154 Jesus, Prophet of Islam
Although it was always claimed by the various Reformist move
ments, from the 15 century AD onwards, that their desire was to
return to the original teachings of Jesus, these original teachings
had in fact by then already long been lost. AlI Christians, whatever
their denomination and however sincère, were by then stuck with
Scriptures which were neither complete, nor accurate, nor reliable,
and accordingly they were stuck with the doctrines which stemmed
from them and came with them.
Thus although all the new Reformist movements challenged
the authority of the Pope and the behaviour of the established
priesthood, they never even dreamed of challenging the validity
of the doctrines of the 'New' Covenant, and of the Trinity, and of
Original Sin, and of the Atonement and Redemption of Sins-none
of which had been preached by Jesus, and all of which depended
for their efficacy on an alleged crucifixion and resurrection that
had never actually taken place.
When one considers the amount of effort and sacrifiee and mis
placed inspiration that has gone into the 'sacred' art and music
that have been utilised to perpetuate these myths, it is difficult to
know whether to laugh or weep!
Perhaps the most honest of the various re-formers was King
Henry VIII of England who, after being given the title of 'Defender
of the Faith' by the Pope in 1521-presumably the Roman Catholic
faith - because he had opposed the ideas of the mainstream Re
formers, then promptly separated from the Church of Rome and
made himself the head of the new 'Church of England'. This was
so that he could divorce Catherine of Aragon, remarry and divorce
thereafter as he pleased, and help himself to the wealth of the
Church whenever he wanted.
King Henry VIII never claimed to be following the original
teachings of Jesus, peace be on him, and neither did he try to dis
guisehis reasons or motives which were always clear. He even went
so far as to legalise usury, a parasitical practice which had always
been forbidden by all of the Prophets including Moses, Jesus and
Muhammad, may the blessings and peace of God be on all of them.
It is therefore more than a little ironie that ever since that time,
the monarchs of England have continued to retain the title of 'De
fender of the Faith'-whichwas originally conferred on King Henry
VIII by the Roman Catholic Pope- white remaining legally obliged
by English statute not to be or to marry a Roman Catholic!
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