(February 18, 2016 at 11:24 am)Brian37 Wrote: Dont get me wrong here, I am still with the west in saying that Islam really has the biggest PR problem and I do agree much of it's own refusal to get with the modern world is coming from the Quran. I only am saying buying fear as a blanket solution is not a solution.
You are correct, some modern concepts don't get Islam's approval, starting from the economy -loans with interests; not dedicating a fixed portion to give to the poor "Zaka"...etc-, up to the rules of warfare, that allows the use of mass bombing -tactical bombing- and atomic weapons.
What I want from from the opposing voice, is to rule out & say the real reasons behind why Islam don't integrate; instead, they generalize that Islam creates terrorists and rapists, thus the faith can't live in the modern world. In reality, it's everything but those two reasons: the religion produces a different reflection in terms of living; a different lifestyle that is hardly known or seen today.
Moreover, the problems in the behavior of Middle Eastern people goes back to the culture; the same culture that existed long before Islam, you can see a small display in how the culture in this region, used to treat women like sex toys long before Islam:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niq%C4%81b..._face_veil
Blaming Islam is rash. A decision taken before further research is made. I don't just blame non Muslims for this, some modern Muslims too have given a terrible example over the years .
Quote:But your Quran does condone rape, just like all the books of Abraham. The fact you don't interpret it that way, does not mean other Muslims dont.
Your Quran treats girls as prizes "virgin" to be given out like door prizes, not humans. And not just prizes, submissive that must obey the man. That means if the man commands the woman to give her sex, regardless if she wants to, she has to. And that also means the collective men of the society have the right to punish girls/women for the way they dress or wanting educations.
http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/4/index.htm#25
As soon as the man buys the idea they have dominion over girls/women, then they can justify whatever they do to them, because the are not considered humans, but property.
Now you can claim all you want the words aren't there to justify it, but that does not change that people do pick up that book and justify the following.
Taking verses as a singular unit, that is out of context, is a disaster.
Taking from the article:
Quote:The Islamic State practices pure Islam. Their theological argument is authentic.
I fell in love, with how the author is so self confident, in stating what "true" Islam is. Ironic in its essense, for that when an apologist Muslim jumps to the defence using the word "true Islam", critics would start pointing fingers and condemn the argument.
Anyhow, the ISIS is not practicing real Islam, and it is not the perfect example too, the militia smells with intelligence agencies, and its presence came in a very strange time, they only exist in certain places that lead to arise the big question: is their motive, really, is to build a caliphate? why is Saudi Arabia spared -despite it practicing the same acts- while ISIS is "bombed"? But I won't turn this into a political debate..but ISIS is no example.
Quote:Cole Bunzel, a scholar of Islamic theology at Princeton University, disagrees, pointing to the numerous references to the phrase “Those your right hand possesses” in the Quran, which for centuries has been interpreted to mean female slaves.
As a native Arab, I raise a red flag, because the word "Molk-Yameen/Posession of the right hand" went both ways for men and women alike.
As for the link that contained verses which are "hypothetically" advocates rape, I gotta say if somebody doesn't know Arabic, he shouldn't worry himself with interpreting an ancient text, that is written with an Arabic tongue that is not even used today, anywhere. Some Muslims just follow their scholars like cattle.
With my knowledge with humans, anything can be interpreted differently. There are people, for instance, who use western values to cause severe damage to others; one example is how democracy was used to demonize others.
If the need insisted, anything can be used as a weapon.
It might not be convincing to you. But the problem begins and ends with humans. Not religion.
