“Ahmed & John” — Deedat-style original dialogue
Ahmed: John, your church quotes Mark 16:17–18: believers “will pick up snakes… and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them.” Do you take this as a literal test of faith?
John: We read it spiritually—God protects believers according to His will.
Ahmed: Fair. But some take it literally. If you insist on a lab test, at least make it a lab of reason: you wouldn’t drink pesticide to prove piety. Offering a “faith drink” is like mixing sugar and baking soda to bait a cockroach—the sugar attracts, the soda destroys. A flashy challenge attracts crowds, but it destroys common sense.
John: Then what do you conclude?
Ahmed: First, serious scholars—even Christian ones—note that Mark 16:9–20 is a disputed ending; building doctrine on it is unsafe. Second, Jesus’ own teaching emphasizes prayer, repentance, and obedience to God, not stunts. Follow Jesus by worshiping God, as he did.
John: So your issue isn’t with Jesus, but with showy tests.
Ahmed: Exactly. Muslims revere Jesus—the Messiah, born miraculously—and we measure faith by submitting to God, not by drinking anything “deadly.” Let scripture guide to God, not to spectacle.
Dialogue: Ahmed and John — “Testing Faith” (Mark 16:17–18)
Ahmed: John, my friend, you say you believe every word of the Bible, correct?
John: Of course, Ahmed. Every word is inspired and true.
Ahmed: Good! Then let’s read what your own Bible says in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 16, verses 17 and 18.
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Do you believe this, John?
John: Yes, it’s in the Word of God. I believe it.
Ahmed: Excellent. Then according to Jesus, if you are a true believer, these signs should follow you, right? You should be able to heal the sick, cast out devils, speak new languages, and even drink something poisonous — and nothing will happen to you.
John: Well, Ahmed, that’s not meant to be taken *literally*. It’s about spiritual power, not physical tests.
Ahmed: Ah, but the verse doesn’t say “spiritual.” It says: “They shall drink any deadly thing, and it shall not hurt them.”
So, John, if we bring two glasses — one with water and one with just a little bit of baking soda and sugar mixed with something deadly — would you be willing to drink it, as a sign of your faith?
John: (laughs nervously) No, no, Ahmed, I wouldn’t do that. That’s testing God!
Ahmed: You see, John, you said you believe — yet when it comes to putting belief to the test, you hesitate. The verse says “these signs shall follow them that believe.”
If you refuse, then perhaps it means the verse is not authentic — or your belief in it is only theoretical.
John: But Ahmed, not every believer has to perform miracles!
Ahmed: Then why did Jesus say “these signs shall follow them that believe” — not some believers, but them that believe. You see, my brother, there’s a difference between professing faith and living proof of it.
John: So, what are you saying?
Ahmed: I’m saying, my friend, that true faith isn’t about miracles or magic — it’s about following the message of the one true God. And even your own scripture, when examined, shows that these verses were added later — not found in the earliest manuscripts of Mark. So, instead of testing poison, let’s test the truth.