“The Quran Calls Jesus The Truth” - Christian Apologist REVEALS What Muslims REFUSE To Admit

Key Concepts

• Scriptural Interpretation: Debates surrounding the interpretation of religious texts, specifically the Quran and the Bible, and the potential for misquotation or miscontextualization.
• Christian Denominations: Discussion of various Christian traditions, including the Assyrian Church of the East, Presbyterianism, and Independent Fundamental Baptist theology, highlighting differences in baptism and theological beliefs.
• Personal Testimony: The speaker's journey from a secular upbringing and struggles with self-esteem and body dysmorphia to a profound spiritual awakening and engagement with Christianity.
• Nation of Islam: Exploration of the Nation of Islam's theology, its leaders (Master Fard Muhammad, Elijah Muhammad, Louis Farrakhan), and its distinct beliefs from mainstream Islam.
• Comparison of Christianity and Islam: A detailed comparison of core tenets, particularly regarding the nature of Jesus Christ, his divinity, and his role in salvation, contrasting Christian beliefs with Islamic interpretations.
• The Quran and the Bible: Analysis of specific verses from both texts to support arguments about the identity of Jesus and the nature of God.
• Plagiarism Allegations: The speaker's argument that certain attributes of Allah in the Quran are "plagiarized" from Jesus's claims in the Gospel of John.

Personal Journey and Background

The speaker, Vincent Oshana, shares his personal story, beginning with his birth in Kuwait in 1972 and his move to Chicago in 1974. He was raised in an Assyrian Christian background, with parents who were part of the Assyrian Church of the East. He explains the historical context of the "Nestorian" label applied to the Assyrian church, clarifying it was a derogatory term stemming from accusations of teaching two persons in Christ, which he refutes, stating the church teaches Christ is one divine person.

He details his early exposure to Christianity, which was minimal from his parents. His introduction to the Gospel came at age six and a half from a nine-year-old Assyrian boy named Raymond Malco. Malco, influenced by his Baptist uncles, taught Oshana about Jesus and the sinner's prayer. Oshana recounts his emotional experience of accepting Jesus, even though he was young and struggled to articulate the prayer.

His teenage years were marked by hardship, including the death of his uncle and his father's departure, leading him to engage in destructive behaviors. He suffered from low self-esteem and body dysmorphia, which he believed bodybuilding could solve. He mentions his admiration for bodybuilders like Sergio Oliva and his son, and his inspiration from Bruce Lee, aspiring to be an Assyrian movie star. Despite achieving a muscular physique (around 220 pounds), he remained miserable and depressed, prompting him to consider God.

Encounter with Islam and the Nation of Islam

Oshana's interest in Islam was sparked by a security guard at a Chicago restaurant who repeatedly said, "Praise be to Almighty Allah." Unfamiliar with Islam, he inquired, leading to discussions about Minister Louis Farrakhan, Elijah Muhammad, and Master Fard Muhammad. He learned the guard was a member of the Nation of Islam.

He obtained a copy of the Quran (Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation) and was surprised to find mentions of biblical prophets and Jesus. He notes that Islam recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, born of the Virgin Mary, and that Mary is the only woman named in the Quran. He contrasts this with the Quran's limited mention of Muhammad by name (four times, potentially descriptive) and the need for external sources to understand its historical context.

He also discusses the Nation of Islam's theology, particularly the belief that Allah is a black man and Master Fard Muhammad appointed Elijah Muhammad as a prophet, which he states is not Islamic in the predominant Muslim sense. He was captivated by Malcolm X's story, particularly his journey to Mecca and his realization of "true Islam," which led Oshana to question if Islam could be a solution for him.

Re-engagement with Christianity and Theological Arguments

Despite his exploration of Islam, Oshana's prior Christian upbringing and the seeds planted by Raymond Malco led him back to the New Testament. He describes falling in love with Jesus again, finding his message awe-inspiring and "heavenly."

His central argument then shifts to the distinctiveness of Christianity and Islam, asserting they are not the same. He addresses the Islamic belief that the New Testament has been corrupted. He highlights Jesus's declaration in John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through me." Oshana argues that from an Islamic perspective, claiming to be "the truth" and "the life" elevates Jesus beyond a prophet, implying divinity, as these titles are reserved for Allah in Islam.

He then tackles the Quranic verse (61:6) which states that Jesus gave "good news of a messenger after me whose name will be Ahmed." Oshana contends that this "Ahmed" is interpreted by Muslims as Muhammad, and that this is presented as the "good news of Islam." He argues this is not the Jesus of history, who claimed divinity.

Oshana further presents an argument of "plagiarism," comparing verses from the Quran (Chapter 22:6-7) describing Allah as "the truth" (al-haqq), the giver of life, and the one who resurrects the dead, with Jesus's claims in the Gospel of John (Chapter 5:21, 25, 28-29). He asserts that Jesus made these claims 600 years before the Quran, suggesting that the Quran's descriptions of Allah are derived from Jesus's self-attributions. He concludes that Jesus claimed to be God, not just a prophet, and that the Jesus of history is not the prophet "Isaiam" who announced the coming of "Ahmed."

Conclusion

The speaker emphasizes that Christianity and Islam are fundamentally different religions. He reiterates that the Jesus of the New Testament, who claimed to be God, is distinct from the Jesus described in Islamic tradition. He concludes that facts are facts, and despite potential offense, the theological differences are significant.

Notable Quotes

• "Do not misquote my scripture." (Attributed to the speaker in response to a misinterpretation of Revelation 14.)
• "Jesus makes even the toughest of men cry like babies because he's infinitely beautiful and we are infinitely less and filthy." (Describing the emotional impact of Jesus's message.)
• "The Jesus of history is not a Muslim prophet. His name is not Isaiam. He did not announce the coming of Ahmed because the Quran says in chapter 61:6 that the good news of Jesus is that he announced the coming of a messenger after him named Ahmed." (Central argument regarding the identity of Jesus.)
• "So who's plagiarizing whom? It's not Jesus plagiarizing Allah." (Regarding the comparison of Quranic and Gospel of John verses.)
• "Clearly Jesus claimed to be God. Because the things Jesus says is ascribed to the Islamic deity, not to a prophet." (Conclusion drawn from scriptural comparison.)
• "As Christians, we never seen Jesus face to face, but we believe. That's what having true faith is. Trusting when we can't see." (From the promotional segment for his merchandise.)