Islam as an example of Jesus Christ's world religions

 Part 1

One would like to begin this lecture with an apology for its shortcomings, because of all the lectures in this course this one, perhaps, has been the most challenging to think about and otherwise prepare. Nonetheless, one hopes that this effort, despite its shortcomings, will help you to see the inspired architecture of the world's religions; and to see the ways in which these sit at the Divine Human's feet and either eat His bread and drink His wine or perish. 

Last year, marveling at what the Latin Word says about Islam and world religions in their relation to the Lord, one felt an inner push to read the Quran for oneself accompanied with the assurance that one would find what one sought. Well, one read their Book and found what one sought, a foundation for accepting our Muslim neighbors and teaching acceptance of the same.

People in the West and in historically Christians lands are, of course, troubled by the mass immigration by other peoples and strange religions which happens in the late-stages of certain civilizations; as well as being troubled by certain features of Islam like its treatment of women and quite different attitude towards civil rights and socioeconomic institutions. This lecture is not about these matters, which are part of an overarching and Providential plan which purposefully harnesses these collisions; and puts hooks into the jaws of various wicked actors in order quietly to carry out a great historical purpose which those who carry it out would loathe if they understood it. 

Rather, this lecture is about the religion itself and its inspired holy book; and the proper attitude for believers, and especially those who acknowledge the teachings Christ gave us during His return, to take towards them both.

In Spiritual Experiences we read:

" It was stated to me, that there is a Book, among the Mohammedans, which is in their hands, and is common there; in which some pages are written by correspondences, by reason of which correspondences there is some light from it in the heavens. These were all felt, as to their quality, through influx into the breast, and also through sensations, agreeable and disagreeable" (5809).

This Book, the Quran, has been at least in part "written by correspondences", which is the same methodology that the Lord used in composing the entirety of our own Word. The entire Quran has not been so written even as the religions of the world -- though orchestrated by God to address the needs of different peoples -- are not all in equal light as to the loving will and wisdom of our Father. One religion will be in more light than another, and Christianity -- Christianity properly understood, thus the Christianity of a small minority of those calling themselves Christian -- has more light than them all. The situation may be compared to the best wine on a rack of fine wines; or to the flagship of a gallant fleet. 

Mention has been made of an influx into the breast, which the Writings elsewhere teach involves specifically the breathing in by Heaven of the life of charity and faith into the hearts and thoughts of believers. In other words, this Book of theirs has been implicitly identified as one which has, like our Word, the power to teach someone how to be a loving person in God's sight inside and out; and to act out that love in caring deeds. The reference to this Book being "in their hands" involves the correspondence "hand", which means power; so that the meaning involves the power of this Book to save those who live according to its teachings and thereby learn how to be genuinely loving and faithful.

In other words, much the same ascription has been made to the Quran as has been made in Hebrews to the Word here:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

For it is precisely a breathing into the believer's soul of the life of charity and faith, that influx into the breast which accompanies someone's reading it and attempting to practice it, that is a "discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart"; and the chief characteristic of an inspired and holy Book of the Lord.

So, mention has been made of how the Lord raised up Islam, like other world religions which facilitate the preparation of people for first a life of charity and truth in this world; and second for a Heavenly life in the life to come. But why did the Lord specificially raise up Islam? We will look into this in detail, because it gives us insight into that wondrous miracle, the inspired architecture of the world's religions in their intricate rotation about our Lord as about a Sun.

First, the religion of Islam quite passionately stands for the oneness of our Creator and emphatically denounces the idolatrous conception of our Lord as consisting of 3 persons or Lords. As the God Man quite clearly stated, "The Lord our God is one Lord" (Mark 12:29). And Islam arose precisely when it did among other reasons in order to counterbalance the idolatrous disaster of the Council of Nicea; in which those Catholic wonders of the world ruined the clear conception of our Lord for countless millions.

It might well be asked: why did the Lord not force the Catholics to notice that what they were doing was wrong? The answer lies in the parable of the old and new wine bladders and garments the inner meaning of which explains the reasons for why the Lord established the Christian Church in the first place rather than 'just' fixing the Jewish Church: 

"16No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved" (Matthew 9:16-17).

The Lord's decisions often appear frustrating to humankind, because we think small and He thinks big; and we think short term and He thinks long term; and we think of a few people's benefits and He thinks of everyone's coming to the best possible outcome not only at present but for the countless states which stretch ahead of us in eternity.

