An Opinion: Islam Is Not a Religion of Peace

[Aquitaine]

For not believing the message of Islam regardless of the evidences given to them, so
they agreed to be punished, their choice.

So much for an "all merciful" God, punishing people with eternal torture simply for not believing is so incredibly childish and petty. It's more evidence that it was invented by humans in order to intimidate poor people into becoming muslims.

Have you ever noticed how quite a few of these monotheistic faiths have this "join us or be punished" mentality written into their scriptures? It's primitive scaremongering tactics used by humans to control other humans.

 

[David1967]

In truth though, many Christian denominations preach 'fire andacquainted e' type sermons on Sundays, complete with messages that seem to point to passages in the Bible that suggest Christians should shun homosexuals, and not mingle with people are 'unequally yoked.' Jesus talked about Hell, and He described the path to Heaven as 'straight and narrow.' Sounds like He felt it would be tough for many to make it to Heaven.

I studied Islam for a short time as some here know, and not only studied it, but prayed the prayers, and fell in love with the mystical side of Islam (Sufism) In my readings of the Qur'an, it seemed to me that Muhammad spoke to people as he was experiencing his time period. I happen to think similar things of the Bible. Should I be wearing a head covering when praying, as Paul suggested in the Bible? Should I abstain from pork, and not be out alone without a man ''chaperoning'' me? There are SO many passages in the Bible that I think serve as historical backdrops, and they shouldn't be ignored, but they shouldn't be idolized and followed. PLUS...if you live in a culture that is governed by secular law, like the US...that law trumps all religions. The reason I didn't pursue Islam is for two reasons: 1) During that time, I wasn't interested in Christianity, but didn't believe the Islam view of Jesus. 2) Sharia Law

Other than that, I liked a lot about the religion.

Well said Deidre. I can relate to much of what you said. Much of the reason I came to this forum was to get aquainted with people of different faiths and learn more about them from the people who practice them. And I must say that thanks to some kind and patient people I am learning new things.

 

[David1967]

I asked myself a similar question about the sons of Israel, God said in the quran that he'll let them dwelling the earth and
then he'll bring them back to Jerusalem coming from all over the earth, and he said that he'll let them better than the others
and they'll do corruption, i asked myself why he brings them back and why to punish the sons of Israel after decades of dwelling
the earth, did it happen, the answer yes it did, does what God did make sense to us, no it doesn't.

That's my point, doesn't make sense to us doesn't mean it won't happen as God promised it to be.

I agree with you here. Often times we are not capable of understanding Gods workings.

 

[FearGod]

So much for an "all merciful" God, punishing people with eternal torture simply for not believing is so incredibly childish and petty. It's more evidence that it was invented by humans in order to intimidate poor people into becoming muslims.

Have you ever noticed how quite a few of these monotheistic faiths have this "join us or be punished" mentality written into their scriptures? It's primitive scaremongering tactics used by humans to control other humans.

Why do you think the prophet was in need to warn his people shortly before his death, was it to join him while they were already Muslims.

 

[icehorse]

I wish people would stop saying "straw men" every single time. It's lost meaning now. What good does it do to criticize the religion itself? You have every right, but what do you gain from it. Most Muslims don't participate in that behavior, so what's the point? You acted as if the book has nothing but bad stuff when it clearly has good stuff such as the quotes I mentioned

What were you trying to gain by criticizing behaviors that Muslims don't usually participate in?

Hey TWTH,

Earlier you said that critics might be conflating culture with religion - something along those lines? To some degree that's true. But if you look at a map of the world and where most of the world's Muslims live, you'll see Muslim majority countries span a vast geographical region (from Western Africa to Indonesia), and of course many, many cultures are represented in that mix. But throughout that vast span of geography and cultures, you'll find Islamic ideas tightly intertwined into everyday life.

I'm not saying it's ALL because of Islam, but it's disingenuous to say "it's not the religion, it's the culture". Because a large chunk of it IS the religion.

 

[Aquitaine]

Why do you think the prophet was in need to warn his people shortly before his death, was it to join him while they were already Muslims.

Because he's got a psychopathic God who will eternally torture the, for not believing in him?
It's a fear-based intimidation attempt from humans.

 

[FearGod]

Because he's got a psychopathic God who will eternally torture the, for not believing in him?
It's a fear-based intimidation attempt from humans.

No body fear what is not seen.

 

[Aquitaine]

No body fear what is not seen.

Yes, nobody fears what isn't real, that's why I'm not intimidated by being told by countless religions that I'll be going to their version of Hell.

Does it worry you that you'll be going to the Christian Hell?

