Christians, Jews, and Muslims

Why can’t we all get along?

Why the fuss?  Why can’t we all get along?  We all worship the same God.  We all are descendants of Abraham.  

Jews through Isaac.  Muslims through Ishmael.  Christians through Jesus.

Does it matter if God is called Yahweh? Allah? Or God?

Are Jews God’s “chosen people?”  

Are not ALL people children of God?  

Would an all-powerful, ALL-LOVING God choose one group over another?  Does that even make sense?

Are we not ALL God’s Chosen People not because God chose us, but because WE CHOSE GOD?

Jews follow Yahweh, Muslims follow Allah through Muhammud, and Christians follow God through Jesus.

IT’S THE SAME GOD!  Why can’t we respect each other and get along?

Is it because each group wants exclusivity to the all-powerful God?  To claim and harness God’s power FOR THEMSELVES?

If that’s what THEY want…

What does GOD want?

Each of the 3 religions that have descended from Abraham have loaded up their Holy Books with plenty of ammunition.  When the Tanakh, the Quran, and the Bible did not sufficiently establish superiority and justification for animosity, war, conquering, and elimination, additional Holy Books were added.  The Talmud,  The Hadith.  And the edicts of the “Church.”  

Hence, we end up with crusades, holy wars, holocaust(s), and downright hatred.  All in the name of “God,” a God that in all three religions is the SAME GOD.  

(Note:  We think of the Jewish Holy Book as the Torah.  The Torah refers to the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Old Testament.  The Tanakh contains the 39 books of the Old Testament although it combines some to end up with 24 books.  The (hated) Samaritans only accepted the Torah.  There are still a handful of people identifying as Samaritans today.  Their Holy Site is Mount Gerazim, not Jerusalem.  The relation with most Jews is now, basically, “who cares?”  Orthodox Jews still do not recognize them, but there are only about a 1000 of them, so not worth fussing over.  

Most Samaritans, however, have converted to Islam.  Interesting.   Is it possible that, as a group that only accepted Pentateuch, they could easily move away from the Isaac lineage and accept the Ishmael lineage? 

Possibly.  However, most of the Samaritans had intermarried with non-Jews (read Arabs) so they had moved further away from Judaism.  And by intermarriage they no longer contained enough bloodline to be considered Jewish.  Besides, in the eyes of the true Jewish believers, they “sold their birthright and practiced idolatry years ago.”  They left the club ages ago.  

In reality, many Samaritans faced “forced conversion” to Islam (1021 A.D.)  Jewish people considered it a just punishment for them turning their backs on “true Judaism.”

Additional Note:  Speaking of forced conversion, recall North Africa was once a Christian stronghold and very active in the Roman Catholic Church.  The Ummyad invasion of North Africa included forced conversion to Islam.  These people strongly identify with this religion today.  So it is not unusual to see Samaritans as firm Muslims today even though their original exposure to the religion was “forced” on them.  

Many are somewhat familiar with the Old Testament of the Bible, although most have no clue what 98% of the laws say, have no clue the violence that is not only described but is encouraged, even COMMANDED.  The Torah is similar to the Old Testament.  But most have no clue what it is in the Quran.  They just hear enough propaganda to think it contains but one message:  Kill all the Jews.  

As the three religions competed over the years, the message was changed.  Additional “holy books” were added.  For the Jews it was the Talmud (Mishnah) (500 A.D.) and the Midrash (400-1200 A.D.), and for the Muslims it was the Hadith (7th through 10th centuries).  Christianity has undergone revision and reinterpretation as well, from the Apostle Paul to the Council of Nicea to the plethora of ecumenical councils over the years.  

Despite years of study I admit I am not even close to well-versed in ANY of these texts.  That is not the point of this study.  These texts all need to be taken IN CONTEXT.  And we don’t always know the context.  Or the words may simply be an overreaction to an isolated event - perhaps an understandable reaction given our humanness.  Such a reaction as to the invasion of Muslim terrorists into Israel.  And likewise the reaction of Israel decimating Gaza.  A gut reaction of “kill them all.”  

