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RE:apologetics

Reader comment on item: Civil war likely in Iraq: Pipes
in response to reader comment: Can't see the Forest for the Trees

Submitted by WeAreAllDanes! (United States), Mar 18, 2006 at 12:09

"WeAreAllDanes!, how much time have you actually spent at Friday prayers in a mosque, actually listening to what the imams are teaching? I've spent plenty since I was a teen in the '70s. I had a close friend who was Muslim. We took turns attending each other's houses of worship and actually trying to learn about each other. He's now a Methodist minister (and I'm even more of a Fundamentalist Christian than I was then), so I'm pretty well qualified to speak to the good, bad, and ugly of both faiths."

I've read both Koran and Bible - as well as being fairly well versed in history. I consider that just as valid a background as yours.

"Not a nice picture, is it? This is the exact challenge Hamid gave me 30 years ago. If you are willing to pick and chose materials and pull them out of their larger context, you can produce evil with just about every religious work ever produced. The Bible is actually the easiest to do this with."

The commands and violence in those two books of the Old Testement had specific targets. That is not comparable to the into-the-future commands in the Koran.

"As for Sura 9, you are quoting out of context when you say "kill the infidels". For starters, the only "infidels" that are ordered killed are the idolators and polytheists. This order is not directed against Christians and Jews."

You weren't paying attention to that Sura, were you?

"By the way, both Christianity and Judaism contain much the same command in a multitude of places in Genesis and Exodus, as well as others."

Again, those were specific targets. There is a difference.

"Secondly, be careful which non-Arabic translation you are using. A good example of mis-translation is the use of the word "Fight" in 9.29. The most appropriate word would be challenge or dispute, not fight. Most of the non-Arabic translations available in the West were done by people who had an agenda: portray Islam in the most negative way possible. Be careful of which translation you use."

Indeed one should be careful to avoid translations that are spun for the Western reader too. The one I use is Maulana Muhammad Ali's. Are you going to tell me that this one was written to make Islam look bad?

"Brlliant, yes, but misguided. And the same can be said for the religion he founded. It is NOT EVIL in and of itself, just misguided. Until we get beyond the Islam-equals-evil equation, we will never be able to educate Muslims about the errors of their ways. My friend converted because there were Christians around him that understood this."

Just how is it "brilliant"? It was evil from the start! Christianity began peaceful, was overtaken by poliitics and then reformed. Islam began warlike and has remained so. I'm puzzled as to how you expect to convince the Ummah to give up the sayings of their prophet, considering they consider him the "perfect man".....
Submitting....

