A J Philips,

So out of two longish posts these are the things you want to dispute? Home in on the periphery and ignore the substance or do you accept the substance?

1. Dark matter. You say there is evidence for it. So do you have a vial of it at the back of the pantry? DM is inferred. The current models make no sense to scientists unless they insert DM. They don't know it exists but they need it to make sense of the universe as they understand it. Ditto Dark Energy. Similar the universe makes no sense to the pious with God. I suspect this won't make any sense to you.

2. Mohamed said the older teachings were right but where they appeared to conflict with newer teachings the newer teachings took precedence. Allah wasn't wrong on either occasion but man failed to fully understand the teachings, hence the clarification.
Same for Jesus who taught that his teachings "fulfilled" the prior teachings, which were also correct since they were the word of God. But he did advise that teachings like "Eye for an eye" had to be clarified eg Matthew 5:38. And much more although a lot of the clarification was via Paul/Saul.

But these are peripheral issues. Perhaps we could try to address the substance raher than just seek (unsuccessfully) to points score.

Diver Dan, you’ve been busy commenting. Rough ocean? Where? I fully appreciate you taking the time to comment. I may have had my head in the sands but it’s time to contribute positively to this amazing country. I owe it to all my Australian neighbours to stand up and be a voice. If I’m told to shut up… I most certainly will except that my heart yearns to unite this multicultural nation. What I know best is to speak my truth….truth from my lived and learnt experiences as an ordinary, not extraordinary woman who calls Australia home. How blessed and grateful I am to be received with love and tolerance my whole life and to now give back. Thank you Diver Dan for the opportunity.

AJ Philips … you are very kind. Would you agree all of humanity condemn terrorism? You talk about Christians, Muslims and Atheists and I only see and hear souls. Souls that are passionate to defend our country. I’m not concerned with viciousness online I’m concerned with behaviour that traumatizes our youth preventing them from having a carefree existence. How do young souls make sense of this ugly world? How do the marginalised stand strong? Why are we looking over our fence when we could be building our fortress and uniting as a force? How can we rejoice and sing songs of joy with negative media doing our head in.

Hi Phanto – welcome to the discussion. Your contribution was clear and to the point. The reality is we can’t generalise. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the box. Religion is personal and yes it is hard to convince otherwise. Why should I judge the community if a minority are incompatible with society. Conduct, good character and decency must be at the core of our country. This should affect the minority and not the majority. I could be wrong but this forum is dedicated to open and respectful comments.

That or I'm indifferent to it, mhaze.

<<Home in on the periphery and ignore the substance or do you accept the substance?>>

I wouldn't exactly call what I disputed “periphery”, though.

<<You say there is evidence for [dark matter].>>

Yes, and so do scientists.

http://www.astro.cornell.edu/academics/courses/astro201/dm_evidence.htm

<<So do you have a vial of it at the back of the pantry?>>

Yes, it sits between the vial of gravity and pieces of black hole. What a silly thing to say.

<<The current models make no sense to scientists unless they insert DM.>>

There you go. That's evidence.

<<Similar the universe makes no sense to the pious with God. I suspect this won't make any sense to you.>>

Dark matter has explanatory power. A god doesn't. But we already went through this year's ago.

<<Same for Jesus who taught that his teachings "fulfilled" the prior teachings, …>>

No, when Jesus said that he had come to fulfill the law, what he meant was that although God still enjoyed the smell of burning blood, we no longer need to make sacrifices to him. He's over that now and Jesus replaces the need to sacrifice. Jesus also said that not a jot or tittle of the law will be changed until Heaven and Earth have passed away, and that anyone who breaks the least of those laws will be the least in Heaven (Matthew 5:17-20).

<<Perhaps we could try to address the substance ...>>

Of what you said? I think I did.

Hi All

Thank you for your input. I would so love to continue to respond to your comments, however I, like others am time poor. Your responses are highlighting the need for serious open dialogue in a forum or online webinar.

As well the word limit and post number places constraints. For example I responded earlier with 4 posts, the max. number of posts after which point I had to wait 22 hrs.

I will recheck this site on Friday 25th (as I have disabled email notifications). In the meantime I will speak with my colleagues or better still an approachable Islamic scholar or well-informed member of the community to be available to respond to your questions at some point in the future.

I understand your frustrations. Let's aim for some kind of discussion... If not in dialogue perhaps a written response to your intelligent questions.

Love and Light to you All

Dear Graham,

Following Najla's last response, I suggest that you allow article-authors unlimited posting to their own articles.

//Following Najla's last response, I suggest that you allow article-authors unlimited posting to their own articles.//

I second that suggestion.