What do you think of Islam personally?

[Rainbow Mage]

I don't think anyone can know Islam unless they were a Muslim themselves, or had been one. I can honestly say I do know Islam, at least from a Shia perspective.

 

[LuisDantas]

Isn't that statement a bit on the rigorous side? It is possible to know religions one does not profess.

 

[Cosmos]

I don't think anyone can know Islam unless they were a Muslim themselves, or had been one. I can honestly say I do know Islam, at least from a Shia perspective.

I am a former practicing Muslim--please ask questions anytime!

 

[Onkara]

I am a former practicing Muslim--please ask questions anytime!

Why change your religion? Won't that affect you negatively?

 

[Satsangi]

Funny... the same can be said of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism... and probably others if I sat down to think about it for a bit.

I have heard of Christian crusaders and Islamic Jehadists blowing someone up daily. But have not heard about Hindu or Buddhist Jehadists who blow up someone regularly.

Regards

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I have heard of Christian crusaders and Islamic Jehadists blowing someone up daily. But have not heard about Hindu or Buddhist Jehadists who blow up someone regularly.

Some of the events that took place last year in Sri Lanka come to mind. I remember once incident in which the predominantly Buddhist Sri Lankan Army was shelling a hospital, inside which Hindu rebels were using the patients as human shields. Does that count? If not, I'm sure I could dig up other examples.

Also, if we want to widen things to Dharmic religions generally, the worst terrorist attack in my country's history was committed by Sikhs in the name of Sikhism (or the perpetrators' view of it, at least).

I haven't found a group yet that can claim to be free of perpetrators of violence.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I haven't read through the thread, nor participated in the poll.

Islam the religion speaks personally to me of:

Intense beauty and poetry
Dynamic
Incredibly sensual
Musical

I am not addressing the tenets nor the followers. But my feelings of what the religion itself evokes in me. I guess I'm contemplating it in a way that I would a work of art.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

I haven't read through the thread, nor participated in the poll.

Islam the religion speaks personally to me of:

Intense beauty and poetry
Dynamic
Incredibly sensual
Musical

I am not addressing the tenets nor the followers. But my feelings of what the religion itself evokes in me. I guess I'm contemplating it in a way that I would a work of art.

Oh Mystic, you always gotta put something sensual out there don't you

I agree BTW...

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Oh Mystic, you always gotta put something sensual out there don't you

I agree BTW...

Well...you know...

 

[Caladan]

I haven't read through the thread, nor participated in the poll.

Islam the religion speaks personally to me of:

Intense beauty and poetry
Dynamic
Incredibly sensual
Musical

I am not addressing the tenets nor the followers. But my feelings of what the religion itself evokes in me. I guess I'm contemplating it in a way that I would a work of art.

Allow me to expand this post, as I think we can make an interesting discussion out of it.
On many levels what you describe is how many people in Europe viewed the Orient or the middle east and the Islamic world in particular before the image of the near Orient went to the other extreme.
Don't get me wrong, its great to pick up the inspiring things about a social or cultural phenomena, but sometimes we take out the realism factor out of it by idealising a system without exploring the many issues and complexities in it and taking note of the human factor.
Edward Said, in Orientalism has said that the dehumanization of middle easterners and Islam arrived after people idealised the middle east and the Islamic world, creating a romanticized image of it, and then the pendulum swinged to the other direction, their romantic preceptions of the near Orient shattered, making way for highly Eurocentric perceptions.
By the way, I do agree with you in that, I also enjoy the poetry of Hafiz and Rumi, the historical cultural richness of the Islamic world which spans various fields, from architecture and art, to music, to medieval technological feats in the Islamic world.
So in case you were wondering, its not me being anal about your post just me taking advantage of it and trying to make this thread much more interesting and rewarding as we can explore the Islamic world beyond radicalism and beyond its cultural gifts. the 'Islamic world', if we can even call it that, as it is composed of about 50 countries, two dominate sects and other minor ones who all play part in its inner power play together with various ethnic and political tensions, should be explored on the many levels it plays its part on the world stage. this force or rather these forces today (as they have been in the past centuries) should be further understood beyond the hisotircal gems and individuals such as the Persian poets of the middle ages and the scholars of Cordoba. various world powers and nations are highly involved in the middle east, and the Islamic world needs to be studied and explored realistically it needs a deeper face.
When I travel Turkey, Egypt, or Jordan the social jigsaw poses many angles that are not found in the stories we know about Shahrazad and the Sultan from our youth, and the landscape prove to be more than exotic.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Some of the events that took place last year in Sri Lanka come to mind. I remember once incident in which the predominantly Buddhist Sri Lankan Army was shelling a hospital, inside which Hindu rebels were using the patients as human shields. Does that count? If not, I'm sure I could dig up other examples.

