Ian writes

'It is an extremely practical way of living based on the principle that every person is totally responsible for the outcomes of his or her life, with the denial of the existence or power of any form of supreme being, or deity.'

really so the woman who was raped and murdered is responsible for the outcome of her life. The cyclist run down by the drunk driver is responsible for his/her outcome. The poor beggar born into abject poverty is responsible for his outcome.

'with the denial of the existence or power of any form of supreme being, or deity.''

and so all the order and beauty of creation came about by chance

"Islam does not have a hierarchy although the opinion of some imams is greatly respected. One fundamental feature of the Islamic religious system is that there is no equivalent of "church"—no religious institution with doctrinal or legal authority, no ordained priesthood, no sacred/profane dichotomy, and no doctrinally sanctioned "official truth." - David F

What Islam are you referring to? The one without Mosques, Sharia Law and the Koran (Quran); the Koran that is the final word on God's Truth and message to all mankind according to the prophet Muhammad Praise be with Him? Try telling a Muslim the Koran, that dictates all non-believers are sinners, is not the sanctioned official truth!

Sure there are Muslim scholars and academics that can dance around the question of a hierarchy, clergy or sanctioned truth but the practical application is the same as any other religion. There is always an inner circle with more influence over the followers, and within that inner circle another greater level to the pecking order. Becoming a Grand Mufti requires an evolving career and does lead to becoming the recognised top man.

Dear ConservativeHippie,

A hierarchy means having a ruling person on top who directs a series of higher and lower ranks. Every person in a hierarchy reports to a person above him or her in the hierarchy until it gets to the person on top.

Having mosques, Sharia and the Koran does not mean having a hierarchy.

Having a place of worship is not the same as having a hierarchy.

There is no one Sharia that all Muslims must obey. There are different Sharia laws as there are different Christian sects. There are eight main kinds of Sharia laws. In talking about Sharia one should say what Sharia they are talking about as they are different. Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi'i and and Zahiri are the five Sharia Sunni laws. The Shii sect of Islam has three: Ja'fari, Zaydi and Ismaili. There are still other kinds of Sharia. They are all different. One can look them up and find out about the differences.

Having a holy book is not having a hierarchy.

The Grand Mufti can only recommend not order. The Grand Mufti ") is the highest official of religious law in a Sunni or Ibadi Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatawa;, on interpretations of Islamic jurisprudence for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases. The collected opinions of the Grand Mufti serve as a valuable source of information on the practical application of Islamic law as opposed to its abstract formulation. The Grand Mufti's fatawa; (plural of "fatwa;") are not binding precedents in areas of civil laws regulating marriage, divorce, and inheritance. In criminal courts, the Grand Mufti's recommendations are generally not binding either.

Islam does not have a hierarchy.

Karma is just another way of saying, so as you sow so also will you reap! If not in this lifetime, then the next!

And if you add in reincarnation, then all the bad things that seem to happen to good people or the innocent, makes not only perfect sense, but perfect justice as well!

And if that is so, then the way to get off the wheel of life and karma, is just not seek revenge! Which could just as easily be replaced with small acts of kindness?

An eye for an eye can only keep the cycle of revenge and or Karma, going on and on!

Forgiveness is divine; but very had to practise sometimes!

Nor can you just stand idly by and watch patent wrong doing/injustice, without reacting/taking a stand against it, even where that ensures you are beaten within an inch of your life?

How many times have you thought to yourself, that billionaire has got away with it time and again; given he has all this money and the power or the rich man's justice it purchases!

Or simply allows her to take an unfair advantage of others she has virtual control over?

And truth be known, (s)he might well be reborn in the slums of India, where the shoe is well and truly on the other foot?

And what of the rapist who seems to have gotten away with it, and time after time?

How about a rebirth in a culture where women are little more than goods and chattels/sex slaves and raped on a daily basis; and get so unhappy with their situation; when charged with adultery and threatened with a bullet in the brain pan, can only respond with a,"get on with it R sole"!

So also as you sow so also shall you reap!

A stone thrown into a pond always creates ripples, which flow on and on until they run out of water!

The immutable law of cause and effect! Dismiss that with an airy wave of a dismissive hand, if you can?
Rhrosty.

I must of been very good in my previous life Rhrosty by the standards you use. To me married to a beautiful woman, have great kids/grandkids, to be in relatively good health. On the other hand that cripple in the wheelchair must have been terrible. Please give us a break. Its nonsense.

Runner, how can you so lightly dismiss as nonsense something which needs more though than given by just a superficial opinion?

Where do you think the "storehouse" of your good and bad actions is sited?
Can't you accept that the EFFECT of your actions can take place anytime in the realm of infinity, or is your measure of existence limited to this particular exixtence only.
Don't ever be unwilling to admit to yourself that there are some things which you don't understand, yet are worth pursuing.