Re: why I am not a Muslim

Paul Arveson (arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil)
Mon, 25 Mar 96 10:17:10 EST

In message <ed4_9603231221@telcom.lfa.com> Fred Phelps writes:
>
> There has been some discussion as to the extent to which we choose our
> beliefs based on evidence vs. experience. One comment was "Why do we
> discard the Quran?" This isn't rigorously documented as I am sitting
> here with a broken leg, unalbe to get to the bookcase without great
> effort.
>
> First of all, I do not discard it. Probably many of the relatively
> few historical statements it makes are accurate. Even the theology is
> perhaps 80% acceptable. But there are reasons I am not a Muslim.
>
>
> P.S. The book of Mormon is even easier to reject. I lived in Utah
> seven
> years. Mormons usually accept their faith based on a "burning in the
> boosom." One day I was with some Mormon missionaries and my boosom did
> burn, but my head convinced me that a totally unhistorical book which
> claimed to be historical is unlikely to be true. Thus, historicity is
> important to me in choosing a belief.
>
>
----------------------------

Thanks, Fred, for this very practical list of arguments. I wish more
missionaries would get on this list and use it to share ideas. Perhaps someone
knows of other lists where missionaries congregate?

In a global perspective, the confrontation of Christianity with Islam is much
more significant than the fine points of Genesis. Significant for the Gospel's
sake, and for the number of people involved. In fact I wish there were an
on-line Continuing Education system where missionaries could get resources to
help them in their labors. I've said this before; I think that should be one of
the goals of ASA.

Paul Arveson, Research Physicist
73367.1236@compuserve.com arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil
(301) 227-3831 (W) (301) 227-1914 (FAX) (301) 816-9459 (H)
Code 724, NSWC, Bethesda, MD 20084