Key Person or Founder, Date, Location: Muhammad (570-632) is the final "seal" of many prophets sent by Allah (God). The Islamic calendar began in AD 622, when Muhammad fled Mecca. Main sects: Sunni, Shi'ite.

Key Writings: Qur'an (Koran) was revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. The biblical Law of Moses, Psalms of David, and Gospel of Jesus (the Injil) are accepted in the Qur'an. But Muslim scholars teach that Jews and Christians have corrupted these original revelations.

Who is God? God (Allah) is One. The greatest sin in Islam is shirk, or associating anything with God. Many Muslims think that Christians believe in three gods and are therefore guilty of shirk. Human attributes such as fatherhood cannot be associated with God.

Who is Jesus? Jesus (Isa in Arabic) is one of the most respected of over 124,000 prophets sent by Allah. Jesus was sinless, born of a virgin, and a great miracle worker, but not the Son of God. His virgin birth is like Adam's creation. Jesus is not God, and God is not Jesus. He was not crucified.

Who is the Holy Spirit? Allah has or is a spirit. Muslims reject the biblical concept of the Trinity.

How to Be Saved: Humans are basically good, but fallible and need guidance. The balance between good and bad deeds determines eternal destiny in paradise or hell. Allah's mercy may tip the balances to heaven, as his will is supreme.

What Happens After Death: Resurrection of bodies. Fear of eternal torment is a prevalent theme of the Qur'an. Paradise includes a garden populated with houris, maidens designed by Allah to provide sexual pleasures to righteous men.

Other Facts, Beliefs, or Practices: Followers are called Muslims. Go to mosque for prayers, sermons, counsel. Holy efforts to spread Islam (jihad). Five pillars of Islam:

• Confess that Allah is the one true God and that Muhammad is his prophet.


• Pray five times daily facing Mecca.


• Give alms (money).


• Fast during the month of Ramadan.


• Make pilgrimage to Mecca (once in a lifetime).

Hovind teaches that the catholic church had a hand in starting the muslims.

Hovind teaches that the catholic church had a hand in starting the muslims.
I've heard other people (teachers maybe?) or websites say that too. I will look for some free time to research that.

Hovind teaches that the catholic church had a hand in starting the muslims.
I've heard other people (teachers maybe?) or websites say that too. I will look for some free time to research that.

Jack Chick's website has info on this. [url:3bnl1ncb]www.chick.com/reading/comics/0117/theprophetindex.asp[/url] I had heard of this as well. Very interesting read.

I have never heard of that. I will have to look into that.

In regards to Islam: What is there about this religion that draws so many men? We live about a block from a mosque and every Friday there are about a hundred cars parked around it (they pray there from 1-2PM) and these cars are filled with men. In our Baptist church (I am speaking of my own particular church) we have a small congregation of about 35-40 people on Sunday, and only 5 are men. The rest are woman with the majority children. I don;t understand what appeals so to men in this religion.

First off, Quinkie, I want to thank you for joining the community. We're very excited to have you on board. Now to your point.

I have noticed the same trend in Baptist churches. It seems very evident that women are much more involved than men in our churches. That is a sad trend. I noticed that the population of the Independent Fundamental Baptist college that I attended was predominantly female as well. It was probably a 60%/40% split. Why is it? I don't really know. And I don't know what the drive is toward the Muslim community as well, but I have a few ideas. I am going to stew on this topic for a little while and revisit this topic tonight and post a few of my thoughts and observations. If you have any ideas, please share them with us as well. I look forward to learning from everyone and to sharing my thoughts with you.

In regards to Islam: What is there about this religion that draws so many men? We live about a block from a mosque and every Friday there are about a hundred cars parked around it (they pray there from 1-2PM) and these cars are filled with men. In our Baptist church (I am speaking of my own particular church) we have a small congregation of about 35-40 people on Sunday, and only 5 are men. The rest are woman with the majority children. I don;t understand what appeals so to men in this religion.
I would also like to thank you, Quinkie, for joining our community!

If I could take a wild guess from the facts of the religion as posted above, I'd say it's this...

What Happens After Death: Resurrection of bodies. Fear of eternal torment is a prevalent theme of the Qur'an. Paradise includes a garden populated with houris, maidens designed by Allah to provide sexual pleasures to righteous men.

I have spoken to "christians" that say "don't worry about Islam, there are over 2 billion Christians in the world and about 1.2 billion muslims. They try and use that to make themselves feel better about Islam. The only problem with that is the 2 billion Christians they are talking about are not all born-again Christians.

What percentage of the 1.2 billion Muslims do you believe are Real Muslims?

I think a high percentage.

What percentage of the 2 billion Christians do you believe are truly born-again Christians on there way to Heaven when they die.

That's going to be a low percentage.

What do y'all think?

I can only speak about the mosque that I live near. Every Friday the same amount of cars are parked in their lot and on our street and also the intersecting street. Now this may or may not be the same people, but it is the same amount of cars. As for our small church sometimes our lot is full, sometimes it is not, but we never have the same amount week after week as they seem to. I would say they have a high percentage of "practicing" muslims. I cannot say the same for our church having a high percentage of "practicing" baptists. If our people were as faithful as these muslins are, we would be averaging closer to 100 than the 35-40 that we do.