From: Jeff Fink > If good Muslims kill all non-muslims why have > Jews been living in their cities for over a > millennium? > > Because most Muslims are not living their religion > by the book! Only what we refer to as the > extremists behave that way. Most Muslims show much > more kindness than that. > > Jeff
This recent comment is so incredibly revealing, and yet I fear so much of it has been utterly lost, thrown to the floor as discarded waste in lieu of recent passionate arguments. I suspect many atheists live for the day when they see this argument articulated, as it confirms one of their most cherished beliefs, one that seems to confirm a suspicion that the continued propagation of religion itself is one of the major causes of so much suffering in our world. Well, I must admit they DO seem to have a point, those dang atheists! I have even found at times that I wished I was an atheist. But alas, I guess such a noble destiny is not in the cards for me. And what's the point that has been discarded, thrown to the floor like scraps of rotting meat and gristle? Which "Muslims" are we talking about? ...the "Muslims" living "by the book" or the ones -not- living "by the book"? While we're at it, which "Christians" are we talking about as well? ...the "Christians" living "by the book" or the ones -not- living "by the book"? or Jews, or Jews for Jesus, or Lutherans, Catholics, Confucians, ... even atheists. It always seems to come down to: My "book" is better than YOUR "book", fill in your favorite title and prose. In every single case that I've witnessed, it's individual PEOPLE, their personal interpretations -of the book- making the decisions concerning what is "ultimate truth" that have caused so much pain and suffering in this world. Don't blame g*d. While we're at it, don't blame thy enemy's g*d either. Barking up the wrong trees of knowledge. Try looking a little closer to Home for truths. Regards Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
