🕊️ How Do I Become a Christian? A message for Muslims seeking to understand the way of Christ

KingsServant | 12th March 2025 | Islam

This is a guest post by “KingsServant” In 2019 a book called Defying Jihad was published by Tyndale House, the reputable Christian publisher telling the story of “Esther Ahmad” a pseudonym used by the author alongside her co-author Craig Borlase, who has previously written alongside, well known Christian personalities such as Matt Redman the singer and Andrew Brunson, an American pastor imprisoned by the Turkish government. As I began to read this book over this past year I was expecting an encouraging account of how a former Jihadi found Christ and escaped her previous accomplices. Very quickly, however, I became uncomfortable, her descriptions of her background involved allegedly committed Muslims doing very un-Islamic things and the unnamed militant group doing unusual things that didn’t fit my knowledge gained from years of study of Islam and interactions with Muslims, including extremists. As my doubts about the authenticity of the book solidified, and yet I couldn’t find anyone else who had questioned these things before me, or on the other hand provided verification of her story. I decided to contact Craig. During our brief and cordial email exchange he told me that he had been in touch with people who knew Esther after she escaped her family home, but so far has not suggested he has any other lines of evidence confirming any of the key elements of her account before that time. As a result, I am writing this article to draw attention to the aspects that raise suspicion. According to “Esther’s” story, she was raised in Pakistan where she was sent to an extremist madrassa (or Muslim school) for girls, there they were shown images of victims of violence and told that Christians and Jews were responsible - the emphasis on Jews and particularly Christians by a militant group based in Pakistan is strange. All the terrorist groups in Pakistan direct their efforts towards Hindus (especially in Kashmir) or other Muslims, since Christians are such a tiny minority there. Things rapidly become even stranger when a Mullah displays weapons to the group of girls telling them “… one day you will get to handle these” as the book continues describing them being encouraged to aspire to physical violence towards Jews and Christians specifically, the description of “Aunt Selma” volunteering for and dying fighting Jihad is likewise out of place. Islamic terrorist groups very rarely recruit women for combat roles, as Devorah Margolin describes Hamas and ISIS as departing from convention by encouraging female participation in violence and even then in only a very restricted way under particular circumstances with a specific fatwa (or Islamic ruling) being issued.1 On page 33, the militant group leader “Anwar” suggests that Esther could find a husband in the west to bring him to Islam. It is strictly forbidden for a Muslim woman to marry a non Muslim man, the idea that they would be encouraged by a scholar to date is about as unbelievable. In a conservative Pakistani culture, she would more likely find herself the victim of a so-called “honour killing” for such a thing.2 After her initial chance encounters with her future husband “John” (not as a result of trying to follow “Anwar’s” advice), on page 92 it is recorded that he said to her “… I’m not against your faith and beliefs…”, it’s the kind of thing that we might expect a liberal in the west to say, but not a Pakistani believer who knows that Islam denies that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died for sinners. Following her conversion according to her account, she engaged in a number of public debates with clerics in which she defended her decision to leave Islam and follow Christ. It is not uncommon for apostates to have meetings with scholars arranged by their family members in the hope that they might be won back to Islam, but it is very surprising that her influential father would want to give his apostate daughter su...

