THE "UNDERSTANDING ISLAM" THREAD
There has been lots of suggestion from people here that there is significant violence described, or condoned, or
perhaps even incited, in Islamic scriptures.
I have also suggested, that the Old Testament has its fair share of violence as well. Others disagree with that point of view and suggest that Christianity is a much more loving and compassionate Teaching.
Because I do not know, I have asked if people here can summarize the CORE TENETS of Islam. Religions, no matter how far they have strayed from their original inspiration, have to have SOMETHING to say about God (and one's relationship thereto).
Who can summarize that relative to Islam? I am sure we can count on IGIT to do so relative to Christianity. Mar$ I am sure can give us the summary for Vedanta. There must be some Buddhists around also. Sultan, what's your territory?
Coming from the vantage point of other religions and cultures, it is very easy to be critical of ANY other Path or Faith. However, that is not going to change the situation at all. When billions of people embrace a Path, we had better find a way to understand why they do, and what commonality it has with us, because they are not going to vanish from the earth. And their aspirations (in no matter what perverted form, such as September 11) impact us very directly.
So what I am saying is that it is not productive to focus on what DIVIDES us. We need to find whatever commonality does exist, find the ability to respect that, and figure out how we are going to be able to peacefully co-exist in the world.
None of that is easy. Just "nuking them all" is fairly immediate, efficient and would no doubt please the really war-like amongst us. At least for a day or two.
But it has a few complications......
Namaste!
Jim |
