What follows is a short video of a Muslim street preacher converting a self-proclaimed Catholic to Islam. Have a look and then I want to call your attention to the question the preacher asks the man at the very beginning.
At the very beginning of the video, the Muslim preacher asks the man this question:
“Do you believe Jesus is God or do you believe Jesus was sent by God?”
By asking this question, the preacher creates a dichotomy within a Christian doctrine where none exists: Jesus was either God or sent by God. He gives the man a false, either-or choice of an answer. It is false because Christianity teaches Jesus is God and was also sent by God.
This is called the fallacy of bifurcation.
The fallacy of bifurcation is committed when two propositions are presented as if they were mutually exclusive and the only two possibilities, when in fact they are not. For example, “Either the traffic light is red or it is green” commits the fallacy of bifurcation because a third possibility exists: the light may be yellow. Red and green are contrary but not contradictory positions. Alternatively, it may be that the two positions are fully compatible – they can both be true. “Either Bob will go into the ministry or he will move to Kansas.” Since it is perfectly possible for Bob to do both of these things, the argument commits the fallacy of bifurcation. This fallacy is also called a “false dilemma” and “the either-or fallacy” (Lisle 112).
It’s important to note that this whole exchange stems from this logical fallacy and, therefore, whatever conclusion results from it has to be false. And what does the man conclude? He concludes that Mohammad is the prophet of God. He then becomes a Muslim.
I would also point out that the Muslim preacher uses well-known Bible characters and throws Mohammad into the mix in an attempt to establish Mohammad’s validity as a prophet of God. Nevermind each of the characters he names from the Bible prophesied about Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world not Mohammad, not Isa (the Muslim Jesus), not the Imam Mahdi (the Biblical Antichrist) – all characters relevant to Islamic literature.
Early in the video, when the preacher thinks that the man may become a Muslim, he says this:
“You need to say some words and become Muslim.”
This is textbook, man-made, works-based religion. Man-made religions all teach one thing in common: you can work or earn your way to God by your words and actions. They are based upon performance.
Well, I have a question. The man messes up a couple of the Arabic words he is asked to repeat. Does this mean he is not really a Muslim? What if the man does not get the correct dialect or accent? Does he still become a Muslim? Sound ridiculous to you? I don’t think it is all.
As the original article points out:
“The bad news for Damian is that if he decides to recant, he’s an instant apostate guilty of a sin worthy of death. At the 5:30 mark, Damian’s innocent daughter ironically jumps into his arms right before he takes the plunge, which means she does as well.”
Where’s Ray Comfort when you need Him?
P2ALM 