Poll question #2 about Islam

[j2k4]

Is Islam (given it's propagation through immigration, and aversion to assimilation)

an imperialist/expansionist religion/culture?

[MagicNakor]

Islam has a very large spectrum. I imagine to decide on your own, you would have to read the Koran.

[Skweeky]

Hmmm interesting topic

A while back I saw a documentary featuring Cat Stevens. Apparently he converted to Islam.
The man looked so balanced and at peace with himself that I've gained some respect for Islam.

I think it's got a bad name because there's so many extremist wings of it but I suppose if we look at it on the same scale as Catholicism we can't really say anything.

Only a few hundres years ago Catholics were invading Jerusalem to free the holy land of all sinners and those who died doing that would get rewarded by the heavenly father...

Sounds familiar?

So erm... no, I don't think it is any more imperialist or expansionist than any other religion. It's just a bit younger, that's all

As with any other religion, there is a lot of room for interpretation and there will always be people to use to their advantage.
The message in the Koran is pretty much the same as the one in the Bible or the Tanakh.
'Be kind and love one another'

[vidcc]

Have to agree with sweeky. All religion wishes expansion, so again the question is loaded, the answer has to be yes. all you are doing is singling out one religion as if it were somehow "a special case".

[j2k4]

Have to agree with sweeky. All religion wishes expansion, so again the question is loaded, the answer has to be yes. all you are doing is singling out one religion as if it were somehow "a special case".

What about a religion that promises eventual dominion, and professes subjugation/elimination of any other?

Today's version, BTW, not the medieval one...

[vidcc]

Have to agree with sweeky. All religion wishes expansion, so again the question is loaded, the answer has to be yes. all you are doing is singling out one religion as if it were somehow "a special case".

What about a religion that promises eventual dominion, and professes subjugation/elimination of any other?

Today's version, BTW, not the medieval one...

Again that is an extremist stance which you accept to be the norm. As I said the same argument could be made about extremist christians or jews etc. and you are singling out one religion as a special case.

Do you think this must mean all non muslims must be killed? or do you think this means all non muslims should be converted?
Now we know what some of these extremist think...what about "the average muslim"

I think propoganda has won over facts in the westrn worlds view of what islam is about..... the western world thinks islam is the fundamentalists that highjacked the religion, just as probably a great deal of muslims outside of the western world thinks the west is out to get islam.

[j2k4]

Now we know what some of these extremist think...what about "the average muslim"

Well, I don't know about you, but I am terribly over-wrought by the fact "the average Muslim" can't seem to find his voice.

As to the intent of the fanatics, all I can do is go by what they say, and I have no problem understanding that.

[cpt_azad]

Now we know what some of these extremist think...what about "the average muslim"

Well, I don't know about you, but I am terribly over-wrought by the fact "the average Muslim" can't seem to find his voice.

As to the intent of the fanatics, all I can do is go by what they say, and I have no problem understanding that.

So very sad and so very true. I am a muslim, but that's not 100% fact since I'm not religious whatsoever, I'm muslim simply by association, growing up in a Muslim family and whatnot. But not all muslims are like that, just as not all Jews want dead Palestinians, and just as not all republicans support Bush's every move. Each group's majority pushes and reinforces the stereotypes of that particular group, while only a handful stand out and up to bash those stereotypes back to hell from which they came, or so to speak.

[j2k4]

Well, I don't know about you, but I am terribly over-wrought by the fact "the average Muslim" can't seem to find his voice.

As to the intent of the fanatics, all I can do is go by what they say, and I have no problem understanding that.

So very sad and so very true. I am a muslim, but that's not 100% fact since I'm not religious whatsoever, I'm muslim simply by association, growing up in a Muslim family and whatnot. But not all muslims are like that, just as not all Jews want dead Palestinians, and just as not all republicans support Bush's every move. Each group's majority pushes and reinforces the stereotypes of that particular group, while only a handful stand out and up to bash those stereotypes back to hell from which they came, or so to speak.

Now, that was good.

[Rat Faced]

Don't the ultra-Orthodox Jews (The ones that wont give normal Jews the time of day) think non-Jews are sub-human?

That's what the Talmud says afterall...

Yebamoth 98a. All gentile children are animals.

Sanhedrin 58b. If a heathen hits a Jew, the gentile must be killed.

My fav though has got to be:
Erubin 21b. Whosoever disobeys the rabbis deserves death and will be punished by being boiled in hot excrement in hell. Which of course is wrong, but is written all over the place..

It should read: whosoever transgresses the words of the Scribes is liable for the death penalty. I think the one above is funnier though, so i'm leaving it there.


The Talmud also says that Jews may Lie to, Steal and Kill non Jews. That it's not a crime..


Every religion has their Fundamentalists.