EXTREMISTS, RADICALS & FANATICS
No matter what faith group they belong to, they are the same
an article by Mike Ghouse
No matter what faith group they belong to, they are the same
an article by Mike Ghouse
In any write-up on radicals, you can simply substitute a few names or leave them blank to be filled in by each religious radical group. All hues will fit right in.The Christian right in the US is exactly the same as the Indian right. Every now and then, I have discussions with some of them boys. They are indeed shunned by the silent majority as they do not represent the Christian and Hindu values respectively.I ran into a National corporate trainer a while ago, who consults and coaches companies on multi culturism, ethnicity etc. He didn't mince any words to tell me that the Hindus Jews and Muslims cannot be on par with the believers, as they don't believe in Jesus. Yet he claims he teaches equality of mankind. This prejudiced man probably sells it to the gullible out there.The Extremist Muslims want to annihilate every one who disagrees with them. The silent majority of Muslims is waking up now at the same pace as all others. We cannot take them extremists any more.The extremist Jews in their zeal to preserve their homeland, have bulldozed their silent majority. Zionist is the word used by non-Jewish to describe them - However, to Jews it means going back to Zion, their homeland, hence the word Zionist is not the same as extremist Jews.
The radical Hindus have no doubt terrorized all other Hindus with false propaganda to no end. The silent majority of Hindus are as chicken as Muslims, and thank God they are awake.By the way, the radicals in all religions behave the same way, shamelessly they are a part of the religion they claim to belong, and are they are the most vociferous of them all. Their formula is exactly the same.The real fight is not between the common people, it is between fanatics of one religion with the other. It is a crime that this one percent of fanatics rules at this time.The 1% of radicals offer an unshakeable fake confidence to the 99% shook-up followers, that makes the ordinary fellows want to be with them for elusory protection. They concoct the fear and dream up guileful camouflage. They frighten the existence out of everyone. But all the radicals would take the world to destruction, if we don't struggle with them and ebb their influence.
Muslim radicals like Osama, Ahmedinejad and several others frighten the Muslim crowds and gain their support.
Jewish radicals like Emerson, Pipes and several others frighten the Jewish crowds and gain their support
Christian extremists like Roberston, Falwell, Ashcroft and others frighten the Americans and gain their support.
Then you have the Hindu radicals like Venkkaiah, Joshi, Modi and several others who frighten the Hindu crowds and gain their support.
These radicals have to keep the fear as a constant factor for their own entertainment. If there is no war and no fear, their existence is meaningless. They have no qualms in manufacturing fear. God forbid we don't need another 911 and that legitimate fear breeds uncertainty and the radicals offer an unshakeable but foundationless certainty to have the silent majority look up to them. In reality they are the pied pipers.
WHAT IS COMMON BETWEEN ALL THE RADICALS?
INSECURITY
They are the most insecure individuals about themselves and their faiths. They feel some imaginable enemy is out to get them, and they have to destroy them at the root. Some become experts and as I watch the experts talk, I hear the phrase dime a dozen, make them more.LANGUAGE
One writing fits them all. Write one story about Muslim radicals, take the name of Muslims off and substitute with either Christian, Jewish or Hindu, the story is same.
ONE WAY COMMUNICATION
Radicals never read any thing intelligent, they are too eager to send their limited 50 words any time. Try sending them a blank email, they will respond even to that with the same 50 words in a different combination.
LOW COMPREHENSION
Many of the radicals (including radicals from your faith) have Doctorates and are very literate, but still do not have the ability to comprehend the difference between: Islamists and Islam; Hindutva and Hinduism ; Fanatic Jews (Zionist is not the word) and Judaism, Neo cons and Christianity. If you criticize about any one of these radicals, they will lift up the shield of their religion to gain support from the gullible. They need to know that they cannot use the religion as their shield. They are responsible for their ugly deeds and not their religion. Let them learn to own it up. Religion is never a problem, it is the individuals like the ones mentioned above who have created the chasm and the fear. As long as one exists, the others exist too.Religion is never a problem, it is the individuals like the ones mentioned above who have created the chasm and the fear. As long as one exists, the others exist too.
