THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT
AND ORIGINAL SIN

C. So redemption of sin through the crucifixion is not Jesus' teaching?

M. This is the Doctrine of Atonement accepted by the Church three to four centuries after Jesus left the earth.  It contradicts the Bible itself as the following passages show: (Deuteronomy 24:16): "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin." (Jeremiah 31:30): "But every one shall die for his own iniquity…" (Ezekiel 18:20): "The soul that sinneth, it shall die.  The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." So Adam and Eve were responsible for their own sin, which had also been forgiven by Allah according to the Islamic version.

C. But these are in the Old Testament.

M. Read what Jesus himself said in Matthew 7:1 and 2.

C. “Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

M. Read I Corinthians 3:8.

C. "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one; and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor." But we believe in Original Sin!

M. Do you still want me to prove that children are born without sin? Read Matthew 19:14.

C. "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

M. So everybody is born without sin and all children belong to the kingdom of heaven.  Do you know that it was Paul who abolished the Mosaic law?  Read Acts 13:39.

C. "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

M. Let me ask a question.  Why do you believe in the resurrection if Paul himself, who never saw Jesus alive, admitted that this was his gospel.?

C. Where is it written?

M. Read 11 Timothy 2:8.

C. "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel." But why have we to believe that he was crucified and raised from the dead?

M. Yes, I do not know even.  Islam is based on reason and is a pure teaching of all Prophets of Allah not contaminated with paganism and superstition.

C. That is what I am looking for.

M. Why don't you consider the Shahadah (Witness) or Testimony, first in English, then in Arabic.  Let me help you pronounce it.

C. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah Who has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave servant and messenger.  Ashhadu an la.  Ilaha illal-Lahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu.  Has Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] then been prophesied in the Bible?

M. Yes, but it is not necessary for a Muslim to know it from the Bible.  As you have studied the Bible I would like to discuss it with you briefly next time.

N.B.: The rest of the discussion will be conducted between two Muslims: M and m.