FREEDOM...

Submitted by Oliver (United States), Jul 5, 2007 at 18:06

Syed, it is obvious that you have never tasted freedom or been able to exercise your own free will, which is why you changed the subject to usury. There are laws in the West to protect consumers from such practices and also competition in the free marketplace keeps interest rates at relatively low levels. But why should poor muslems have to worry about ‘interest' when your society doesn't allow it in the first place and is supposed to provide for the poor from the zakat or poor tax. Perhaps I'm wrong about that – perhaps the zakat in only for the mullahs and imams. Or perhaps you do not have a free marketplace where competition can help eliminate such practices as usury.

Justice – I have to assume that you mean that individuals should treat their neighbors in a fair and just manner. Would not this ‘fair and just treatment' be epitomized in the Sharia laws that are supposed to be based on the quran, the sira, the sunna and the best intentions of your all merciful allah. I sorry, but what I have been able to surmise of the Sharia laws is that they are a horrendous burden on islamic society and are prejudiced against women and the practice of other religions in islamic countries – what is so ‘fair and just' about the Sharia laws? Justice certainly will be meted out on the last day – as your merciful allah so frequently reminds you in your nobel quran. I prefer to bask in the forgiveness and loving kindness of the grace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, there is no judgement 'in Christ' only the sweet anticipation of eternal life.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has (all too) frequently had to punish His children (Israel), but He will never forsake them and He will never rescind or revoke His promises to them. He is forever their Father, they will forever be His chosen people. Canaan was first promised to Abraham and his descendents, then to Isaac and his seed, then to Jacob (renamed Israel by God) and his children, and once again (through Moses) to the children of Israel when they left the bondage of Egypt. In the book of Isaiah, God announced a great punishment upon Israel, captivity and deportation, BUT He also promised their return to and their repossession of the land of Israel. This gift is a perpetual gift that will never be rescinded or revoked – NEVER.

You wrote, "I am also a descendant of Abraham."

Really – I thought you said you were Pakistani – you do realize that to be descended from Abraham your bloodline must come through his legitimate son Isaac (are you a Jew?) or his illegitimate son Ishmael (are you an Arab?) or you must have received the adoption into the family of God through the shed blood of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (are you a Christian?) – sooooo, which is it? If none of these are true for you – you are no descendent of Abraham.

"Perhaps islam should reconsider SUBMISSION" – this was a silly play on words, I'm sorry you missed it, however seeing as you righted stated that islam could not exist without people and whereas ‘submission' is the primary tenet of islam (I'm still playing) – it is simple to deduce that I was suggesting that islam (the people – the muslems) should reconsider SUBMISSION (ISLAM). Get it?? You and your brothers in allah and mohammad should consider another more ‘fair and just' faith.

Oh, BTW, I have placed my trust in the Son of the God of Abraham; He is the true and living God – The Almighty.

May the true and living God enlighten you.

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