellen White, and have an attitude of love and respect toward Muslims, and show an interest in their religious beliefs and practice. As opportunity affords, Adventists can refer to passages and verses in the Qur’an that teach the same divine truths found in the Bible. This can motivate Muslims study the Bible, and in it find precious truth for the soul, and they can learn crucial information to help prepare them for the Judgment and the Second Coming of Christ.