(March 20, 2015 at 6:25 pm)abaris Wrote:(March 20, 2015 at 6:18 pm)RobertE Wrote: We know there is a division between Sunnites and Shiites, but from my experience of the United Kingdom and France, there seems to be different interpretations of the same Sunni beliefs and what should be followed.
Because they come from different cultures, different levels of education and every holy book can be read and interpreted in a thousand different ways. Muslims also have no pope or church of England to act as a GPS to a certain belief system.
It's the same with orthodox jews by the way. There are some, who are outright afraid to even go near a woman and others, who don't have a problem with everyday contact. Yet both groups follow the same kind or orthodoxy. And they also have no ultimate religious authority to lead the way.
Same with protestants, who managed to split into about 40.000 different denominations, all of which read the bible differently.
(March 20, 2015 at 6:18 pm)RobertE Wrote: Perhaps there were power struggles within Judaism, so much so that they left and formed their own religions based on the original texts.
Based on the general situation of the time and the region, it's rather political than spiritual. Many regions where Islam first found it's footing were Byzantinian provinces and therefore christian. The main struggle between Islam, which wasn't in any shape or form politically or spiritually united, and Christianity was a war betweeen Byzanz and the rising Arabian powers. It lasted from the late 7th century till 1453 and the fall of Byzanz.
Same with christianity. It only grew powerful once they managed to get into the good grace of the Roman emperor. By making many spiritual concessions.
You say that they come from different cultures, but French culture is virtually the same, except they have no monarchy and it follow laicity. However, the Qu'ran is based on the Old Testament, and is therefore whatever is written should be followed to the letter. Their level of education is the same as in England too, but I know of some Muslims who drink alcohol and take drugs too. In fact, I remember a Tunisian friend of mine who stated that he saw many do it. Secondly, the support for Palestine is a great deal stronger in France than it is in England too, and their hatred for Shiites knows no limits. When a Sunnite in France wishes death on a Shiite, even more so than a Jew, then that is hatred on another scale, yet they are "moderate muslims", compared to the Sunnis of England.
As you said, there are about 40k different denominations as far as Protestants are concerned, yet how many denominations of Catholics are there? Herein lies the difference. Islam, apart from the Shi'a-Sunnite split, which is like Catholicism and Protestantism; is very much like Catholicism, which is why Islam can never be compared to Protestantism, but Catholicism for following the rules almost to the letter.