Luke J. Wilson | 17th October 2022 | Islam

If you’ve ever spent any time online, either in random Facebook comment threads or reading the news, I’m sure you’ve come across the claim that Islam and Christianity are basically the same and that “we all worship the same God”, getting lumped together as an “Abrahamic religion” along with Judaism. Muslims claim Islam “is the completed final version of the previous messages originally revealed to Moses and Jesus” which came to “correct the deviations of Christianity”, which had apparently become corrupt by the seventh century when Muhammad came along. But for something which is meant to come from the same God at its core, it would suggest that God got pretty much everything central wrong in the teachings of Jesus (and the prophets) since what Muhammad taught and lived like is very different. To add more suspicion to it, Muhammad claims to have received the Qur’an from an angel, which would conflict with what Paul warned about: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed!” (Gal 1:8). I’ll add more commentary at the end, so without further ado, here are 26 differences for your consideration: Muhammad said Allah hates those who don’t accept Islam. (Qur’an 3:32, 22:38, 30:45).  👉 Jesus said God loves everyone, and he came to lay down his life for the world. (John 3:16; 10:11; 16:27; 1 John 3:16; 4:7–8) Muhammad said, “I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah” (Muslim 1:33)  👉 Jesus said, “He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) and, “But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also” (Matthew 5:9) Muhammad stoned women for adultery. (Muslim 4206) 👉 Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7 [for the sake of argument, I know the pericope adulterae is a textual variant, so here’s a good article in favour of its historicity]) Muhammad permitted stealing from unbelievers. (Bukhari 44:668, Ibn Ishaq 764, Qur’an 8:69, 33:27, 48:20). 👉 Jesus said, “You shall not steal.” (Matthew 19:18; Luke 19:8–9) Muhammad permitted lying. (Sahih Muslim 6303, Bukhari 49:857)  👉 Jesus said, “You shalt not bear false witness.” (Matthew 19:18) Muhammad owned and traded slaves. (Sahih Muslim 3901)  👉 Jesus neither owned nor traded slaves or commanded his followers to have slaves. Muhammad beheaded 800 Jewish men and boys. (Sahih Muslim 4390)  👉 Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44–45) Muhammad murdered those who insulted him (Bukhari 56:369, 4:241)  👉 Jesus preached forgiveness (Matthew 5:38–39, 18:21–22) Muhammad said, “if anyone attacks you, retaliate in the same manner.” (Qur’an 2:194) 👉 Jesus said, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39) Muhammad claimed jihad in the way of Allah elevates one’s position in Paradise by a hundredfold. (Muslim 4645)  👉 Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God” (Matthew 5:9) Muhammad married 13 wives and kept sex slaves (Bukhari 5:268, Qur’an 33:50)  👉 Jesus taught marriage was between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4–6) Muhammad slept with a 9-year-old child (Sahih Muslim 3309, Bukhari 58:236)  👉 Jesus blessed children and warned against harming them (Mark 9:42; Matthew 19:13–15) Muhammad ordered the murder of women (Ibn Ishaq 819, 995)  👉 Jesus healed and forgave multiple women (Luke 7:47–48, 8:2; Mark 5:28–29,34; 16:9) Muhammad said, “O you who believe! Fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you h...

