The Islamic Response To Terrorism

[hipeter924]

 

[Quantum Windbag]

What do you mean by "doesn't tolerate", Quantum Windbag? The RCC teaches that all non-Catholics are going to hell. You make it sound as if most Muslims believe they have a spiritual duty to kill non-Muslims. It's hard for me to accept that 1.5 Billion people share that POV.

There is a difference between saying that God is going to send you to hell if you don't listen to Him and killing people who convert to another religion. Christians (to be more precise, the Catholic church) used to kill people who disagreed with or challenged them, just like Islam does today. You do not have mainstream Christian clerics defending abortion clinic bombers, yet you have Islamic clerics defending those who issue death threats to South Park because they talk about how if offends Muslims to portray Muhammad, even if the portrayal is favorable.

Islam is currently in the exact same place Christianity was almost 500 years ago when Martin Luther posted the 95 Thesis on the door of the church. Until Islam is reformed from within the way Christianity was it will be no more tolerant of dissension than the Church was back then.

If you think of Islam today like you think of the Church in the Dark Ages you will have a better understanding of the dynamics involved, and will understand the problems that Muslims face. This will allow you to understand why I can criticize Islam and still understand that not all Muslims are terrorist. Hell, most Muslims are not terrorists, but Islam is a religion that breeds terrorists, just like Christianity in the dark Ages bred fanatics who led Crusades and the Inquisition.

It was the same Bible back then, but the attitude of Christianity was wrong. The attitude of Islam today is wrong.

Your analogy isn't entirely accurate. (Sunni) Islam doesn't have the sort of highly centralized authority peculiar to the Catholic Church. Strictly speaking, Islam has no clergy or religious hierarchy, only a vast number of disunited scholars to whom lay Muslims can defer if they choose to do so. Some countries in the "Islamic world" have attempted to create state-controlled religious bodies, but no overarching authority exists or is called for in Islamic scripture.

If you think the Pope in Rome had all that much control over what happened in Spain you are sadly ignorant of history. That aside, I am talking about attitudes here, which should be clear to anyone. Regardless of how hierarchical Islam is or is not, it needs to be reformed from within, the same way Christianity was.

 

[Hister]

Finished serving your suspension for trolling already?

 

[hipeter924]

Finished serving your suspension for trolling already?

Suspension?

 

[Pappadave]

Query. Should the Pope go to Islam and seek forgiveness for the horrors of the Crusades? Yes. Would Islam grant forgiveness? I don't know, do you? Do they? Don't all religions claim to the the only true interpreters of the Word of God? Doesn't that claim in and of itself negate free will? I choose to believe in God, a Creator (you are free to do the same and call Him what you will, chance, happenstance, chaos, whatever: a rose by any name is still a rose). I choose to believe my creation has a beneficial purpose to help me find meaning in my life other than just enjoy the ride, to look beyond my own self. You are free to believe otherwise. The Word of God, the name of God, the command of God is all the same: LOVE. Peace, Love, and Faith. Pappadave.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Query. Should the Pope go to Islam and seek forgiveness for the horrors of the Crusades? Yes. Would Islam grant forgiveness? I don't know, do you? Do they? Don't all religions claim to the the only true interpreters of the Word of God? Doesn't that claim in and of itself negate free will? I choose to believe in God, a Creator (you are free to do the same and call Him what you will, chance, happenstance, chaos, whatever: a rose by any name is still a rose). I choose to believe my creation has a beneficial purpose to help me find meaning in my life other than just enjoy the ride, to look beyond my own self. You are free to believe otherwise. The Word of God, the name of God, the command of God is all the same: LOVE. Peace, Love, and Faith. Pappadave.

Query. Did the Pope commit the atrocities of the Crusades? Are the Muslims that are alive today responsible for the atrocities committed by their ancestors?

May I also point out that if God created the universe your opinion about why He did it is irrelevant? Does it matter to you what opinion an ant has about you?