Hi LT, fancy meeting you here! Always a pleasure. Just a single rider to your comments, as told me by several Muslim friends - I am informed that there is a corporate responsibility thing in the Islamic mentality. Where Jihad has been proclaimed there is a war that is conducted at least in one place on earth and every opposer is classed as an unbeliever. Hence American unbelievers on American soil are all classed as opposers and are fair game for the current conflicts. The only staying hand, aside from sensibilities, is that war is being conducted on Iraqi soil and so the communal responsibility to take action "somewhere" is being fulfilled leaving the rest of the worldwide Islamic community to have a free conscience to live their day-to-day lives normally. I think there are varying views on that, if I understand what you are saying. Basically, I would answer that all unbelievers are classed as unbelievers, but not all unbelievers are opponents. Non-combatants are still non-combatants and should be protected and respected as such according to the rules of engagement. I have heard that some Muslims feel that if Muslim civilians are being killed by America and her allies then it is only fair for their civilians to be killed in return. At this point, although I understand it, I do not agree with it, because of what the Qur'an says and because of how careful Muhammad was in battle, in addition to my personal feelings. | ||
Thanks for continuing this discussion, Ken! |
I have no knowledge of the Muslem religion except what I hear and see on the news. They seem to have no remorse for killing anyone they can if they are following their crazy leaders. Why are almost all the ones who blow themselves up in an attempt to kill as many others as they can, Muslems? Christains have about the same history during the dark ages. The Gods that religious people through history have worshiped seem to like this kind of conduct.
It was the same for me not so long ago, having no knowledge of the Muslim religion except what I heard and saw on the news. Then I became friends online with a Muslim in Turkey and started trying to inform myself a bit more...and ended up becoming a Muslim myself. Please don't believe everything you hear or accept the broader picture it paints without looking into things more deeply and within the larger context. Question everything, one piece at a time. Then see the picture that begins developing.
Most Christain religions today don't view God as requiring his followers to kill others except in times of war and it can be against other Christain nations. Of course they don't get a bunch of virgins when they get to heaven. The Muslems fight one another also, depending what tribe you belong to.
That is the point I was trying to make in regard to the teachings of Islam. I hope you didn't miss it. But whereas it appears Christians were not given any rules for war in the New Testament, Muslims were given rules. But, alas, humans are always fighting humans, whatever their stated religion or lack thereof. I believe that each of us will bear responsibility before our Creator for what we did or didn't do in this life.
Religion can be as Rutherford stated,"A snare and a racket." Religion can also be a way to cope with life and mostly death. I attended church yeaterday with my wife and I can see how on occasions it does help people become better persons. I really think it is an emotional stimulas to try to answer the questions of life for us poor stupid humans who have no idea what life really is.
I can agree with you to a certain extent here! And I wish you all the best, in this life and the next.
~Merry