Timkins
cultural exchanges are one thing. Fundamental disposition is another.
We are not claiming they dont have some welcoming or interesting or valuable cultural traits. So, as far as it goes ok, we can benefit from cross cultural interaction during peace time. This does not change that disposition of aiming ALWAYS at acheiving Dar Ul Islam the Islamic State. That is so fundamental to Islam that its like without it you would have a 4 legged stool with only 3 legs and it would fall. "All the world belongs to Allah and HIS APOSTLE" is what Mohammed so generously said in a hadith. This idea permeates Islam from head to foot.
Don't ever let "Islam in minority Status" fool you. They also have whats called "circumstantial abrogation" which is where the verses of the Quran they use will VARY with the circumstances. If in minority they will quote all the PEACEFUL and FEELGOOD verses. But given an inch of political power, they will quickly 'abrogate' those texts and use the 'more dominant' ones.

Islam claims it upholds freedom of religion and faith.

Sure !!! u can 'be' a Christian but u cannot a) Add to existing Churches, u may only repair them. b) U cannot build new churches. c) U cannot share your faith to a Muslim. But to 'be' a Christian means to share your faith with the world.
See afghanistans new constitution.. all this is clear.

I note with curious interest that the ICV web site seems to have a new upgraded section, SECURITY and it has special mention of how to recognize a letter bomb. Strange.. I dont recall reading or hearing of such bombs being sent TO muslims.. only the other way around.

Asian,
I understand that there are a number of sections of Islamic text that are militant, and it seeks to conquer the “infidels”, or the “others”. But if the Muslims do just that, then what next. There is nothing left, so Islamic text has to be re-written.

If you are seeking to talk-up a war with Muslim countries, then I think it is already being done. A leash has to be kept on both sides, then eventually a merging of the two. Muslim religion and what eventually became Christian religion were once closely related, and Mohammad was only one prophet of God. There were others prophets also.

Timkins, you said: "Muslim religion and what eventually became Christian religion were once closely related, and Mohammad was only one prophet of God. There were others prophets also."

This statement is totally wrong and demonstrates that you know absolutely nothing about the history of Islam nor the history of Cristianity. You can talk all you want about putting a leash on Islam but they will not listen to you. They will laugh at you, and when they do take the country they will kill you unless you submit. If you knew anything about Islamic history you would already know this.

AK

Timkins.. goto 'MIRC... choose the dalnet server, join #islam and toss around a few ideas that u have been raising here :)
Try 'theorizer' or "zolweez" who will give u more idea about it.
One is an Arab and the other is Pakistani I think.

Aslan is correct. You demonstrated a decided lack in understanding both faiths mate.. not trying to be mean.
Read Luke then Acts. (For beginnings of Christianity)

for Islam
Then try 'sahih Muslim, which is a compilation of reliable traditions about Mohammed. A lot of Islamic law comes from these.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim

goto chapter 19 "book of Jihad" read all the hadiths, see what kind of character Mohammed was.

Or chapter 16 number 4130 and 4131
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/016.smt.html

http://www.submission.org/suras/sura23.html

You might also read surah 23:5-6 of the Quran and ask whether u would like the idea of ur sister being taken captive (after u have been slaughtered of course) and subjected to what this verse suggests ?
(The term 'rightfully theirs' refers to captive slaves)

This is a good one.

Pericles...WOW.. here I am trying to get to bed :) but the interaction just keeps on coming..

I have to assert very firmly, that my suggestion of noting differences in other cultures is not negotiable :) Inferior is not the same as 'different'

Inferior.. less reliable, less skilled, not as intelligent etc etc
Different .. 'square peg round hole'

I have the utmost respect for the intellectual capacity etc of Muslims.

I was not trying to be 'tolerant, loving, or compassionate.. trust me.
I was attempting to be historically and socially accurate and objective. My major point is, that if we do not have a true understanding of the real principles behind another group, specifically this one, then the reaction of the 'masses' when they get whipped up by the media, (usually by opportunistic politicians) will be a knee jerk one and most likely express itself in hate and violence.
If we know the principles, we can take whatever action we deem neccessary in a controlled and cool headed manner by adjustments to social policy to prevent such violence and knee jerk reactions.

In 1969, , race riots between chinese and malays broke out. It took just a few hours to destroy the social harmony of malaysia,
but decades to rebuild it, and when u hear speeches about 'our privilaged God given position that NO one can threaten' by some of the ethnic Malay MP's u wonder why they even have it now.

Did you notice my bit about the socialist alliance ? if u dig around you will see that they clearly advocate the 'final struggle to overthrow a stubborn and recalcitrant bougoise' words to that effect.

Now this is where age and experience come in a bit. The Communists in Sarawak mainly worked among the chinese methodist youth groups. They put their most charismatic people in those groups, and gradually shifted the focus from the Bible to political issues. They finally tried to stage manage an all out coup ! I wont bore you with details.
I see the same pattern with the rising influence of 'RESISTANCE'.

When it comes to national security and defense of my culture, the central thing is the issue, not my personal emotion about it. As for love, compassion etc .. You WOULD find it in my personal interaction with people of that faith.

Boaz,
It depends on how far you want to go back. What I was referring to was the belief in God and Angles. That is the similarity with Christiany (old testament) and Islam.