If a Muslim takes a good honest look at the Koran, the life of Mohammed, the rantings of their mullahs and decides he cannot go along with it anymore -- decides to find a religion of peace of some kind -- tries to leave islam --- yes he faces the death penalty. Look at Salman Rushdie --- they want to execute him because he disagreed with islam --- in islam there is no freedom to leave the religion.
thats fine, I see where you are going. But I have read parts of the Koran (I had a minor in religious history-big deal for me!) and we are talking about AMERICAN muslims-not the nuts in parts of the middle east! It just is nasty to me to joke about killing Americans just because they are muslims-I know you did not write that but some posts have implied it...It does feel weird defending muslims when I often rage against them....I just draw the line when it comes to blanket statements against Americans. There are some good ones out there...although it pisses me off that their leaders are not more vocal...but why call that an ok for terrorism on the part of normal muslims....
I had a talk with a guy who is muslim (works with my wife), he is from Lebanon-came here a while ago, had a couple scotches together-he does like to drink! He loves America, explained to me that there are so many parts of the middle east that hate the fanatical muslims. The more well to do areas like the west, in fact he does hate Syria and is totally convinced WMD's are there and that his former country is itching to fight back against them-he also points out how the younger generation in Iran hates the Mullahs and their fascist tactics and really likes the west.
He believes that our action in Iraq will work out to be what the middle east needs- a divide and weakening of the goverments of Syria and Iran. Driving a wedge between them is a great step. In Lebanon and other areas people party, wear what they want, (by the way-my wife will not be happy with this but his wife is VERY nice looking and she wears VERY nice outfits!!! No covering up skin here!) He feels that the Koran has been twisted so much that it has lost much of its true meaning. I asked him about the Koran and hate and he replied that passages may make some veiled references to intolerance but it mainly comes from companion history books that are seized upon by radicals looking for excuses to inflame the masses.
Hey one inebriated talk with a muslim won't change the world...but....
Even worse, the prime commandment of the Koran is to emulate his life. Muhammad is called the finest example of human existence. The liberal Muslims gravitate to the nicer part of Mohamed's life while the Jihadis embrace the violent latter half of Muhammad's life. The violent verses of the Koran supercede (render to inferior status) the earlier kindly verses. Have more scriptural superiority.