to Pat

Submitted by Taj Ashaheed (United States), Mar 28, 2006 at 02:00

what you cited from the OIC statement is a verse of the Quran, which has nothing to do with conversion, or intolerance except God's toward ingratitude.

an analogy, if i may, from the Bible:

If you assess the actions of the Israeli tribes when after years of slavery, they fled Egypt, and coming upon the sea with egyptians in hot pursuit -and you imagine how fearful and hopeless they felt contemplated being trapped, then recaptured - only to be saved by the not-every-day amazing miracle of having an entire sea split for them to pass - then you would imagine a people whose experience would lead them to a ridiculously deep and unshakeable devotion...

in light of the fact that soon after they impatiently fashioned a golden idol to worship in the absence of Moses, one can only hold such a reaction in incredulity, no? I mean, does such a behavior make any real sense in such light of events?

I would think that most would look at this as say, "Wow, biiig mistake" and/or "how ungrateful"

well, the verse you cite is essentially saying that same thing - that when people actually believe in and worship God, He rewards them with security, etc...and when such happens there is no rational reason for anyone to then reject belief in God, and anyone who then does is "one who commits sin" (the term "evil doer" is not a great translation of the arabic word "fasiqeen" - the word "fisq" is generally translated as "sin") - this sin being the gravest: ingratitude to God after He has protected you

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