I've been spending a lot of time researching Islam lately, and while i'm still far from a religious sympathizer, researching it has given me a much broader understanding of the religion. This needs to be done on a much wider scale, judging by this Facebook convo I just had with a girl I mostly regard as pretty smart.
Ingrid
sorry
having trouble keeping up with chats in 3 different locations
but one point -
christianity isn't only about personal salvation
it's very much a code about how to live your life
a moral code
12:46amMe
as is islam
as is buddhism
as is judaism
12:47amIngrid
islam is all about the afterlife
12:47amMe
as are many of the writings of the greeks, predating the bible
Ingrid, no it is not.
it's a lot about community cohesion and living in the style of the prophet while one is here.
Christianity is MUCH more focused on the afterlife.
that's the main reason they hold over peoples heads to live a "moral" life.
12:48amIngrid
I disagree
12:48amMe
"if you don't, you will go to hell"
12:48amIngrid
that's the baptist line
and if you don't follow the way of allah, you won't get your 40 virigins
12:48amMe
Well, it would do you good to read up a lot more about Islam. Almost everything i've heard from you is perpetuated stereotypes
like that one.
that's such a small part of Islam.
12:49amIngrid
I've read some of the quran
12:50amMe
and not even believed by many Muslims, in the sense that the west purports it
12:50amIngrid
I was required to take religion classes
which book did u read?
ps?
12:51amMe
a short history of Islam by Karen Armstrong is the book i've most recently read. On top of the entire wiki article and other sources dealing with islam
12:52amMe
to dismiss an entire religion of over a billion people as a bunch of heathens (and I know you didn't use that word) obsessed with 72 (not 40) virgins is unfair.
quote: Margaret Nydell states that mainstream Muslims regard this belief about 72 virgins in the same way that mainstream Christians regard the belief that after death they will be issued with wings and a harp, and walk on clouds
12:53amIngrid
u were dismissing the an entire religion that it's main purpose to teach people how to not go to hell
so there
12:53amMe
i didn't say that was it's main purpose
12:53amIngrid
u did
12:53amMe
I said it's one of it's biggest tenet's and focal points.
12:53amIngrid
u said that it's more about personal salvation
and I said
12:53amMe
Okay Ingrid. Why should I act moral. According to the Bible.
Because I assure you, the answer to "why should I abide by the Qur'an" is not "so i can get 72 virgins!!!"
12:54amIngrid
but it's the same concept
to assure an afterlife
12:54amMe
you didn't answer my question
12:54amIngrid
and they are most certainly considering that
12:54amMe
it's not
it's part of it
12:55amIngrid
or they wouldn't be suicide bomging
12:55amMe
but not most of it.
12:55amIngrid
*bombing
12:55amMe
that's such a small percentage of muslims Ingrid.
don't be this person.
what does the Olympic bomber say about Christianity?
Eric Robert Rudolph - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
12:55amIngrid
it's a small majority of the loyal muslims
christians condem
n him
12:56amMe
Christian terrorism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
lol what
and muslims don't condemn the 9/11 attacks?
The vast majority, indeed, does
12:57amIngrid
then why do they sit there and allow it to happen?
12:58amMe
Who is "they"? Why do Christians sit around and let the "Gods Hate Fags" guys protest soldier funerals?
12:58amIngrid
let's not compare hate speech with blowing people up
and they do something about it
some areas put laws and regualtions in place to keep them from protesting
withint a certain radius
and on top of that
the US is a secular govt
and therefore not a christian govt
and therefore not the same situation
1:00amMe
Most Islamic governments to not openly endorse suicide bombing non-believers.
Part of being a martyr is in the Qur'an, yes, but not all Muslims take part in it. Very few do Just like not all Christians take part in the barbarism of the Bible.
Me
i'm not saying either religion is right or wrong, although my personal belief is that they are equally invalid and people can live morally without religion
i do it every day
But Islam is not inherently evil just because of a few bad eggs. And so what if their version of heaven differs from Christians with the "virgins" thing. Christians want to get there just as bad.
Islam developed in a much more different way than Christianity did, which is why there is more of a focus on martyrdom. But it doesn't make them evil.