Sunday, April 12, 2009

Good Friday: A Reply to Zaatari

Sami Zaatari, not one to miss an opportunity, or keep his foot out of his mouth, took a pot shot the other day on what many Christians celebrate as Good Friday, the day that Christ, the Good Shepherd, is widely believed to have laid down His life for His sheep. According to Sami, there is nothing good about this scenario, and the view of many Muslims that Jesus was simply taken up to heaven, allowing one of his disciples to be crucified in his place, and leaving the rest of the disciples behind to fend for themselves, is far better. Christ's words expose Sami's reasoning for what it is:

"11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep." (John 10)

Sami's article teaches us an important lesson: Christianity is a religion of the Good Shepherd; Islam is a religion of the "Good" Hireling.

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