 

[paarsurrey]

Thank you for this great thread idea, @Rival. I think it is necessary to expose the misconception that Islam is a religion of tolerance, peace, or pluralism.
I have lived my entire life with Muslims in two Muslim-majority countries, and Arabic is my native language. That allows me to understand the Qur'an better than people who don't know Arabic, and it also allows me to target the bare bones of Islam instead of "arguable" teachings that are uncertain. I'm not even going to use hadiths, not even saheeh hadiths (i.e., authentic hadiths as determined by the majority of hadith scholars), to support my arguments. I'm only going to use Qur'anic verses since it is undeniable that those are parts of the religion.
First, let's take a look at the concept of Hell in Islam. This one, in my opinion, is one of the most morally repulsive aspects of the religion.
Who goes to Hell according to the Qur'an:
Second, what kind of torture do those people supposedly face in the Islamic concept of Hell?
But the God of Islam is supposed to be all-merciful, right? Well, apparently not to everyone:
Sexism in the Qur'an:
Lashing prescribed as a punishment in the Qur'an:
(Source of all Qur'anic translations above.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
These things, at least most of them, have contexts that are clear as day. They are not from the hadith, so not even the most liberal of Qur'anist Muslims can argue that they don't exist in Islamic texts. I think that the verses about Hell and lashing alone are enough to show that Islam at its very core is neither a religion of peace nor tolerance. I even ignored the verse about cutting off thieves' hands because someone could argue that theft warrants such a punishment (which I would still disagree with).​

My conclusion: Islam is not a religion of peace, and saying that it is usually means one of two things: the person who says so is either overlooking the above verses (sometimes on top of a plethora of authentic hadiths, in the case of Muslims who accept hadiths), or they see no signs of intolerance or hatred in those verses. In either case, the texts themselves don't change, further proving that the main problem of promoting intolerance and hatred lies with the religion itself, not just many of its followers.

Please let us know.
Did one study Quran from cover to cover oneself and note these verses from Quran while studying it or one took these verses from some opposing website of Islam? Please
Regards

 

[outhouse]

My conclusion: Islam is not a religion of peace, and saying that it is usually means one of two things: the person who says so is either overlooking the above verses (sometimes on top of a plethora of authentic hadiths, in the case of Muslims who accept hadiths), or they see no signs of intolerance or hatred in those verses. In either case, the texts themselves don't change, further proving that the main problem of promoting intolerance and hatred lies with the religion itself, not just many of its followers.

I'm not sure I follow you here.

What about the majority of verse that are peaceful in nature?


Lets say there are 10% negative as a rough guess. Doesn't the 90% of good or positive text outweigh the bad?

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm not sure I follow you here.
What about the majority of verse that are peaceful in nature?
Lets say there are 10% negative as a rough guess. Doesn't the 90% of good or positive text outweigh the bad?

The very existence of a significant number of negative verses means that it is not the "religion of peace".
It's just another "religion interpreted thru culture".
So it can be the religion of peace....or the religion of violence....or the religion of oppression.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Thank you for this great thread idea, @Rival. I think it is necessary to expose the misconception that Islam is a religion of tolerance, peace, or pluralism.

I have lived my entire life with Muslims in two Muslim-majority countries, and Arabic is my native language. That allows me to understand the Qur'an better than people who don't know Arabic, and it also allows me to target the bare bones of Islam instead of "arguable" teachings that are uncertain. I'm not even going to use hadiths, not even saheeh hadiths (i.e., authentic hadiths as determined by the majority of hadith scholars), to support my arguments. I'm only going to use Qur'anic verses since it is undeniable that those are parts of the religion.

First, let's take a look at the concept of Hell in Islam. This one, in my opinion, is one of the most morally repulsive aspects of the religion.

Who goes to Hell according to the Qur'an:





Second, what kind of torture do those people supposedly face in the Islamic concept of Hell?



























But the God of Islam is supposed to be all-merciful, right? Well, apparently not to everyone:











Sexism in the Qur'an:





Lashing prescribed as a punishment in the Qur'an:



(Source of all Qur'anic translations above.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
​

These things, at least most of them, have contexts that are clear as day. They are not from the hadith, so not even the most liberal of Qur'anist Muslims can argue that they don't exist in Islamic texts. I think that the verses about Hell and lashing alone are enough to show that Islam at its very core is neither a religion of peace nor tolerance. I even ignored the verse about cutting off thieves' hands because someone could argue that theft warrants such a punishment (which I would still disagree with).

