To Hind

Submitted by Mark (United Arab Emirates), Mar 28, 2006 at 21:23

Hind,

It is a pleasure to debate with you. You are polite and do not seem to take things personally.

Regarding the concept of Islam and law. Hind you present a great case of reasoned thoughfulness that reflects your own or perhaps the ideal reflection of Islamic life.

But as a friend of mine would say, bas hakki.. Basically the actions of Islamic people around the world (excluding reasonable people like yourself) scream so loudly that it is hard for us to hear or understand what you are saying.

Supposing Islam is a true religion. How is it then posible that so many people use the name of Islam to present such outrageous ideas and which they say are justified in the Quran.

The Talaq problem was an example of religious leaders who I believe were probably quite sincere in their analysis of the law. Their understanding of the Quran brought them to an absurd proposition as you have agreed. The point of importance here is that they acted, I beleive sincerely and came to a conclusion based on an understanding of the Quran that brought them to a non-sensical conclusion.

While you argue in a way that demonstates education and critical thought, this is hardly the consensus of the Islamic world and some might argue, not even representative.

I for example put forward my own views, I don't claim to represent the views of all or even the majority of atheists. I would say that your views are not representative of all or even most muslims. For example that article about the Talaq reported in the local paper here in the Gulf doesn't even register on the radar over here as being outrageous. More or less par for the course here.

In another reply to one of my posts (thank you for that) you mentioned that you don't get into what I call the (my god is bigger than your god) game by replying that Christians, Jews and Muslims worship the same God. In the same post you said you had no desire to fool me. Do you beleive that Jesus Christ is God? Christians do. If you don't then you don't worship the same God.

If you don't mind I would like to reply to a few other points from that post. You drew the inference that the rennaisance in European culture was actually inspired by Islam. So why did the rennnaisance occur only after the muslims armies were defeated? Any why was not the center of European rennaisance in Eastern Europe and Spain where muslim influence was greatest. Spain, after its long experience with Islam, emerged from Islamic control to be the most backward nation in western Europe in spite of the huge wealth it gained from its pillage of Mexico and South America. The nations of Europe that today have muslim majorities are very backward, e.g. Albania, Kosovo. They were hardly centres of learning, debate or critical thought. If Islam was at all involved in the European renaissance then why did that awakening completely avoid the entire islamic world?


Hind, I like you. I think you are very intelligent, no doubt more than my match, you are polite and you are clever. But I would ask you to reevaluate your sincerety. Do you really beleive everything that you write?

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