In Reply to: Re: phhtt posted by Huda on March 27, 2006 at 17:10:00:
I've read many books and many journalistic reports, not to mention life experiences. But I guess to you, they don't count. I don't believe I am trying to do the things you say I am trying to do. I'm simply stating facts and observing things. As far as I know, there is no nation that requires Christianity to be followed or else and if you don't comply, you get executed, put in jail, whatever. I don't see how you can say it's the same, it's equal. I take issue with that. You seem to be angry that I refuse to equate the two as one in the same.
I certainly know there are 2 billion Muslims in the world and probably only 5 to 10 percent suscribe to the present day militant Jihadist brand of Islam. However, out of 2 billion Muslims, that's a lot. Did you know, also, that in the Koran a Muslim is supposed to be peaceful and treat non-Muslims decently to try and convert them, but after all their efforts fail, then they have permission to use violence to force them to convert. This is in the Koran.
I did see before my eyes a whole country move away from moderate Islam to more militant Islam because of these factions that force their viewpoints and the average Muslim is obliged to follow, or else. I was there, I lived it, I saw it, it wasn't from a book.
And yes, you are correct, religious leaders use the Koran for their own ends, such as Kohmeini in Iran and there is a large group of dissidents who do not wish to follow but are forced to - I sympathize with them and wish them well - this is not lost on me as you seem to be accusing me of.
But way too many people subscribe to that and unfortunately, whole countries feel the need to follow simply because Islam being a theocracy doesn't give anyone religious freedom and the Imam is the law.
I wonder, have you read about Wahhabism that comes out of Saudi Arabia? I've done a lot of studies on that too. And that wasn't from one book.
Look, I don't wish to "denigrate" Islam, I'm just stating facts and my observations. I would like to see Islam move into the 21st century along with the rest of the religions of the world, some slower than others, but moving none-the-less. But what I'm seeing is these fanatical forces instead moving it back into the 8th century from Indonesia to Russia which at one time the caliphate stretched that far and which Bin Laden and his brand of Islam have vowed to return to. If we don't scrutinize them but always give them a pass by using your philosophy that anyone who criticizes beheadings and what not is just Islamophobic then there are less chances of change or the change will happen way too late.
You should know that I also believe that every human being (except for thugs and criminals) desire to be free and live peacefully, I don't deny that many Muslims feel this way too. Please, don't confuse what I am trying to say.
Do you deny that the Law of Sharia is not from the Koran or Islamic by nature? Just curious.