In Reply to: on moral relativism posted by zither on March 13, 2006 at 22:39:52:
"How do you justify condemning their religion as a whole in light of your own personal experience?"
Did I say I condemn their religion? I don't remember using that word. There are many things I detest about many so-called religions. I detest the way Hinduism as a religion keeps its people destitute and following pagan gods. I went to a Hindu procession once that really knocked my socks off. I couldn't believe what I saw. The way they would get into trances and poke fish hooks in their skin and carry kadhavis (sp?) up a long trek to a high hill to pay homage to a deity they claimed had fulfilled some promise. Even little children were doing it. One of our local friends became involved and was trying to get away from it, she hated it. She depended on us to pray for her and keep her from that awful spirit that would possess these people.
The spiritual world is very real and that's why I believe Christianity to be the best religion if you really understand it and don't use it for your ends, a la Berg and many others. After all, there are plenty of evil men in the world to subvert and take advantage of anythiing they can get their hands on. But as a whole, it is a very accomodating and uplifting religion if you read the words of Jesus. The problem with Islam is that it is a theocracy, not a religion and I believe the whole thing to be bogus. Still, it is their right to follow if they want, as long as it is not hurtful to others.
Aside from that, the problem I have is the way the Inmans and Islamic governments control the people through their governments and the law of Sharia. There are no human rights watchers and their religion abuses human rights and women are totally disempowered. I can't understand how you can compare that to Christianity. Christians moved into the 21st century, radical Islamists insist upon moving back into what they think is their purer days of the 7th century caliphate and the law of Sharia. This is the problem I have with radical Islam and the powers that be that are controlling the masses, i.e., as we have witnessed with suicide bombings around the world, burning of embassies over cartoons, the declaration to destroy the west as we know it, etc. I don't know about you, but I condemn those actions.
What I see the need for is to decry these actions and help them move into the 21st century instead of thinking their religion wants them to move back into the ancient caliphate and the law of Sharia. Yes, many peaceful Muslims move that way, but they are intimidated by the radical Inmans - I saw that very clear when I lived in that Muslim country and that was back in the 70s. Everyone was talking about it. English was no longer allowed in the schools (this was a former British colony), girls were supposed to wear head coverings (they didn't have to before), businesses were being comandeered by Muslim nationals (only 1/3 of the population). The "peaceful" muslims didn't like it, but they were powerless to it - that is what I saw.
Who really undersatnds the Muslim religion? You quote a few things that sound like you got them off a website. I've read and experienced much more than this. A lot depends on which Inman people are listening to, also. What needs to happen is these respected clerics who believe Islam to be peaceful and do not subscribe to the Jihadists viewpoint to be much more outspoken and try and turn the tide. I don't see that happening though. I wish it were. I wish I saw Muslims demonstrating in the streets against violence and beheadings and the killing of innocents.
I do see a valient effort though in Iraq which is why the Jihadists are trying with everything they have to make sure it fails. I wish them well and I hope and pray they can pull it off for the sake of the people that do want to live in peace. I'm afraid the world, though, has lost its grit and that worries me.
Also you say that there is a backlash against Muslims much the same as they have a supposed backlash against Christians and Jews. No, it's not the same. Nowhere in Christianity is it written as it is in the Koran that non-Christians are the same as pigs and women should be treated as chattell, sub-human. This is why Jihadists have no problem bombing innocent bystanders, because their religion teaches them that non-muslims (or even those they perceive as not following Islam) are destined for hell anyway. Apparently, the Koran teaches that Allah has allowed for all these people to be born so they can fill up hell. Have you read that one? Therefore, it means nothing to them to blow them up, not to mention the fact that they will get blessings for it. I don't see Christianity teaching that.
You seem to think that I'm guitly of Islamophobia if I speak out against acts that I think are wrong or don't agree with their religion. I don't think it's the same. I loved the person I stayed with who was Muslim, but I despised the fact that she was a second wife and was one of the loneliest people I ever met. I hated the religion for what it does to women. Fault me for that, if you like, but not for being ignorant and hateful of nothing then just because.
This also reminds me of Mormonism. Their prophet taught them that polygamy was scriptural. Then when it was outlawed in the states, they had to change their tune. But instead of coming out and saying they were wrong, they made some sort of Maria like statement - for the public they say one thing, but don't really denounce the practice as unGodly. So you have people still believing it's part of their religion and the problem continues.
Well - sorry for the length, but this is a deep subject with no easy answers.