Also, if we want to widen things to Dharmic religions generally, the worst terrorist attack in my country's history was committed by Sikhs in the name of Sikhism (or the perpetrators' view of it, at least).

I haven't found a group yet that can claim to be free of perpetrators of violence.

I'm actually care-bear'ian. Watchu got on us?

 

[McBell]

I'm actually care-bear'ian. Watchu got on us?

Three words for ya:

Care Bear Stare
​

 

[Perfect Circle]

Three words for ya:

Care Bear Stare
​

Damn you mestemia...

...at least you haven't stumbled on to our true plans yet.

 

[McBell]

*whistles innocently*

 

[dogsgod]

I think Islam is a religion just like any other.

 

[BGJ77]

I believe all religions have extremists and moderates. Islam is no different. I believe it gets more attention because it is the fastest growing religion in the world and threatens Christianity. My beliefs are in line with the Bahai'i Faith so I'm impartial...

 

[Smoke]

Offense Alert: This post may be offensive to some RF members. That is not the intent of this post as I am merely stating my opinion, based on my own extensive research.

Islam being portrayed as a religion of peace has only come to the forefront since it went into political decline. Prior to this there was very little mentioned about its alleged peaceful intents. Prior to the decline, Muslim adherents were quite insistent that Islam was the only true religion and were remarkably unapologetic about it. Their bloody conquests underscore the veracity of this position.

What people don't seem to understand is what is meant by "peace" in Islam. It means that the time when there is no longer any opposition to Islam and Islam alone remains supreme and Allah's followers rule the planet as his vice-regents - their rightful place in the scheme of things. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why there would be "peace" at such a point.

Personally, I view Islam as extremely bad psychology based on a very poor understanding of the human condition. Avoid inhaling.

Tragically, I was unable to vote in the poll as I did not see any of the options as being adequate.

That's an adequate summary of my opinion as well.

And it's rather non-unique in that regard... "car son bras se portait l'epee, ils sait portaient la croix" and all that. I don't personally see Islam as any sort of special threat.

I see Christianity as dangerous, too, and both of them as a sort of special threat.

I haven't found a group yet that can claim to be free of perpetrators of violence.

I haven't, either. But some groups are more notable in that regard than others.

Notice, I have stated, I also believe it to be a religion of peace. I KNOW it's a religion of peace. I know Prophet Muhammad was a peaceful man. That doesn't change the fact that there are extremist Muslims claiming to follow Muhammad's sunna, though they're really not.

I'm not very impressed with Muhammad myself, but in any event what's relevant to me is how the religion is now and on the ground, not the religious as Muhammad may have conceived it.

There are peaceful, tolerant Muslims, just as there are peaceful, tolerant Christians. But both religions tend to violence and intolerance given half a chance. It seems to me that the Abrahamic religions have a special tendency to violence; Judaism and the Bahá'i faith may be relatively peaceful among the Abrahamic religions mainly because they have always been outnumbered.

