Lets assume - and this is just an assumption - that I have already made up my mind about Islam, and the way I view it is as nothing but a cult of evil. Again and to stress this - this is not true - but for the sake of argument lets assume this is how I view Islam.
You on the other hand also have already made up your mind that Islam is nothing but a religion of love, peace and humanity.
Then what is the difference between you and I? In otherwords we both are trying very hard to make our case and push our own ideas on others.
You say that "you read a lot" and that is why your mind is not manipulated by Islamic leaders (i.e. clergies and mullahs). Yet, you fail to provide simple answers to simple questions about Islam, and always come up with an escape goat of making such statements as "...why dont you read... ", or "do your own reading and research..... I mean, if you read a lot and if you have already made up your mind about Islam, then why not share that with the rest of us - and especially with misguided people such as myself and try to educate me.
In order to be educated one has to have a teacher, and if you claim to read a lot and know so much about Islam to the point of already having made up your mind as it being a religion of love and peace with a message that is as good as it is today as it was 1500 year sago, then why dont you try to educate an ignorant misguided person like me? Just think of it this way, by educating me and turning my views of Islam 180 degree to your direction, I will actually do you a good too by spreading Islam's true message to others like me (or otherwise), and before you know it the ture message of Islam will be heard throughout the world.
However this can only be achieved if you (and others like you) who read so much, and know so much about Islam, come face-to-face (at least in cyberspace) with those who have a wrong perception of the religion and try to educate them. However what you have done so far is to simply either ignore us by mocking us and telling us to go and find out for ourselves what Islam's message is, instead of you sharing with us some of your knowledge and vast readings that you have done on Islam.
Let me also ask you this, this thread's subject title is Islam: The message! Well... then try to provide the message yourself if you already know about it, instead of telling people to go and read it for themselves. If that was the case, then why to have this thread to begin with? What is the purpose of this thread then? of course people can go and read and find out for themselves. Then why have this thread? Do you want only people who share the same exact views as yours to post here, and thus making this thread to some sort of self-mutual admiration society? Is this thread some sort of a cyber mosque where all like minded people with the same feelings toward Islam can come together and discuss the same positive message that all of them already know? If so, then I think - in all fairness - you should modify your introduction post to reflect this. You should explicitly state that this thread is only for those people who have already made up their mind on Islam as it being the greatest gift God ever gave to mankind. You should also state explicitly that those who think or speak of Islam otherwise are banned from posting on this thread and are not welcome here.
If that is the case then I totally understand your position and will never post here. However if your intentions are for people to understand what Islam's message is, then I make you a deal, I promoise I would not make any negative comments about Islam (of personal nature), if you promise to provide a reasonable answer to my questions on Islam (without trying to escape from my questions through an easy superficial door of "...well, why dont you do some reading. If I wanted to read myself, then why would I ask you and why would I come to this thread whose subject title is Islam: The Message!?. I will also promise only to quote what I read from the sources and links that "you" have provided in your introduction post, and you promise to provide honest answers (since you claim to have done so much reading on Islam, and know so much about it that you have already made up your mind as it being the religion of love, peace, and humanity for all eternity).
If you agree to my proposal, then I think this thread could really become something of interest to everyone. Who knows, perhaps Islam's message (whatever it ends up being or is) as you view it, may spread to others via people such as myself who at this time are totally confused to contradictory messages it sends to its followers!
Otherwise, you can go ahead and block me again, and I will spend another $200 to become an SI member and the cycle continues. In this process I think the only one who would benefit the most would be SI (thanks to you who makes me pay $200 to them everytime you block me - in which case I think you should ask SI to start paying you commissions in the range of somethinglike 20%-25%)!
Sincerely,
Mr. S. Stevenson |
