Guidance to The Truth

November 27, 2004

I know that my article is not related to this group ,but it might be

useful. PLEASE read it.

==============================

Guidance to The Truth

Aöbdul Haqq (DTF WONG, China

WHO I AM

My name is Abdul Haqq (formerly known as D T F Wong). I am of Chinese

origin and was born in Brunei Darussalam (which has a predominantly Muslim

population). I am 36 years old and male. I left Brunei Darusalam in 1977 to

further my education in UK and am now settled in London, UK. My education

has mainly been at a missionary school (from kindergarten) related to the

church and later for nearly 2 years at a Christian independent school in UK

before entering College

..

WHAT I WAS BEFORE

I was born into a Christian (Protestant/Anglican) family who were (and

still is) actively involved in the Church. In a secular society, one could

add that I had also accepted and followed secular laws and customs. I

remained a Christian till I was 27.

WHAT I AM NOW

I am now a Muslim - have been for nearly 9 years since I left Christianity.

WHY I CHOSE ISLAM

According to Islam, guidance is of two kinds: a) Guidance of Taufiq i.e.

totally from Allah, i.e. Allah opens one's heart to receive the truth (from

disbelief to Belief in Islamic Monotheism). Guidance of Irshaad i.e.

through preaching by Allah's Messengers and pious preachers who preach the

truth, i.e. Islamic Monotheism.

In my case, the guidance from God is guidance of Taufiq. I say this because

I was actively seeking the truth and was hardly preached by Muslims. When I

was 23 (and in my last year in college), I became God-conscious in a way I

was never really taught in Christianity. I looked out of my window and

observed the signs of creation (e.g. sky, trees, people, etc.) and

developed a strong belief in the existence of God. I was studying

Architecture (in College) and for me - when I look at buildings I know that

someone designed and built it. Same with the creation - the alternation of

night and day, the bodily functions, etc. led me to believe strongly that

there was a Creator. Christianity tend to push forward the concept Trinity

which many can't explain and many accept to satisfy their spiritual

instinct. I had no problems with Christianity at this point. However this

new God-consciousness stayed with me. The way the Trinity was being 'pushed

to the masses' by the Church as well as Christians left this new

God-consciousness a personal experience for me.

I had never studied Islam even though I grew up in a predominantly Muslim

country. At that time in Brunei Darussalam, non-Muslims were exempt from

Islamic Education. One day I was passing by a Muslim book shop and decided

to enter (without any idea what I was looking for). I came across the

Qur'an and decided to buy it. As any Muslim will tell you, the Qur'an

instructs (time and time again) all mankind to observe the signs of

creation around and affirm their belief in the Creator. This matched with

the way that I had developed my new God-consciousness and I decided that

there was truth in the Qur'an and Islam.

The Qur'an also led me to question the authenticity of the Bible and the

Trinity for the first time. I began searching and reading books questioning

the authenticity of the Bible and the Trinity. Many Christians answer

difficult questions on issues like the trinity with 'God can do anything'.

I couldn't fault Islam and the knowledge I was gaining had a profound

impact on me more so than Christianity. I was slowly deciding to switch to

Islam. Islam had a simple purity that anyone would appreciate – i.e.

without the complexity of issues such as the Trinity. Islam allowed mankind

to have an intellectual conviction on fundamental matters of belief. It

didn't leave the spiritual instinct in man to be satisfied by an emotional

conviction such as one would say of idol-worshipping.

The decision to become Muslim was personal. When I told my parents that I

had done so, my mother asked two of my uncles (who were in priesthood) to

communicate with me - trying to convince me that Christianity was right.

They failed and decided that I was not dragged into a cult and that I had

made an informed decision - so they left me to continue as a Muslim.

As I continue learning and increasing my knowledge of the deen (religion)

of Islam my faith in God increased. I became more aware of Christianity's

lack of guidance for mankind. Church services was man-made, Christian

festivals/celebrations was man-made, arguments as to whether to accept

homosexuality in Christianity or Christians at war, etc. Islam had guidance

for relationships between man/woman and God, between man/woman and

himself/herself, and man/woman with other men/women. Islam had guidance on

issues relating to economics, politics, education, social, legal/penal

systems, etc. In Islam there is guidance on how God wants us to pray, how

to conduct Friday prayers, what and how to celebrate, what is right and

wrong, what the penalties for crimes are, how to set up the state, what the

state should implement, how the ruler should rule, etc. Islam offered

guidance on establishing a society based on divine guidance.

