Danielle,

Thanks for your posting and happy to exchange notes and comments anytime.
You seem to have a passion for history yourself.

Boaz,

“when I read 'misrepresentations of Islamic history by some posters'... *biff* :) You didn't mean ME did you ? Now that's not nice..I suggest that you simply don't like the truth when told it.”

I am a straight shooter Boaz and yes you are one of them. You prove day after day and here is 1000+proof: you recently quoted another .islambashingwebsite.com. I gave you the benefit of the doubt for the 1001 times and found the following intentional mis-information: “Taqeyya”is used by muslims to hide or disguise their faith !

Now, you and I know that the truth is this:
“during the 10th century AD, there was ‘lovely’ bunch called the crusaders who butchered and burned muslims alive to convert them by force into their ‘tolerant’ faith (bit of sarcasm!) . So an Imam during from the 10th century AD allowed Muslims to convert to avoid death while keep their faith in secret”

Sounds totally different now doesn’t it? Take it on the chin Boaz. I thought the prophet you claim to follow said the truth shall set you free. Can you be truthful even if the truth may inconvenience you?

peace

My favourite moment when interviewing Hirsi Ali was to see her talk about Indonesian madressas being funded by the Saudis. Huh? Madressas? I then mentioned the word "pesantran" (the Indonesian word for madressa), and she looked at me in this confused manner.

This woman is supposed to have been a member of parliament of a country which ruled over Indonesia for centuries. Hundreds of Indonesians study in Dutch universities. Yet here is this woman pontificating on Indonesian religious institutions without even knowing the basics, without even knowing what Indonesians call their religious schools.

I really feel sorry for the lunar-Right. Couldn't they have found a more credible person to attack a set of religious cultures they love to hate?

Grasping at straws, Irfan

"If it wasn't for the Crusades, the world would have been all Islamic by now and we would still be riding camels and horses."

Rewrite.

If it wasn't for Islam, the world would have been all Christian by now, we would be without the zero and algebra and we would still be riding camels and horses.

So much prejudice. Can some of you not realise that Islam, like any other religion is subject to interpretation, intolerance and exploitation? And can you all not realise that if you continually criticise all of Islam in such negative terms, moderates become self defensive and reluctant to criticise publicly their black sheep?

Oppose terrorism, Hilaly as much as you wish but stop tarring all of Islam with the same brush. As a Jew I hate Jewish stereotypes (money hungry, keep to themselves) and so I can empathise with Australian Muslims. We need to identify correctly our enemies and problems and work together.

And that is not idealistic or PC, it is sensible modern management theory.

As I know that some of the comments being made about Judaism are completely unsound I can only suspect that many of the comments on Islam are equally falacious.

FH.. I'm a bit miffed by your last post.. I don't recall using that phrase..though I might have.

I've never denied what went on during the Crusades..in fact one day I might even do a thread MENTIONING them.. detail by detail. I have no fear of the sins of Christendom being exposed, after all, my reference point is Jesus and the Apostles.. not the 10th century Catholic Church. But if I mention the sinful crusades, I'll also mention the sinful Islamic invasions of many places and the ensuing slaughter.. Good for Peter, good for Mohammad.

If you want 'Islam bashing'.. just wait till you see a picture of a 50+ yrs old bloke, holding the hand of a 9 yrs old girl, and see their relative sizes, on YOUTUBE.. and an explanation of the 'Mohammad' connection. All that would be needed would the the image... plus the hadith.. with ZERO comment...... people can make up their own minds.

Just imagine F.H.. if you have a little sweet daughter and an old bloke came along and said "Oh..little girl.. ALLAH has told me I can have you for a WIFE".... now.. you are there and you hear this.. and.. you react...how ?

How about this. "50 yr old Priest says to 12 yr old Alter boy, son...God has told me its ok to touch you, and what God has made lawful, man cannot deny or make unlawful" -repulsed ? exactly.

The last scene in that video will be a quotation of Jesus:

"If any man leads one of these who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a mill stone is hung around his neck and he be thrown into the sea"

that...is how Jesus would view the action of MOhammad.

I 'bash' what needs to be bashed.... Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Protestant.. who is my example in this ?

"Woe to you lawyers" (etc) Jesus.

Boaz, exactly which part of the bible is made up of 'primary' sources?

I also hate to admit it Boaz, but you would know much much more about Islam and what's in the Qu'ran than Ayaan Hirsi Ali does.

I still think it is the funniest thing that she is so loved by the Right here. She is a feminist who was making some noises that are are worrisome to the Dutch conservatives. They are endlessly relieved she has gone.

Doesn't anybody think it hypocritical to enter a country on lies, then work for a party that is strict on asylum seekers and promotes reduction in Muslim people entering? Why does Ayaan Hirsi Ali think that she deserves the changes she got, but others do not? Why do all you supporters think she deserves the opportunities she had and not other Muslim people? Keep in mind that she did not renounce her faith and become an atheist until after some 10 years in the Netherlands.