<<Are you an exception? Were you the child of non-Muslims and having examined many religions decided that Islam is the true one and others were false? What religions besides Islam have you examined? If you have why did decide those religion(s) were false?>>

In your words i must be one of those exceptions. I grew up in an atheist household and my relatives are atheists. I grew up believing religion was a crutch and raised on the explicit view that there is "no right or wrong". I used to ridicule believers in my younger years but as i matured became more circumspect. I only started to investigate religion when i started questioning the purpose of what was a fairly hedonistic lifestyle. I read part of the Qur'aan with an attitude of arrogance. It was only when i came to the Qur'aan with a sense of humility, alowing it to speak to me in its own terms that i realised the words on the pages accorded with what i new in my heart.

<<Grateful,

Ayaan Hirsi Ali on the difference between Christianity and Islam.

Christians say if I reject Jesus I'll go to hell but come and have a barbeque with us. But if I reject Islam Muslims want to barbeque me.>>

lol! Steve, you're too much.

How about saying something relevant to the thread.

Since you have a Jewish background, why not provide us with some examples of Jewish fundamentalism.

What about Zionist fundamentalism?

Grateful says:

"...why not provide us with some examples of Jewish fundamentalism.

"What about Zionist fundamentalism?"

Be my guest grateful. I'm sure you can do it better than me.

Dear grateful,

You must have been raised by unusual atheists. All the atheists I know have a strong sense of right and wrong. One does not have to believe in a religion to see a difference between right and wrong.

If you can't tell right from wrong without a religion then religion is your crutch.

Some of the things that religion sees as right or wrong have absolutely nothing to do with right or wrong. A Muslim is not supposed to eat pig. However, eating pig is no more wrong than eating cow.

Steve:<<Be my guest grateful. I'm sure you can do it better than me.>>

Steve,

After all the strigent rhetoric against Islam and attempts to characterise Muslims as the "new Jews" to be despised, marginalised and ridiculed, when it comes to examining fundamentalism among your own kin you demure. Why? Do you believe there are no Jews or Zionists who can be described as fundamentalists?

David F,

What is your background? What has shaped your opinion of religions? I'm presuming you come from a Christian background. Do you feel up to providing your perspective of what would constitute a fundamentalist atheist? Would Hitchens or Dawkins fit the bill? If not what would be the key reason?

David F. <<If you can't tell right from wrong without a religion then religion is your crutch.>>

But earlier you said there is no objective right or wrong. Its all subjective. So how can you now find fault in someone for not being able to find right and wrong by there own devises when, according to you, it has no objective existance?

As a reminder, here are your exact words:

<<I do not subscribe to the position that right and wrong are absolute. It is an unreasonable inference to assume that because I do not recognise right and wrong as determined by public opinion then I must accept that it is absolute. We decide in our conscience what is right and wrong. This may differ from what somebody else in their conscience thinks is right and wrong.>>

In Islam, there is right and wrong and we do have a conscience and the reason why our conscience can be a guided to right and wrong is because it is inspired by God. This explanation is coherent and logically consistent.

In contrast, your latest remark is premised on there being right and wrong which you deny has any objective existance. You should reconsider the logical coherence of your own position.