Not sure if this is the correct area to post this, but I wrote a post in another thread and it was suggested to me to make a thread for it separate from the thread I posted it in. I'm looking for people who are well educated regarding the contents of the Qur'an, the Ancient Arabic Language and Culture, and Islamic History or whatever else they might know which may help. Anyone else can contribute, bring up issues, whatever else. Most people typically don't really know too much about this stuff, and sometimes the internet is spammed with untrustworthy or uneducated opinions and information. Whoever writes, please write clearly and simply, so that it is made easy to understand even if technical terms or languages other than English are used or referred to.
The post below refers to some of the things that tend to bother people who hear about Islam, for example, things like multiple wives, slaves, the rights and equality of women, whatever else. I mention some of these, but people can bring up more. This thread differs from the thread where I originally posted these questions as that thread seems to be more about people bringing up verses from the Qur'an in order to demonstrate how what it is saying is bad or wrong and why the Qur'an should be disregarded or put aside.
This thread differs from that since it doesn't really require anything like that, people can freely bring up their questions and qualms or complaints regarding Islam as they perceive it or the Qur'an, but if they do try to make some case, should provide sufficient evidence. Personally, I am not interested in historical geo-political matters, whether ancient or contemporary and current, as much as I am interested in the language of the Qur'an, the content of the Qur'an, the ancient Arabic and Early and Medieval Muslim ideas, laws, cultures, philosophies, answers, reasoning, results, things which can explain, rectify, admit to, put aside fears or concerns or help people come to terms with these things or provide new (or old) ideas or alternatives to them or revisions or corrections or whatever else might be necessary.
I am not fond of Muslim people really (though I get along with them just fine in real life, but don't like what I see of them online, my interactions online sometimes more rarely, and what I see on the television most frequently). I do not relate to Muslims, even though I believe I can be considered a devout Muslim myself (though my version of Islam is perhaps a little more inclusive or perennial in nature than what you may typically see bandied about, and some clues regarding what I believe may be available in the thread created by Fire-Dragon and Amanaki recently, one is called Attack the Qur'an or something and the other is about Not Judging or something).
I do consider Muslim people to be superior to other people for reasons of cleanliness, bans on intoxicants, whatever else, and that doesn't include nominal non-practicing Muslims who fornicate and drink, in fact, I hold them to a higher standard due to their exposure to Islam, and consider them more despicable for their rebellion than I do an ordinary disbeliever not raised with much exposure to Islam or the Qur'an or Muslim cultures. Anyone who is "straight edge" and doesn't drink or have lots of random sex or is a virgin, is viewed as better in my sight than those who do these things or act irresponsibly towards their own bodies or those of others, or play with lives basically, even if they don't realize it.
I strongly dislike radical Muslims, particularly the costumed mustache-lacking types who might identify as Salafi or whatever, elements of which are very often vocal and annoying to the senses and appear as the loud mouths and radicals shown on the television. They seem like a rather new sort of thing, of self-alienating radically resistant groups in Europe or whatever. I live in Canada and grew up in the United States and generally have never directly experienced such annoying people, who very frequently appear horribly disrespectful and irritating, and I have strong feelings of ill will towards people who act like I've seen some of them act, or how some so-called Muslims might behave these days online as well. I do not find these sorts of freak-outs to have been the norm throughout the long mustachioed history of Islam.
The people I like most, are probably the ones who are most sincere and simple, regardless of what they were raised as, people who are genuine, simpletons, who can be trusted, who are naturally empathetic and ethical, who can be guilt-tripped, who are gullible, who are devout, whatever, basically people who are like "oh no, that's bad! I hate that! Ew, that's ugly! God will punish them! Go to hell!" or whatever, simple folks with good old fashioned basic morality and right and wrong, who know its wrong to break deal, to break promises, to cheat, to steal, to kill, to manipulate, to take advantage of, to harm, to molest, whatever, and who either haven't done these things or don't do these things and generally wouldn't be expected to do these things, because they fear doing such, because they fear God, because they think about the pain they might caused, because they care about their loved ones, and themselves, and so they have goodness in them. I do not believe any good person should or would justly be forsaken or abandoned, and that all such truly good people, who are good inside and out (whether we know it or not, though it shouldn't be hard to see really based on their behavior, statements, actions, record of apparent deeds, and lack of secrecy and total openness and transparency), will have their reward in this life and any other. This is the religion, the only religion, the basic religion, the underlying religion. If one has done bad things, they should have enough sense built to understand why it was wrong now, how it did harm, how they were callous in doing it, and to ask for forgiveness sincerely, and then it is up to God, and never to become arrogant like "I've asked for forgiveness! God has forgiven me! Why not all you people I tortured!".
So anyway, here are some of the questions I asked, but anyone can ask more and others, and other people or the same people even who ask them, can provide the most educated answers possible, but please don't try to sound snooty or anything, write it for those simpletons that I love, and in a way that also heightens them and their knowledge and awareness, so full of great and high level information, but just presented in a patient and long form so that they can understand thoroughly if they are interested, and also since nothing is really being sold here on purpose, make it thorough rather than catchy or brief. I like comprehensive and exhaustive things that cover everything fully, not quick quips and short strikes or whatever, and I especially hate cryptic stuff or when I'm asked to think or look up things or guess and assume and read implications or between the lines. Anyone with a genuine heart, in my opinion, will happily blab and share because they see it as their gain, and do so in the name of the Truth / God or whatever they think is right, moral, and worthwhile, sincere, and honest!