HOPE FOR MANKIND
We, the silent majority, have to just speak up. The radicals are like the classroom bullies who can be silenced by a few united voices. When you hear wrong things, just tell them that they are wrong. The good things about the majorities is that we do not fabricate lies and live an honest life.
Let me share two short stories to make the point.
Where I grew up, Monkeys ruled! They were every where and would walk to you and snatch things off your hands, usually near vegetable and fruit markets on the street side. They were big monkeys, no one dared challenging them except my brother in law, he would grab them and throw them, and they were afraid of him... I learned the life's biggest lesson then. When that Monkey is challenging you and you are challenging him - there is a tense pause for a few seconds that feel like eternity. In those few deadly moments - if you, even think of taking a step back, not really taking, but thinking or blink your eyelids... that Monkey reads the fear in you and is all over you. On the other hand if you stay firm and dare stare him... he will walk away. Humans are monkeys, when two bad guys do wrong - our silence and our fear will make them rule... just dare them, they will run. It has never failed me. Now, I apply that technique against bullies - I just have to say firmly no... and If I get two more to back me, they monkeys will run.
Now let me share its real application: - About January this year, we were invited to a house warming party, the blessing were done. Just before the dinner, people gathered in small groups. There is a young man who had presided the blessings and obviously a group poured over him. The stories of defeat and victory or conspiracy makes one very popular. The following story in variations has been confronted by me with Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups. All of us have a few real extremists and some shallow ones. No one needs to gloat on this story, as I have one on every group. I get around quite a lot.
The man told the story of a Synagogue for sale in Virginia some place... and the "JEWS' did not want to sell it for a mosque instead sold it to some business. They could not run the business as they did not get the permit to sell alcohol in that area and had not choice but to sell the place. We "GRABBED" the building and today it is a Mosque" His head was high up, I did not waste a second and said - That is wrong, there is no need for you to talk hatred and Mosque together, No Muslim is suppose to hate any one..... there was that deadly pause again which I have gotten used to. Finally after six or seven seconds, which appeared like eternity was broken by two guys, who jumped on that religious man. The man was honest enough to apologized and promised me never again, would he tell a story that captures base sentiments of people. Had one single Monkey said one word to stop me... the crowd would probably gone the other way. May God forgive me for underestimating the goodness in humans. But it went the other way. The man has not spoken hatred again, God bless him.
If you are watching the television and they show some one in bad-light and you happen to hate them, but you know the information is factually not correct - at that time if your kids express hate towards the group, as opposed to the individuals, as a parents you have a choice to gloat and let your kids also hate or have the guts to keep the child's heart pure. The decision is yours, the change begins with each one of us.
There are people who make it a business to promote hate against each other, as if that is their sustenance. Please stop them or ask them to provide proof, most likely they will back off. We have to stop people from promoting hatred and teaching hatred, at our own level, in our own groups.
Let's not count on some government or some central body to do it. Each one of can do it, we have to match our talk with our work.
Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net
The radical Hindus have no doubt terrorized all other Hindus with false propaganda to no end. The silent majority of Hindus are as chicken as Muslims, and thank God they are awake.By the way, the radicals in all religions behave the same way, shamelessly they are a part of the religion they claim to belong, and are they are the most vociferous of them all. Their formula is exactly the same.The real fight is not between the common people, it is between fanatics of one religion with the other. It is a crime that this one percent of fanatics rules at this time.The 1% of radicals offer an unshakeable fake confidence to the 99% shook-up followers, that makes the ordinary fellows want to be with them for elusory protection. They concoct the fear and dream up guileful camouflage. They frighten the existence out of everyone. But all the radicals would take the world to destruction, if we don't struggle with them and ebb their influence.