Luke J. Wilson | 21st April 2025 | Easter

Over the years, I’ve encountered many Christians who’ve quoted from Alexander Hislop’s The Two Babylons as if it were a solid historical resource. The book claims that the Roman Catholic Church is not truly Christian but rather a continuation of ancient Babylonian religion. It’s self-assured and sweeping, and for many people, it seems to explain everything, from Marian devotion to Lent and Easter, to Christmas, as rooted in paganism. But is it accurate? In short: no, it really isn’t. Hislop’s work is a classic example of 19th-century pseudohistory — a polemical piece, written to prove a point, not to explore any historical truth. Flawed Methods and Wild Claims Hislop argues that most Catholic practices — from the Mass and clerical robes to festivals like Christmas and Easter — were somehow borrowed from Babylonian religion. The problem being that Hislop doesn’t rely on primary sources or credible historical data. Instead, he draws connections based on word similarities (like Easter and Ishtar) or visual resemblances (like Mary and child compared with mother-goddess statues from ancient cultures). But phonetic resemblance isn’t evidence, and neither is visual similarity. For example, if I say “sun” and “son” in English, they may sound alike, but they aren’t the same thing. That’s the level of reasoning at work in much of The Two Babylons. Hislop often lumps together completely different ancient figures — Isis, Semiramis, Ishtar, Aphrodite — as if they were all just variations of the same deity. He then tries to say Mary is just the Christian version of this pagan goddess figure. But there’s no credible evidence for that at all. Mary is understood through the lens of Scripture and Christian theology, not through pagan myth. The earliest depictions of Mary and the Christ-child date back to the second century and do not resemble any of the pagan idols. But, again, the common accusations are based on superficial similarities of a woman nursing a child. That’s going to look the same no matter who or what does that! Oldest depiction of Mary. Dura-Europos Church, Syria, 2nd century What About Lent and Tammuz? One of Hislop’s more popular claims is that Lent comes from a Babylonian mourning ritual for the god Tammuz, mentioned in Ezekiel 8:14. He argues that early Christians borrowed the 40-day mourning period and just rebranded it. But this doesn’t line up with the evidence. Lent developed as a time of fasting and repentance leading up to Easter — especially for new believers preparing for baptism. The number forty comes from Scripture: Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, Moses’ fast on Sinai, and Elijah’s journey to Horeb. Church Fathers like Irenaeus and Athanasius saw it as a time for self-denial and spiritual renewal — not mourning a pagan god. Yes, there are pagan festivals that involve seasonal death and rebirth stories. But similarity does not mean origin. If that logic held, then even Jesus’ resurrection would be suspect because pagan cultures also told resurrection-like stories. Yet the gospel stands apart — not because of myth but because of history and revelation. Why Hislop’s Work Persists Even though The Two Babylons is poor scholarship, it’s unfortunately had a long shelf life. That’s partly because it appeals to a certain kind of suspicion. If you’re already sceptical about the Catholic Church, Hislop offers an easy explanation: “It’s all pagan!”. But history isn’t ever that simple. And theology — especially the theology handed down through the ages by the faithful— isn’t built on conspiracy and apparent obscure connections, but on Christ and the truth of the Scriptures. Interestingly, even Ralph Woodrow, a minister who once wrote a book defending Hislop’s ideas, later retracted his views after digging deeper into the evidence. He eventually wrote a book called The Babylon Connect...

Luke J. Wilson | 09th April 2025 | History

We often hear that Jesus was “about 33 years old” when he was crucified and only had a three-year ministry. But have you ever wondered how precise that number is, or why we assume that was his age, especially when Scripture doesn’t specify? Table of Contents The Gospel of Luke: “About Thirty” Early Church Testimony: Irenaeus and the Longer Ministry Historical Anchors: Birth, Pilate, and the Crucifixion Window The Death of Herod Cross-referencing with Pilate, Caiaphas, and Jesus When Did Tiberius Begin to Reign? 1. From his co-regency with Augustus (AD 11–12) 2. From the death of Augustus (AD 14) How Does This Affect Jesus’ Age and Ministry Start? Astronomy and the Timing of Passover Estimated Lengths of Jesus’ Ministry Why This Matters In Summary Further Reading I’ve long wondered about this, especially when the Pharisees accused Jesus of not being close to fifty, which seems odd if he was only in his early 30s. Then I later discovered Irenaeus also had similar thoughts in the second century, and the plot thickened! I’ve had this rumbling around in the back of my mind for a few years now and slowly chewed it over. So now I’m going to try and present the evidence, rather than rely solely on tradition and assumptions, and piece together what the Gospels, early Church Fathers, historical data, and even astronomy can tell us about the potential age of Jesus and the length of his ministry. What follows is a deeper, richer look at the life and death of Jesus and what we can learn by following the evidence. The Gospel of Luke: “About Thirty” Luke 3:23 tells us plainly: Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. This statement has historically been the anchor point for dating Jesus’ ministry. Most take this to mean he was around 30 at his baptism, which marked the beginning of his public ministry. Something to bear in mind here is that Luke isn’t exact and only says “about thirty”, so he could have been slightly younger or older at the time. But being around the age of 30 would align with the requirements of priests, which Jesus was also fulfilling the role of (Hebrews 2:17; Numbers 4:1–4; Numbers 8:23–25). But from there, it’s traditionally assumed that Jesus ministered for just three years before his death, mainly based on the Gospel of John, which mentions three Passovers (John 2:13, 6:4, 11:55). However, John also says at the end of his Gospel in John 21:25: But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. This is a clear reminder, even if John is being hyperbolic here: not everything was recorded. Considering that the Synoptic Gospels only mention one Passover, the number of Passovers we read about in John may not reflect the total number Jesus experienced during his ministry. They may also serve a theological point (three being a prominent number in Scripture) rather than a chronological one. Early Church Testimony: Irenaeus and the Longer Ministry In the second century, Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon and disciple of Polycarp (who had also known the Apostle John and was likely his disciple), made an interesting claim about the age of Jesus — and backed it up by saying it was verified by the Apostle John himself! In Against Heresies (2.22.4–6), Irenaeus wrote: …our Lord possessed [old age] while He still fulfilled the office of a Teacher, even as the Gospel and all the elders testify, those who were conversant in Asia with John, the disciple of the Lord, [affirming] that John conveyed to them that information. … Some of them, moreover, saw not only John but the other apostles also, and heard the same account from them, and bear testimony to this statement. He argued that the line in John 8:57: Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraha...