Christianity placed heavy emphasis on faith/beliefs and seemed happy to

co-exist in a secular world. Islam had laws and guidance for individuals

and society. I believed this to be right - that the Creator would not leave

the Created to argue and make laws of their own. The Creator knows best for

the Creation. Anyone would follow instructions from the manufacturer to

make best use of the manufactured item. Islam is submission to the will of

God, our Creator. A Muslim is one who submits to the will of God, our

Creator. Society will only function well and in peace when we all submit to

the will of the Creator.

I could not be a Jew - Jews are a chosen people (descendants of Judah of

the tribe of Israel). Christianity I now see as a deviation from the real

teachings of Jesus - leading mankind from guidance from God to guidance of

man/woman. With a world dominated by man-made laws and the evident

injustices in society, the time is ripe for a return to laws from the

Creator - as Islam offers. I am convinced I made the right choice in

becoming Muslim.

==========================

For more information about Islam:

http://www.geocities.com/fares22uae/links.html

November 27, 2004

Hi Abdul! Geoff here.

You wrote in part:

" I had no problems with Christianity at this point. However this new

God-consciousness stayed with me. The way the Trinity was being 'pushed to

the masses' by the Church as well as Christians left this new

God-consciousness a personal experience for me.

I had never studied Islam even though I grew up in a predominantly Muslim

country. "

It is an unfortunate reality of the human condition that what we are raised

with we do not often bother to study, even to answer questions that may

arise. Then when something comes along that tickles our ears, or intrigues

our curiosity, we studiously, and often erroneously, chase after it having

already decided by default that the former must be wrong the latter right,

and seeking only to grasp straws which reinforce these preconceptions.

In your case, you speak of stumbling over the trinity. This reveals a lack

of basic Old Testament study, especially of Isaiah, and word exegesis (word

origins).

Word exegesis s/be a primer for all Biblical study, lest the text be

misunderstood and misinterpreted, as it so often is. If one does not

undertake such study, how is one to know the " Sea " are the goyim -- the

gentiles -- and the " land " are the chosen people, Israel (not just the tribe

of Judah)? Study of the Word s/not be left to listening to opinions,

lectures from a pulpit, or radio, or TV, but to actual reading of the source

material -- not commentaries and opinions.

By and large, Christians, like everyone else, tend to be lazy and take the

easy way. In the USA there are many " christians " but most are Biblically

illiterate. Thus, as you state, they retreat to 'God can do anything'.

While this is true, it is not the sort of answer you needed. Hard evidence

is more akin to your requirements and those of many people. Jesus dealt

with this lovingly when he invited to put his fingers in the hole of

his side. He did not rebuke , He recognized a real and God-wired need

in for hard, factual evidence. was not going to allow himself

to be deceived by his emotional desires.

Your statement of your uncles, " (who were in priesthood) " also speaks to

this dilemma. Priesthood is normally the envoy of Roman Catholicism,

although other denominations use the term also. Not to belabor the point

but suffice it to say, Catholicism does not have a history of encouraging

independent reading and study of God's word, nor do Priests in general.

Perhaps you may be well suited to do a bit more research on the founding of

Islam, referencing Allah (the moon deity) its worship in the tribal customs

of the Arabs amongst their 128 other deities; the manipulations to overcome

other tribes and inculcate them to the same worship as a form of loyality;

the background of Muhammed and his relationship with his wife; his belief

that his dreams and visits by " the angel of light " were of Satan and the

convincing of his wife they were from God, etc.

There is more to your new faith than the Qur'an, and outside sources can be

an aid before you deditate your heart, life and soul to obedience (that

being the more literal meaning if Muslim -- one who obeys) to the moon god

and set before you the unknowing inexactitude of the " balance scale " ,

Islam's recording angel on the right shoulder noting your good deeds and the

one on the left noting the bad -- all to be weighed before Allah in the

balance scale to determine if you enter heaven or hell with your only

exception being death in Jihad, which death exempts not only you from the

balance scale, but also your family. (This BTW, explains why families of

Muslim suicide bombers celebrate.)