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Reader comments (61) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
US Must Resist Temptation to Leave Iraq [384 words]William Robert JackMar 20, 2006 14:5940814
To Harrak, Mu'een and Bader Islam is a religion of Peace [343 words]InfidelMar 12, 2006 14:4039858
Islam and the losers in the west! [173 words]HarrakMar 14, 2006 13:5639858
1Islam is the future? What future? [511 words]EarlybirdMar 14, 2006 17:4739858
Earlybird! I like your take except for some points.. [447 words]HARRAKMar 14, 2006 22:5639858
1Response to Harrak [333 words]EarlybirdMar 15, 2006 19:4939858
RE:Harrak.... [271 words]WeAreAllDanes!Mar 16, 2006 01:3039858
To Harrak, Mu'een and Bader - Islam is a religion of Peace [330 words]VijayMar 16, 2006 06:3439858
Earlbird, it's nice to see someone esle who understands [345 words]JasonMar 16, 2006 13:0939858
Reply for Earlybird and WeAreALLdanes [46 words]HARRAKMar 16, 2006 13:4639858
RE:HARRAK's non-reply [49 words]WeAreAllDanes!Mar 17, 2006 14:0939858
1Naaaaa..... [207 words]DunkelOct 24, 2011 12:0739858
Can't see the Forest for the Trees [941 words]JasonMar 10, 2006 13:4539636
Reply to Jason - Can't see the forest for the trees [275 words]David JohnMar 11, 2006 13:0839636
Reply to David John [412 words]JasonMar 13, 2006 07:4339636
Can't see the forest for the trees - reply to Jason [339 words]David JohnMar 14, 2006 11:3639636
Is the Koran really worse than the Bible [284 words]JasonMar 15, 2006 14:1139636
RE: lost in the forest [72 words]WeAreAllDanes!Mar 16, 2006 01:3639636
Still not seeing the forest for the trees [584 words]JasonMar 16, 2006 11:4439636
I agree [27 words]PCMadnessMar 17, 2006 19:3039636
RE:apologetics [489 words]WeAreAllDanes!Mar 18, 2006 12:0939636
to Jason - re forest for the trees. [260 words]RashidMar 19, 2006 15:3639636
Islam is different [231 words]Joe"Jun 14, 2006 12:1139636
Educative Information [24 words]Kakuru RobertAug 21, 2007 05:2039636
Civil War in Iraq [139 words]Heather ClarkMar 8, 2006 23:0639456
1Iraq, the harder game than that of Lebanon [459 words]HARRAKMar 8, 2006 11:4539375
Cohabitation [78 words]Bader SMar 8, 2006 17:3739375
Response for Badr- the proverb of the stupid and the proud [343 words]HarrakMar 9, 2006 13:2339375
Sources please Harrak... [172 words]PCMadnessMar 8, 2006 04:5939331
Sources! [72 words]HARRAKMar 8, 2006 17:2939331
Sorry Harrak, None the wiser I'm afraid. [241 words]PCMadnessMar 9, 2006 02:3439331
Sabians, Assyrians and Christians are NOT Muslims if you are wise PCMadness!! [42 words]HarrakMar 9, 2006 13:0239331
Harrak, Though provoking isn't it? [313 words]PCMadnessMar 9, 2006 20:2039331
Collin Powel and PCMadness! [89 words]HarrakMar 11, 2006 13:3839331
Harrak, words almost fail me. [355 words]PCMadnessMar 11, 2006 19:4239331
pdmadness, proverb for you! [32 words]HarrakMar 12, 2006 11:4539331
Agree to disagree.... I think [11 words]PCMadnessMar 13, 2006 14:5639331
Just goes to show you... [52 words]Ariton MarkuMar 7, 2006 11:5839191
A little analogy [82 words]Ray DanielsMar 6, 2006 04:1739036
Black Americans-White Americans----Both Christians?? [59 words]DWMar 6, 2006 17:2539036
Black and White [145 words]yuval brandstetter MDMar 7, 2006 09:4439036
Nothing new [123 words]Arvind MadhavanMar 4, 2006 19:3838912
Nothing new... [140 words]TMoneyRockMar 7, 2006 12:0738912
Dear TMoneyRock: Here is another rhyme [165 words]Arvind MadhavanMar 9, 2006 21:4038912
1an expression of relief [119 words]Jason HansfordMar 4, 2006 13:0738869
Democratic fetishism [348 words]Reuben HorneMar 4, 2006 02:2938832
Bleeding hearts to prevail. [255 words]renchMar 3, 2006 17:0438805
An Iraqi Civil war is still a failure [427 words]Ben ShniperMar 6, 2006 14:5838805
Dr Pipes is correct [111 words]donvanMar 3, 2006 15:5038796
1An Important Distinction between India and Pakistan [83 words]Mrgrinchman2001Mar 3, 2006 10:3838767
2Another difference between India and Pakistan [86 words]SteevMar 5, 2006 09:4738767
..a golden opportunity for Iran again, regardless of the double standard issue! [238 words]HarrakMar 5, 2006 23:3738767
An environment in which they can thrive [165 words]Bader SMar 7, 2006 02:0538767
True [180 words]VijayMar 7, 2006 12:2938767
Bader S Tell the whole story [94 words]InfidelMar 7, 2006 15:0038767
correcting my blabing friend the infidel [332 words]HARRAKMar 7, 2006 21:3538767
To Bader S. & Vijay [288 words]faqiMar 8, 2006 01:1338767
It's a mess, but so's Harraks response [107 words]PCMadnessMar 8, 2006 04:5738767
To Bader S. & Vijay [273 words]VijayMar 8, 2006 06:3038767
Re:Bader S Tell the whole story [106 words]Bader SMar 8, 2006 09:0638767
To faqi [265 words]Bader SMar 8, 2006 16:5038767

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