Irfan,

Thank you for the invite. But I live in Sydney's South-West and can't go out for more than 2 minutes before I meet Moslems.

Contrary to most other posters I am fluent in Arabic, have visited mosques and schools, been to “Moslem-only” meetings, have many Moslem friends both here and o/s, frequently go to M/eastern restaurant sand grossers...

I have no problems loving Moslems (among many other faiths) and inviting them to my place/ dining and sharing cultural experiences etc...

What I object to is the rigidity of the Qur'anic teaching/ interpretations that is paralysing most Moslems spiritually, culturally, socially, intellectually and sometimes physically.

They all have a real fear of a judging god that has no resemblance to the loving caring sacrificing Christian God; plus a natural hate of the west in general.

We all know that they are not all terrorist as such; but scratch the surface and they all (including you) will stand by their ideologies before they submit to local authorities and government.

So what is your "real' agenda Irf?

Are you a peacemaker trying to build a better community for Moslems?

Are you sharpening your weapons for a political/ journalistic career?

Your articles are biased to Islam even when you try to sound neutral.

So what are you really?

Irf - <I have answered your queries>

No you haven’t. I had several queries, you have not answered one, not even the one I imagine would be easiest for a Muslim – I am still waiting to hear the postives of Islam.

< .. one Muslim friend. What does it prove?>

How many Muslim friends does one need to avoid being accused of hating all Muslims? It was never meant to ‘prove’ anything. I mentioned it (among other things) because you seem to think I have never met Muslims, which is not the case.

Scared? Terrorised? Police escort? Why would you think such a thing to be necessary when we would be visiting followers of the Religion of Peace? And what makes you think I never venture outside my ‘protected suburb’? You assume so much. I even ventured to Europe a couple of years ago - that experience is one of the things that makes me so opposed to Islamic immigration to the West.

So, I either accept your invitation to visit mosques or ‘sink in the quicksands of hatred’.

Dramatic phrase, but I have too many things to do to waste my time sinking in quicksand. I simply call it as I see it – Islam has huge problems which most Muslims refuse to admit. Not only do they refuse to admit it, they demonise anyone who criticises Islam, which you have tried to do to me on many occasions.

<Just about every article I have written on this website illustrates the goodness of Islam>

I reread your articles here – some of your opinions I agree with, some not – but I cant see that any of the articles illustrates the goodness of Islam. Perhaps (4th time) you can list them for us?

Jelata
Your statement “ it was 'Christendom' who were in general attacking and massacrying people…Our 'unchristianiy',… is almost nothing compared to yours”

Shows that while you’re well drilled on the wrongs of non-Moslems,
you are blissfully ignorant of your own sides wrongs.

You mentioned:
The Crusades: are you aware of what the initial impetus for the crusades –was the encroachment of Islamic peoples into traditional Christian lands –and do you believe their Moslem opponents were pure.
-The Inquisition: our inquisitors finished hundreds of years ago –we no longer seek to execute people because they convert – However the plight of Salman Rushdie, Taslima Nasreen & others can testify it’s alive & well in many Islamic countries.
-“Nagasaki”: are you aware of the fate of the inhabitants of Constantinople when the Moslem Turks conquered the city
-“Aborigines & American Indians": have you been informed about Indonesia’s mistreatment of the West Irianses-
“The Holocaust”: are you aware of the (Moslem) Turkish holocaust against (Christian) Armenians
“, Slobodan Milosevic ”: are you aware of the parallel mistreatment of ethnic Serbs by the (Moslem) Albanians. , Slobodan Milosevic is dead – but the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo’s Serbs continues.
And you allude to WMD: Pakistan a Muslim country has WMD –and if Iran & Libya do not –it’s not through lack of trying.

You clearly are not ware of such facts.
Which is precisely the point Dee & others are making.
There seems to be a general tendency for Islamic societies to have a one eyed approach to history.They will publish all the dirt on others, but sweep their own under the carpet.-so people like you never hear of it.

Is there any wonder that some young people, raised on such a restricted diet, see the world as black and white and turn to terrorism.

And - “Thank to ancient multiculturalism of Eastern ppl”
I would be interested to know what “eastern” cultures are exemplars of Multiculturalism.

To Horus:
I'm not in the habbit of blackwhiting realities but sometimes I think I need to use simplified arguments to be easily understood - an eye opening. You quote my respond to Dee. Why not reading my post in general?

I'm not to claim Muslims/East perfect, too. I just to want to say we have certain norms make us better - on a certain area. Ofcourse your western culture is better than us on many area. My suggestion is human will get better when they realize their weakness and advantages in constructive manner.

To the events you compared, have nice study. Haf nice study to the recents situations too.

To every body:
Perhaps it is a good idea to have our mind blank for a moment. You can visit a buddhist monk.

Apologies Jelata -perhaps I was too tough on you.
No personal offence intended-best wishes!

No problem Horus, best wishes, too.