ok well i said this before to demonstrate a point, but there really is a Christ that few ever meet. There is an undeniable tension in Scripture that causes people, imo, to reveal their hearts. Are you really still trying to prove to me why all Muslims are lost?
When one gets that the legal parts of the NT really just redefine the moral ones, it becomes a lot easier to navigate Scripture, imo. For instance, any passage one might have an understanding of that does not seem to agree with "God is love" is likely being misunderstood, or taken too literally.
No doubt in your view God creates the countless billions of Muslims specifically to burn in hell forever, or recognize your authority--their choice--but see how you must then discount or ignore, or give ridiculous explanations for a lot of other Scripture. Of course they aren't ridiculous to you, as you have accepted them as truth now, but many new "believers" can associate/remember their disbelief/doubt at hearing what was at the time some new doctrine of their chosen sect.
Many just find another flavor, but many also just essentially compromise and stay; and it can be rightly said that anyone involved in a religion is compromised. I don't think this means "lost," as they are not dead yet, and even if we are not very merciful, God is.
The point being that
Forgive, and you will be forgiven, for instance, applies to everyone, and if this disagrees with your religion, then it is your religion that has given you the wrong impression, not the Bible. It appeals to our natures to believe that all Muslims are lost, in order that we--who after all have only the most tenuous, possibly even imaginary, grasp on "salvation"--might be more firmly "saved," in our own minds. This is the way that seems right to a man, that ends in death.
And this death will be reflected in this man's heart, and mouth. Condemnation and judgement will be the order of the day, along with other codependent behaviors, perfectionism, literal understanding, rigid thinking, close-mindedness, extreme clannishness, even membership seeking and other self-justification behaviors. Engaging with others in society seems to require or at least breed these, yet we are called to be in--tho not of--society; "the world," while "changing our minds," arguably on these behaviors.
You likely believe All Catholics are lost, too, right? So, since none of us knows any Muslims--most of us have surely yet to even meet one--i suggest that you might drive your point @ "Muslims" home by making your similar points with Catholics being lost, since we likely all know some Catholics, therefore we can remove this discussion from the realm of fantasy, where it currently resides in both our minds, and get real for a minute. Sound good?
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