Islam and Peace

Submitted by M (United Arab Emirates), Mar 26, 2006 at 14:15

About 5 years ago I read the Quran.
This was a gift from a well meaning muslim friend.
As I read the book a strange feeling came over me.
I had read the Bible and some other relgious texts.
But I had never come across anything like this.

As I read what have been described on this site as the 'sword verses' I was appalled.
I was also dismayed that this was a book that was respected as Holy and Religious.
I have found the Quran to be a polemic diatribe against Christianity and Judaism.
If Muslims find cartoons offensive how could any Christian or Jew read the Quran without being offended.
As I read I came to feel that the author of the book felt the Christian and the Jew to be his natural enemy..
How could God write such a book? I thought. It seemed to me to be written by some parochial tribesman who lacked the worldly understanding to appreciate other faiths..

To me all the spectacle we have before us today, Al-Qaeda, cartoon protests, female mutilation, punishment of converts, etc hold no surprise after reading the Quran. What else would you expect from anyone whose idea of education is to spend their youth memorising the Quran?

Sorry to any Muslims but this is my sincere interpretation of what I have read.. Do I get a fatwa for that from the people of peace?

BTW I have read the Quran, but don't expect me to convert any time soon. If I am going to die for religious purposes I would rather it be for sincerely apposing Islam than as a punishment for apostasy later.. I do encourage all Christians and Jews to read the Quran and find out for themselves...

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