Posted on 12/05/2001 5:58:16 AM PST by Prodigal Daughter
No, you are full of crap. Islam condemns eccentric thought or expression with forms of execution, it is so in the Koran and their commentaries. In Christianity Jesus called himself Son of God, yet never implied comdemnation with execution of whoever did not believe him. He actualy made a point by not fighting back at all when he disagreed with the Pharisees on that view and ended up being crucified.
Culture shmultur, Islam has no repent, it is written in their books.
Your post almost stated what I had in mind. Might I also add that yes, barbaric practices were done in the middle ages by Christians and Jews alike, but the difference between Christianity as well as Judaism today, and Islamic beliefs and practices is that Chrisitanity and Judaism have come full circle to being closer to what the Bible and Torah teach. They are truly peaceful religions that do not espouse violence or the mistreatment of women.
The same can not be said for Muslims and the Qu'ran.
Someone asked me in a Freepmail can I explain what's the difference between being anti-Islam and anti-Moslem. I said "Sure, I love Moslems. My grandfather was Moslem. Everyone should be allowed to practice the religion of their choice, Islam included, but I personally see MANY more negatives in Islamic scripture and in imam writings than I see positives. A religion that teaches that if you refuse the religion, you're an apostate and will be put to death is an abomination. "
Notice during the Inquisition, Bibles were confiscated, and there were about 300/year put to death in horrible ways. The Catholic inquisition and the Jihad Inquisition should both be condemned, but the Jihadic Inquisition is being preached from the Islamic pulpits unfortunately.
That said, there are numerous posters who can not simply accept the fact that much of what is done to oppress women is being justified using the Guoran, but that does not mean it is clearly enumerated as acceptable by the Quoran.
There are numerous muslim states where the type of oppression described by this author do not exist. Pakistan had a female President.
What we are seeing is a resurgence of fundamentalist Islam, much as what happened with numerous Christian groups within and outside the Catholic church at a similar point in our history.
The absence of the media technology we have today, the higher rates of illiteracy, and the much more extreme control over the recording of information practiced during the dark ages makes it hard for us to be certain to what degree opression of women and others occured. What we do know is that, in the name of Christianity, there were atrocities we would not accept today.
Too many people are failing to make the connection that you make. There is a huge difference between a religion and the actions of some who practice it. Were we to do as ome have called for in this thread, and destroy those religions that have been used to justify behaviors that are despicable, we would have to eliminate the practicioners of all major religions in the world.
Are we as bad as the Taliban? No. Are we any better people than most muslims? No.
For starters, Pedophilia clearly enumerated as acceptable by Islamic scripture.
Imagine an alien trying to predict the details of American culture by reading the Bible. Without tradition and the guidance of a church or pastor, what parts of the Law would you expect to be important.
From one comment made by Jesus, modern Cristians have invalidated all the Jewish dietary laws and many other laws.
Then, after that, He (Mohammed) imposed fighting to them with the following words:
"Prescribed for you is fighting, though it be hateful to you. Yet it may happen that you will hate a thing which is better for you; and it may happen that you love a thing which is worse for you. Allah knows and you know not." [KORAN., 2:216]
He (Mohammed) has emphasized this command and glorified jihad in many of the Medinese suras. He has criticized those who fail to participate in it and called them hypocrites and sick in their hearts. Allah has said:
"Say: ‘If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, your possessions that you have gained, commerce you fear may slacken, dwellings you love - if these are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and to struggle in His way, then wait till Allah brings His command; Allah guides not the people of the ungodly.’" [KORAN., 9:24]
The command to participate in jihad and the mention of its merits occur innumerable times in the Koran and the Sunna. Therefore it is the best voluntary [religious] act that man can perform. All scholars agree that it is better than the hajj (greater pilgrimage) and the `umra (lesser pilgrimage), than voluntary salaat and voluntary fasting, as the Koran and the Sunna indicate. The Prophet, Peace be upon him, has said: "The head of the affair is Islam, its central pillar is the salaat and the summit is the jihad." And he has said: "In Paradise there are a hundred grades with intervals as wide as the distance between the sky and the earth. All these Allah has prepared for those who take part in jihad." There is unanimity about the authenticity of this Tradition. Al-Bukhaari has transmitted that he has said: "Him whose feet have become dusty in the way of Allah [i.e. jihad] will Allah save from hellfire." And, as related by Muslim, he has said:
"A day and a night spent in ribaat [remaining at the frontiers of Islam with the intention of defending Islamic territory against the enemies] are better than one month spent in fasting and vigils. If he dies [in the fulfillment of this task], he will receive the recompense of his deeds and subsistence, and he will be protected from the Angel of the Grave."
Then further on in the discourse by an Islamic religious leader:
Since lawful warfare is essentially jihad and since its aim is that the religion is Allah’s entirely [2:189, 8:39] and Allah’s word is uppermost [9:40], therefore, according to all Muslims, those who stand in the way of this aim must be fought. As for those who cannot offer resistance or cannot fight, such as women, children, monks, old people, the blind, handicapped and their likes, they shall not be killed, unless they actually fight with words [e.g. by propaganda]
Those are the words of the Islamic scholar and he said "propaganda", not me. You can read more written by a Moslem about the Koran at The Religious and Moral Doctrine of Jihad
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This grammatical error bugs me! There is a difference!!
I do not know what rights they have, but I would be willing to bet that Amish women have far less rights than Amish men do.
Granted, there are a heck of a lot less Amish in the world than they are Muslims, and the Amish do not proselytise by word or sword, but I have often times wondered how many of the women in the Amish community would bolt for freedom if they thought they had a chance.
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