The post below refers to some of the things that tend to bother people who hear about Islam, for example, things like multiple wives, slaves, the rights and equality of women, whatever else. I mention some of these, but people can bring up more. This thread differs from the thread where I originally posted these questions as that thread seems to be more about people bringing up verses from the Qur'an in order to demonstrate how what it is saying is bad or wrong and why the Qur'an should be disregarded or put aside.
This thread differs from that since it doesn't really require anything like that, people can freely bring up their questions and qualms or complaints regarding Islam as they perceive it or the Qur'an, but if they do try to make some case, should provide sufficient evidence. Personally, I am not interested in historical geo-political matters, whether ancient or contemporary and current, as much as I am interested in the language of the Qur'an, the content of the Qur'an, the ancient Arabic and Early and Medieval Muslim ideas, laws, cultures, philosophies, answers, reasoning, results, things which can explain, rectify, admit to, put aside fears or concerns or help people come to terms with these things or provide new (or old) ideas or alternatives to them or revisions or corrections or whatever else might be necessary.
I am not fond of Muslim people really (though I get along with them just fine in real life, but don't like what I see of them online, my interactions online sometimes more rarely, and what I see on the television most frequently). I do not relate to Muslims, even though I believe I can be considered a devout Muslim myself (though my version of Islam is perhaps a little more inclusive or perennial in nature than what you may typically see bandied about, and some clues regarding what I believe may be available in the thread created by Fire-Dragon and Amanaki recently, one is called Attack the Qur'an or something and the other is about Not Judging or something).
I do consider Muslim people to be superior to other people for reasons of cleanliness, bans on intoxicants, whatever else, and that doesn't include nominal non-practicing Muslims who fornicate and drink, in fact, I hold them to a higher standard due to their exposure to Islam, and consider them more despicable for their rebellion than I do an ordinary disbeliever not raised with much exposure to Islam or the Qur'an or Muslim cultures. Anyone who is "straight edge" and doesn't drink or have lots of random sex or is a virgin, is viewed as better in my sight than those who do these things or act irresponsibly towards their own bodies or those of others, or play with lives basically, even if they don't realize it.
I strongly dislike radical Muslims, particularly the costumed mustache-lacking types who might identify as Salafi or whatever, elements of which are very often vocal and annoying to the senses and appear as the loud mouths and radicals shown on the television. They seem like a rather new sort of thing, of self-alienating radically resistant groups in Europe or whatever. I live in Canada and grew up in the United States and generally have never directly experienced such annoying people, who very frequently appear horribly disrespectful and irritating, and I have strong feelings of ill will towards people who act like I've seen some of them act, or how some so-called Muslims might behave these days online as well. I do not find these sorts of freak-outs to have been the norm throughout the long mustachioed history of Islam.
The people I like most, are probably the ones who are most sincere and simple, regardless of what they were raised as, people who are genuine, simpletons, who can be trusted, who are naturally empathetic and ethical, who can be guilt-tripped, who are gullible, who are devout, whatever, basically people who are like "oh no, that's bad! I hate that! Ew, that's ugly! God will punish them! Go to hell!" or whatever, simple folks with good old fashioned basic morality and right and wrong, who know its wrong to break deal, to break promises, to cheat, to steal, to kill, to manipulate, to take advantage of, to harm, to molest, whatever, and who either haven't done these things or don't do these things and generally wouldn't be expected to do these things, because they fear doing such, because they fear God, because they think about the pain they might caused, because they care about their loved ones, and themselves, and so they have goodness in them. I do not believe any good person should or would justly be forsaken or abandoned, and that all such truly good people, who are good inside and out (whether we know it or not, though it shouldn't be hard to see really based on their behavior, statements, actions, record of apparent deeds, and lack of secrecy and total openness and transparency), will have their reward in this life and any other. This is the religion, the only religion, the basic religion, the underlying religion. If one has done bad things, they should have enough sense built to understand why it was wrong now, how it did harm, how they were callous in doing it, and to ask for forgiveness sincerely, and then it is up to God, and never to become arrogant like "I've asked for forgiveness! God has forgiven me! Why not all you people I tortured!".
So anyway, here are some of the questions I asked, but anyone can ask more and others, and other people or the same people even who ask them, can provide the most educated answers possible, but please don't try to sound snooty or anything, write it for those simpletons that I love, and in a way that also heightens them and their knowledge and awareness, so full of great and high level information, but just presented in a patient and long form so that they can understand thoroughly if they are interested, and also since nothing is really being sold here on purpose, make it thorough rather than catchy or brief. I like comprehensive and exhaustive things that cover everything fully, not quick quips and short strikes or whatever, and I especially hate cryptic stuff or when I'm asked to think or look up things or guess and assume and read implications or between the lines. Anyone with a genuine heart, in my opinion, will happily blab and share because they see it as their gain, and do so in the name of the Truth / God or whatever they think is right, moral, and worthwhile, sincere, and honest!
