There is no such thing as 'islamophobia'

You've gone off point. The OP's argument is sound and is plainly true. It is a politically motivated nonsense word. A phobia is an irrational fear. It's not irrational to fear Islam. Yet you use a nonsense word to apply to someone who rips the veil of someone or bomb a mosque. Why not just say what it is instead of labelling such behaviour with a nonsense word. That is foolish.

It may not be irrational to fear Islam, but surely it's irrational to fear all Muslims, firebomb Mosques, rip off hijabs and tar all Muslims with the same brush as extremists??.

Homosexuals are not going around beheading people because they follow some disturbing 7th century ideology now, are they? They get persecuted for acting upon nothing more than their natural instinct - something that actually exists.

Honestly there's not much room for interpretation in that passage and many besides.

Not arguing that many Muslims don't agree 100% with some of the brutality, but then I have to question why they follow the rest of the religion. Idk. I couldn't just 'overlook' something like that ygm?

How many muslims are going around beheading people? I'm a muslim and I've never done that . I'm a very practising muslim. You need to understand that muslims aren't all the same, I've met alot of muslims in my life and I can assure you you'd be surprised at how diverse the opinions on how to follow our religion are. Everyone has very different interpretations of the quran and teachings.

You start off by saying that because you, as a Muslim, don't do something, then it is not representaive of Muslims.
Then in the next breath you say that Muslims are incredibly diverse in their interpretation of Islam.

So, are you saying that you can generalise about the behaviour of Muslims, or you can't?

Are you saying that all Muslims' interpretations are acceptable, or only some? (In which case, how do you determine whose opinions are valid?)

Thanks.

Just because you wouldn't overlook something it doesn't mean others wouldn't, we're not all the same as you lol. I believe that because life is a test perhaps god wants to test how compassionate we are. So if I don't think some parts of the quran are right because following it would not be the compassionate thing to do I would not follow those parts. Basically I believe God wants to test how selfless we are maybe. Some people may follow everything because they are selfish and want to get to heaven even if its at the expense of another person. But I don't agree with that. I'm not the type of person to trample over others for my own benefit. Muslims are very diverse individuals just like humans from any other background. We all have different minds and a different way of looking at things. Please don't lump us all together.

I think you'll find that this interpretation of Islam is not really considered as "Islam" by most scholars.
The very idea that individual Muslims can pick and choose which bits of the Quran to accept and reject is not only anathema, but is explicitly forbidden within the Quran- although I guess you could just reject those verses, problem solved!

Don't get me wrong, I think that taking a allegorical, metaphorical and non-literal approach to the Quran is the only way forward for Islam, but we are going to have a bit of a job convincing the vast majority of Muslims!

I'm saying it would be stupid to generalise all muslims because if you actually speak to muslims on their opinions of Islam you'd see that they have different interpretations of it. In the same way people from whichever background you come from aren't all the same, not all muslims are the same

Only God knows whose right and whose wrong but in my opinion killing innocent people and unjustly discriminating against people is wrong and anyone who does those things isn't a muslim in my eyes.

How do you know the vast majority of muslims think that way? Have you asked everyone?

I have held discussions on such issues with dozens of Muslims, and I would say that I have encoutered maybe three or four who hold your position that you can cherry-pick the Quran to suit.

Pop over to the ISOC thread on the Faith and Spirituality forum and suggest that such an approach is acceptable. I predict 100% disagreement.

Also, just visit any Islamic scholar's website. You will not find one that advocates a non literalist approach.

I'm sure that there are some who hold that view privately, but would be reluctant to air it publicly.