Did Abraham intend to sacrifice Isaac or Ishmael?
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Homepage:
Sent: 12.17 pm - 11/14
Name:
Sent: 10.26 am - 11/9
Dear Mr Sloan,
I just read your article on Abraham, Isaac & Ishmael. I also read the comments in the guestbook. It seems lots of people criticize what you wrote, but most of them are Christians and while they don't agree with you, they can't contradict you with anything else than their faith. So here's a hopefully unbiased opinion by a non-Christian.
Your article was interesting but I think there are some faults in your argument. I mean, it's true that there are many more Arabs than Jews, but Isaac is supposed to be not only the father of Jews but that of Christians as well. There are about 225 million Arabs and more than 2 billion Christians in the world.
You said "It is unlikely that a 113 year old man could climb a mountain, split wood, build an alter, tie up his son, and later kill a ram" but you accept the fact that a 90 year old woman can give birth to a child, even though that's much more unlikely. Now either you accept both or you refuse both, but underlining things that prove your point and mocking those which aren't is not a very persuasive way of expressing your opinion.
You wrote: 'God says "Take now your son, your only son, Isaac"' then you try to prove that God must have meant Ishmael for He spoke about an only son. Again, you accept the first half of what God said ("your only son") and you don't accept that God also said it is Isaac. You put much stress on those words "only son". If you really believe God spoke about an only son, because according to the Bible He said that, then why don't you believe it was Isaac, when it's clearly written in that passage? If you don't believe what the Bible says, then why do you believe God said that Abraham had only one son then?
It wasn't nice of you to refer to Isaac as a "closet gay". Name-calling usually comes when one is at a loss of reasonable arguments. It's like admitting you are wrong.
While not everything in the Bible is true, the same goes for all the "holy" books and mythologies. Anyway, after all, it doesn't matter whom Abraham wanted to sacrifice. We live in the 21st century, people shouldn't base today's decisions on things that happened thousands of years ago if they happened at all. Instead of pointing out the differences in the three Abrahamic religions, we should focus on the similarities to bring people closer to each other.
BTW if someone clicks on the guestbook link, it opens an adult site, please check it.
Regards,
Annie
Name: Michael
Sent: 2.10 am - 10/25
And, do I really need to point out that you are attempting to use logic to prove and disprove the veracity of two texts, belief in which is solely an article of faith? No one believes in the Holy Books because they are consistent with history. People spend their lives trying to make history consistent with the Holy Books! And, your choices as to what to believe or not believe are interesting. I mean, it's not believable that a man of 113 can walk up a mountain, but it is believable that his wife can give birth to a healthy baby at 90?!?!?
Name: Michael
Sent: 1.17 am - 10/25
It's amazing how alive this issue is for people all over the world. My belief is that these books were written by humans, whether or not divinely inspired. What is clear is that there is only one original source for the story of Abraham and the sacrifice of his son. That source is the Torah. It clearly, unambiguously identifies that son as Isaac, not Ishmael, who was sent away as an infant. Now, some 1500 years after that story is written, along comes Mohammed and decides, for the first time in history, to contest that story, and to make the son Ishmael. This is not mentioned anywhere in any text, religious or historical, until Mohammed decides to create a new religion. Good for him in creating a new religion, unifying the dispossessed Arabs, giving them unity, and empowering the flourishing of Arab culture over the next 7-800 years. However, in taking an already 1500 year old myth of the Jewish religion and substituting Ishmael for Isaac, he has done a disservice to us all, as now, a significant portion of the world's population think that the Jews have stolen their birthright. Was this built in hostility of Arabs towards Jews his intent? It has certainly worked that way. My question, as someone who does not believe that the holy books are any more the word of God than that which inspired Homer, Shakespeare, Rumi, Plato, or many others, is, why didn't Mohammed create his own mythology, rather than adapting and subverting the mythology of another culture? There would undoubtedly be a lot less resentment and killing between these ancient brothers.
City U.S.A.
Sent: 6.56 pm - 10/17
I think that you are very wrong Mr. Ismail or whatever your name is. I being only 14 am still young but I can still see that you're heading for disaster. you may be textbook smart but next time you go to contradict the Bible think it through, because one day we will all stand before God and when He asks you why you contradicted His word, His bread of life, what will your excuse be. God is perfect, He doesn't make mistakes, but you Mr. Ismael are mortal and are destined to sin and make mistakes.
Name: twan
City etten-leur,the netherlands
Sent: 10.16 am - 8/18
If Abraham have had any sense, he would have killed
them both and the world would have been a much better
place to live in.
Forget about god's and holy books,its the year 2004,
Name: mastertae
Sent: 8.04 pm - 8/16
I would have to disagree with your interpretation. His only son in a way could mean...his only son with his wife Sarah. Now you can't possibly say Ishmael must have been 13 at that time, because in all du respect their ages are not mentioned. Of course the Truth will one day be revealed to all the nations.
Name:
City Karachi.Pakistan
Sent: 9.49 pm - 8/2
Thanks. Very much informative for a Muslim. Please convey to Mr. Ismail Sloan that he can have complete information about Agakhanis History on web www.allaahuakbar.net
Name: Hi
City USA
Sent: 2.27 pm - 8/2
In the long run, does it really make a difference?
I'm just thinking, but maybe there was more of a symbolic, rather than literal, meaning when God promised to embiggen Abraham's family. I acknowledge the fact that I'm not an expert, and you probably already knew that, but the Bible is right on Plenty of things and I have not yet been given any reason to doubt that the Bible's author is God (through His people, of course), and God is not ever wrong.
Name:
Sent: 8.53 am - 6/16
Sorry if I´m being extremely rude and agressive but you deserve it and I can´t help myself!!!
You´ve got the right to your opinion and interpret whatever text the way you think it should.
I´ve got the right to say that your interpretation and analysis is one huge piece of b.s. and crap!
It´s another excuse for nazi anti-Jewish propaganda, distorting everything you find and read, justifying your racist attitude and behavior.
We Jews are no longer the punch-bags or door-mats you guys used to face!!!
You people can´t even manage or handle your own lives and beliefs and you want to manage and handle ours???
My suggestion: go find yourself something useful and constructive to do instead of "ratting" around to find something with which to try and harm us!!!
OK sonny boy???????
Number of entries: 95
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