Reply to Jim

Submitted by Debanjan Banerjee (India), Aug 11, 2009 at 04:07

Jim,

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND HINDUS? IS IT THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE OF THE HINDUS? BECAUSE I SEE RIOTS BETWEEN HINDUS AND MUSLIMS, THE CREATION OF TWO STATES ONE ISLAMIC PAKISTAN AND ONE SECULAR INDIA. WHY? Not all the Muslims in the sub-continent at that time or now , supported partition. One of the issues between Hindus and Muslims have been that despite Muslims living and contribuiting to the sub-continental culture for centuries now , Muslims are still not considered different from Indian mainstream. And as per as the recent riots are concerned certainly in those riots more Muslims were killed than Hindus.

BUT WHAT DO I DO IF THE QURAN CONSIDERS ME AN INFIDEL AND SAYS I SHOULD BE KILLED OR CONVERTED OR MADE TO PAY THE JIZYA TAX AND MUSLIMS CONSIDER SUCH TEXTS HOLY? Although I am not an expert on Quran but I can say that the Quran also tells that killing an innocent human being is equal to killing entire humanity.So any Muslim killing an innocent man/woman is considered a sinner , according to Quran.Islam does not consider you as infidel thereby it does not call for your killing.It is up to you how interprate Quran.Talking about this I believe the Bible also calls for killing people which it considers hostile to God. So what about that ?

IN THE WEST WE ARE OPEN TO DEBATE EVERYTHING INCLUDING ISLAM. I welcome this attitude. But I have observed that whenever we are discussing Islam in we start to discuss in the manner where Islam is considered in a pre-set negative attitude. What I believe that it will be better for both west and Islam if Western commentators also can consider the positive aspects of Islam and how Islam can contribute for future developments in the West.What is wrong in having to discuss Islam in an open mindset ? Why can not Islam be considered in the same manner in West like Judaism and Christianity is considered ?

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