Anonymous
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Vincent Mercado
Your father is correct - Islam is 500 years behind Christianity.
I must emphasize that while Islam is founded 500 years after Christianity, it is not a younger version of Christianity, just as Christianity is not a younger version of Judaism. These three (Christianity, Islam and Judaism) are different religions.
Other noticeable differences include: they don't celebrate mass, they do not worship on Sunday and their imams are not priests.
Gary Wainwright
Vincent, however the only way to the Father is through His Son Jesus (John 14:6; John 10:7). The other key difference is Christians believe in the Trinity whereas the others do not. Without the Trinity (Jesus) there is no salvation.
Christianity does not teach we have priests in the church making intercession for us as we already have a High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Timothy 2:5) for that.
Vincent Mercado
Catholics, Orthodox and Anglican churches have priests, not to make intercession for us, strictly speaking - priests are there to lead us in worship, which in the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican perspective, requires the offering of a sacrifice.
Gary Wainwright
Vincent, that's my point in that the Bible teaches that the gifts Jesus gave to the church is the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church (Ephesians 4:11). He did not give us priests for the church to offer a sacrifice on an ongoing basis as He has already done this Himself once and for all time (Hebrews 7:27).
Vincent Mercado
I agree completely.