The question is often asked of Christians: What would Jesus do? This is often in hypothetical situations. It is often used frivolously, even in advertising. For example, this image (right) was used in a discussion on health insurance in the USA.
But often times this question is posed to trip up the believer with some difficult, or apparently difficult situation. Jesus himself was presented with many difficult problems by those who tried to trap him during His earthly ministry.
One such situation is the case of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to him who was caught in the very act of adultery. (I don’t know why they didn’t bring the man also.) They challenged Jesus with:
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. (John 8:5,6)
Jesus knowing their hearts, he could see their sin, said:
… He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. (John 8:7)
And at that they all eventually left without throwing a single stone. Jesus forgave the woman’s sin as she was clearly repentant and He said to her:
Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:11)
And by the way, Christians do not go on a rampage and riot and murder in the name of God because someone frivolously uses His image, like is done with this image (top right).
But what would Muhammad do in that situation? Because he taught his followers to live and die by the law (no grace) he would condemn the woman to be stoned to death. This we read about almost daily now. One recent instance records a young Syrian woman, accused of adultery, sentenced to be stoned to death by the savages called Islamic State or ISIS. Her father even zealously helped carry out the death sentence. Earlier in 2014 the same group ISIS stoned to death two women. These are not isolated instances, just google it. But those Muslims were acting consistently with their faith, as found in the Qur’an, the Sunna and the Hadith. In relation to adultery their guidance is from the Hadith.
Even when a woman is raped she is often stoned or killed (honor killing) as she is blamed for the rape. She would need 4 male witnesses for her defense to be found innocent. Where is she going to find those? Islamic law is so stacked against women in this regards. There is no love and forgiveness like Jesus taught. Those ISIS militants are monsters who rape, torture and kill indiscriminately. All in the name of their god Allah. Thank goodness he is not my God, the God of love, the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, 1 John 4:8). Now I am not saying all Muslims act this way; thank God they don’t. But those who do are not extremists as they are often called, but they are acting in accordance with their leader’s teachings.
So the question remains: What would Muhammad do?
Reverend Mark Durie was interviewed on the ABC Radio National (Australian national radio station) to answer this question.
Dr Durie is Vicar of St Mary’s Anglican Church, Melbourne, a linguist, who has studied Islam extensively and a strong human rights campaigner. He discusses some of the fundamental differences between Muhammad and Jesus. The full audio and transcript is available from the website. Transcript available here.
Recommended Reading
- CANCER IN OUR SOCIETY
- CANCER IN OUR SOCIETY II: SEX IN ISLAM
- CANCER IN OUR SOCIETY III: LEBANONISATION OF FRANCE
- CANCER IN OUR SOCIETY IV: ISIS IS PRACTICING ISLAM
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