As told to Moses Mulondo by Pastor Sserwadda | Published on: Saturday, 29th March, 2008

Pastor Joseph Sserwadda of Victory Church is a renowned Ugandan evangelist whose efforts have drawn many Muslims to Christianity. Moses Mulondo interviewed him on Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi's recent remarks on the Bible.

What is your comment on Gadaffi's statement that the Bible is a forgery?

Gadaffi is an accomplished military strategist and political activist. His expertise lies outside religion. Such conclusions should be made by people who are experts on religious matters. If it had been Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi of Al Azhar Mosque in Cairo or the Grand Mufti of Saudi-Arabia, Sheikh Abdul-Aziz al-Sheikh, who had made the remarks Gadaffi did, I would have considered those serious statements.

Gadaffi's counterpart, President Yoweri Museveni, has always advocated for a clear separation of political and religious matters. If that has changed, we shall have to openly engage the colonel on religious issues.
The Bible does not have any mistakes as he says. The Bible offers complete solutions to man's sinful nature, a way for salvation and a resting peace for eternity. These are not guaranteed in the Koran.
There is no remedy for sin, no plan of salvation for man's immortal soul and no place called heaven in Islam. In fact, Islam teaches that there are seven heavens as there are seven hells. Besides, who asked the colonel to believe in the Bible? He has a book, the Koran. Does he want to have both books?

Seven hells?

Yes indeed. No Muslim will deny that Surat Al-Hijr 15:43-44 teaches that there are seven gates of hell, each leading to a different hell — Al Jahanam, Al Ladha, Al Hutama, Al Sair, Al Saqar, Al Jaheem and Al Hawiyah. To the Muslim ummah (brotherhood), jannah is a good life on earth and in heaven. It is a life spiced with beautiful women and alcohol. That is the Muslims' heaven. But the Koran also promises that all Muslims will go to hell first, a purgatory of sorts.

What is your reaction to Gadaffi's assertion that the Koran is the true book of God?
Truth is relative. What President Muammar Gaddafi considers truth, may, to many people, be a broad daylight lie. The Koran cannot solve even the minutest of man's needs. The Koran is incomplete and we have always challenged Muslims to show us where they derive their religious practices and dress codes.
Ask any Muslim to show you a verse in the Koran regarding the rite of circumcision, or the Tawaff (rotation around the Kabba), or the Hijja ceremonies, stoning of the devil or kissing the Hajarul Aswad (the black stone in the wall of the Kabba). Ask them to show you where they are commanded to pray using the prayer beads (tasbih or akalaadi).