My friend with the huge cross grew tired of trying to answer all my questions and in desperation, he told me to read the story of Abraham in the Bible [Genesis]. Especially the part of sacrificing his son for the sake of God. He seemed to think this was going to explain the whole concept of sacrifice and obedience to God.

So, I read it. But instead of convincing me of his ideas, I saw a totally different message there.

Abraham was not punishing his sinless son for the sins of others. He was obeying the Commandment of Almighty God. He was willing to sacrifice his son to demonstrate his readiness to submit to God's Will.

Abraham was a human doing what humans have been ordered to do; "Obey God."

But God did not say to take the life of an innocent boy for sins that Abraham committed. That was not even the story here. And as far as replacing his son with the ram for sacrifice, this also does not match the story of Jesus on the cross. - (Unless you consider the version of the story in the Quran)

Now STOP & THINK!

Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his son to test the loyalty of Abraham. He did not withhold his son from God, so God's angels ordered him to offer a ram in place of his son. God was pleased with his total submission and as a result, God Blessed him and his offspring.
[Gen. 22:9-18]

All of this was just too much for me. Then some real strange things began to happen. My father met a man from Egypt . . . . [click here for Part 2 - "Proof & Truth of Islam"]