Fighting Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias is the tendency to cherry-pick data/information that supports one’s individual prejudices and goes on to dismiss away any other kind of evidence that seems contradictory to it! Confirmation bias is used a lot by special interest groups who want to retain a hold on their members’ gullible-type of mindset. Hence the idea of the ‘blind leading the blind’.
One can fight against confirmation bias by being open minded, well informed as well as being level-headed and logical. Truly, haste makes waste!
A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs (17:22)
Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit {of wrong-way thinking or even worse}? Luke (6:39)
One can plainly see this about many people who are in groups like the Flat-earthers, ‘born again’ Christians, Zionists, Taliban-type groups and other rightwing radicles as they manipulate various data points and turn relatable truths into a quagmire of faulty beliefs!
A good religious example concerning confirmation bias is the crucifixion topic. When an adult catches one of the neighbor’s kids staying out too late with their offspring, a parent might tell that child to go home now before his parents get angry and crucifies him. Here the term crucify does not refer to putting that child to death but rather that he will be strictly punished.
Notice that these writings on this website give vent to all of the Monotheistic Scriptures which show that there is a harmony amongst them with the last one of them being the most protected and trustworthy and therefore the most dependable!
Abu Huraira said: ‘The people said, “O ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh)! Who is the most honorable amongst the people (in ALLAH’s Sight)?” He said, “The most righteous amongst them.” They said, “We do not ask you, about this.” He said, “Then Joseph, ALLAH’s Prophet, the son of ALLAH’s Prophet, The son of ALLAH’s Prophet the son of ALLAH’s Khalil (i.e. Abraham).” They said, “We do not want to ask about this,” He said’ “Then you want to ask about the descent of the Arabs {going back to the time of Noah (pbh) from whence the Arab line was to develop}. Those who were the best in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance will be the best in Islam provided they comprehend the religious knowledge.” (Bukhari).
A quick look at some Scripture can give us a clue as to what is going on!
Are the following statements of Jesus (pbh), which has been decried by many theologians, a forgery or are they correct? According to Jesus (pbh):
Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things {that I have told you about as to the Future} take place (Matthew 24:34).
Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste {their final} death before they see the Son of Man coming in {to} his {future} kingdom.” (Matthew 16:28).
Truly I tell you, all these {dire} things will come upon this {current} generation (Matthew 23:36).
It is correct when one considers that ‘this generation’ like any peoples has its own ‘term of appointment’ or when they shall have no more chances to right their ship (soul) so to speak. Then comes (eventually) the raising up to face THE JUDGMENT! As the Glorious Quran points out:
To every people is a term appointed: when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor (an hour) can they advance (it in anticipation).
O you Children of Adam! Whenever there come to you Messengers from amongst you, rehearsing MY signs unto you, those who are righteous and mend (their lives), on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve {in the grave or the Last Day}.
But those who reject OUR SIGNS and treat them with arrogance, they are companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (forever) (Quran 7:34-36).
The term ‘a Term Appointed’ is the length of time a soul has to experience different facets of life and to clear itself from major sins. This we know, in part, from understanding gained from this hadith:
Abu Huraira reported ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) having said:
By HIM in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, ALLAH would sweep you out of existence and HE would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from ALLAH, and HE would have pardoned them. (Muslim)
As to the term ‘Term Appointed’ the exact timeline per soul would seem to vary amongst groups as well as individuals. However, the exact individual timeline cannot be known by any man because that knowledge is in the UNSEEN and cannot be set or reckoned by anyone except ALLAH!
Without a doubt man must travel through varied stages if he hopes to reach the Grand Goal of Salvation in the specially created PARADISE:
That you shall surely travel from stage to stage. Quran (84:19)
And as Jesus (pbh) was no more than a man, he too had to sacrifice his flesh (in life experiences) and undergo such a journey of the soul such that upon its (his soul’s completion), he was rewarded with the exactitude of being THE MESSIAH!
With that understood, we can further understand the Mercies, Bounties and Grace presented by our LORD CREATOR. Furthermore, we can understand that the Hell-Fire is a tragic ‘gift’ to the ornery and contemptuous soul whose crooked desires blind it to the LOVE of the CREATOR as it seeks out devious ways to navigate its varied experiences with the glad help of the whispering JINN(devils):
You cannot lead back the blind from their straying: only those will you make to hear, who believe in OUR Signs and submit (their wills in Islam). Quran (30:53)
Can it be legitimately said that Jesus (pbh) rose from the dead?
Yes, that saying has legitimacy when it is put in its proper context! Although Jesus (pbh) didn’t die a physical death, he, as a life giver under the auspices of GOD, caused the complete replica of himself to be transformed by himself, with GOD’s Permission, from a dead entity to a living one. This was done by becoming that which was a dead body (Simone of Cyrenian) and bringing it back to life. In other words, he took that body’s place, not the soul but that body’s place.
