Would be interested in some wide-ranging discussion of the documentary, seen on the ABC.http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/05/2154616.htm


Sensible comments please otherwise I am sure the thread will be closed down.

Hate bitterness and bile, all came from the mouths of these two women.
They surely are not Representative of this religion?
We should remember they in fact are not.

[9.5] So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

See also koran 5:33 where Muslims are enjoined to torture and crucify those who "war against Allah."

This is what I can't get past when it comes to Islam.

Muslims believe that the creator of the universe used an angel to dictate the koran verbatim to Muhammad, a 7th Century Arabian warlord. The koran is supposedly the final uncorrupted word of the creator of the universe.

Muslims believe the creator of the universe used the words in 9.5. Under certain ill-defined circumstances believers are COMMANDED to MASSACRE a loosely defined group called "IDOLATERS."

In other circumstances Muslims are COMMANDED to TORTURE an ill-defined group of people who "wage war" on the creator of the universe.

How does one wage war on the creator of the universe?

Let's assume there is a creator of the universe and that for some reason "he" takes in interest on the doings of one species on planet Earth. Is it credible that he would use words like 9.5 or 5.33?

What are we to make of people who truly believe that 9.5 and 5.33 is the creator of the universe speaking?

Can we imagine other great religious leaders such as Jesus or the Buddha commanding their followers to commit genocide?

Of course Christians have committed genocide. But that was clearly contrary to the teachings of the man who said "Those that live by the sword shall perish by the sword."

But Muslims could TORTURE people believing they were acting under instructions of the creator of the universe!

Today we revile Torquemada who did just that. Abu Ghraib has become a term of approbation. But we seem to give Muslims, whose teachings make Torquemada and Abu Ghraib look tame, a free pass

Uh, Steven - did you watch the program? Or is that just a pre-packaged anti-Islamic rant that you just had to post somewhere?

I saw it, and I kept thinking to myself how sadly deluded these women are, and how alienated they must have been from their own society and culture to have willingly taken on such an anachronistic religion and lifestyle.

But I think that about nuns, and Exclusive Brethren, Jehovah's Witness etc women too.

What I couldn't make sense of was the comment by one of the women that she would defend Islam with her life. How is Islam under any threat which would require one of its followers to sacrifice their life. The only people risking their life for their religion seem to be Christians living in Muslim countries as far as I'm aware.

I'd be much obliged for someone to explain how a belief in Islam endangers your life.

It doesn't, fester, it's just that people like to force them into choosing, so when they don't choose 'Australia' they can abuse them for it.
I notice that we don't seem to pose the same question to many Christians though.