The frequent mention of the age of Mohammed's wife conveniently ignores the historical fact that the concept of marriage was different back then. Women were traded and treated as property with marriages arranged by parents.

For example, how old was Jesus' mother Mary when she was married?

Historians suggest she would traditionally have been around 12 or 13 when she was married with physical consummation taking place some years later. That's simply how things were done.

Nobody seems to ask why she was married yet allegedly still a virgin?

As for Christians "never killing non-believers", the real history of early Christianity (not the Hollywood Sunday School myths) avoids the truth behind the era of Constantine, the subsequent re-banning of Christianity of his successor and then the following change two years later that made Christianity the sole religion with all the order that all "pagans" should be put to death.

What is now Syria became a vast killing field where thousands of non-Christians were crucified and burned alive. Their temples were torn down or turned into brothels or stables with the stripped marble used to build many of the Christian churches in Italy.

The reason behind the Spanish Inquistion was the hunting down and killing of the remnants of the remaining non-Catholic Christian "heretic" gnostics.

Christianity also has a violent blood-soaked history and has not always been the starry-eyed state of bliss that everybody assumes and arguing over comparative mythologies on the basis of half-truths is pointless.

Typically, religion does not provide a reason for perpetual intolerance but a convenient in-built excuse, and that goes for all sides.

David: <<Grateful, how can you say that Islam is a beautiful religion when so many Muslims are currently killing one another as fast as they can, all in the name of Allah or whatever you might like to call Him. Get real mate.>>

Raising a family is real. The respect for women and the care for children is real. And I don't see Islam as the cause of "so many Muslims are currently killing one another as fast as they can".

If you want to say that ISIS ideology is Islamic then you'll have to explain why it has been rejected by all schools of Islamic law (e.g. Refuting ISIS, ttps://ia601307.us.archive.org/13/items/RefutingISIS/Refuting%20ISIS.pdf)

The message of God is a message that offers guidance and protection:

"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' this is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these. " (Mark, 12: 29-31)

"Say: He is God, the One! God the self-Sufficient Besought of all!" (Qur'an, Al-Ikhlas 112: 1-2)

"So invoke the Name of thy Lord and devote thyself to Him with complete devotion" (Qur'an, Al-Muzzammil, 73:8)

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "None of you has faith until you love for your neighbour what you love for yourself"

AJ:<<Are you denying that Ayesha was nine when Muhammad (torment be upon him) first had sex with her? I thought that was widely accepted by Islamic scholars. >>

You obviously didn’t read the link I gave.

AJ: QUOTE<<So there is no testimony from Ayesha that her feeling for the Prophet was anything but love …>>

There are under-aged children who also consent to sex with adults, but it is still legally considered rape because they are not emotionally mature enough to be giving their consent. And how do we know this wasn’t a case of Stockholm Syndrome? QUOTE

These remarks raise a lot of questions?

Well let's be clear about what you are arguing. Are you arguing that because Ayesha was under-age in terms of Australian legal standards then she was raped? Are you arguing that all societies (including Biblical, Roman, Mesopotamian … you name it) that have permitted the marriage of a girl under the age of 16 as condoning rape even if that girl is able to be bear children?

How do you make the case that Ayesha was not "emotionally mature"? Because she was 9 years of age? That's fine when we speak of children raised in our society, but what about in the very different social and historical conditions of the pre-modern world? No baby-bonuses or government support for parents to put their children through primary/secondary/tertiary education.

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Next question: What basis do you have for saying she had Stockholm Syndrome? From wikipaedia we have the following definition,

<<Stockholm syndrome can be seen as a form of traumatic bonding, which does not necessarily require a hostage scenario, but which describes "strong emotional ties that develop between two persons where one person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the other.>>

You’re the accuser, so where is your evidence of Ayesha being intermittently harassed, beaten, threatened, abused or intimidated?

AJ, you are making all these accusations without evidence. Just a bunch of "what ifs". What if she was not "emotionally mature". What if she had Stockholm Syndrome?

In summary, you have no evidence to support the accusation of rape: no evidence of a lack of consent, no evidence of trauma and no evidence of Ayesha's feelings towards the Prophet as being anything other than sincere love.

As for the accusation of paedophilia if you are going to make it in the case of Ayesha then you will need to level it against the lady who first proposed the marriage to the Prophet, Ayesha's parents, the tribal society in which it was not unusual to have girls consummate marriage once they had reached the age when they can bear children and indeed any such society (including those of Biblical times).

AJ, have you ever raised concerns about paedophilia among the Anglo-Celtic or European population which is clearly the highest risk group? And isn't it time you did so given your pre-occupation with the issue in this thread? Or do the children have to be victims of a Muslim before they receive your "empathy and sincere concern"?

The Western lifestyle is failing to protect women and children. That is obvious. It is because they do not have the set of norms and values, and etiquette between men, women and children, that would prevent sexual violence and paedophilia, particularly given the greater opportunities for such behaviour afforded by technology.

Rache: Historians suggest she would traditionally have been around 12 or 13 when she was married

From a previous post. Joseph was about 50 odd. Quite old for those days. & yes Mary was 12 when she conceived. Raped by a Roman Soldier called Pandera. Hence the name Joshua ben Pandera or, also AKA Joshua ben Mamzer (Bastard) Then married off to Joseph who had just lost his wife & had a number of children to look after. He was then retired to Nazareth to avoid a scandal as Mary was the Grand-uncle of the High Priest of the Temple through Anne his wife. (Talmudic text Sanhedrin 67a; Shabbath 104b. Origen.)

The other theory is that Mary was betrothed to Antipas the son of Herod. Antipas was good friends with Emperor Augustus while he was Governor of Egypt & went to Agustuses inauguration in Rome. Augustus raped Mary & Antipas came back to Israel where Herod thought Antipas would usurp him. So Herod had him killed which left Mary pregnant & unmarried. Mary was then quickly married off to save the High Priests face. When Pontius Pilot asked Joshua (Jesus) who his father was, Joshua whispered in his ear & Pontius Pilot washed his hands of the matter. If Augustus was his father then Pilot would have been sending his son to death. Whaaa...

grateful: The respect for women and the care for children is real.

Yes, providing they stay in a bag & stay home & not talk to anyone except a relative. Very obvious, rape, stoning, not human, etc, etc.

Grateful: Are you arguing that because Ayesha was under-age in terms of Australian legal standards then she was raped?

Yes. I thought children were protected?

For answers to your questions. Read “The Life of Muhammad.” & many other books written by Islamic Scholars.

Jayb: <<Grateful: Are you arguing that because Ayesha was under-age in terms of Australian legal standards then she was raped?

Yes.>>

So the Australian legal age of 16 for consent is a universal standard for all societies (tribal & modern) and all circumstances?

No-one would agree with you other than those who share your own obsession of demonising Muslims.