The situation may be likened to a mobile hanging over a child's crib. The Council of Nicea involved putting a weight on one section of the mobile which caused it to go out of balance; so that the Lord, rather than removing the weight and causing more problems, instead put another weight elsewhere in the mobile and thereby balanced it on the plane of its ecliptic.

A second reason that Lord caused Islam to arise was its function in eradicating idolatries in the large area of the world under its sway, addressing its exhortation to love one Lord and God to them in terms which those in that area could understand; much like the people who each heard the apostles speaking in their own tongues, which represents making the Gospel accessible to all sorts of personalities and types; not just breaching the language barrier.

A third reason, quite similar to the second, is that the religion of Islam catered to the very real needs of people who would have rejected a monogamous religion; and been quite unfairly damned thereby. On this account, the the Lord caused a religion which would cater to their specific cultures and sexualities to arise and thereby meet their needs:

"This religion would not have been adopted by so many countries, and would not have been able to eradicate their idolatries, unless it was conformable to their ideas. Especially not, had not polygamy been permitted; and this for the additional reason that, without that permission, orientals would have blazed up more than Europeans into foul adulteries and perished" (Conjugal Love 342).

We will now look into a little bit of the way in which the Lord wrote parts of the Quran in correspondences, the same as all of our Word was written. The easiest example, the difference between right and left, has been explained as to our Word in lecture 21 of this term's series. The Quran uses the exact same senses of right and left by distinguishing between "companions of the right", the good, and "companions of the left", the evil.

It should be noted first of all that the sheep and the goats in our Word are all religious people who knew the Word and claimed to live by it! The judgment was on religious people, and only they are thus described as sheep and goats; since the disbelievers pure and simple were already in Hell. It is the same with the wise and foolish virgins in our Word, for all of them had lamps -- were instructed in the Word -- with yet only half of them having used those lamps to become more loving people. 

Similarly, in the Quran the term "companions" on which the phrases "companions of the right" and "companions of the left" are based involves religious people, or people who have at least been instructed in the Quran; for the term comes from the phrase "companions of the Prophet". We are not just talking about good and evil people here in general, but specifically those with the appearance of religiosity; or with a background of sound instruction in the same, even if they have scoffed. 

As in our Word, the companions on the right are said to do good and charitable things; while the companions on the left are said to do evil and uncharitable things. One will provide a few examples to stand for them all:

"So those on the Right Hand (i.e. those who will be given their Records in their right hands), Who will be those on the Right Hand? (As a respect for them, because they will enter Paradise)" (Surah 56:8).

Please note here that the Records, or the judgments on the books of their lives, will here be given into their right hands; for this echos the language that our Writings give -- the quote one started with today -- of how this Book is "in their hands". That is, we are talking again of religious people, or people who have been sufficiently instructed to be held responsible. 

Here is more about the companions on the right:        

"28. And as for those on the right 

hand-how lucky are those on the 

right hand!

They will be amidst thornless

late-trees, 

And clustered bananas,

And extended shade,

And flowing water,

And abundant fruit,

Neither failing, nor forbidden,

And they will have noble

spouses

Verily, We have created them a

good creation, 

And made them virgins,

Loving, of equal age

With those on the right hand" (Surah 56:28-39).

Notice the reference to thornless trees, which if the correspondences of our Writings are applied yields that their perceptions will not be endarkened by spiritual falsehoods.

Also note the reference to creating them a good creation. This as in our Word does not refer just to their having been created at all! No, it refers to what we would call the new creature or new creation in Christ; it refers to the outcome of being born again and regenerated by God and thus a good creation worthy of being so-called. 

And we read of the companions of the left, on the other hand:

"But as for those on the left 

hand-how unlucky are those on 

the left hand!

They will be in the midst of

scorching winds and scalding 

water, 

And under the shadow of black

smoke, 

Neither cool nor of any good" (56:42-45).

We see a similar reference to scorching winds in the book of Jonah recently covered, and saw how it involved the falsehoods and evil which seduced those of the Jewish Church and caused them to be uninterested in genuinely spreading the Word to the Gentiles as far as they were able. We see reference here to scalding water, and the Quran will often reference such scalding water or boiling water in reference to Hell. If our correspondences are applied, then water as either truth or falsehood -- here falsehood -- makes the verse to mean quite sensibly that people who go to Hell will be endarkened by spiritual falsehood and excuses to sin forever; something underlined further by the "shadow of black smoke" which is not "of any good". 

