If you want to criticize Islam, you should criticize it from the scriptures, not the people, otherwise Muslims will just disregard your argument.
The scripture is irrelevant if most muslims don't follow it. People criticise Islam because of the actions of it's followers, whether those actions are backed up by their scripture or not. It's the way some people follow Islam that is the problem. I'm not some raving Islamaphobe, but I'm sure everyone agrees that some muslims (a minority I hope) do cause problems (as do some people of all religions and none).
My point is that it shouldn't be important to a non-muslim what Islamic scripture says, because their perceived problems with Islam are actually caused by people, not books. To be clear, I'm not really disagreeing with you.
The scripture is irrelevant if most muslims don't follow it. People criticise Islam because of the actions of it's followers, whether those actions are backed up by their scripture or not. It's the way some people follow Islam that is the problem. I'm not some raving Islamaphobe, but I'm sure everyone agrees that some muslims (a minority I hope) do cause problems (as do some people of all religions and none).
My point is that it shouldn't be important to a non-muslim what Islamic scripture says, because their perceived problems with Islam are actually caused by people, not books. To be clear, I'm not really disagreeing with you.
Then I think that if the fault lies with the individual, it would be more accurate to say there is a problem with Muslims, not Islam. Just to be clear, Muslims are the adherents of the religion, Islam is the religion. I'm not trying to patronize you or anything, its just a lot of people, including Muslims themselves, blur the boundary between the two.
Then I think that if the fault lies with the individual, it would be more accurate to say there is a problem with Muslims, not Islam. Just to be clear, Muslims are the adherents of the religion, Islam is the religion. I'm not trying to patronize you or anything, its just a lot of people, including Muslims themselves, blur the boundary between the two.
Yes, I agree. Really they should be criticising muslims. For most purposes, the average non-muslim has no need to judge Islam directly at all, since it's only the actions of its followers that affect them.
Yes, I agree. Really they should be criticising muslims. For most purposes, the average non-muslim has no need to judge Islam directly at all, since it's only the actions of its followers that affect them.
I generally agree with this point but it's also somewhat true that the extremists draw upon the fact that Islam can be intepreted in various different ways. It's most definitely a problem with the actual people but I do believe that elements of Islam itself give them 'ammunition'.
I generally agree with this point but it's also somewhat true that the extremists draw upon the fact that Islam can be intepreted in various different ways. It's most definitely a problem with the actual people but I do believe that elements of Islam itself give them 'ammunition'.
The way I understand how they interpret Islam is that they do share the same interpretation in general. But what inclines them towards extremism is their perception and they mold that interpretation towards it. The Qur'an already warns those who set out to exploit the book to try to find something to legitimise their own (unIslamic) actions. Case in point- the extremists agree that non-combatants are off-limits in Islam- but in their view, everyone in the West, including Muslims are a combatant because we pay tax. According to them, this means, we're funding the Afghanistan war.
Had they looked closely at the Qur'an, there is a strict condition for Muslims to obey the law even if this means disregarding the request of helping fellow Muslims. Furthermore, this isn't by choice either. By selectively reading the Qur'an, of course, you can pretty much come up with anything. By doing this method, contradictions appear. Their entire argument is debunked. No doubt, they'll come up with another 100 excuses of how they deem it is right because eitherway their main intent is to kill. I just think they should be first in line for beheadings.
Woman are allowed to be taken into slavery and sex is permitted with them. There are verses of the Quran and accounts in hadith that support this and detail specific incidents in which it took place.