Islam; a religion in crisis

[Ashendant]

Written by a Muslim. No chance of bias there at all.

This is the problem with such claims; people will believe the evidence that supports their pre-conceived ideas and reject any that oppose them.

It's also a bias to think that a book is going to be biased just because it was written by a Muslim.

You should first know about the author's intellectual history, his level of scholarship, what other books he has written, what the readers have said about him, and the soundness of his arguments, before making an assumption that the author is biased in his approach to the Quran. And more importantly, it is more appropriate to determine if there is any bias in the book by examining the work itself as opposed to looking at the author's background only.

Not it's not it's a natural assumption.

[Rayaan]

Mohammed (if he existed) was illiterate so would not have read the new and old testaments. He would have known the 'meat' of the religions. It would be like living in Iran and not knowing anything about Islam if he didn't.

If Muhammad didn't exist, then how do you explain the Quran? Where did Islam come from?

Also, God chose an illiterate man as a prophet so that people do not doubt that the Quran was invented by the prophet himself. There is no person in history who was able to find a single evidence that the Quran was fabricated or plagiarized (from other scriptures). And there are lots of authentic historical information about the life of the Prophet (pbuh) which contradict with the idea that he "made up" the Quran. And if you don't believe me, then this basically means that you didn't do enough research.

Not it's not it's a natural assumption.

I think I know what you mean, but can you please clarify that sentence again (without the double negatives)? Thanks.

[Captain Scarlet]

If Muhammad didn't exist, then how do you explain the Quran? Where did Islam come from?
Also, God chose an illiterate man as a prophet so that people do not doubt that the Quran was invented by the prophet himself. There is no person in history who was able to find a single evidence that the Quran was fabricated or plagiarized (from other scriptures). And there are lots of authentic historical information about the life of the Prophet (pbuh) which contradict with the idea that he "made up" the Quran. And if you don't believe me, then this basically means that you didn't do enough research.

The existence of any historical figure is to some extent in doubt. Some are better documented than others. Muhammad seems to have been a real historical figure.

The choice of an illiterate man to render a last and final revelation renders no more credibility than choosing a literate man. Clearly if illiterate he was able to transcribe that revelation through to scribes as a proxy to him writing it himself. In fact it leaves it more open to question as clearly scribes can transcribe incorrectly and an illiterate man would not be able to proof read the text.

The more salient question is whether a god communicated to a man. There is not a shred of evidence for that in any religion. The acceptance of any revelation is taken on faith alone and given this was the iron age, revelations such as this were commonplace and accepted by superstitious people who understood little about the world they lived in.

[Ashendant]

Not it's not it's a natural assumption.

I think I know what you mean, but can you please clarify that sentence again (without the double negatives)? Thanks.

Sorry

It's also a bias to think that a book is going to be biased just because it was written by a Muslim.

No it's not biased to think that, it's just a perfectly natural assumption that happens all the time.

[Minimalist]

If Muhammad didn't exist, then how do you explain the Quran?

The same way I explain every other so-called holy book. Written by men with an agenda to control a specific population.

The fact that you still fall for such utter nonsense is merely proof that they were good at it.

[Anomalocaris]

If Muhammad didn't exist, then how do you explain the Quran?

The same way I explain every other so-called holy book. Written by men with an agenda to control a specific population.

The fact that you still fall for such utter nonsense is merely proof that they were good at it.

The fact that so many people are not falling for it proves no exceptional power lay behind their words, only normal human unscrupulousness, observantness, ambition and deceit operating under normal limitations of human insight, knowledge, and skill of dissembling. The fact thaat you believe it just means those thing have you dialed.

[Rayaan]

The same way I explain every other so-called holy book. Written by men with an agenda to control a specific population.

That's easy for you to say but you can't prove it, can you?

Also, the Quran is not only for a specific population. It is for all people and for all times. I have refuted the issue in this thread.

[Jaysyn]

It is for all people and for all times.

It's less than crap & it's not for me.

[Thor]

The same way I explain every other so-called holy book. Written by men with an agenda to control a specific population.

That's easy for you to say but you can't prove it, can you?

His explanation makes a lot more sense than the belief that a deity spoke to a man.

Occam's Razor.

Also, the Quran is not only for a specific population. It is for all people and for all times. I have refuted the issue in this thread.

If the Koran is supposed to be "for all people", then why did this deity only appear in one specific place? Why did he ignore all the people in Asia, the Americas, Australia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, Scandanavia, etc, etc...? Why does this deity only make himself known to a tiny part of the Earth's population? And why does he not show up until the 6th century? Humans existed for many thousands of years prior to this. Why wait until relatively recently before appearing and giving people his laws? You'd think that this deity would've revealed himself long before. Especially when people were praying to stone idols, animals and the sun.

Can you answer these questions? Because I can. He only appeared in one specific place in the 6th century because one man (either deluded, crazy or incredibly smart) managed to convince the local populace that "God" was speaking to him.

And here we are, 1500 years later, and people STILL believe that a deity spoke to this man.

Incredible.