Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Islam, The Message -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (251)	11/18/2001 2:53:45 PM
From: Zeev Hed	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 758

I think that one of the major shortcomings of the Quran and thus Islam is the lack of religious hierarchy. The Catholics have the Pope and a "chain of command" as well as a college of cardinals that make major religious (and sometimes, political) decisions. In Islam, there is no way to excommunicate a deviant, every uneducated egomaniac can call himself a "mulah" (like Omar) and issue fatwas. The truth is that over history these have caused more fratricide within the Islamic community than between Islam and other faiths. Not that other religions with their "structures" did not commit their own share of human atrocities (take for instance the 15th century institution of "Inquisition", it "eliminated" all residues of Islamic influence in Andalusia, and of course emptied Spain of all its Jews.). Zeev Zeev

To: greenspirit who wrote (251)	11/18/2001 9:23:16 PM
From: Mani1	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 758

Micheal, Mr. Stevensen I am not a practicing Moslem and will not argue about the various verses that has been discussed here. But let me offer a different perspective. Islam and its one Billion followers are being blamed for the action of the few (tens) thousands. When Timothy Mc Veigh blown up the Oklahoma city federal building, he was not considered a Christian extremist. Neither was David Koresh for the fiasco in Waco. How about all the people blowing up abortion clinics and killing doctors. They are not being considered a voice for Christianity. Koran was written in Arabic more than a thousand years ago. Compare that to the US constitution that is only fraction of that. That is the same constitution that was interpreted to allow slaving of blacks and not allowing women to vote. Not comparing the two in content, just making a point that interpretation leaves a lot of room for error. Especially true if the scripture is old. Regardless of how some idiots interpret Islam, it is a peaceful religion. At least in the form that I was grown up in. It is very clear on several occasion that "if they let you be, god does not allow you to kill". A Moslem “must be kind to its neighbors”. Islam is very clear in its acknowledgments of Abraham, Noah and Jesus. It believes in a single god and considers followers of Judaism and Christianity believers. Granted that Islam is also a religion that “takes no prisoners” and is aggressive in self-defense. But that is no different than the current US policy as it defends itself against aggression. Such non-tolerance for aggression, appeal very much to those in the world that consider themselves “under privileged”. And mixing of Islam’s teachings, such as non-tolerance for aggression, combined with the current economical and cultural climate in certain part of the world, results in the mess we have. I certainly hope any counter argument to my post carries the high level of civility shown so far in this thread. Mani