Luke J. Wilson | 23rd December 2024 | Christmas

The Christmas tree is one of the most recognisable symbols of the festive season, adorning homes, churches, and public spaces with its evergreen beauty. But where did this tradition originate, and how did it become a central feature of Christmas celebrations? Looking into the history of the Christmas tree has turned out to be a fascinating historical story woven from various cultural and theological strands. The Paradise Tree and the Feast of Adam and Eve The connection between the Christmas tree and the Feast of Adam and Eve offers a large clue into its origins. In medieval Europe, December 24th was observed as the feast day of Adam and Eve, a commemoration tied to their expulsion from Eden. One of the most notable elements of this feast was the “Paradise Tree,” used in mystery plays and home displays to symbolise the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. These trees, typically evergreen, were decorated with apples to represent the forbidden fruit and wafers symbolising the Eucharist. This imagery reflected both humanity’s fall into sin and God’s redemptive plan through Christ. The Paradise Tree served as a visual catechism of sorts, teaching the story of salvation from the Fall to the Redemption. In a later tradition the wafers were replaced by cookies of various shapes, and candles, symbolic of Jesus as the light of the world, were often added to the trees. Pre-Christian Traditions and the Evergreen Evergreens have long been associated with life and resilience in the darkest days of winter. In pre-Christian European traditions, evergreen boughs were used during festivals like the Roman Saturnalia and the Germanic Yule. These practices celebrated the endurance of life through the cold and darkness, offering hope of the spring to come. While these customs were not inherently Christian, they provided a cultural framework that could be adapted to Christian theology. The evergreen tree, in this context, became a symbol of eternal life in Christ, as suggested by John 10:28: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.” Martin Luther and the Candlelit Tree A significant figure in the history of the Christmas tree is the Reformer Martin Luther. According to tradition, Luther was struck by the beauty of a starry winter sky shining through the branches of an evergreen tree. To share this moment of wonder with his family, he brought a tree into his home and decorated it with candles to represent Christ as the “Light of the World” (John 8:12). While this story is likely apocryphal, it reflects the theological connection Christians saw in the evergreen tree as a symbol of Christ’s enduring presence and light in the darkness. Luther’s influence in Protestant Germany may have helped popularise the use of Christmas trees in Christian households. The Spread of the Christmas Tree The tradition of the Christmas tree gained popularity in Germany during the 16th and 17th centuries. By the 18th and 19th centuries, German immigrants brought the custom to other parts of Europe and North America. One pivotal moment in its wider adoption was the depiction of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert around a decorated Christmas tree in an illustration published in the Illustrated London News in 1848. This royal endorsement sparked a surge in the tradition’s popularity, particularly in Britain, where it came to symbolise the domestic warmth and joy of the holiday season. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria, and the British royal family gathered around the Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, from the Illustrated London News, 1848. Source: Britannica St. Boniface and the Sacred Oak One of the most compelling narratives about the Christmas tree’s origins involves St. Boniface, an English missionary whose evangelistic efforts in 8th-century Germany played a pivotal role in shaping this enduring custom. According to tradition, Boniface encountered a group of pagans venerating an oak tree dedicated to Thor, the Norse ...

