Alex,
I can judge people individually. My mom almost married a Persian but backed out at the last minute when I was 5 years old. He was secular and stayed that way even after the Shah fell in 1979. I like him a lot and will always remember him that way. But Persians were first Zoroastrians and later became Islamized by force of course.
HaShem (G-d) commands us in Sefer Vayikra (Leviticus) to judge our fellow man, but judge him with the benefit of the doubt. If you had a next door neighbor that you caught in the middle of the night taking your stereo and said he was only "borrowing" it. How much benefit of the doubt could you give him? You have to look at the individual and the circumstances.
Just as we have the power to judge our fellow man with the benefit of the doubt so can we with a culture/religion/belief/philosophy/way of life.
You say that religions promote a set of values, morals, principals, ethics and laws with parables and stories to justify them. What is the purpose of those values, morals, etc.? To teach humanity to learn to give to each other in unconditional and condition ways of respect and kindnes that promote life, liberty, happines, peace, wealth creation, good will, brotherhood, unity. Judaism does this and so does Christianity. Even the secular philosophy of Buddhism attempts this. And the people that carry these instructions out for the most part live peaceful lives even to present day. Judaism had to use warfare in order to remove the pagan elements from the land in order to allow Judaism to grow. Now Jews do warfare through argument of ideas like here on this forum. Christianity has used warfare for defense against the Muslims to a great extent and also to expand its borders. But no more physical warfare for them unless it is in defense with more rules on what you can't do which are based on the rules of warefare from Judaism.
What is a cult? The definition I found at www.yourdictionary.com is:
"A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader."
http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/c/c0799700.html
Did Islam have a charismatic leader? Yes. Muhammed was illiterate but charismatic. Did he promote an idea that promotes spreading Islam at any cost by false words, murder, rape, arson, terror, and pillaging? Yes. He did these things and his followers to present day continue to do the same. Has Islam changed? No. Jihad is still the rule in 22 (France is now 23) confilcts aronud the world. Does Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, promote Orthodox Islam? Are 80 percent of mosques in America controlled by Saudi Arabia directly? Yes. And another 10 percent indirectly? Yes.
Mohammed took Judaism, Christianity and other religions that were flowing through the Middle East while he was alive and created his own. Essentially it is perversion Judaism with Arab paganism syncretized to it but only the judgement side of it. When Muhammed was on the run as a fugitive for all his criminal activities guess where he showed up on Yom Kippur (Judgement Day)? In a synangogue in Medina. Where do you think the praying 5 times a day comes from? Praying five times on Yom Kippur. How about those prayer mats they use? Used by very traditional Jews during Mohammed's time and before. He stole that, too.
Since Muhammed was a criminal and started Islam as a criminal enterprise (yes, he did. go back and read the history), that promotes perverted teachings of Judaism that teaches false and extreme ideology with its adherenst living in an unconventional manner by waging jihad at all costs no matter how unethical. Is promoting murder, lying, deceit, theft, and arson to spread an idea crazy and insane? Yes. This is the proof that shows me Islam is a cult, pure and simple. And they do promote war called JIHAD. Go look it up. They are at war with anyone that is not a Muslim. They have officially declared war on America several times in the past and are at war in 22 places because that is a core tenet of their beliefs based on the writings in the Koran and in their commentaries called the Hadith. Do Muslim men beat their wives? Yes. It's permissible as written in the Koran. Is this crazy? Yes.
If their beliefs and practices are so great why don't they have an automotive production industry? Is there any industry that they are into that is creative and a blessing to the rest of the world? None that I know of. Can I see a list of Muslim inventors that have changed the world with their inventins like Christians and Jews have? How about a Noble Peace Prize in something demonstrably peaceful and a blessing to the world. The ones for Arafat the Arab Muslim terrorist does not count. Why is this? Because their religion and way of life do not make this possible.
