The Virtual Abbey

UPDATE 2: Made a slight edit to my phrasing because my original wording was a little too uncharitable.

UPDATE: I have set up a category for arguments against Islam called Arguments Contra Islam. I will try to make here my case, as a Catholic, for why I believe Islam is false. For a Catholic, this a relatively simple logical proposition, as there is, in both religions, a core doctrine of teaching which is said to be infallible. Finding area where those doctrines disagree will naturally highlight areas where one of them must be false. The arguments assume that Catholicism is doctrinally correct in all of its pronouncements that are creedal, promulgated by an Ecumenical council, are made Ex Cathedra by the Pope (which is a very limited body of work), or come from the clear meaning of Scripture, also held to be infallible. In other words, the argument is made from a Catholic point of view, so they are theological arguments, not philosophical ones. Some people reject such arguments because they maintain you have to argue everything from first principles; e.g., prove that I exist or that you exist, prove that there is a God, etc. I would argue that you can spend your time arguing in that direction if you wish, but that we won't get very far in this lifetime unless we start by stating what we believe, and argue from there. My starting point is Catholicism (as, I certainly hope, is my ending point). I still expect that the arguments generated will still be of interest to those who do not accept Catholicism and may even be useful to a non-Catholic who is also not a Muslim, who is trying to reason against Islam. I expect the arguments will be useful because I am confident they are true whether you accept them or not. Naturally, I will invite commentary, criticism, and attempts at rebuttal.

The First Argument

Islam can be shown to be false because of Sura 3:59-3:60 of the Koran, which states:

[3:59] The example of Jesus, as far as GOD is concerned, is the same as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, "Be," and he was.

[3:60] This is the truth from your Lord; do not harbor any doubts.

The Nicene creed, of course, says otherwise:

Begotten, not made, one in being with the Father . . .

The Nicene Creed is infallible; it was promulgated by the ecumenical council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. To view Christ as being a mere creature is heresy, and therefore the Koran cannot have been dictated by an angel of God, as angels who are not fallen are incapable of speaking falsehood, participating, as they do, in the Beatific Vision.

If the Koran is false, then Islam is false.

Q.E.D.