Other Beliefs and Islam
Ever wonder how other religions feel about the Islamic religion? What follows is NOT the accepted view of many Protestant Christians (Christianity is a faith and not a religion), but for those who follow the view of the ancient Romans wherein all religions have some substance of truth; therefore, all beliefs should be incorporated into one belief just to be safely covered in case one cannot make up one's mind as to what constitutes true belief in God.
Pope Benedict XVI, while visiting Jordan, spoke of his respect for Islam and the Muslim people. The background for his reasoning in saying this is the Roman Catholic Church officially teaches that Muslims are "included in the plan of salvation" by virtue of their claim to "hold the faith of Abraham." In the Lumen Gentium, one of the major documents recently adopted at Vatican II, it is stated: "… the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohamedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind." The same language is basic to the current official catechism of the Catholic Church as well. Within the context of this document, its language clearly implies that Muslims are within the scope of God's salvation. While the Catholics teach that Islam is both erroneous on many accounts and incomplete in many more, it stresses that sincere Muslims can be included in Christ's salvation through their faithfulness to monotheism and Islam.
This should truly amaze many true Christians because the basic doctrine of Islam is that Jesus IS NOT the son of God because God could never lower Himself to such corrupt earthly standards as to become a simple man. God is God and above such nonsense and such teaching is the blasphemy of the infidel. For them, obedience is the path to heaven much like the Jewish teachings which ignores the deity of Jesus and nullifies His teachings that the only path to heaven is through Him. This thinking follows all those religions which cannot accept the simple formula for salvation set forth by Jesus: believe in Him and one will be saved. Religions believe salvation can only be earned through work and it could never be simply a gift from God. Obedience to the laws set forth by God as described in the first five books of the Bible is the only way because the other books added to it are corruption of these basic books put there by infidels. Many modern-day so-called Christian beliefs follow the same thinking: work must be done for salvation and following the law is work, ignoring the salvific purpose in Jesus. For the Pope and the Catholic Church to state Islam is acceptable to God for admittance to the kingdom of Heaven is admitting the ineffectiveness of the role of Jesus, the Son of God. Says a lot for the Catholics, no?