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Reader comment on item: Which Privileges for Islam?
in response to reader comment: forced conversion a reality

Submitted by That Other Guy (United Kingdom), Oct 20, 2007 at 15:17

"I don't know about muslims prefering people to convert of their own free will. The basic doctorine is that if you convert people then you will be equal to the martyrs in how many virgins you get to keep as company in heaven - or something along those lines. The point is that it is seen as a good thing in many quarters regardless of how it is achieved."


True. But in order to receive the reward and status you speak of the conversion must be a valid one! That means you cannot FORCE someone to become a Muslim, as that would be 'cheating the system' so to speak. Why is that so hard for you to grasp???

"In UK the khilafah group distributes funds to young muslim boys to help them date and marry sikh, christian and hindu girls. The idea is that they convert as a precondition to marriage and this is done in open air demonstrations. This group often target societies most vulnerable with leaflets and advice sessions on "how to date a fat girl" etc etc"

That is absurd. I have heard of the stories of such, but neither were they some conspiracy by any such group nor were they planned. It was low level, and just stupid kids being stupid kids. Nothing here to talk about, and certainly nothing to represent or base a religious ideology on. The work of winning new converts through just and fair means is going quite well in the UK thank you very much. We have no need to resort to underhand tactics, as some missionaries are known to have done so.

"In Afghanistan, non muslims pay higher taxes and enjoy less priveledges than muslims and there is a constant pressure to convert. There are many stories like this all round the world."

As an Afghan, let me correct you. Non-believers do pay a tax for the safety and security provided by the Islamic State, but to think they are constantly harassed, is ignorant.

"The whole concept of khaffir (non-believers) being lower than muslims and acceptable cannon fodder and the whole doctorine of conversion make the Islamic faith a potentialy abrasive one. Millions of Hindus were converted at sword point, the Sikh prophets were martyred and even now, the process has not gone away, it has just become more sophisticated."

You cite India as an interesting example. Through the Islamic rule, if what you say were true, it would 100% Islamic, yet Muslims only make up ~ 12% of India's pop.

"The whole idea of religion, in my opinion, is to collect money for the priests and exercise control over the people. Democracy and capitalism have taken that away from the Christian church so people now seem to by-pass the church and worship the money directly whilst putting all of their faith in democratic government. All faiths are showing an element of this, but the shift of christianlity in Europe from middle class and working class white to African immigrant black congregations is a startling illustration of people becoming lovers of money and not so visibly lovers of god."

Firstyly, Islam doesn't have any sort of system of hierachal fugures (priest, bishop, pope etc) nor is money collected for any such purpose. So don't paint over Islam by setting Christianity as the benchmark of world religions.

"Which brings us back to Islam. Money will be the test of faith for Islam. My theory is that as Islamic followers become more affluent and partake in democratic capitalist economies - the religion will go from extreme fanatic, to tolerant moderate to basic non-entity in quick succession."

You have no idea do you?

"Soon we will see the effects of spreading the wealth and it will have the same effect that spreading the knowledge had on Brahmin hindus, it will blunt the extremist sword and eventually erode the elitist power held by the priests and other heads of the faith. People just want to be happy and a physical and spiritual balance is often best found when there is no conflict and this is what I suspect the Islamic people will seek before long."


Thats nice and rosy. But pray tell, what importance does worldy materialistic gains have to the so-called 'extremists' of our time? You seriously have no idea what you talk about, you just simply display the same boring diatripe that Sikhs/Hindus love to spit out when it comes to Islam...
Submitting....