Yes, perhaps a bit more unbiased serious study is in order for you, Abdul.

You may have built a bridge, but you have no clue how the concrete will act

in high wind, nor what the sheer shape at the leading edge of the prevailing

aerial current will do to it. Your bridge is a wing.

Geoff

soli Deo gloria

November 27, 2004

http://www.cassiopaea.org/cass/biblewho1.htm

Some might say that it is all just a tool to be used more or less

against us...

Either way it is way way way off topic.

Jeff

Geoff wrote:

>Hi Abdul! Geoff here.

>

>You wrote in part:

> " I had no problems with Christianity at this point. However this new

>God-consciousness stayed with me. The way the Trinity was being 'pushed to

>the masses' by the Church as well as Christians left this new

>God-consciousness a personal experience for me.

>

>I had never studied Islam even though I grew up in a predominantly Muslim

>country. "

>

>It is an unfortunate reality of the human condition that what we are raised

>with we do not often bother to study, even to answer questions that may

>arise. Then when something comes along that tickles our ears, or intrigues

>our curiosity, we studiously, and often erroneously, chase after it having

>already decided by default that the former must be wrong the latter right,

>and seeking only to grasp straws which reinforce these preconceptions.

>

>In your case, you speak of stumbling over the trinity. This reveals a lack

>of basic Old Testament study, especially of Isaiah, and word exegesis (word

>origins).

>

>Word exegesis s/be a primer for all Biblical study, lest the text be

>misunderstood and misinterpreted, as it so often is. If one does not

>undertake such study, how is one to know the " Sea " are the goyim -- the

>gentiles -- and the " land " are the chosen people, Israel (not just the tribe

>of Judah)? Study of the Word s/not be left to listening to opinions,

>lectures from a pulpit, or radio, or TV, but to actual reading of the source

>material -- not commentaries and opinions.

>

>By and large, Christians, like everyone else, tend to be lazy and take the

>easy way. In the USA there are many " christians " but most are Biblically

>illiterate. Thus, as you state, they retreat to 'God can do anything'.

>While this is true, it is not the sort of answer you needed. Hard evidence

>is more akin to your requirements and those of many people. Jesus dealt

>with this lovingly when he invited to put his fingers in the hole of

>his side. He did not rebuke , He recognized a real and God-wired need

>in for hard, factual evidence. was not going to allow himself

>to be deceived by his emotional desires.

>

>Your statement of your uncles, " (who were in priesthood) " also speaks to

>this dilemma. Priesthood is normally the envoy of Roman Catholicism,

>although other denominations use the term also. Not to belabor the point

>but suffice it to say, Catholicism does not have a history of encouraging

>independent reading and study of God's word, nor do Priests in general.

>

>Perhaps you may be well suited to do a bit more research on the founding of

>Islam, referencing Allah (the moon deity) its worship in the tribal customs

>of the Arabs amongst their 128 other deities; the manipulations to overcome

>other tribes and inculcate them to the same worship as a form of loyality;

>the background of Muhammed and his relationship with his wife; his belief

>that his dreams and visits by " the angel of light " were of Satan and the

>convincing of his wife they were from God, etc.

>

>There is more to your new faith than the Qur'an, and outside sources can be

>an aid before you deditate your heart, life and soul to obedience (that

>being the more literal meaning if Muslim -- one who obeys) to the moon god

>and set before you the unknowing inexactitude of the " balance scale " ,

>Islam's recording angel on the right shoulder noting your good deeds and the

>one on the left noting the bad -- all to be weighed before Allah in the

>balance scale to determine if you enter heaven or hell with your only

>exception being death in Jihad, which death exempts not only you from the

>balance scale, but also your family. (This BTW, explains why families of

>Muslim suicide bombers celebrate.)

>

>Yes, perhaps a bit more unbiased serious study is in order for you, Abdul.

>You may have built a bridge, but you have no clue how the concrete will act

>in high wind, nor what the sheer shape at the leading edge of the prevailing

>aerial current will do to it. Your bridge is a wing.

>

>Geoff

>

>soli Deo gloria

>

>To unsubscribe, email: rheumatic-unsubscribeegroups

>

November 27, 2004