Muslim-only Spam

[Trolldor]

Christianity's bible isn't exactly in its original form, and it wasn't until several centuries later that it started to actually be anything. Also, whether you like to admit it or not, the Bible's passages are rare and few, a line here or there which can easily be ignored, or forgotten even unconsciously. The koran has whole sections dedicated to the act.

Secondly, Islam can not be a peaceful religion. It is impossible for Islam to be peaceful when its main tenets are about world domination through force. Muslims can be peaceful but it requires that they reject Islam and the Koran as it is - which brings me back to my point. They will have to invent a whole new realm to a religion which is what Christianity was to Judaism. They can not use the existing religion and claim it is 'one of peace'. They can not cherry pick without ignoring a significant portion of the Koran.

[Hermit]

Once again, it's a matter of cherry picking the "holy" texts.

No christian cares to quote the following words of Jesus today, simply because the brutality and bloody mindedness are deemed unsuitable: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” [Matthew 11:21-24] or: "Jesus said, "But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me."" [Luke 19:27] In earlier epochs, though, they served as justification to massacre any non christian community upon being conquered.

On the flip side, the Q'ran contains numerous verses that - if the followers of islam chose to cherry pick them - would make it a peaceful religion. Among them, it counsels peace: "But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is the One that Heareth and Knoweth (all things)." (Surah 8, Verse 61) It advocates rapprochement: "Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!" (Surah 41, Verse 34)

Speaking from merely personal experience, none of the practising muslims I have actually had conversations with resemble the stereotypical muslim that you seem to have in mind. One of them, in particular, conducts himself in such courteous and civil manner in a debate as well as general everyday behaviour as you will ever be likely to meet, and he was an Imam. I had dealings with him for about 15 years, so I doubt he was putting up a front.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I have known a lot of very moderate moslems. One of them once described the call to jihad as 'a jihad of the heart' and claimed that it did not mean an actual war but rather a war of ideology - by living a peaceful, moslem life, he was fighting jihad by setting his example to the infidels.

It's blather. But it does show the same kind of cherry picking that the christians are so good at.

What is important to remember though, is that as long as these religions remain, there will be those that choose a far more militant, violent interpretation - of either book. Need I remind you that the greatest loss of life in the USA, prior to 9/11, caused by a fundamentalist, religious fanatic, was the Oklahoma bombing.