Muslim radicals like Osama, Ahmedinejad and several others frighten the Muslim crowds and gain their support.
Jewish radicals like Emerson, Pipes and several others frighten the Jewish crowds and gain their support
Christian extremists like Roberston, Falwell, Ashcroft and others frighten the Americans and gain their support.
Then you have the Hindu radicals like Venkkaiah, Joshi, Modi and several others who frighten the Hindu crowds and gain their support.
These radicals have to keep the fear as a constant factor for their own entertainment. If there is no war and no fear, their existence is meaningless. They have no qualms in manufacturing fear. God forbid we don't need another 911 and that legitimate fear breeds uncertainty and the radicals offer an unshakeable but foundationless certainty to have the silent majority look up to them. In reality they are the pied pipers.
WHAT IS COMMON BETWEEN ALL THE RADICALS?
INSECURITY
They are the most insecure individuals about themselves and their faiths. They feel some imaginable enemy is out to get them, and they have to destroy them at the root. Some become experts and as I watch the experts talk, I hear the phrase dime a dozen, make them more.LANGUAGE
One writing fits them all. Write one story about Muslim radicals, take the name of Muslims off and substitute with either Christian, Jewish or Hindu, the story is same.
ONE WAY COMMUNICATION
Radicals never read any thing intelligent, they are too eager to send their limited 50 words any time. Try sending them a blank email, they will respond even to that with the same 50 words in a different combination.
LOW COMPREHENSION
Many of the radicals (including radicals from your faith) have Doctorates and are very literate, but still do not have the ability to comprehend the difference between: Islamists and Islam; Hindutva and Hinduism ; Fanatic Jews (Zionist is not the word) and Judaism, Neo cons and Christianity. If you criticize about any one of these radicals, they will lift up the shield of their religion to gain support from the gullible. They need to know that they cannot use the religion as their shield. They are responsible for their ugly deeds and not their religion. Let them learn to own it up. Religion is never a problem, it is the individuals like the ones mentioned above who have created the chasm and the fear. As long as one exists, the others exist too.Religion is never a problem, it is the individuals like the ones mentioned above who have created the chasm and the fear. As long as one exists, the others exist too.
HOPE FOR MANKIND
We, the silent majority, have to just speak up. The radicals are like the classroom bullies who can be silenced by a few united voices. When you hear wrong things, just tell them that they are wrong. The good things about the majorities is that we do not fabricate lies and live an honest life.
Let me share two short stories to make the point.
Where I grew up, Monkeys ruled! They were every where and would walk to you and snatch things off your hands, usually near vegetable and fruit markets on the street side. They were big monkeys, no one dared challenging them except my brother in law, he would grab them and throw them, and they were afraid of him... I learned the life's biggest lesson then. When that Monkey is challenging you and you are challenging him - there is a tense pause for a few seconds that feel like eternity. In those few deadly moments - if you, even think of taking a step back, not really taking, but thinking or blink your eyelids... that Monkey reads the fear in you and is all over you. On the other hand if you stay firm and dare stare him... he will walk away. Humans are monkeys, when two bad guys do wrong - our silence and our fear will make them rule... just dare them, they will run. It has never failed me. Now, I apply that technique against bullies - I just have to say firmly no... and If I get two more to back me, they monkeys will run.
Now let me share its real application: - About January this year, we were invited to a house warming party, the blessing were done. Just before the dinner, people gathered in small groups. There is a young man who had presided the blessings and obviously a group poured over him. The stories of defeat and victory or conspiracy makes one very popular. The following story in variations has been confronted by me with Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups. All of us have a few real extremists and some shallow ones. No one needs to gloat on this story, as I have one on every group. I get around quite a lot.