So, he healed that body which looked exactly like him to start with but that took some time and the strain was telling on Jesus doing that miracle as can be seen in the Gospel’s account of how exhausted he was as the ‘Risen Christ’ when he exited the tomb.
He didn’t call back the soul from the dead; only the body was reclaimed and one can see this from the Quranic verse dealing with the making from clay as it were the body of a pigeon and breathing into it and it became alive with perfectly formed organs forming the inside of the bird. Also, this can be seen with the Biblical expression of ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise’!
So, he had to be the SIGN. That SIGN of renewal and redemption from his ‘fall from Grace as adam’ to his redemption as a complete human being going through the various stages and ending with the high honor of being a RASUL-type prophet and a ‘king’ inheriting a temporal and an everlasting kingdom! Hence, he ‘sacrificed his flesh’ or ‘crucified his flesh’ showing others the pathway of obedience to his CREATOR LORD through his various manifestations!
Taking that precious soul as anything more than a human being is not only a disservice to him but is accounted as blasphemy against GOD and it is like those of old who used to worship others and other things as partners to the ONE GOD! Therefore we have the rationalization of that FAITH which declares openly the worship of the ONE GOD in truth and that is ISLAM!
And (remember) the Day HE will say: “Call those (so-called) partners of MINE whom you pretended.” Then they will cry unto them, but they will not answer them, and WE shall put a barrier between them.
And the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners), shall see the Fire and apprehend that they have to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape from there.
And indeed WE have put forth every kind of example in this Qur’an, for mankind. But, man is ever more contentious (argumentative) than anything. Quran (18:52-54)
So, whether one understands it or not, the simple to complex truth is found in these Islamic verses:
The similitude of Jesus before ALLAH is as that of Adam; HE created him from dust, then said to him: “Be”. And he was {became/created}.
The Truth (comes) from ALLAH alone; so do not be of those who doubt. Quran (3:59-3:60)
One of the greatest frauds/scams fostered upon humanity is the ISRAEL concept. Due to the New Testament‘s claim in upholding ‘blessed’ Israel and the Old Testament’s raving about ISRAEL, for example, ‘whom the LORD of hosts {ALLAH} shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt MY People, and Assyria the work of MY hands, and Israel MY inheritance.” Isaiah (19:25); one would think that Israel is blessed!
In fact, IT IS! Yes, Israel is blessed by the ONE and ONLY GOD and it may seem strange but the Quran validates this sentiment along with hadith literature!!! However, it would be important to try and understand the term ISRAEL the blessed!!!
ISRAEL is not a country but rather a concept and it is not inherited and although Jews might be a part of ISRAEL, the idea of Judaism is not! ISRAEL refers to Prophet Jacob (pbh) who was not a JEW nor was his family Jewish! But where in the Quran is this explained?
It is explained in the SPIRITUAL SENSE in Sura or Chapter 12 entitled YUSEF! Prophet Jacob’s name is in fact ISRAEL and his broods’ tragedy and eventual triumph is in becoming ‘THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL’. They were not Jews. Judaism started at a much later time and tried to take on the ‘color’ of this favor but the stern and harsh warnings found in the Old and New Testaments are very critical about these people.
In fact, Jesus the son of Mary, a high and outstanding prophet amongst the JEWS tells them in no uncertain words that their destination (for their religious treachery) will be the Fires of Hell unless they repent and go straight!
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor ME {the ONE GOD} with their lips, but their hearts are far from ME.
GOD declares: They worship ME in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts {thought up practices} of men.’ Mark (7:62-63)
Jesus declares: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. John (8:44)
Paul states: For I testify about them that they are zealous for GOD, but not on the basis of knowledge.
Because they were ignorant of GOD’s Righteousness and sought to establish their own {greatness}, they did NOT SUBMIT to God’s Righteousness. Romans (10:2-3)
Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of Hell? Matthew (23:33)
These statements are not anti-Jewish in particular. Just look at who Jesus’ Disciples were! The people being described are what is known as ZIONISTS and they are greedy and jealous with zeal for their own twisted beliefs (ends). They believe in lies and follow lies.
Just ask the question about Palestine as to pre-1940. Palestine was a thriving country full of agricultural wonder! But the Zionists, in order to ‘justify’ their takeover of the land declared that before Jewish intervention, the Arabs couldn’t produce hardly anything from the land. Hence, the Palestinians were like savages who occupied ‘holy ground’ that they were unworthy to be in!
And those who go along with them become them! That is a warning to those Evangelical Christians who pander to the Zionist faction. The ONE GOD, however, will snatch victory from defeat as HIS chosen servant (Jesus the son of Mary) will overthrow the evil one (Antichrist) and setup his own kingdom as given to him by the ONE GOD featuring the one religion he will gladly follow and that is ISLAM. And that will be the bowing down to ALLAH’s WILL in PEACE and JOY in the temporal but earthly paradise.
And So It Goes!
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