Luke J. Wilson | 14th October 2024 | Crusades

The Crusades have long been a topic distorted by myth, legend, and misconception, especially in modern pop culture and film. Movies and television often portray the Crusaders as either valiant knights on holy missions or brutal barbarians bent on conquest, feeding into a skewed image of the events. These simplistic portrayals fail to capture the complex motivations and historical realities of the Crusades. The Guardian article about the Reconciliation Walk One striking example of how these misunderstandings have influenced modern perceptions was the so-called Reconciliation Walk in 1999, marking the 900th anniversary of the First Crusade. Hundreds of Christians walked from Germany to the Holy Land to apologise for the actions of their ancestors, with some wearing t-shirts that read “I apologize” in Arabic. While well-intentioned, the walk was unnecessary and based on a misreading of history. The actions of Crusaders, though often violent, must be understood in their medieval context — marked by political, religious, and social complexities that differ greatly from today’s values. Apologising for historical events centuries after the fact, particularly when based on simplistic views, overlooks these nuances and can reinforce myths rather than dispelling them. Here are five common myths about the Crusades, along with the historical truth behind them:   Myth 1: The Crusades were an unprovoked attack by Christians on a peaceful Muslim world. Truth: While it’s true that the Crusades were initiated by the Latin Christian West, they were largely in response to Muslim expansion. By the time of the First Crusade in 1096, much of the Christian world had already been conquered by Muslim forces, including regions such as Syria, North Africa, and most of Spain. The Seljuk Turks’ advance into Byzantine territory (a Christian empire) and the capture of Jerusalem were major catalysts for Pope Urban II’s call to arms. The Crusades were framed as a defensive response, although not always executed with purely defensive motives. Myth 2: The Crusades were primarily motivated by greed and the desire for land. Truth: While individual crusaders certainly had varied motivations, the majority did not join the Crusades for wealth or land. In fact, going on a Crusade was an incredibly costly and dangerous endeavour. Many crusaders were already landowners, and the journey to the Holy Land often left them financially depleted. The promise of spiritual rewards, such as indulgences (the remission of sins), played a much more significant role in motivating participants. The Crusades were seen as acts of piety, albeit often misguided. Myth 3: The Crusaders were merciless barbarians who indiscriminately slaughtered innocent Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Truth: While the Crusades were brutal, and there were certainly episodes of horrific violence, such as the sack of Jerusalem in 1099, it is an oversimplification to paint all Crusaders as bloodthirsty. At times, crusading armies negotiated with Muslim leaders, such as Saladin, who famously retook Jerusalem in 1187 but allowed Christians to leave the city unharmed. Moreover, Christian pilgrims, merchants, and even soldiers often lived and traded peacefully with Muslim and Jewish communities in the Crusader States. The violence of the Crusades must be understood in the broader context of medieval warfare, which was brutal across all societies. Myth 4: The Crusades were a total failure. Truth: While the ultimate goal of securing Christian control over Jerusalem and other holy sites was not achieved in the long term, the Crusades were not an absolute failure. The Crusaders managed to establish several states in the Levant that lasted for nearly two centuries, such as the Kingdom of Jerusalem. These states facilitated cultural and economic exchanges between the West and the Muslim world. Additionally, the Crusades had long-lasting political and social effects in Europe...