JESUS - HIS STATUS
DEBATE ON TV
At the end of the debate - "Christianity and Islam" - which appeared on
the SABC-TV programme "CROSS QUESTIONS" on Sunday 5th June
19831, the Chairman, Mr Bill Chalmers commented:
"I think it can be said from this discussion that there is, at present,
somewhat more accommodation on the Islamic side for the founder
of Christianity than there is on the Christian side for the founder of
Islam. What the significance of that is, we leave it to you, the viewer,
to determine, but I do think you will agree that it is a good thing that
we are talking together." "BILL" as he is popularly addressed, without any
formalities, on all his programmes, by all his panelists, is extremely
charming and stupendous in his humility. He is a picture of what the Holy
Quran portrays of a good Christian:
Were the Muslims on the panel, trying to placate the viewers out of policy,
deceit or diplomacy? Nothing of the kind! They were only articulating what
God Almighty had commanded them to say in the Holy Quran. As Muslims
they had no choice. They had said in so many words -"WE MUSLIMS
BELIEVE, THAT JESUS WAS ONE OF THE MIGHTIEST MESSENGERS OF GOD,
THAT HE WAS THE CHRIST, THAT HE WAS BORN MIRACULOUSLY -
WITHOUT ANY MALE INTERVENTION (which many modern-day Christians do
not believe today), THAT HE GAVE LIFE TO THE DEAD BY GOD'S
PERMISSION, AND THAT HE HEALED THOSE BORN BLIND AND THE LEPERS
BY GOD'S PERMISSION. IN FACT NO MUSLIM IS A MUSLIM IF HE DOES NOT
BELIEVE IN JESUS!
PLEASANT SURPRISE
Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have been
pleasantly, but sceptically, surprised. They might have not believed their
ears. They must have surmised that the Muslims were playing to the gallery
- that they were trying to curry favour with their fellow Christian
countrymen; that if the Muslims would say a few good words about Jesus,
then in reciprocation the Christians might say a few good words about
Muhummed (May the Peace and the Blessings of God be upon all His
righteous servants - Moses, Jesus, Muhummed etc); that I scratch your back
and you scratch my back - which would be a sham or hypocrisy.
HATE CULTIVATED
We cannot blame the Christians for their scepticism. They have been so
programmed for centuries. They were trained to think the worst of the man
Muhummed (pbuh) and his religion. How aptly did Thomas Carlyle say about
his Christian brethren over a hundred and fifty years ago - "THE LIES WHICH
WELL MEANING ZEAL HAS HEAPED ROUND THIS MAN (Muhummed) ARE
DISGRACEFUL TO OURSELVES ONLY." We Muslims are partly responsible for
this staggering ignorance of the 1,200,000,000 Christians of the world. We
have not done anything substantial to remove the cobwebs.
OCEAN OF CHRISTIANITY
South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts the highest
percentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then the Republic of South
Africa would also be entitled to boast the highest percentage of Christians. In
this ocean of Christianity - the R.S.A. - the Muslim is barely 2% of the total
population. We are a voteless minority - numerically, we count for nothing;
politically, we count for nothing; and economically, one white man, as
Oppenheimer, could buy out the whole lot of us, lock, stock and barrel.
So if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no! We must
proclaim our Master's Will; we must declare the Truth, whether we liked it or
not. In the words of Jesus (pbuh): "Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall
set you free" - (John 8:32).
PLEASANT SURPRISE
Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have been
pleasantly, but sceptically, surprised. They might have not believed their
ears. They must have surmised that the Muslims were playing to the gallery
- that they were trying to curry favour with their fellow Christian
countrymen; that if the Muslims would say a few good words about Jesus,
then in reciprocation the Christians might say a few good words about
Muhummed (May the Peace and the Blessings of God be upon all His
righteous servants - Moses, Jesus, Muhummed etc); that I scratch your back
and you scratch my back - which would be a sham or hypocrisy.
HATE CULTIVATED
We cannot blame the Christians for their scepticism. They have been so
programmed for centuries. They were trained to think the worst of the man
Muhummed (pbuh) and his religion. How aptly did Thomas Carlyle say about
his Christian brethren over a hundred and fifty years ago - "THE LIES WHICH
WELL MEANING ZEAL HAS HEAPED ROUND THIS MAN (Muhummed) ARE
DISGRACEFUL TO OURSELVES ONLY." We Muslims are partly responsible for
this staggering ignorance of the 1,200,000,000 Christians of the world. We
have not done anything substantial to remove the cobwebs.
OCEAN OF CHRISTIANITY
South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts the highest
percentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then the Republic of South
Africa would also be entitled to boast the highest percentage of Christians. In
this ocean of Christianity - the R.S.A. - the Muslim is barely 2% of the total
population. We are a voteless minority - numerically, we count for nothing;
politically, we count for nothing; and economically, one white man, as
Oppenheimer, could buy out the whole lot of us, lock, stock and barrel.
So if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no! We must
proclaim our Master's Will; we must declare the Truth, whether we liked it or
not. In the words of Jesus (pbuh): "Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall
set you free" - (John 8:32).
