The ubiquitous blue COEXIST bumper sticker incorporates symbols of Islam, pacifism, male and female, Judaism, Wicca, Taoism, and Christianity. Piotr M\u00c5\u201aodozeniec, a Polish graphic artist, created the original COEXIST image. Various companies sell merchandise with some form of the image, and \u201d\u201d o a note of inevitable conflict \u201d\u201d some have threatened legal action to protect their control of profits. At it core the image represents a belief that spiritual harmony can be wished into existence.<\/p>\n
What is not to admire in this goal? Why would a Christian hesitate to display this sticker during a daily commute? We may begin with how philosophy \u201d\u201d that supposedly esoteric pursuit \u201d\u201d matters in our everyday lives. A fundamental rule of logic is the \u201claw of noncontradiction\u201d\u009d: a statement cannot be both true and untrue.<\/p>\n
Consider how the Abrahamic faiths understand Jesus Christ. At John 14:6, Jesus says, \u201cI am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except by me.\u201d\u009d Judaism considers Jesus a prophet but not the Messiah. In Islam, Isa (Jesus) is a messenger of God. Islam makes the specific claim that revelation did not end with \u201cthe people of the book\u201d\u009d (the Jews) or with the prophet Isa, but with Muhammad.<\/p>\n