My conclusion: Islam is not a religion of peace, and saying that it is usually means one of two things: the person who says so is either overlooking the above verses (sometimes on top of a plethora of authentic hadiths, in the case of Muslims who accept hadiths), or they see no signs of intolerance or hatred in those verses. In either case, the texts themselves don't change, further proving that the main problem of promoting intolerance and hatred lies with the religion itself, not just many of its followers.

It is hard to respond to that. The trouble is that Islam promises peace, and where is that promised peace? Since Islam was introduced there have been hundreds of wars, so it has not stopped wars yet. It has been around now for over 14 centuries. That is a long time, but war has not ended. That means there have been 14 centuries of warfare, plagues, illnesses, hate etc. Is it the religion of a future peace? What religion is not? They all are, so I do not see a difference between Islam and the other religions in this respect. They all predict peace in the future and have been doing so for a very long time. The promise is always that once everyone is religious then everything will be fine.

This is not a reason to be angry with God. God has not spoken individually to us and promised us anything. If we hold God accountable, it can only be the version of God who promised us peace without delivering peace to us. The generic, non-promising, non-speaking God cannot be held accountable for promises never made. If things are not as they should be, then it is the prophet who is to blame, or the priest, or the functionary who makes promises.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

- If there is any sexism it is the West where woman and girls are being brainwashed to think the sluttier they dress the more 'pretty' they are.
Women are being used as an object in the West and somehow Islam is against women because women are not judged based on how they look.
I feel sorry for women in the West who actually think women are treated equal .

Women in the West can dress as as they please. If they want to wear a miniskirt that barely covers their groin, 8" stripper heels and a tiny spaghetti strap top, that's their choice. If they want to wear long sleeve shirts, pants or a long dress or skirt and cover their hair, that's their choice, too. In the West, we have individualism. The media and the culture can have harmful messages, but you are free to reject it and do as you please. I'm a very counter-cultural person who looks with disgust on some aspects of Western culture (as I do with all cultures), but the West allows me the freedom to live as I please as long as I respect the rights of others.

The point is that they should have a choice. You really think this is "respectful" of women?

You can call it "respect" (although I believe that's deluding yourself), but I'll call it erasure and subjugation.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

as i know in Christianity there is concept of Hell and Paradise ?

if the Paradice is for all ,then why there is Christianity in first place ?

I'm not a Christian anymore. However, even most mainstream Christians have moved beyond thinking of hell as a place of literal hellfire and torture.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

that's God business,If you meet God (face to face) , - you said i did not believe in you , and i disagree with eternal Hel .

then God tell you : what is your degree compare to Me, to argue My rules and My decisions ?

what you will respond ?

I would tell him that I'm the glitch in the slave program that you so fear. And he will tremble in the face of my rebellion and might. He may send me to hell, but "the mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven". I will transcend his laughable pain and tortures.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

My question was, will you believe if in a case that you were 100% sure that the disbelievers will be punished or you'll
rebel because you don't agree that the disbeliever should be punished and hence you'll accept to be punished as means
of protesting and to show your disagreement with God.

The question you should be asking is why Allah is so insecure that his paramount demand is that you believe in him. You can rape, murder, torture, steal, etc. and Allah will forgive that. But if you worship anything besides him or disbelieve in him, it's into the hellfire you go!

Why is that? Why is your god so frightened of humans not bending the knee to him? Hmm?

 

[FearGod]

The question you should be asking is why Allah is so insecure that his paramount demand is that you believe in him. You can rape, murder, torture, steal, etc. and Allah will forgive that. But if you worship anything besides him or disbelieve in him, it's into the hellfire you go!

Why is that? Why is your god so frightened of humans not bending the knee to him? Hmm?

Because we didn't listen then the result was hundreds of religions and racism on earth.
God don't care if we worship him alone or believing in other religions too but the point
of it is to achieve a united successful intelligent creatures on earth, God's angels said
they'll fight each others and they'll cause corruption on earth which really happened and still
happening but God have something else that he said to his angels, i know what you don't know.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Because we didn't listen then the result was hundreds of religions and racism on earth.
God don't care if we worship him alone or believing in other religions too but the point
of it is to achieve a united successful intelligent creatures on earth, God's angels said
they'll fight each others and they'll cause corruption on earth which really happened and still
happening but God have something else that he said to his angels, i know what you don't know.

Huh? Your post doesn't make much sense. Can you clarify?

 

[FearGod]

Huh? Your post doesn't make much sense. Can you clarify?

If it doesn't make sense to you then what you want me to clarify ?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

If it doesn't make sense to you then what you want me to clarify ?

Um, all of it? Are you saying that Allah doesn't really care if we worship him or not?