On another threat one regular contributor expressed that she won't read the Koran because she doesn't want to read any religious book. Yet this person often defends the Muslims, is opposed to Australian involvement against ISIS and appears to be pro-immigration. To me this is very typical of many on the left who make up their minds based on hating Tony Abbott, rather than taking the time to honestly consider what their opposition is saying. In fairness to the left thinkers I recognise that some of the views expressed by the 'right' contributors are just as narrow minded.

If you haven't read the Koran perhaps you should at least thumb through it, even if only an online version. The Koran is in some ways not really 'religious', it's more of an outline of how to live one's life, according to Mohammed. It was an ongoing work that evolved as different events unfolded in Mohammed's life. He seems to be writing the Rules to suit his own agenda.

If you do read it you may come to better understand the criticism of the hypocrisy the Koran contains. The Koran is pretty basic and was written 1500 years ago to bring some order into the lives of very basic nomadic peoples who needed to be told not to rape their mothers; it does not contain the higher aspirations of the enlightened teachers like Buddha.

What really caps off the Koran/Islam and sets up an impossible situation is the fact Mohammed proclaims himself to be the Last Prophet god will ever send to earth and therefore his word supersedes all other men of God for all time to come. Billions of Muslims have the proof everyone else is wrong, ignorant and expendable.

There is no room for growth or interpretation to adapt to the modern world in Islam as it must be followed exactly the way Mohammed laid it down. Changes or alternative interpretations are forbidden. This is why its impossible to negotiate with the Muslim mind set, the Muslims have the final word and its their duty to convert the World.

...and Mosques are a symbol of conquest.
The Koran's contents are also presented in order of the length of the verses, so the gory bits may be at the start but they're not the oldest and least developed sections, the "moderate" teachings are supposedly the earliest and as Mohammed and his men conquered more territory the regime became more brutal.
That's the important thing to remember, you're reading a book dictated by a military commander, Mohammed is more like Julius Caesar or Napoleon Bonaparte than Jesus Christ or Gautamah Buddah, he was a messianic war chieftain as opposed to a sage.

yep the bible is often ridiculed by all sorts of ignorant people. Usually the journalist who have never read the Koran or questioned Muslims about what the Koran says are quick to say Isalm is a religion of peace. If you want a promotion in the Police force or army make sure you learn this lie and repeat it many times over. Ignore the massive amounts of evidence but just repeat Islam is a religion of peace. As a conservative I am embarassed to say George Bush started this rot after 9/11.

Dear Conservative Hippie,

Our current situation regarding the religion of Islam
is that many people are not well informed about
the religion of Islam or religion generally, and they
are often influenced by stereotypes and caricatures.

There are very few well-informed religious journalists
working for Australia's daily newspapers. And, as The
Age religion reporter Barney Swartz has pointed out
there are tremendous difficulties that the informed religion
reporter faces. "There are hardly any religion specialists
in the media in Australia, there is no instructor, and
its a subject that often inspires strong passions."

He outlines the essence of the task, "I have to satisfy the
editors not that a story is worthy, but that it is
newsworthy, a much harder task. I have to present it
powerfully, bring out the controversial aspects, so that
people will understand why it is important... He also
points out the reporting has to deal with the
religious communities
under siege, like the Australian Muslims."

A complex situation all round.

Hi Foxy

It's a sad statement on our freedom when news editors don't find the Truth is newsworthy. Why is it that calling a spade a spade is no longer acceptable?

Political correctness is to blame. As the sensitivities of the so called victims outweigh the true nature of the big picture, we find ourselves in a situation where the media and even the politicians are dancing around the truth in order to avoid stepping on anyone's toes.

The truth, in my opinion, is the Islamic way needs to come into the 21st Century. Islam must recognise the need and find a way to bring its thinking out of the medieval mindset. Educated Islamic clerics have to take the lead, but they are constrained by the very nature of Islam's root tenants.

Islam's inability to modernise has become the rest of the world's problem and now political correctness prevents us from even talking about the problem openly. Damned if we do and damned if we don't.

Just because Muslim followers of Islam will have their feelings hurt if we point out the flaws in their belief system, that is not justification to avoid the truth that their dark age religion is causing havoc all around the globe.

There was a time Muslim's were the world's scientific leaders and Islam had outstanding thinkers, but they have been going backward at a rapid pace over the last 100 years, instead of adapting and progressing with the rest of the world.

Unfortunately Muslims cannot adapt to the modern world for to do so would be to admit that the Koran is not the word of Allah, that Muhammad was thus not his Prophet and that to follow the Koran is uncivilized.