Bashir

Thank you for a very courageous article.

Cheers
Kay

I think you have had a fair representation of your opinion being posted on this site.

I've never heard of a "Muslim writer" but I have heard of a writer being a Muslim.

As I read this article, I could FEEEL those religious chains, and vines wrapping around my soul... I could feel the constriction of the cultural Boaconstricter.. mercilessly squeezing the life out of me.

My response ? simple...

John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

He did not come so that he could destroy enemies with the sword and take 1/5th of the war booty , including human beings.. why ? because he brought no war.. raised no army, carried no sword, yet he won empires......

How ? through sculduggery ? Not at all...by this:

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"

Mercurious. I smiled as I read your 'philosopho-centric' bit about dissenters :) You seemed to regard 'your mob' as the only ones who dissent, and are marginalized, and that their perspectives are the right ones..(something I am indeed doing myself above) but you are right about one thing. The ability to criticize and self scrutinize is crucial for a vibrant living community.

Bashirs minefield began most especially with the rise and ensuing conflict between the Abbasyd and Ummayad families/regimes in the Caliphate. From these 2 families come the Shia and Sunni branches of Islam. Not only are they miles apart in thinking and understanding of true Islam, they are actively and violently so.... following on from the example of Mohammed.. each of them sees the victory over the other by armed struggle as the victory of true and pure Islam.

They BOTH also see encroachment of Western values as an attack on Islam.

Fortunately, there are some liberated individuals such as Bashir who refresh us with his unique perspective, but with all this I just don't understand why he remains a Muslim rather than embracing Christ as Lord and liberating Saviour.

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8:36 "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed"

it doesn't get much better than this :)

Bashir,

You courageously provide frank and honest insight into the Islamic culture.

Just on a comment of yours: "... Islam had its good days of freedom of speech in the middle ages.... one can only hope for the return of such rationale."

Actually there never was freedom of speech in Islam, and never will be. When there were days of 'freedom of speech', that was merely because the Islamic culture was 'developing' it's form.

It has done so now, and turned into the adult Beast of Intolerance it was always meant to be.

I have written elsewhere:
"I am not aware of another culture that is 'fixed in time' like Islam culture is. Therefore as cultural evolution goes, the tendency of the world is towards Islamic fundamentalism.
Had human civilisation not already advanced significantly prior to the arrival of Islam, then in fact today's world culture is most likely a monolithic one - Islamic culture of the Taliban kind."

A return of such rationale (as 'freedom of speech' in Islam) will never happen.

Like BD, I don't understand how intellectually you can remain a Muslim.

Bashir

A simple question: why not leave Islam given your grave concerns?

Islam religion is now the question that is procupying most of the world. Thaly Boustros , daughter of Carlos Boustros a United Nation head member, was giving a conference in Plais des Congres at New york about the relation between huszballah and israel and she was talking about the Islam. Her definition of terms were very well picked but it was obvious that she was treating the subject from a legal point of view and didnt want to take a part...
so i wonder .. will people keep talking about islam and not doing anything to stop the terrorisim showing from that religion ?