[To be continued: There is simply so much material to address this matter even partially, so one will continue with it tomorrow, hopefully, and thereby do it more justice.]

Part 2

Yesterday we looked at how correspondences such as right, left, thorn, water, and fire, when applied to the verses of the Quran, enrich the reading thereof with additional spiritual meaning consonant with the passage as a whole. Today we will look at charity, non-ulterior love of God and the neighbor, in Islam; for if Christ has secretly created Islam and written the Quran, then there will be abundant references to charity and its absence.

Do these references exist? Absolutely. Here, for instance, we read:

"Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity: For He loveth not creatures ungrateful and wicked" (Al-Baqarah 2:276).

Now, the word generally translated as 'charity' in English comes from two specific Arabic words at which we will now look, being zakat and sadaqah. 

Zakat involves a contribution to the needy out of the surplus income after expenses of a Muslim exceeding a particular threshold of personal wealth. Importantly, this zakat is mandatory in their Book, but the actual rate -- though traditionally set at 2.5% -- has not been mentioned therein.

Sadaqah, in contrast to zakat, involves a voluntary contribution of any kind to the needy of various kinds, not just a monetary contribution but even the giving of smile or the removal of an obstacle from someone's life.

Both zakat and sadaqah have literal and spiritual implications. Literally, of course, people actually give tangible contributions. But spiritually these terms both more broadly imply the goodness of sincere, compassionate, and non-ulterior giving.

Now then, as to that verse from Al-Baqarah. It is highly significant that usury has been placed in contradistinction to charity. Usury in the literal sense has been banned in Islam; which results in the widespread use of what we would call interest-free loans and banking institutions. But usury in the spiritual sense involves the same kind of things in the Quran that it does in our Word.

For usury in the Word, like loving gifts and following after a reward, signifies expecting to receive something in return for the good that one does; whether to be seen as holy or to be thought giving or to gain some other selfish advantage. In other words, the Quran's contradistinction of cursed usury and fruitful charity really only makes maximum sense once you apply the correspondence of usury taught in our Writings; since plugging that meaning in yields the following paraphrase of the verse: Selfish motivations for doing good are cursed, but unselfish motivations for doing good are fruitful.

Notably, the verse translates specifically sadaqah as charity here. So we are dealing with a specifically voluntary contribution to some class of the needy. And this has been thus opposed to usury.

Can we see any evidence that this interpretation is correct? Yes! Look at this other verse in the same passage:

"Those who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah and do not follow their charity with reminders of their generosity or hurtful words—they will get their reward from their Lord, and there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve" (Al-Baqarah 2:262). 

Notice how the charity is not to be followed with "reminders of their generosity". Does this sound familiar? It should! Here are the Lord's words when He wrote our Word:

"6 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men" (Matthew 6:1-2).

Here it is again in the Quran:

"O believers! Do not waste your charity with reminders ˹of your generosity˺ or hurtful words, like those who donate their wealth just to show off and do not believe in Allah or the Last Day. Their example is that of a hard barren rock covered with a thin layer of soil hit by a strong rain—leaving it just a bare stone. Such people are unable to preserve the reward of their charity. Allah does not guide ˹such˺ disbelieving people" (Al Baqarah 2:264).

The implication we see here is of a hard heart that does not really want to give to other people except uncharitably and in order to be seen; for doing something merely to be seen is the essence of usury, riba, and the opposite of charity.

The Quran abounds in references to mercy, charity, and compassion, but time and energy are presently limited so we will jump right to the prophetic or charity life cycle of the Church which is the key you are taught here to understanding Biblical prophecy. One often uses the following verse to explain the way one Church dies as to charity and another is born as to charity, so first we will see it and then its Quranic equivalent:

"Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matthew 21:43).

This is why the kingdom was taken from the Jewish Church and given to the Christian Church; and why the kingdom was taken from the Christian Church and given to the New Church. Here is quintessentially the same teaching in the Quran:

"O believers! Whoever among you abandons their faith, Allah will replace them with others who love Him and are loved by Him. They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers, struggling in the Way of Allah; fearing no blame from anyone. This is the favour of Allah. He grants it to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing" (Al-Ma'idah 5:54).

