Easter and the self sacrifice.

(If the topic is inappropriate the moderator may delete it)

In this easter holiday I don't know where to say something to the christians, do we say happy easter? But I have something in mind.

In the Qur'an we are told that The messiah was not killed or crucified but game was played in there. But here I only want to point what I see, the direction of the book's author of what is all about, aside of the differences with Islam.

In easter there is a message in it in this story. In the weirdness the
way this story narrated, it is the story that has brought you so far today. In defending this story people do and did kill. Person, families, tribes and nations suffered in defending the disputed stories, but in this story there is a message, the message of self sacrifice.

Islam is deen or way of life and it does not recognize religions. What muslim believe in it must act upon it, that is way of life or deen - otherwise it is a religion.

Christianity is not recognized as a religion but it's followers are encouraged to continue the transition to todays Islam or otherwise to act upon what you highly valued as something worthy to die for, beneficial to others.

The believe in death and the ressurection is an Islamic faith by itself, and easter is about death and ressurection. It is about self sacrifice to the valued belief. Such sacrifice is not wasted, there is no death but life continues in martyrdom, a shaheed.

Hopefully you find comfort in differences.

And call not those who are slain in the way of Allah "dead."
Nay, they are living, only ye perceive not. (2:154)

The term "Easter" is really being less and less used by Evangelical Christians, which are those Christians who are most interested in having their faith conform to Scripture.  More and more, Christians are using the term "Resurrection Day."

As far as "sacrifice" is concerned, it is true that Jesus is seen by Christians as offerring Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, shedding His blood for the remission of sin.  In the Old Testament, the Jews sacrificed lambs, goats, bullocks, etc., on the altar of the Temple daily for the forgiveness of sins committed.  These animal sacrifices were a shadow of, or a type of, the sacrifice of Christ.  The Book of Hebrews in the New Testament states that the blood of animals  could never take away sins - but only the Blood of Christ, which these animal sacrifices pointed to.

As far as Muslims denying that Christ died on the cross, might I point out that the execution was carried out by the Roman soldiers - the most disciplined army the world has ever known.  Believe me, if the Romans crucified you, they made sure it was YOU up on the cross, and they made sure you were DEAD when they took you down.  There was no final switch.  Christ was guarded by Roman solidiers from the time He was taken captive in the Garden right up to the time He was executed.  To attempt to refute this, not only goes against the many eyewitness accounts, but secular accounts as well.

DavidC wrote: Why not say happy Easter?  It doesn't imply that you believe anything is special about Easter, just that you want me to have a happy day. It's Ok for Christians to wish muslims Eid Mubarak - why not vice versa?

I have never heard a person say "happy easter" ever, no kidding. In writing like this maybe ok it sound appropriate, but I won't say this verbally until somebody out there start it and I hear it myself. As always the case some people at work are waiting for me to make a slip for their fun. I wait until they start.

Athanasius wrote: As far as Muslims denying that Christ died on the cross, might I point out that the execution was carried out by the Roman soldiers - the most disciplined army the world has ever known.  Believe me, if the Romans crucified you, they made sure it was YOU up on the cross, and they made sure you were DEAD when they took you down.  There was no final switch.  Christ was guarded by Roman solidiers from the time He was taken captive in the Garden right up to the time He was executed.  To attempt to refute this, not only goes against the many eyewitness accounts, but secular accounts as well.

Yes, a very execellent points.

And I have alway proclaimed that, if God had a imposter as muslims proclaim, then God is a liar.

This reminds me of a discussion I had once with another member about this, I guess i could pull it up from the old forum.