Talking to our kids about Islam

Note: If you're a visitor to our blog, it's important to note that this post comes from a distinctly evangelical Christian point of view. We're seeking to raise our children according to what's taught in the Bible, which we believe is the infallible Word of God. In light of that, we seek to educate our children both in truth and with love for other people who He's created.

As noted earlier, we own Story of the World on audio CD, so my oldest son came to the CD about Mohammed last week--the subject of this week's history fact. This is a tough nut to crack: How do we talk to our kids about "visions" that other people have (uh, particularly the angel Gabriel) and how to respond to them?

Fortunately, my oldest was alone--this gave us a good time to talk about his questions, and I also wasn't broaching the subject with my children who might not be able to understand the answers.

You may have a different approach, but I decided to go right to Scripture, realizing that even my tone of voice would affect how he viewed Muslims, possibly for the rest of his life. Here are some that I brought up in our conversation:

1. 1 John 4:1-6. Whatever we encounter, we compare it against the grid of all Scripture in its entirety, like the Bereans did. Mohammed's vision did not back up the truth of Scripture, so we know that it's not from God.
2. Galatians 1:6-9. Mohammed's version of how we are saved is directly opposed to that which is taught in Scripture: that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone. We also need to remember that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
3. 1 Peter 3:15-16. Muslims and people of other religions are still created by God in His image, and we need to treat them that way--with gentleness and respect, the Bible says!--no matter what they believe. We need to be prepared with answers for the hope that we have, and we need to love them by praying for them, too: the flooding in Pakistan may be a great start.

This site may offer you some specific, well-articulated responses from a Christian vantage point.