Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 115
THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM 115 On the Bishop's refusal the Indian Spectator commented as follows: The Bishop of Lahore seems to have retired with more haste than dignity from a challenge which he had himself provoked. His Lordship, some time back, set before himself the task of proving to Mohammedan audiences that Christ was a true Messiah and the challenge was taken up by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian to whose claim of Messiahship we referred some time ago in these columns. Now Mirza Ahmad may, for aught we know, be a rank impostor, or he may really believe himself to be what he claims to be. In either case, we do not see why the Bishop should decline to argue with him. His Lordship speaks of Mirza Sahib as offering a grievous insult and dishonour to Christ by venturing to call himself the Messiah. The Jews of two thousand years ago crucifIed Christ for the self-same reason. They felt insulted by his venturing to call himself the Messiah. What is even more strange is the Bishop pointing to the fact of Mirza Ahmad's claims being treated with ridicule and contempt by an overwhelming majority of Punjab Mohammedans as conclusive proof of the falsity of those claims. When Pilate asked the assembled Jews whom would they like to be liberated on the day of the Passover, Christ or Barabbas, they unanimously voted for the impenitent thief. Did that prove that Christ's claim to Messiahship was unfounded? Weare not among the followers of Mirza Ahmad and have no intention of upholding his claims in preference to those of Christ, but we object to the logic of the hustings being introduced in a discu$sion on religion. If the whole Muslim world would have acclaimed the Mirza, would the Rt Rev Prelate of Lahore have altered his opinion of his mission? Religious beliefs in his country are in a state of dissolution just now. It behoves those who are anxious to see them crystallized round the truth not to employ arguments which are not of the purest temper. No comment is called for.