The man told the story of a Synagogue for sale in Virginia some place... and the "JEWS' did not want to sell it for a mosque instead sold it to some business. They could not run the business as they did not get the permit to sell alcohol in that area and had not choice but to sell the place. We "GRABBED" the building and today it is a Mosque" His head was high up, I did not waste a second and said - That is wrong, there is no need for you to talk hatred and Mosque together, No Muslim is suppose to hate any one..... there was that deadly pause again which I have gotten used to. Finally after six or seven seconds, which appeared like eternity was broken by two guys, who jumped on that religious man. The man was honest enough to apologized and promised me never again, would he tell a story that captures base sentiments of people. Had one single Monkey said one word to stop me... the crowd would probably gone the other way. May God forgive me for underestimating the goodness in humans. But it went the other way. The man has not spoken hatred again, God bless him.
If you are watching the television and they show some one in bad-light and you happen to hate them, but you know the information is factually not correct - at that time if your kids express hate towards the group, as opposed to the individuals, as a parents you have a choice to gloat and let your kids also hate or have the guts to keep the child's heart pure. The decision is yours, the change begins with each one of us.
There are people who make it a business to promote hate against each other, as if that is their sustenance. Please stop them or ask them to provide proof, most likely they will back off. We have to stop people from promoting hatred and teaching hatred, at our own level, in our own groups.
Let's not count on some government or some central body to do it. Each one of can do it, we have to match our talk with our work.
Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net
directly taken from a message at muslim_youth_connection@yahoogroups.com
3 comments:
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IMAM BESAR AGUNG
Dalam Al-Quran maupun Hadis, Yesus disebut sebagai "Isa putera Maryam", Ia tidak pernah disebut sebagai "Putera Allah" karena hal itu dianggap sebagai penghujatan. Tetapi kenyataannya ada kontradiksi yang sangat serius bahkan bila umat Muslim menganggap Yesus sebagai seorang nabi karena Yesus sendiri pernah berkata bahwa "Ia adalah Allah" (Yohanes 10:30) dan "Ia adalah anak Allah" (Yohanes 10:36).
Hal ini membuat Yesus tidak layak menjadi nabi dalam hukum Islam sama seperti Yesus dianggap tidak layak oleh ahli-ahli Taurat pada zaman dahulu. Tetapi bagaimanapun juga dalam Hadis Ibnu Majah ada tertulis demikian:
"Tidak ada Imam Mahdi selain Isa putera Maryam." (Laa mahdia illa isabnu Maryama)
Dan dalam salah satu Hadis Abu Harirah ada tertulis sebagai berikut:
"Nabi Allah berkata, "Bagaimanakah keadaan kamu ketika Isa putera Maryam muncul ditengah-tengah kamu. Dan ia akan menjadi imam besar [Imam Mahdi] ditengah-tengah kamu (your imam from among yourselves)."
Umat Islam percaya bahwa sang Mesias [Imam Mahdi], yang menunjuk kepada Isa putera Maryam, adalah seorang Muslim yang akan menyebarkan agama Islam ke seluruh dunia. Berikut ini adalah nubuat lebih lanjut yang ada dalam kepercayaan umat Muslim:
"Isa putera Maryam adalah sang Mesias, dan mereka diberitahukan bahwa Mesias akan muncul ditengah-tengah mereka. Mesias ini akan disebut "imamu-kum min kum" [your imam from among yourselves] ................ dan ia [sang Mesias] akan menjadi Imam besar ditengah-tengah kamu, dimana kemudian umat Muslim akan dinaikkan kemuliaannya melalui kekuatannya."
Kemunculan Mesias ditengah-tengah mereka adalah kemunculan dari "mujaddid" (one who receives) "roh dan kekuatan" Mesias dan akan membunuh babi dan menghancurkan kayu salib [?].