At its end, the Jewish Church did not love God and did not acknowledge God in the flesh; so was therefore replaced. And when the Christian Church arrived at its end -- called 'the end of the world', world meaning Church -- it likewise did not love God as He really is and teaches and wants to be known and therefore rejected the spirit of truth who came to give us all truth in abundance.

We now arrive at one of the most difficult and fascinating parts of this lecture, and one which I hope you will understand and enjoy despite its short-comings: why in the world, if Christ secretly wrote the Quran, does it criticize the belief in Jesus as God? This is the difficult point, and boy did He make it a challenge. But the same God who wrote those verses also gave the words in them very pointed meanings.

This week, just in time for this lecture, one received the following insight about the verses mentioning Jesus in the Quran, and I am happy to share it with those who can receive it. These verses fall into two specific categories: one, verses which praise Jesus the Messiah, His life, and His teaching; and two, verses which criticize false beliefs about Jesus the Messiah. Not a single verse in the Quran merely rejects Jesus the Messiah or specifically condemns accepting the glorified Christ as equal to the Father. 

We will look into this, but for now what matters is to note something very important: the term Messiah that the Quran uses has never been satisfactorily explained in the Book itself as to either its full meaning or its full scope. 

That is, Muslims have actually been debating the meaning and scope of that term for over a thousand years.

Now, let me tell you something about the Lord: there is no sneakier being in existence, in the best sense of the word. He will give a religious group a verse and then, umpteen years later, come along and say: by the way, this is what it actually means. Here is an example: 

"35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?

36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly" (Mark 12:35-37).

Now, the scribes to whom He refers of course base their expectation that Christ will be the "son of David" on the passage in 2 Samuel where prophecy states:

"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom" (2 Samuel 7:12).

That is, the scribes expected that the messiah would be a descendent of David; without understanding that the being who would be called that descendent actually preceded him not just by a longshot but by eternity itself.

The same passage occurs in Matthew 22, and the response of His explanation of why Christ should not be called the son of David was... an abrupt end to their willingness to ask questions:

"And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions" (Matthew 22:46). 

Now, it just so happens that the Quran promises not just once but multiple times that at some future date -- being especially after people have died and arrived at their judgments, of course -- there will be an explanation from God about the differences between Christians, Jews and Muslims. Here is an example:

"For every community We appointed a code of life to follow. So do not let them dispute with you ˹O Prophet˺ in this matter. And invite ˹all˺ to your Lord, for you are truly on the Right Guidance.

But if they argue with you, then say, “Allah knows best what you do.”

Allah will judge between you ˹all˺ on Judgment Day regarding your differences" (Al Hajj 22:67-69).

In other words, God has promised Muslims that they, too get to have a special answer session where the Lord reduces them, too, to silence with the exact truth about why He established these particular differences which we call those three religions. He has not hidden this fact that not everything about those differences has been made clear and that further explanation will be necessary and will certainly occur!

It is a privilege to see an inkling of those explanations now, and I am sorry about the shortcomings of this presentation but glad if they afford you a sufficient stool to see above the forbidding wall; and to appreciate the intricate and marvelous workmanship of the Lord that we call world religions.

Now, then, one is running out of time but really needs to explain the verses about Jesus a bit more thoroughly. As stated, one class of verse praises Jesus the Messiah; while the second class of verse criticizes various false beliefs about Jesus the Messiah. The verses of praise are what they are, and one will not presently go into further detail; being content to have made the way the Lord has left Himself major wiggle room in not defining the term Messiah for Muslims...

But the second class requires more explanation. This second class of verse in the Quran about Jesus falls into three basic categories: criticism of calling Jesus as 1 of 3 persons God; criticism of calling Jesus the "son of Mary" God; and criticism of calling Jesus God's son. 

Every single critical verse about Jesus in the Quran targets a false belief about Jesus, such as that He is one of three persons or Lords; when the Lord never taught such a diabolical and idolatrous notion about His nature but ever taught the truth:

"Hear O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord" (Mark 12:29).

He stated this as part of the greatest commandment of the law, to love God. The Lord, too, wants to be known as He really is; it isn't just you or I who would be less than thrilled if referred to as Reginald or Carey if our name were actually Trent or Samantha. 

Therefore, all the verses critical of Jesus being God and one of three persons have nothing to do with denying the divinity of the Christ who has "gone to the Father", in our parlance, and thus is completely identical to Him.

