Behavior

Submitted by Amir (United States), Feb 19, 2006 at 17:20

"There are those who criticize Jewish scripture as being "violent" based on taking portions out of context, and misinterpreting them."

What is out of context about that?

"And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire." (Leviticus 21:9)

"This is why I routinely don't criticize Islam based on some of what sounds pretty outlandish in the Koran, as tempting as that is. "

There is nothing in the Qur'an as outlandish as that. In some hadith (hadith is not Qur'an) there is, yes, but certainly not in the Qur'an. There few violent verses in the Qur'an in chapter 8 and 9 (that are quoted by anti-Islamic bigots all the time) but these verses are specifically related to the time of war. For example, a bigot would quote verses like that..

Surah 8:60 "Strike terror (into the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your enemies"

However, the full verse reads like that

Surah 8:60 .. "Strike terror (into the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your enemies. But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things)."

Another example .. a bigot would quote this

9:14: Fight (kill) them (non-Muslims), and Allah will punish (torment) them by your hands, cover them with shame."

but if you include 9:13, it reads like this:

9:13-14 "What! will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Messenger, and they attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers. Fight (kill) them (non-Muslims), and Allah will punish (torment) them by your hands, cover them with shame."

These are typical examples of how bigots quote verses from chapter 8 and 9. The general message however even in these violent chapters (that are related to war at the time of Muhammad) is this: kill those who fight you but not those who don't.

"I think it is much better to base my opinions on the behavior of the practitioners of a religion, than on their literature."

How do you explain this behavior then?

http://www.wrmea.com/Washington-Report_org/www/backissues/0994/9409007.htm

"Outside Jerusalem's walls, rioters chanted "death to Arabs" as Muslim and Christian Palestinians hid behind locked doors. "I thought they would come into the house and kill my family," said Sabreen Najjar, the mother of five small children. "

Doesn't happen often? There are 100 times more Muslims than Jews. Multiply all these incidents (and I quote a dozen more) with 100.

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