Ini adalah nubuat yang sangat aneh sekali bahwa Yesus akan muncul untuk membunuh babi (Yahudi)dan menghancurkan kayu salib. Sama anehnya kalau ada nabi menyebut bangsa yg notabene ciptaanNya juga dengan sebutan "babi". Tapi setidaknya sekarang kita mengerti mengapa Osama Bin Laden begitu membenci Israel dan Amerika Serikat yang dipandang sebagai pusat dari kekuatan kayu salib. Dan mungkin umat Muslim berpikir kalau mereka dapat menguasai kota Yerusalem dan seluruh tanah Israel (Kanaan) maka kemuliaan umat Islam akan ditinggikan.
Padahal baru pada zaman Hitler kira-kira seratus tahun yang lalu, tepatnya pada tahun 1917, mufti Amin al-Husseini (1896-1972) pertama kali menunjuk Yerusalem sebagai "tempat suci agama Islam" yang ketiga.
Sebelum itu tempat suci umat Islam hanyalah kota Mekah dan Medinah di Saudi Arabia. Dan sejak saat itu umat Muslim mulai membangun mesjid yang bernama Al-Aqsa dan Dome of the Rock di kota Yerusalem. Sedangkan Bait Allah umat Yahudi yang dibangun oleh raja Salomo putera Daud sudah berada di Yerusalem sejak dari 3000 tahun yang lalu.
Dan disinilah letak permasalahannya mengapa Israel tidak akan pernah berdamai dengan Palestina sampai akhir zaman tiba (mereka telah mulai berperang sejak dari zaman Abraham 4000 tahun yang lalu).
Pada hari sekarang ini ketika umat Muslim berkata "bebaskanlah tanah Palestina", itu sebetulnya berarti "hancurkanlah seluruh bangsa Israel". Umat Muslim percaya bahwa umat Yahudi tidak mempunyai hak untuk hidup di dunia ini.
Semua konferensi-konferensi internasional tentang kedamaian tanah Palestina tidak ada gunanya sama sekali selain sebagai bayang-bayang kemunafikan dari kedua belah pihak karena akar permasalahannya yang sebenarnya adalah umat Muslim sangat ingin untuk menguasai kota Yerusalem dan seluruh tanah Kanaan.
Kedua bangsa ini adalah keturunan darah dari Abraham. Ismael dan Esau adalah nenek moyang dari bangsa-bangsa Arab, sedang Ishak dan Yakub adalah nenek moyang dari bangsa Israel. Karena itu kedua bangsa ini merasa mempunyai hak yang pasti atas seluruh tanah Kanaan (tanah Perjanjian).
Apa yang tidak disadari oleh kedua belah pihak, tanah Kanaan (tanah Perjanjian) hanyalah sebuah "symbol" dari kerajaan Allah. Ketika Yesus masih tergantung di atas kayu salib, symbol itu telah berakhir ketika secara ajaib "tirai yang tergantung di ruang maha kudus di dalam Bait Allah robek menjadi dua bagian" (Matius 27:51).
Tanah Kanaan dan kota Yerusalem disebut suci karena sebelumnya Allah berada di sana di dalam ruang maha suci, tetapi sekarang ruang maha suci itu telah terbuka lebar-lebar dan Allah tidak lagi bersemayam disana.
Pada hari sekarang ini kota Yerusalem dan tanah Kanaan tidak mempunyai kepentingan yang lebih besar daripada kota Damaskus, Roma, Paris atau kota-kota dan tempat-tempat lainnya.
Tanah Kanaan yang dimaksudkan Tuhan banyak mengandung "susu dan madu" adalah tanah Kanaan secara "rohani" bukan tanah secara fisik. Dan Bait Allah yang dimaksud Tuhan juga adalah Bait "rohani" yang terdiri dari "badan kumpulan orang-orang percaya" (body of believers) bukan Bait Allah secara fisik yang berada di kota Yerusalem.