If the Muslims you know are peaceful why not ask them if they believe in the Koran which is the revealed word of Allah. Ask them where the teachings have changed that invalidate jihad. There are none. They can't be Muslims without accepting this fact. Jihad is ingrained into them by the Muslim mothers from the day they are born. No matter how many generations they go they cannot give up Islam, ever. And they cannot separate jihad from Islam. Without jihad Islam does not exist.
Not all Muslims are terrorists, but most terrorists we hear about in the world today are. Why is that? Could religion play any part?
If Muslims can prove to me corporate as well as individually that they are not a threat to my well-being, liberty, life, and hapiness as well as other Americans and non-Muslims globally then I will embrace them with love, kindness, and respect as followers of a relgion and not this cult called Islam. As you know Judaism is based on actions not feelings or intents. I, as Jew, want the Muslims to prove to me with their actions, not words, that they are peaceful.
Until then there are no other arguments. You prove to me that Muslims are peaceful, kind, respectful, merciful, and tolerant of others as individuals AND corporately and I will change my mind and the rest of the world.
Amalek revived itself in the Nazi regime. 10 of Hitlers closest associates were executed at the end of the Nurembury trials on Purim. This is the same day that Haman, a descendant of Amalek, was put to death at the gallows along with his 10 sons. The spirit of Amalek is still out there and waiting to do Jews in completely.
We are swifting coming to a crossroads in human history. We will either get the promised Messiah and the Sabbath Millenium of 1000 years of peace and light and freedom for all in the next 85 to 235 years (based on the rabbis and the Jewish calendar) or we will fall into a great Holocaust that makes the 20th century one at the hands of the Socialists look like child's play. Those that survive will be enslaved in the darkness of illiteracy, ignorance, and work from dusk till dawn like in Egypt to pay off that national debt of 6 or 7 trillion dollars we owe everyone else. If you have a Socialist Slave Number (SSN card) then you have to pay!
How many here want that?
The Leftists (Greens, Progressives, Marxists, Leninists, Stalinists, Orthodox Muslims, and common criminals) are gathering to completely annihilate any one on the Right who stands up for good, for HaShem (G-d), ethics, ethical and just laws, and anything else that non-Jews have adopted from Torah. Israel is at the spearhead of this war against G-d and His followers (Jews, Christians, and the truly decent, good and peaceful Muslims). The Right is rising up and starting to fight back. Let's pray that the trend continues in a greater fashion.
I have bitachon (trust) and emunah (faith) that HaShem (G-d) will get us through this. I'm not over-reacting. I am just being a realist and calling it as I have studied it.
FC
I have read the New Testament, even though I am Jewish (Conservative denomination, specifically). I don't believe Jesus was the Messiah, no. I do believe he existed and was a great man.
>> Islam is a religion, not a cult. Cults don't promote war. << You wanted me to expand on this.
This was a response to Funky Chicken, who asserted that religions promote peace and cults promote war. Then I posted a different definition of religions. His new definition of cults is much more accurate.
I will be the first to say Islam has done many terrible things and many terrible things have been done in its name. Islam does not have a stellar historical record, especially in the last 2 centuries (and the century we have just begun). However, the Islamic world was once a beacon of civilization (without question), and has had periods of tolerance. Current strains of Islam are very dangerous (Wahabiism, etc.) That doesn't mean Islam as a whole is (and I won't say it's not either; I'm just saying that one does not necessarily mean the other is true is well). Now, I am also disconcerted by what the Koran says. However, I must judge people as individuals, and judge them by their actions (and sometimes inactions). You are free to come to do otherwise or reach different conclusions than me.
I personally know more than a few very decent Muslisms whose acquaintance I am glad to have. Nazi Germans did many terrible things to my family, but I don't hate Germans.
IMO, the Bible (what you call the Old Testament) is the Word and Laws of G-d.
All I can do is do the best I can do. That is why I urge war against the terrrorists, and a hardline against those who seek to do us harm. And that is why I will strive to protect the rights of all individuals, especially North Americans. That is why I will defend Judeo-Christian values and morals (which I do hold to be divinely given), and to love G-d. I will defend Judaism and Christianity.
