Spiderman
Veteran Member
So what would have to change in Islam, for you to no longer have bad feelings toward that faith.
For me, I would no longer have negative feelings for Islam if there were not radical regimes oppressing millions of people, ruining their lives, forcing women to dress like nuns, holding people back into the Dark Ages, refusing to let women get an education, oppressing other religious minorities, government brainwashing, recruiting children to be suicide bombers and terrorists, stoning adulterers, cutting off heads, cutting off hands, executing homosexuals, blasphemy laws, and imprisoning people and putting them to death for criticizing the prophet Muhammad.
If there were not entire governments oppressing hundreds of millions of people in our world with those policies, I would see Islam as a very beautiful religion.
There is nothing wrong with dressing modestly, taking a stand against Western culture, avoiding pornography, avoiding drugs and alcohol, avoiding pork, fasting during Ramadan, praying to God 5 times a day with your face to the ground, submission to God, I think all of that is beautiful.
I can forgive my friend Muhammad (peace be upon him) for being a pedophile, cutting off heads, persecuting Pagans, Jews, unbelievers, and Christians. I can forgive him for being a bit of a terrorist and Military Dictator, if I didn't see so many of his followers following in his footsteps, in our enlightened, civilized 21st century.
I'm willing to overlook the verses in the Koran that call people to kill non-muslims, in the same way that I have no negative feelings towards Jews, who follow a book that has a lot of other ridiculous policies, glorifies intolerant military Dictators and murderers like King David, commands adulterers to be stoned, homosexuals killed, wipeout the pagans, kill people for working on the Sabbath Etc.
The reason I have nothing but positive thoughts towards Israel and Jews, is I don't see them establishing entire governments that force people to live in a dark-aged theocracy that enforces what some ancient, outdated, bigoted text says.
I think having a Jewish State that waves the Star of David flag and Hebrew prayer Shawl, has a menorah for a coat of arms, and governs the land promised to them in Scripture, is very beautiful. It's great that there is a country where Jews can keep their Hebrew identity and culture in their promised land, without turning it into an intolerant Theocracy.
I'd be just as thrilled to see Islamic states, but it seems to be that when ever a country gets an Islamic majority, all sorts of atrocious behavior takes place and bigoted policies are instituted.
If Muslims would stick to dressing modestly, wearing kufis, praying on those beautiful prayer rugs, abstaining from alcohol and pork, erecting beautiful mosques, living a counter-cultural lifestyle, praying five times a day, practicing asceticism, respecting what other people hold as sacred etc., I would find Islam to be a very beautiful religion, that I would even advocate for.
I used to wear a Kufi, wash my hands, face, and feet, face Mecca, pray at an Islamic mosque, in Buffalo New York, and defend and advocate for Islam.
When I was living at a Carmelite Monastery trying to be a Carmelite Monk, I got in trouble for how often I argued in favor of Islam, and how devout they were, and how they took a stand against our culture. Eventually a monk walked out of the room in anger, and the superior told me to never talk about Islam again.
I wanted to see more of that behavior in Christianity, and I was very attracted to Islam.
I'm more than willing to love and respect Islam, but I have an increasing suspicion, that there is just something intrinsically toxic about the Faith itself, that is making it impossible to integrate into an enlightened, civilized, ecumenical world.
So, my romance with Islam is over. *Sniff* *sniff*. It was enriching!
For me, I would no longer have negative feelings for Islam if there were not radical regimes oppressing millions of people, ruining their lives, forcing women to dress like nuns, holding people back into the Dark Ages, refusing to let women get an education, oppressing other religious minorities, government brainwashing, recruiting children to be suicide bombers and terrorists, stoning adulterers, cutting off heads, cutting off hands, executing homosexuals, blasphemy laws, and imprisoning people and putting them to death for criticizing the prophet Muhammad.
If there were not entire governments oppressing hundreds of millions of people in our world with those policies, I would see Islam as a very beautiful religion.
There is nothing wrong with dressing modestly, taking a stand against Western culture, avoiding pornography, avoiding drugs and alcohol, avoiding pork, fasting during Ramadan, praying to God 5 times a day with your face to the ground, submission to God, I think all of that is beautiful.
I can forgive my friend Muhammad (peace be upon him) for being a pedophile, cutting off heads, persecuting Pagans, Jews, unbelievers, and Christians. I can forgive him for being a bit of a terrorist and Military Dictator, if I didn't see so many of his followers following in his footsteps, in our enlightened, civilized 21st century.
I'm willing to overlook the verses in the Koran that call people to kill non-muslims, in the same way that I have no negative feelings towards Jews, who follow a book that has a lot of other ridiculous policies, glorifies intolerant military Dictators and murderers like King David, commands adulterers to be stoned, homosexuals killed, wipeout the pagans, kill people for working on the Sabbath Etc.
The reason I have nothing but positive thoughts towards Israel and Jews, is I don't see them establishing entire governments that force people to live in a dark-aged theocracy that enforces what some ancient, outdated, bigoted text says.
I think having a Jewish State that waves the Star of David flag and Hebrew prayer Shawl, has a menorah for a coat of arms, and governs the land promised to them in Scripture, is very beautiful. It's great that there is a country where Jews can keep their Hebrew identity and culture in their promised land, without turning it into an intolerant Theocracy.
I'd be just as thrilled to see Islamic states, but it seems to be that when ever a country gets an Islamic majority, all sorts of atrocious behavior takes place and bigoted policies are instituted.
If Muslims would stick to dressing modestly, wearing kufis, praying on those beautiful prayer rugs, abstaining from alcohol and pork, erecting beautiful mosques, living a counter-cultural lifestyle, praying five times a day, practicing asceticism, respecting what other people hold as sacred etc., I would find Islam to be a very beautiful religion, that I would even advocate for.
I used to wear a Kufi, wash my hands, face, and feet, face Mecca, pray at an Islamic mosque, in Buffalo New York, and defend and advocate for Islam.
When I was living at a Carmelite Monastery trying to be a Carmelite Monk, I got in trouble for how often I argued in favor of Islam, and how devout they were, and how they took a stand against our culture. Eventually a monk walked out of the room in anger, and the superior told me to never talk about Islam again.
I wanted to see more of that behavior in Christianity, and I was very attracted to Islam.
I'm more than willing to love and respect Islam, but I have an increasing suspicion, that there is just something intrinsically toxic about the Faith itself, that is making it impossible to integrate into an enlightened, civilized, ecumenical world.
So, my romance with Islam is over. *Sniff* *sniff*
. It was enriching!