Kitab Yohanes 2:19-21 menyatakan demikian:
"Jawab Yesus kepada mereka: "Rombak Bait Allah ini, dan dalam tiga hari Aku akan mendirikannya kembali." Lalu kata orang Yahudi kepada-Nya: "Empat puluh enam tahun orang mendirikan Bait Allah ini dan Engkau dapat membangunnya dalam tiga hari?" Tetapi yang dimaksudkan-Nya dengan Bait Allah ialah tubuh-Nya sendiri."
Dan kitab 1 Korintus 3:16 menambahkan demikian:
"Tidak tahukah kamu, bahwa kamu adalah bait Allah dan bahwa Roh Allah diam di dalam kamu?"
Sangat disayangkan sekali umat Muslim di seluruh dunia begitu mencintai "kekerasan", dan Al-Quran sangat-sangat menganjurkan untuk melakukan kekerasan untuk memuaskan Allah SWT. Nabi Daud yang hidup kira-kira 3000 tahun yang lalu, dibawah inpirasi dari Allah Roh Kudus berkata tentang keturunan Ismael dalam kitab Mazmur 120:5-7 demikian:
"Celakalah aku, karena harus tinggal sebagai orang asing di Mesekh, karena harus diam di antara kemah-kemah Kedar [bin Ismael]! Cukup lama aku tinggal bersama-sama dengan orang-orang yang membenci perdamaian. Aku ini suka perdamaian, tetapi apabila aku berbicara, maka mereka menghendaki perang."
Berbeda dengan kepercayaan Kristen dimana Yesus dalam Injil Perjanjian Baru sangat-sangat menekankan "cinta kasih", dan Ia tidak pernah membunuh satu orangpun. Satu-satunya nyawa yang ia kurbankan adalah nyawa-Nya sendiri.
Tetapi pengajaran tentang mengasihi sesama manusia ini adalah sangat asing bagi doktrin Islam. Kita mendapati bahwa --tidak ada satupun-- kata "cinta kasih" (love) ditemukan di dalam Al-Quran.
Sekarang kita bisa melihat bahwa ada jutaan umat Muslim yang "cinta kedamaian" sebetulnya tidak mempedulikan atau menghindari fakta bahwa ajaran Muhammad sangat dipenuhi dengan kekerasan. Hal yang sama juga terjadi kepada umat Kristen, ada jutaan orang yang mengaku sebagai Kristen tetapi tidak pernah membaca Alkitab secara serius. Hanya bedanya semakin banyak seseorang membaca Alkitab ia akan menjadi seseorang yang lebih mencintai kedamaian, tetapi semakin banyak seseorang membaca Al-Quran ia akan menjadi seseorang yang sangat menyukai kekerasan.
Doktrin keselamatan dalam Islam juga sangat-sangat bergantung kepada tugas-tugas yang harus dilakukan atau "injil pekerjaan" (sunat jasmani, puasa jasmani, memakai jilbab, tidak makan makanan jasmani tertentu, mengadakan kurban binatang jantan yang tidak bercacat, mencuci tangan dan kaki dengan air, sembahyang lima waktu, dan balas dendam atau jihad, dll.) Al-Quran mengajarkan bahwa umat Muslim bisa mendapatkan pengampunan atas dosa-dosanya kalau mereka melakukan jihad (Qs. Surah 3:195).
Sebaliknya, Alkitab mengajarkan pengampunan. Matius 5:44 menyatakan:
"Kasihilah musuhmu dan berdoalah bagi mereka yang menganiaya kamu."
Lukas 6:28 menyatakan:
"mintalah berkat bagi orang yang mengutuk kamu; berdoalah bagi orang yang mencaci kamu."
Matius 6:14 menyatakan:
"Karena jikalau kamu mengampuni kesalahan orang, Bapamu yang di sorga akan mengampuni kamu juga."
Dan 1 Yohanes 4:8 menyatakan:
"Barangsiapa tidak mengasihi, ia tidak mengenal Allah, sebab Allah adalah kasih."
