You're not on moderation, Allan. Why did you think you are? On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 11:04 AM, iam deheretic <[email protected]> wrote:
> So I am on moderation now?? interesting > seems some topics are just off limits > Allan > > > > On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 1:14 PM, GarrieMushet > <[email protected]>wrote: > >> >> The only reason you think that other people have interrpretted the >> Qur'an wrongly is because you have compared it you YOUR >> interpretation. And what makes you so sure that YOUR interpretation is >> correct? >> >> Well, first of all, YOUR interpretation is more moral, yes? Well if >> morality is supposed to come FROM the Qur'an, then where is this >> morality that you are using to judge your interpretation OF the >> Qur'an? That's right, somewhere else. >> >> The fact of the matter is that morality is a subjective thing, and so >> is your interpretation of the Qur'an. There are no guidelines that >> come with the Qur'an which tell you how to interpret it. Without such >> guidelines, anything goes. Even if there were guidelines, there would >> be different types of people interpretting the guidelines in different >> ways. This inability to get a 'correct' interpretation of the Qur'an >> makes it a really bad source of morality, and it also makes any >> statement about what the Qur'an is supposed to be about if you >> interpret it 'correctly' are meaningless and void. >> >> The only thing we can say is that religious texts have a far higher >> frequency of violent readers than non-religious books. The conclusion >> I can draw from this is that there is something inherently wrong with >> treating religious texts in the way that people treat them. Part of >> the 'wrong' way we treat is, is the presupposition that there is a >> 'correct' way to interpret it - this just leads to extremists being >> able to justify their extremism, and anybody else being able to >> justify anything else. >> >> On Jul 22, 11:29 am, deripsni <[email protected]> wrote: >> > There have been many wars and attrocities carried out in the name of >> > one religion or another. That should be a big hint to stay away from >> > religion!!! The "holy source" that you refer to is simply another book >> > written by humans. I cannot fathom how anything 'holy' could be found >> > in a book. Yes, the Bible and Qur'an give some good life-lessons. So >> > do a lot of other books. I believe the problem isn't the words of the >> > books, but the very fact that they represent a religion. Religion >> > often breeds fanaticism which consequently leads to many attrocities. >> > If everybody tried to be a concerned and helpful citizen, religion >> > would become less relevant in my opinion. >> > >> > On Jul 21, 11:09 pm, ""SeeMaa"" <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> > >> > >> > >> > > Hi .. >> > > Read this .. Give me your opinion >> > >> > > Islam Condemns Terrorism >> > >> > > Some people who say they are acting in the name of religion may >> > > misunderstand their religion or practice it wrongly. For this reason, >> > > it is a mistake to form any idea of that religion from the activities >> > > of these people. The best way to understand Islam is through its holy >> > > source. >> > >> > > The holy source of Islam is the Qur'an; and the model of morality in >> > > the Qur'an is completely different from the image of it formed in the >> > > minds of some westerners. The Qur'an is based on the concepts of >> > > morality, love, compassion, mercy, modesty, self-sacrifice, tolerance >> > > and peace, and a Muslim who truly lives according to these moral >> > > precepts is highly refined, thoughtful, tolerant, trustworthy and >> > > accommodating. To those around him he gives love, respect, peace of >> > > mind and a sense of the joy of life. >> > >> > > Islam Is A Religion Of Peace And Well-Being >> > >> > > The word Islam has the same meaning as "peace" in Arabic. Islam is a >> > > religion that came down to offer humanity a life filled with the peace >> > > and well-being in which God's eternal mercy and compassion is >> > > manifested in the world. God invites all people to accept the moral >> > > teachings of the Qur'an as a model whereby mercy, compassion, >> > > tolerance and peace may be experienced in the world. In Surat al- >> > > Baqara verse 208, this command is given: >> > >> > > You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in >> > > the footsteps of Satan. He is an outright enemy to you. >> > >> > > As we see in this verse, people will experience well-being and >> > > happiness by living according to the moral teaching of the Qur'an. >> > >> > > God Condemns Mischief >> > >> > > God has commanded humanity to avoid evil; he has forbidden immorality, >> > > rebellion, cruelty, aggressiveness, murder and bloodshed. Those who do >> > > not obey this command of God are walking in the steps of Satan, as it >> > > says in the verse above, and have adopted an attitude that God has >> > > clearly declared unlawful. Of the many verses that bear on this >> > > subject, here are only two: >> > >> > > But as for those who break God's contract after it has been agreed and >> > > sever what God has commanded to be joined, and cause corruption in the >> > > earth, the curse will be upon them. They will have the Evil Abode. >> > > (Surat ar-Ra'd: 25) >> > > Seek the abode of the hereafter with what God has given you, without >> > > forgetting your portion of the world. And do good as God has been good >> > > to you. And do not seek to cause mischief on earth. God does not love >> > > mischief makers.' (Surat al-Qasas: 77) >> > >> > > As we can see, God has forbidden every kind of mischievous acts in the >> > > religion of Islam including terrorism and violence, and condemned >> > > those who commit such deeds. A Muslim lends beauty to the world and >> > > improves it. >> > >> > > Islam Defends Tolerance And Freedom Of Speech >> > >> > > [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]Islam is a religion which fosters freedom of >> > > life, ideas and thought. It has forbidden tension and conflict among >> > > people, calumny, suspicion and even having negative thoughts about >> > > another individual. >> > >> > > Islam has not only forbidden terror and violence, but also even the >> > > slightest imposition of any idea on another human being. >> > >> > > There is no compulsion in religion. Right guidance has become clearly >> > > distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false gods and believes in God >> > > has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. God is >> > > All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surat al-Baqara: 256) >> > > So remind, you need only to remind. You cannot compel them to believe. >> > > (Surat al-Ghashiyah: 22) >> > >> > > To force anyone to believe in a religion or to practice it, is against >> > > the spirit and essence of Islam. Because it is necessary that faith be >> > > accepted with free will and conscience. Of course, Muslims may urge >> > > one another to keep the moral precepts taught in the Qur'an, but they >> > > never use compulsion. In any case, an individual cannot be induced to >> > > the practice of religion by either threat or offering him a worldly >> > > privilege. >> > >> > > Let us imagine a completely opposite model of society. For example, a >> > > world in which people are forced by law to practice religion. Such a >> > > model of society is completely contrary to Islam because faith and >> > > worship have value only when they are directed toward God. If there >> > > were a system that forced people to believe and worship, people would >> > > be religious only out of fear of the system. What is acceptable from >> > > the point of view of religion is that religion be practiced in an >> > > environment where freedom of conscience is permitted, and that it be >> > > practiced only for the approval of God. >> > >> > > God Has Made The Killing Of Innocent People Unlawful >> > >> > > According to the Qur'an, one of the greatest sins is to kill a human >> > > being who has committed no fault: >> > >> > > ...If someone kills another person - unless it is in retaliation for >> > > someone else or for causing corruption in the earth - it is as if he >> > > had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, >> > > it is as if he had given life to all mankind. Our Messengers came to >> > > them with Clear Signs but even after that many of them committed >> > > outrages in the earth. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 32) >> > > Those who do not call on any other deity together with God and do not >> > > kill anyone God has made inviolate, except with the right to do so, >> > > and do not fornicate; anyone who does that will receive an evil >> > > punishment. (Surat al-Furqan: 68) >> > >> > > As we can see in the verses above, those who kill innocent human >> > > beings without a cause are threatened with evil punishment. God has >> > > revealed that killing one person is as great a sin as killing all >> > > mankind. Anyone who respected the prerogatives of God would not do >> > > harm to even one individual, let alone murdering thousands of innocent >> > > people. Those who think that they will escape justice and punishment >> > > in this world will never escape the account they must give in the >> > > Presence of God on the Last Day. So, those believers who know they >> > > will give an account to God after their death, will be very careful >> > > about respecting the limits God has established. >> > >> > > God Commands Believers To Be Compassionate And Merciful >> > >> > > In this verse, Muslim morality is explained: >> > >> > > ...To be one of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness >> > > and urge each other to compassion. Those are the Companions of the >> > > Right. (Surat al-Balad: 17-18) >> > >> > > As we see in this verse, one of the most important moral precepts that >> > > God has sent down to His servants so that they may receive salvation >> > > and mercy and attain Paradise, is to "urge each other to compassion". >> > >> > > Islam as described in the Qur'an is a modern, enlightened, progressive >> > > religion. A Muslim is above all a person of peace; he is tolerant with >> > > a democratic spirit, cultured, enlightened, honest, knowledgable about >> > > art and science and civilized. >> > >> > > A Muslim educated in the fine moral teaching of the Qur'an, approaches >> > > everyone with the love that Islam expects. He shows respect for every >> > > idea and he values art and aesthetics. He is conciliatory in the face >> > > of every event, diminishing tension and restoring amity. In societies >> > > composed of individuals such as this, there will be a higher >> > > civilization, a higher social morality, more joy, happiness, justice, >> > > security, abundance and blessings than in the most modern nations of >> > > the world today. >> > >> > > God Has Commanded Tolerance And Forgiveness >> > >> > > Surat al-A'raf, verse 199, which says "practice forgiveness", >> > > expresses the concept of forgiveness and tolerance which is one of the >> > > basic principles of the religion of Islam. >> > >> > > When we look at Islamic history, we can see clearly how Muslims >> > > established this important precept of the moral teaching of the Qur'an >> > > in their social life. At every point in their advance, Muslims >> > > destroyed unlawful practices and created a free and tolerant >> > > environment. In the areas of religion, language and culture, they made >> > > it possible for people totally opposite to each other to live under >> > > the same roof in freedom and peace, thereby giving to those subject to >> > > them the advantages of knowledge, wealth and position. >> > >> > > Likewise, one of the most important reasons that the large and >> > > widespread Ottoman Empire was able to sustain its existence for so >> > > many centuries was that its way of life was directed by the tolerance >> > > and understanding brought by Islam. For centuries Muslims have been >> > > characterized by their tolerance and compassion. In every period of >> > > time they have been the most just and merciful of people. All ethnic >> > > groups within this multi-national community freely practiced the >> > > religions they have followed for years and enjoyed every opportunity >> > > to live in their own cultures and worship in their own way. >> > >> > > Indeed, the particular tolerance of Muslims, when practiced as >> > > commanded in the Qur'an, can alone bring peace and well-being to the >> > > whole world. The Qur'an refers to this particular kind of tolerance: >> > >> > > A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad >> > >> > ... >> > >> > read more ยป >> >> > > > -- > ( > ) > I_D Allan > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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