This doesnt mean that you you can't approach the info in an unbiased way ... being neutral is crucial in understanding others, doesn't mean you are giving up your beliefs ... it just means you understand more the other side.
Does this cut both ways? Can you say you don't put your own bias on the opinions you form..I fact isn't it a natural think to do. I would expect a Muslim first and foremost to regard their own scripture as truth. Why would it be wrong for me to have the same faith in mine? Maybe I misunderstand the point being made here.
well, if that makes sense to you ... but I would question why moses didnt fail in trusting God when he was told to deliver the message to the pharoah, when he was supposed to free his people not with an army but as one man, when he reached the red sea, when his poeple committed idolatry later on ... all that and where he failed is about striking a rock?? who is a prophet then, if he's someone who doesnt trust God? That would be some questions i'd ask ... not you?
Yes it makes sense, because this story also has an allegorical meaning later in the Bible. How can you say with any certainty that Moses never did have doubts as any mortal man would doubt? You think it is not an important attribute for a prophet to trust in God totally? God demands trust in those he chooses to serve in his name, but at the same time God also knows our weaknesses. God cannot ignore sin, any sin is an affront to God.
Let me ask you, do you revere and respect the opinions and wishes of your father? Do you accord the respect towards him as a loving son? I would guess that you would reply ...yes. Do you also accept that your father has at some point in his life sinned, I would say if he was human...you would say yes. But knowing that you can still love and respect your father the same and see past his shortcomings to the good man he is.
Same for Our God, he can see past our shortcomings yet still loves us. Like a father who punishes a wayward child out of love for that child and to teach it a lesson in the future, so Our God has to show his displeasure when we fail him. Any sin is an affront to Our Gods holiness.
Last point, why would Islam not have the "warts and all" like the bible stories of prophets? If anything, a christian would think that muslims would be more than happy to lower other prophets statuses. But also, why does the bible have all these immoral stories about pious people? would these prophets even pass the bible's test?/
The Christians I know would not believe any muslims would not hold the Bible prophets in the same regard as we do ourselves. Your Quran demand it of you. The Bible has these "immoral" stories because that's how it happened at the time. You may consider them immoral by today's standards but two thousand years ago maybe things were viewed differently. It also has to be said that these stories were usually shown as a lesson on how not to behave, that is by disobeying God or not having absolute faith in Gods ability to know what is best for us..his children. For example... Incest, today we all agree that it is wrong and no good can come of it, we look upon it as a sin. But it only became a sin when God decreed it so, before that God allowed it to propagate the human race, if we accept we all came from Adam and Eve there it stands to reason that there progeny would have had to had children. It goes someway to explain why Lots daughters did what they did, maybe they did not see their deed in the same sinful way as we do today.
"Whoever is an enemy to Jibrael (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (this Qur'ân) down to your heart by Allâh's Permission, confirming what came before it [i.e. the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] and guidance and glad tidings for the believers." 2:97
The Quran clarifies and corrects the previous scripture ... but you reject that test ... you dont want it any clearer
The Quran doesnt deny crucifixion ... rather it denies Jesus being crucified
What you quote.. CONFIRMING what came down before it...I looked at the Quran.com to compare different versions and yes apart from minor textual difference this is what it says. It does NOT say anything about clarifying or correcting the previous scriptures. When did this come about? I think long after Mohammed, because no where does Mohammed ever claim the previous scriptures were corrupt. Unless you can show me this.. So if the Quran is to do what it was sent to do..CONFIRM.. The previous scriptures then it has to at least keep in line with the central theme of those scriptures which is, Gods redemptive work for mankind's salvation through Yeshua. Instead it denies it ever happened, and the substitution theory can't be taken seriously because that would imply that Our God was a trickster and deceived mankind thousands of years by making them follow lies. It also so not address the reason for the necessity of any death on the cross.. Why crucify another to fool people into thinking Yeshua had died? Just because you can't believe a just God would send his son to die for others, or as you believe Isa to be a prophet? Yeshua told himself of the manner of his death and what it was to mean for mankind. You see the crucifixion as a cruel act against a good prophet. Christians see it as the greatest display of love from Our God to his creation, the supreme act of sacrifice out of love for another and the way to be reunited with Him in heaven, where He wishes us to be.
That's my take on it, makes perfect sense to me.
Peace and blessings. C