Tentu saja hal ini tidak mudah untuk selalu diingat dan dijalankan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, tetapi itulah sebenarnya ajaran yang diajarkan oleh Yesus di dalam Injil Perjanjian Baru. Dan Alkitab mengajarkan bahwa keselamatan yang sejati adalah 100% "kasih karunia" dari Allah Yang Maha Kuasa (Injil Anugrah). Keselamatan bukan terjadi karena usaha/pekerjaan/perbuatan yang manusia dapat lakukan sendiri betapapun baik dan suci kelihatannya perbuatan tersebut dimata manusia.
Yesaya 84:6 menyatakan bahwa kesalehan kita sendiri adalah seperti "kain kotor" dimata Tuhan, disitu kita baca:
"Demikianlah kami sekalian seperti seorang najis dan segala kesalehan kami seperti kain kotor; kami sekalian menjadi layu seperti daun dan kami lenyap oleh kejahatan kami seperti daun dilenyapkan oleh angin."
Hanya karena "kasih karunia" (anugrah) Allah saja seseorang bisa mengenal Yesus Kristus dan diselamatkan. Karena hanya iman Kristus-lah yang dapat menyelamatkan umat manusia, sedang iman manusia itu sendiri tidak dapat menyelamatkannya dari murka Allah yang akan datang. Yohanes 6:29 (versi KJV) menyatakan:
"Inilah pekerjaan Allah, yaitu kamu percaya kepada Dia yang telah diutus Allah [yaitu Kristus]."
Efesus 2:8-9 menyatakan:
"Sebab karena kasih karunia [anugrah] kamu diselamatkan oleh iman [Kristus]; itu bukan hasil usahamu, tetapi pemberian Allah, itu bukan hasil pekerjaanmu: jangan ada orang yang memegahkan diri."
Dan Titus 3:5 menjelaskan bahwa perbuatan baik kita sendiri (manusia) tidak pernah menjadi penyebab dari keselamatan:
"pada waktu itu Dia telah menyelamatkan kita, bukan karena perbuatan baik yang telah kita lakukan, tetapi karena rahmat-Nya [anugrah] oleh permandian kelahiran kembali dan oleh pembaharuan yang dikerjakan oleh Roh Kudus,"
Yesus Kristus adalah Anak Domba yang tidak bercacat yang disediakan Allah sekali dan selama-lamanya untuk pengampunan dosa-dosa umat-Nya. Ingatlah bahwa Yesus disalib tepat pada hari raya Paskah Perjanjian Lama (passover) dimana pada masa-masa itu umat Israel merayakannya dengan menyembelih jutaan "Anak Domba Paskah" jantan yang tidak bercacat untuk mengingat kebebasan yang mereka terima dari Tuhan terhadap perbudakan [dosa] di tanah Mesir (Keluaran 12).
Dalam kata lain Allah bekerja dengan ketepatan waktu yang sangat sempurna mengingat Yesus sebetulnya adalah "Anak Domba Paskah yang disembelih sejak sebelum dunia dijadikan" (Wahyu 13:8). Itulah sebabnya di Yohanes 14:6 kita baca:
"Kata Yesus kepadanya: "Akulah JALAN dan KEBENARAN dan HIDUP. Tidak ada seorangpun yang datang kepada Bapa, kalau tidak melalui Aku."
Sedangkan sebelum wafat Muhammad berdoa:
"Wahai Tuhan! Ampunilah saya! Kasihanilah saya dan hubungkanlah saya dengan Teman Yang Maha Tinggi" (Hadits Shahih Bukhari 1573)
Ada perbedaan yang cukup kontras diantara dua individu ini. Muhammad terlihat tidak yakin kalau ia akan masuk ke dalam Surga, tetapi Yesus berkata bahwa Ia adalah "satu-satunya" jalan menuju Surga Allah yang suci.
Semoga Allah pencipta semesta alam membuka hatimu kepada terang-Nya yang abadi.
Tuhan memberkati,
Setiawan
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Waduh! maling teriak maling nih
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