William Bothwell closes in his "Notes on History" with a question.

"Could the world's future peace not lie with increased dialogue between the leaders of the Christian and Muslim worlds?"

My answer to that is, for a dialogue to be successful there has to be a common ground. I will demonstrate in part that this is not possible by the following five points as laid out by middle east expert Derek Prince in his book entitled The Promised Land (pg. 69).

1. Jesus declared that He was the Son of God. Islam totally rejects the idea that God can have a son, dismissing it as blasphemy. Islam further rejects the concept of one God revealed in three persons.

2. Historically, the Christian faith has centred on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Islam denies that Jesus ever died on the cross or that He was resurrected.

3. Jesus claimed He had come to fulfill the law and the prophets (see Matthew 5:17). Islam claims that it alone is the true fulfillment and completion of the revelation contained in the Old and New Testaments.

4. Jesus promised His followers that he would send them another Comforter (see John 14: 16-17, 26). The Christian Church has always taught that the promise was fulfilled by the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Islam claims that Mohammed was the comforter promised by Jesus.

5. The Old Testament, which Jesus accepted as authoritative, states clearly that Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar on Mount Moriah (see Genesis 22:9-12). Islam claims that Ishmael was the son whom Abraham offered.

When Christians say they are children of God, it is blasphemy in the mind of Muslims. It should be clear from these points that if Jesus Christ is the true prophet, then Mohammed must be a false prophet.

When Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount in the beginning of his term of office as prime minister, the Arab world went beserk.

It seemed they were unable to use their rational mind while shouting Allah is great. It seems Zachariah 12: 2, 3 is applicable when it says in part "I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness . . ."

On March 20, I heard on the news that Muslim convert to Christianity could be sentenced to death because it is illegal in Afghanistan to convert to another religion than Islam.

The western world is concerned that Muslim women must wear a veil but this is far worse. It shows the true face of Islam.

Dialogue cannot close the chasm that exists between Islam and Christianity. BUT the preaching of the Gospel of the cross of Christ can convert Muslims to the Christian religion and free them from the shackles of Islam.

Ron Bosman Orangeville