You can find instances of horrific violence and brutality in almost any religion -- and not just instances, but centuries of consistent, horrific inhumanity. Paganism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, animism, Taoism, and Confucianism have often failed to teach their adherents to treat their neighbors with compassion and decency. But it seems to me that only Christianity, Islam, and Communism among the extant religions are eager to dehumanize their neighbors because those neighbors are guilty of wrong belief.

 

[.lava]

Offense Alert: This post may be offensive to some RF members. That is not the intent of this post as I am merely stating my opinion, based on my own extensive research.

Islam being portrayed as a religion of peace has only come to the forefront since it went into political decline. Prior to this there was very little mentioned about its alleged peaceful intents. Prior to the decline, Muslim adherents were quite insistent that Islam was the only true religion and were remarkably unapologetic about it. Their bloody conquests underscore the veracity of this position.

What people don't seem to understand is what is meant by "peace" in Islam. It means that the time when there is no longer any opposition to Islam and Islam alone remains supreme and Allah's followers rule the planet as his vice-regents - their rightful place in the scheme of things. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why there would be "peace" at such a point.

Personally, I view Islam as extremely bad psychology based on a very poor understanding of the human condition. Avoid inhaling.

Tragically, I was unable to vote in the poll as I did not see any of the options as being adequate.

i personally don't feel offended by someone elses ignorance. it is your burden to carry anyway. but of course, you have read these verses and more before. if there were no non-Muslims on Earth, there would not be any meaning to be a Muslim either. peace in Islam means, Peace, nothing more or less. peace between humans, not peace between Muslims. i always find it funny and tragic that your misunderstanding is same with those Muslims whom you somewhat oppose. truth is if you were born in a place where they were born, you'd be one of them. some blind man who thinks he is existed to force people into Islam or to death. let alone it is complete idiocy, it is also against Islam and verses of Qur'an. but go ahead, entertain yourself. i pity those who learn Islam from your hateful mind.

49:13 O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.

7:168 We broke them up into sections on this earth. There are among them some that are the righteous, and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with both prosperity and adversity: In order that they might turn (to us).

11:118 And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation, yet they cease not differing,

16:93 If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people: But He leaves straying whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases: but ye shall certainly be called to account for all your actions.

42:8 And if Allah had pleased He would surely have made them a single community, but He makes whom He pleases enter into His mercy, and the unjust it is that shall have no guardian or helper.

.

 

[Satsangi]

i personally don't feel offended by someone elses ignorance. it is your burden to carry anyway. but of course, you have read these verses and more before. if there were no non-Muslims on Earth, there would not be any meaning to be a Muslim either. peace in Islam means, Peace, nothing more or less. peace between humans, not peace between Muslims. i always find it funny and tragic that your misunderstanding is same with those Muslims whom you somewhat oppose. truth is if you were born in a place where they were born, you'd be one of them. some blind man who thinks he is existed to force people into Islam or to death. let alone it is complete idiocy, it is also against Islam and verses of Qur'an. but go ahead, entertain yourself. i pity those who learn Islam from your hateful mind.

49:13 O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.

7:168 We broke them up into sections on this earth. There are among them some that are the righteous, and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with both prosperity and adversity: In order that they might turn (to us).

11:118 And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation, yet they cease not differing,

16:93 If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people: But He leaves straying whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases: but ye shall certainly be called to account for all your actions.

42:8 And if Allah had pleased He would surely have made them a single community, but He makes whom He pleases enter into His mercy, and the unjust it is that shall have no guardian or helper.

.

Thank you .lava for putting those verses which appear to be congruent to other religions' beliefs too. Don't the Al-Qaeda, Taliban and the endless list of islamic terrorist organizations around the world read these verses? I certainly hope they do; that would solve the biggest problem of the world without any bullets.

Regards,

 

[DeitySlayer]

I wish Al-Qaeda would read the bit where it says Jihad can only be declared by a Qu'ranic authority. Something with Osama bin Laden patently is not.