And I will not become as the terrorists, because that would be letting them win. I believe G-d is on our side, and we will triumph so long as we remain righteous and true to his Laws.
FC,
Like you, I judge people individually. And in the case you gave, there is very little benefit of the doubt you could give to your stereo-stealing neigbour. As you said, we have the power to judge our fellow man, and we can judge ideas/cultures/religions/beliefs/philosophies as well.
The purpose of the laws, values, morals, principles, stories and parables that religions promote is to encourage their followers to lead a moral (as defined by the religion), righteous life. "To teach humanity to learn to give to each other in unconditional and condition ways of respect and kindnes that promote life, liberty, happines, peace, wealth creation, good will, brotherhood, unity. " This definition is not true of all religions, but it is true of many. Judaism and Christianity do promote this, as does Buddhism (with different emphases of course). I believe Islam does as well. At least in theory.
Your new definition of a cult is much more accurate. And under it, you can classify ancient Islam (under Mohammed, for example), but not modern Islam. Modern Islam is too vast to be categorized so easily. Can you classify Wahabiism that way? Yes, most definitely (except that there are many charismatic leaders).
The Islamic world is in a pit of its own making. Once, it -was- a pinnacle and paragon of civilization. Now? Islamic countries are amongst the worst in the world to live in.
The Muslism I know do not behead people. They don't bomb civilians. There are many Muslims that do, but I will not condemn people for crimes they did not commit. That would be evil, in a very real sense. Should I turn a blind eye to atrocities Muslims do commit, or pretend it is not Muslims committing them (a la France)? Of course not. That is ridiculous, and immoral in a different way.
"Not all Muslims are terrorists, but most terrorists we hear about in the world today are. Why is that? Could religion play any part?"
Of course it can, and in this case it does (at least in my opinion). Strains of Islam are encouraging terrorism. And they should be defeated, utterly. We should go and strike them down, and strike down those who would seek to destroy us. But Sodom would have been spared if there had been 10 righteous men. And there are more than 10 in Islam. There are tens, hundreds of millions.
So, by now you are probably wondering, what do I believe we should do about Islam (my post earlier not dealing with Islam explicitly and more the symptoms of terrorism)? I do believe we need to put a LOT more pressure on moderate Muslims to speak up. And I believe that many do resent and hate those who have hijacked their religion, just as they hijack planes and cruiseships and unfortunate countries.
I believe we must take a hard line with Saudi Arabia. I believe that righteous, tolerant and moderate Islamic leaders need to reassert control over their own faith before they condemn the West. And that Muslims in Islamic countries need to take back their countries from petty dictators who use Islam to distract them against the crippling realities and horrors plaguing their countries. I believe they need to take a good long, honest look at themselves, be honest and start dealing with the very real problems plaguing them.
And I believe that we must respond with full aggression and force to those who seek to do us harm. But we must act in a way that does not compromise our values: Judeo-Christian and American. And condemn an entire group because of the actions of a few (even if those few are actually many) does certainly do that.
Amalek is dead and gone. There will be many who come that hate, and seek to destroy. And they will do terrible things. But the Lord is on our side. Where are the nations that sought to exterminate the Jews now? Where is Assyria? Where is Amalek? Where is Egypt? They are dead, buried under the sands of history, while Jews live on and prosper.
The Messiah will come when he will come, and that is that. The Lord will Judge when he is ready, and that is that. I have faith in G-d that he will see us through this menace, and all the other menaces to come if we remain true to him and his Laws.
I will stand by the righteous, and I will stand by the Right. We will fight for what is right, and what is just, and for morality. We will fight for our society. We will fight against our enemies. And it may take a long time, and the cost may be high. But we will triumph, and survive, and prosper. And these enemies shall go the way of Amalek and Assyria, and new ones shall arise until they too are defeated.
Remember that as G-d is eternal, so is his covenant. We will survive, and prosper, and become a goyim gadol.