So let’s look at what each of the three religions says about the others.  What stirs the pot.  What riles up the radicals.  What is used to justify the misunderstandings, the hatred, the violence, the wars.   

Is there any chance of us EVER getting along?

Are there any groups who benefit from the continued friction?  Can just a few destroy the peace for the rest of us?  Can the quest for religious domination ever be tempered?  Can nationalist prejudice ever be controlled? 

CAVEAT: Please understand these are not necessarily majority views of each religion.  There may be views of your own religion you have never heard of.  Very often these views are held by a minority of orthodox believers.  Recognize the power they can still generate to sway the masses when threatened or attacked.  The history of religious wars for centuries and centuries will attest to that.  

CHRISTIANITY 

Christians aren’t timid.  There is one way, and one way only, to salvation.  Jesus Christ.  You are a Christian or you are doomed.  Period.

That might be a sticking point with Jews and Muslims…

Oh sure, there are some who are not so hard line.  Like myself.  Then again, my Bible Study is held in the Public Library, not a church.   

One Way

"One way" in Christianity signifies the exclusive, singular path to salvation, reconciliation with God, and eternal life, centered solely on Jesus Christ. Based on John 14:6—"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"—it posits that Jesus is the unique savior, not one of many options.   ONE WAY and one way ONLY.

Key aspects of "One Way" in Christian theology include:

• Exclusivity: Jesus Christ is viewed as the only way to Heaven, not merely a way among many.
• Scriptural Foundation: Rooted in Jesus' own claims to be the "Way, Truth, and Life," this belief emphasizes that all things are made new through him.
• The "Narrow Gate": It emphasizes that there is only one path to salvation, often described as a narrow path or door that few find, contrasting with a broader, popular path.
• Salvation through Christ's Sacrifice: The belief maintains that Jesus' death and resurrection represent the only mechanism for forgiving human sin and providing eternal life. 

Therefore, "one way" refers to the conviction that Christianity is not just a path among many faiths, but the unique revelation of God and the only path to spiritual truth.

VS

The Way

In the Bible, "the Way" refers to the early Christian movement (before they were called Christians), representing a lifestyle, faith, and adherence to Jesus’ teachings. Rooted in the Old Testament's "way of the LORD," it signifies the path of salvation, truth, and obedience to God, often contrasting with the "hard way" or "easy way" of life. 

Biblical Meaning and Usage Examples

• The Early Church: In the Book of Acts, believers were known as followers of "the Way" (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 22:4, 24:22), indicating a distinct, active way of life.
• Jesus as "The Way": Jesus describes himself as "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), meaning he is the exclusive path to God.
• A New Path: Hebrews 10:19–20 refers to Jesus' sacrifice as the "new and living way" into God’s presence.
• The Path of Truth: 2 Peter 2:2 refers to Christianity as "the way of truth". 

Synonyms and Related Concepts

• Path/Road: The way of the LORD (Old Testament context, Psalms 103:7).
• Lifestyle/Conduct: A manner of living or behavior (Acts 19:9, 23).
• Truth/Doctrine: The way of truth (2 Peter 2:2).
• Method/Course: A chosen path, such as "the narrow way" (Matthew 7:14). 

This sounds an awful lot like you can earn your salvation by “good works.”  Salvation by Love the Lord, your God and Love your neighbor as yourself.

Of course this is disputed, not by Jesus, but by Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God —  not by works, so that no one can boast.

Adherents insist the term One Way signifies both belief in Jesus and the practical, daily application of his teachings, often emphasizing a journey or exodus from worldly ways.

For presenter notes on previous Bible Study Classes click the link below:

Christians, Jews, and Muslims - Why Can't We All Get Along

Page under construction

Return to Homepage