Second, the Quran criticizes calling Jesus, the "son of Mary", God. This, too, is not a criticism of the risen Christ's divinity. The "son of Mary", which the Writings also criticize, is specifically the sinful human nature inherited from the human mother which the Lord put off or purified by means of agonizing temptations throughout the course of His life and culminating in the last temptation at the time of the crucifixion.

If someone calls the "son of Mary" God, they are not saying something innocent. It is tantamount to saying that fallen human nature, which had been put off by purifying temptation, was itself God! And that is both incorrect and blasphemy. Again, the Quran has not here said a word against the divinity of the risen Christ who has put off being the son of Mary and gone to the Father.

The third category of verses critical of calling Jesus God involves bluntly referring to Jesus as God's son. This might seem to be an airtight, incontrovertible criticism of Christianity around which obstacle we cannot go. But here, too, there is more than meets the eye...

You see, the "Son of God" means divine truth coming into the world and thus issuing from divine love, known as the Father. It has nothing to do with the omnipotent Creator having an omnipotent Creator child absurdly equal to Him yet separate from Him -- this goes back to the criticism of dividing God into three persons also expressed as "setting up partners to Allah" -- as though the Creator could have a litter of Creators as a cat has one of kittens. 

It is much like the way the Father has been depicted as giving the Son "all power in Heaven and earth". Is there any reality to omnipotence being given away to another and separate being? Absolutely not! It means that the Son IS that one omnipotent being; but veiled in a way that has been precisely calculated, with bits of that veil removed according to an insanely complicated thought process and revelation schedule.

This lecture has gone on to sufficient length, and I hope that it will give you people much food for thought and also a basis for having friendly and constructive dialogue with Muslims. For I want there to be a more positive evangelism and a friendlier interfaith dialogue. It is my earnest desire that you will personally inquire into the reasons for the differences between Christians and Muslims when you arrive in the spiritual world; and it has been a privilege to give you even an imperfect contribution towards understanding these matters even in this life. 

There will likely be difficult events in the years ahead, and it is important for believers not to add to the distress and the suffering which the collision of different religions will occasion in places like Europe. It is likewise my earnest desire that this teaching will be useful during the almost inevitable crossroads ahead when so many will be tempted to hate and to do terrible things; because of religious differences, and because of the collision of worlds which have hitherto been kept separate.

One final point: the Writings sometimes say that Muslims accept Christ as the Son of God and another name for God. It is important to note that the Writings appear exclusively to relate conversations with Muslims who have already died; and thus have already received or were receiving the explanation about Christianity vs Islam... Not once do our Writings say that Muslims definitely still in their material bodies have accepted the oneness of Christ and God. This is how it all clicks into place. 

May you come to see the wonderful architecture of Jesus Christ's world religions and admire the beautiful work upon them by our Creator. Amen!

Appendix: Other Religions

If a religion is real, then it will instruct the people who follow it in becoming worthy to eat the bread and drink the wine; even if the externals do not appear like this, yet will it be so. For every real religion will instruct people with theory and practice, readying them for true love and true ideation concerning love.

So it is in the Tripitaka that the Brahmin Sonadanda visits Buddha and is asked to enumerate the various qualities which distinguish the Brahmin. The Brahmin gave quite a list, and then the Buddha slowly but surely whittled him down from nonessentials to two qualities: uprightness and wisdom.

This account is to be found in the Tripitaka, specifically the Sonadanda Sutta. 

So you see, there will certainly be preparation for Heaven in any real religion, and the fact that it appears not to believe in God does not prevent the Lord from acting within it and preparing them. The blind man may not see the man who gives him food and drink but accepts them gratefully; and then perhaps, at some point, the blind man receives sight.

It is thus an integral part of Buddhism to undergo temptation by Mara, for there must be cleansing to receive compassion and cleansing to receive doctrine. Otherwise, how can the bread and wine be received? There will always be this aspect in a real religion orchestrated by God too.

Meanwhile, there is much material in other religions, and they all have an ideal of unselfish love and service in some form or another. I will not go further, but I do want to share an extract from the holy book of the Sikhs, the beautifully poetic Guru Granth Sahib:

"The Praanic wind, water and fire sing; the Righteous Judge of Dharma sings at Your Door."

Sound familiar? "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me"...

We will not threaten others with Hell but enrich them with meanings they never knew the Lord had put there. And He will handle the rest.