Knowing about God

Yes, the chosen people. Israel is the chosen nation, but are not favorites of God. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

In God's eyes, we are all sinners and in the same boat as all who walk the Earth. And being the chosen people doesn't automatically punch your ticket into Heaven. They have to go through the same judgement as the rest of us, but even more so.

Though there is a new covenant through Jesus, I gots to say Octavia is right. In OT God chose Abram, later Abraham and his descendents.

He very clearly states that he does on more than one occasion. Nobody can enter except through me and all that?

Ignoring the flippant question, I don't understand your choice of image.

So there is more to this than I initially realized. Favoritism in one sense, maybe, favoritism in another sense, no. I'll leave this here because it's a teachable and to provide meaningful discussion.

Under any sense, a key competent of any organized religion is to push the point that following anything else constitutes a major moral violation. Even the ones that are more philosophies than religions per se do that. I've never seen a religion that says "God says that this book represents Man's best guess at what He wants and He Commands us to be open to the possibility that another group of people might have made a better guess."

So, at the end of the day, your meme was trying to pull up Islam on something that is a universal religious feature. And as much as I respect you for realizing that you might have made a blunder - that's serious kudos, you don't see that a lot on imgflip - by saying "in one sense, in another sense" you're still trying to leave the door open to the possibility that you can single out Islam with this approach.

You really honestly can't. Both halves of the Bible have parts that just don't reconcile with this.

Not just Islam, but I just chose them for the comparison because of their protected group status among certain parts of society. Also, still looking into that about favoritism.

Romans 9:18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

God has His chosen Elect! They are his favorites, and the rest are reprobate!

I have since learned this is an interesting and complex issue. I will get back to you after dong some more research. In the interim I'd like to show you some context for the verse you quoted.
"What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?" Romans 9:14-24
Keep in mind that 1) the Pharaoh was no innocent victim, 2) People still have the ability to choose 3) Yet those who God chooses to have mercy on aren't chosen because they're the strongest, or the best-looking, or the least physically attractive, black, white - if there's any deciding factor it's character, and even then God can shape good character in people who lack it. 4) God know the future, so He knows in advance whose going to accept and reject Him and factor in the choices.

Sorry, but, Pharaoh did not even have a choice in the matter. Before Moses even got to Pharaoh God already told him (Moses) what would happen.

Exodus 4:21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

An understandable misunderstanding on your part, the Pharaoh did have a choice. Before any of that happened God knew he wasn't going to let them go of his own volition. "But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go." Exodus 3:19-20

This takes place before the verse you cite. The Pharaoh was no innocent victim before or after that, as God sought to make an example of him and Egypt.

"For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go." Exodus 9:15-17

His decision to double down on the Israelite's oppression was all him, even with God hardening his heart. The Pharaoh also hardened his own heart just as much if not moreso. God wanted to help his people and spared the kingdom of Egypt (He even gave a way out for the Egyptians with the Wonder/Plague of fire and hail)

"and the LORD did as Moses requested. He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not one fly remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time as well, and he would not let the people go." Exodus 8:32

Hello, God said, for this very purpose I raised you up. The clay is formed in the potters hand. The clay does not form its self. You have no free will.

You are absolutely WRONG!

The Lord's Love for Israel
2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’” 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

Yes, because they believe they worship the one true God, but they do not. There are people who believe that Satan is the one true God, but he is not. He is one of God's creations.

Islam is an Abrahmic religion, that stems from Judaism and Christianity. They have this concept of "People of the Book", and share many scriptures such as the Old Testament, The Pslams , even much of the New Testament.

But with one thing missing... The actual, one true creator.

Islam is a cult that broke off from a branch of Christianity because as man continues to sin and turn away from Christ, they continue to die in darkness. Satan loves it, because he hates us.

some people see Christianity as a Jewish sect that broke away. Anyway, no point in arguing about Religion, because these are deeply held beliefs that rely on faith and can't be proven one way or the other. All the best.

Yes, although as I said I'm talking the difference between God in Christianity and Allah in Islam; based on accounts of Him in both Scriptures He comes across quite differently in each one.

We all have souls, including you and me. None of us is good enough for God on our own merits, but He offers us all grace anyway, whether we believe it or not.

Are you alright? One sentence you talk like you believe in God and Scripture, the next sentence you talk like you don't. Given your aggressive words, this subject clearly made you emotional. Can you calm down and explain your point?