What has any of that really got to do with living a life of Spiritually informed intelligence and clarity in 2008?

And besides which "fasting" for 12 hours and then pigging out in all sorts of gross ways as soon as 6 PM occurs is no spiritually purifying discipline at all.

There was an article in the paper the other day which pointed out that many Western Muslims have turned the Ramadan period into exactly such a pigging out occasion.

A real fast means abstaining from all food except purifying fruit and vegetable juices and herbal teas for how ever long the fast is under taken (3-7-10-30 days). And also refraining from gross entertainments and unnecessary worldly activities too.

One should go to the temple or holy place and chant, pray, and read or listen to recitations of the Sacred texts. And of course abstain from sexual activity.

Fasting and prayer was the old calling and practice.

This is a fair but very abreviated story of Mohammad's conquests. If you read the ahadith and early Islamic writings you find raid after raid, murder after murder, plunder, enslavement, rape, torture and even wife beating by Mohammmd and his companhions. These things are clear and they were written by Mohammad's friends and followers, not his enemies.

These stories and the hate and violence in the Quran tell you all you need to know about Islam.

Is Ramadan sacred to Muslims? Let me see... On September 6th, two suicide bombers killed over 50 people in Peshawar, Pakistan. On September 13th, five bombs killed over 30 in New Delhi, India. On September 15th, a female suicide bomber blew herself up at a Ramadan fast breaking ceremony killing 22 people in Diyala, Iraq. On September 17th, a truck bomb and some militants attacked the US embassy in San'a, Yemen killing 16 people and on September 20th a massive truck bomb killed over 60 people in Islamabad, Pakistan, and so on... Muslims killing Muslims (mostly) during Ramadan and all in the name of Allah for the glory of Islam. But this is not anything special. Mohammad himself attacked and burnt mosques (oh yes, Allah gave him special permission to do so!). In fact, a person (Muslim) would have to be blind not to notice something very suspicious about Islam.
http://www.kactuzkid.com/suspicious.html

Do these things bother Muslims? Do they care? Not at all! They refuse to be honest about their own dogma, writings and history. The future will not be nice because Muslims are either deceitful or in denial and we and our leaders are blind. This is a recipe for disaster.

Kactuz

Well I'm tempted to say 'nothing' about this article or issue, and perhaps I shall.. becuase most of what needed to be said..has been.. to some 'ad nauseum'... but perhaps there are others who joined OLO more recently.

Maybe it's best to let the article itself speak..after all, it is written by a Muslim is it not?

<<In late 623, angry Muhammad started denouncing many of the Jewish customs he had adopted and ordered assassinations of those critics and poets who mocked his creed.>>

<<Meanwhile, Muhammad took about six months to build an abode for his community. Once he was firmly footed in Medina with many converts, it was time to take revenge against the Meccans for their rejection of his faith.>>

<<Many of Muhammad’s followers were unwilling to support his violent mission. Allah quickly came to his support revealing a series of verses (Quran 2:190-194, 2:216), commanding Muslims to fight even if they do not like it:>>

I'll refrain from adding to this, but I will provide something else by way of contrast from the founder of the 'other' major world religion which is usually seen as 'the competition'....

"I am the good Shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep"

"I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me shall live, even though he dies"

"I am the bread of life, he who comes to me will never go hungry, he who believes in me will never be thirsty"

Readers may draw their own conclusions. Amen.

The message behind Ramadan is noble. Identifying with the poor and their plight through prayer and fasting.

However, Muslims must do much more to make the Islamic ideology acceptable to non-Muslims. They must allow for Muslims who want to leave Islam without fearing for their lives. They have to live up to the part of the Koran which says that “there is no compulsion in religion”. Mohammad was acting like a prophet during the pre-Medina days. But after tasting victory in warfare and assuming leadership position, he behaved like all human beings who have absolute power, greedy and corrupt.

Progressive Muslims must therefore only accept those parts of the Koran that deals with Mohammad during the pre-Medina events.

Islam today is much like the Roman Catholic Church before the 16th century reformation. There were religious policemen going round to enforce “religion” and claimed to be the spokesman for God on earth. Rituals consisting of a long list of “dos and don’ts” kept people in the dark, poor and superstitious.

Well.... I stand amazed. Where is Pericles to be all over this author like his worst ever rash for writing a piece which could be described as rather damaging for the image of Islam which Pericles seems constantly protect?

Could it possibly be that when a Christian criticizes Islam he is a person in need of a stern rebuke, (by Pericles of course) but when a Muslim himself shows that my own criticisms are valid....... then...... aaaah.. I think I get it Pericles.

I smell....now what is that odour?

You are starting to sound desperate, Boaz. Not a good look at all.

>>Well.... I stand amazed. Where is Pericles to be all over this author like his worst ever rash for writing a piece which could be described as rather damaging for the image of Islam which Pericles seems constantly protect?<<

You should be perfectly well aware by now Boaz, that I have absolutely no interest in "protecting" any religion, whether yours or anybody else's.

The fact that I have to take you to task, frequently, for stirring up fear and loathing against Islam and Muslims in general, does not remotely mean that I am a defender of that religion. It simply means that I detest people who use religion as a weapon against others who do not share their beliefs.

Why I have to keep explaining this to you is utterly beyond belief.

Except, of course, that you know exactly what is going on here, and you can't stand the idea that I am not taking up the cudgels in this particular instance.

As I said, it is not a good look.

To the article in question here, I have absolutely no opinion, since it does not seem to threaten anyone.