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Reader comments (91) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Appeasement is not the way to deal with Islamists' demands [293 words]B N GURURAJFeb 15, 2009 06:34150486
it will never be enough [294 words]Phil GreeendJul 2, 2007 18:39102451
1stop the dhimmis [70 words]jack hawkinsOct 7, 2006 15:2559229
1Privileges, Compromise, Concessions & Appeasement will bring more Islamic Terror [91 words]DhokabhiaJul 28, 2006 16:0851081
Do not fully agree [294 words]AlbJul 12, 2006 04:1649483
To Alb [581 words]VijayJul 12, 2006 18:2649483
Either naïve or treasonous. [175 words]MottyAug 3, 2007 01:0749483
freedom [4527 words]wrs lastNov 30, 2005 12:5429159
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Source of Mankinds' Battles [220 words]O.C.Sep 15, 2006 11:0728524
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Ryan SonneOct 12, 2005 08:4726852
Question for D.P. regarding "Palestine" [64 words]
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Which Privileges for Islam? [65 words]Arjun RanaApr 12, 2005 11:5921567
History of world [43 words]
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SulejmanApr 1, 2005 15:5121290
to daniel pipes [73 words]gemNov 12, 2010 12:4421290
Mr. Pipes is correct: Learn from the Indian Tragedy [434 words]Arvind MadhavanMar 28, 2005 09:3221188
In response to commenter Arvind Madhavan [474 words]shariarMar 30, 2005 00:0421188
Response to Mr.Shariar's comments [416 words]Arvind MadhavanMar 31, 2005 15:3321188
uncalled for comments........ [179 words]iqJan 12, 2006 02:3121188
1 plus 1 equals one million [8 words]gemOct 15, 2010 01:5021188
Fitting into what? [82 words]A kharijitMar 24, 2005 17:4221160
CAIR gets away with bullying [90 words]A. WoodsMar 23, 2005 14:5721147
If I may add; do not yield to CAIR bullying [910 words]Raid MohammadMar 29, 2005 13:2921147
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Separation of Mosque and State [232 words]John Randall PeacherMar 20, 2005 03:4421074
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Hmmm.. [90 words]Lynn HMar 19, 2005 14:3721065
Muslim power [88 words]Octavio JohansonMar 19, 2005 12:4921064
In response to Octavio Johanson: I agree with you [284 words]Marcos BerensteinMar 20, 2005 05:1221064
The warning of 2 John and Islamic fundamentalism [49 words]Quennel GaleMar 18, 2005 17:1521060
1Acceptance of a minority culture by the majority. [41 words]Michael CMar 18, 2005 06:4321052
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A Crucial Distinction [96 words]Robert ArsenaultMar 17, 2005 13:2621043
Right On [44 words]H. YazdiMar 16, 2005 23:0321035
worship in universities [32 words]nb hershfield FRCPMar 16, 2005 19:3421033
Response to any who object to observing Muslim Holidays [201 words]Danielle MackeyMar 16, 2005 14:2721031
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It's Not Islamic Holidays That I Object To: Response to Danielle Mackey [264 words]Don CastellaMar 18, 2005 15:0021031
Initial premise [72 words]TANWEER HUSSAINMar 16, 2005 14:1121029
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Terror [34 words]YovenMar 16, 2005 13:5921027
Evil hides [50 words]WallaceMar 16, 2005 13:2521025
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Octavio JohansonMar 16, 2005 12:3421023
I have changed my views [71 words]Juan Duchesne WinterMar 16, 2005 10:3021021
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McGill prayer room [92 words]Denise AllenMar 15, 2005 23:4921017
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There Are Scholars and Scholars [164 words]Dave M O'NeillMar 15, 2005 20:2321012
Rights and Privileges for followers of Islam [85 words]Tzvi TamariMar 15, 2005 19:5121010
Great Info, but... [107 words]Alex MullerMar 15, 2005 18:1521007
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No Special Privileges [46 words]Naeem DinMar 15, 2005 14:5521000
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Great advice for politicians and bureaucrats - if they will heed it! [74 words]M MaslowMar 15, 2005 12:5420994
Which privileges for Islam [98 words]MacMar 15, 2005 12:0720993
99.99% agreement [186 words]Irfan KhawajaMar 15, 2005 12:0320992
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Church bells vs. muezzin's call [93 words]SriramMar 21, 2005 15:0420992
1Church bells and azaan [354 words]Irfan KhawajaMar 23, 2005 16:4420992
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Azan is different [46 words]SeanApr 1, 2005 22:0720992
rotflol... [83 words]plusafJan 25, 2008 23:4520992
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Establishment of Religion [228 words]Stephen BermanMar 15, 2005 11:4020991
Confusion about terminology [123 words]
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Jacob OlidortMar 15, 2005 11:0220990
Bravo ! [65 words]Shayel SiegelMar 15, 2005 10:4920988
Schools accommodating Muslim holidays [248 words]Roberta BeckerMar 15, 2005 09:3720987
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Apologies [105 words]That Other GuyMay 8, 2007 16:1620981
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yawn... [740 words]That Other GuyOct 20, 2007 15:1720981
fighting muslim extremists [50 words]DavidMay 15, 2013 14:2020981

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