Islam and Free Thinking

[rocala]

Hi All

I have a friend who converted to Islam. He has no problems with his faith but does with many muslims. He is annoyed with what he terms the "stupidity, ignorance and prejudice of born muslims". He refers to history when Islam was once linked to to learning and advancement. He fears that we may be seeing the begining of the end. That is that very little is coming out of Islam at the present in terms of art, science, literature etc. He feels that Islamic culture is so stifling and conservative at all levels, from government to household that only the servile and the bullies will survive.

Any opinions will be very welcome.

 

[SkylarHunter]

I can't understand what made your friend convert to a religion he himself has realized is stifling and is not giving anything positive to the world. What does he expect his new religion is going to do for him? What kind of person is that ideology help him to become?

 

[rocala]

As stated, he has no problems with his faith, just the attitude of many of his co-followers

 

[Rival]

He ought to look into why many of the followers have that attitude. What did he expect but servility from a Religion called "Submission"?

I'd also take a closer look at the 'Islamic Golden Age' if I were him.

 

[FearGod]

Hi All

I have a friend who converted to Islam. He has no problems with his faith but does with many muslims. He is annoyed with what he terms the "stupidity, ignorance and prejudice of born muslims". He refers to history when Islam was once linked to to learning and advancement. He fears that we may be seeing the begining of the end. That is that very little is coming out of Islam at the present in terms of art, science, literature etc. He feels that Islamic culture is so stifling and conservative at all levels, from government to household that only the servile and the bullies will survive.

Any opinions will be very welcome.

What he meant by the beginning of the end, and how servile and the bullies are only the ones who will survive ?

 

[SkylarHunter]

As stated, he has no problems with his faith, just the attitude of many of his co-followers

Faith and religion are completely different things. People can have faith and not even have a religion or they can have a religion and show the value of their faith by the way they conduct themselves.
On that note, the moment he converted, he got himself mixed with those co-followers and even if he's different from them, he's going to end up being put in the same "box" if you know what I mean. When people joint a religion on their own free will they need to understand that from that moment they will be identified with that religion, the entire package, not just the parts they like. I'm not saying that is right or fair but it's the way it works.
Your friend can't and won't be able to help those co-followers to evolve. They won't let him. If anything they will drag him down with them into their twisted, dark, world.

 

[columbus]

He refers to history when Islam was once linked to to learning and advancement. He fears that we may be seeing the begining of the end.

That was about a thousand years ago. There is nothing new here.
It didn't happen all at once. There are still vibrant, creative, forward looking Muslims. But they are the exceptions in an otherwise moribund, backwards looking culture. It is the result of a profoundly and inherently conservative ideology.

If it weren't for outsiders buying petroleum it would not matter. Nobody else would notice.

Tom

 

[Smart_Guy]

I think he's okay.

I'm a Muslim and I have tons of problems with Muslims

What makes practical differences in the first level is the followers, not the belief itself, or so as I believe.

 

[outhouse]

Faith and religion are completely different things

I don't think so.

How can you say a faith based religion, is different? it is founded on faith alone.

 

[outhouse]

I'm a Muslim and I have tons of problems with Muslims

Yet that is typical and does not address the OP's concerns of free thinking.


The problem he describes is where I sit on all this. Bring back moderation, and a belief not so strict so the religion can once again be the center for science and knowledge.

Instead of doing the exact opposite, requiring fanaticism and fundamentalism.


If muslims had the attitude, hey you muslims over there! believe what you want, we really don't care, it would be much better then we want to kill you because you don't worship what we do.

 

[SkylarHunter]

it is founded on faith alone.

I could give you my personal view, but I think it's best to quote the dictionary.

Faith : complete trust or confidence in someone or something ; strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

Religion: an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence.

In my opinion most religions are a lot more worried with power and control over the people than God or anything related to faith. In fact, ant religion that spreads fear instead of love can be included in that list.

 

[outhouse]

Faith :

Faith - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Faith is defined as confidence or trust in a being, object, living organism, deity, view, or in the doctrines or teachings of a religion.

So trust in a deity, or teachings of a religion.

Faith within Christianity is based on the work and teachings of Jesus Christ

 

[Smart_Guy]

Yet that is typical and does not address the OP's concerns of free thinking.

Must have been the coughing syrup

 

[LuisDantas]

As stated, he has no problems with his faith, just the attitude of many of his co-followers

That does sound strange to people such as myself who tend to see religions as what religious people do.

That said, I assume he means the teachings (as opposed to the practice of many Muslims).

 

[FearGod]

Must have been the coughing syrup

Overdosed

 

[Union]

I can't understand what made your friend convert to a religion he himself has realized is stifling and is not giving anything positive to the world. What does he expect his new religion is going to do for him? What kind of person is that ideology help him to become?

Islam is a great religion .
What IS/AQ/BH are doing - not Islamic .
What peaceful Sunni/Shia are doing - half Islamic .
What Qur'an told Muslim to do - Full Islamic .

 

[Koldo]

Faith and religion are completely different things. People can have faith and not even have a religion or they can have a religion and show the value of their faith by the way they conduct themselves.
On that note, the moment he converted, he got himself mixed with those co-followers and even if he's different from them, he's going to end up being put in the same "box" if you know what I mean. When people joint a religion on their own free will they need to understand that from that moment they will be identified with that religion, the entire package, not just the parts they like. I'm not saying that is right or fair but it's the way it works.
Your friend can't and won't be able to help those co-followers to evolve. They won't let him. If anything they will drag him down with them into their twisted, dark, world.

If your faith is based on a religious view, then it is not really any different. What connects people within a religion is the faith on certain basic tenets.

 

[Salvador]

The title of this tread, Islam and Free Thinking, had caught my attention. Can the words "Islam", "free and "thinking" possibly belong together in the same sentence? Does anybody know how many Muslims have ever won a Nobel Prize? Just checking!

 

[Smart_Guy]

Overdosed

Oh it did wonders to me. I took 10mg instead of the prescribed 5mg. Double anti histamine dose made me I lose track of &*$$#^ that day!

 

[mahasn ebn sawresho]

Hi All

I have a friend who converted to Islam. He has no problems with his faith but does with many muslims. He is annoyed with what he terms the "stupidity, ignorance and prejudice of born muslims". He refers to history when Islam was once linked to to learning and advancement. He fears that we may be seeing the begining of the end. That is that very little is coming out of Islam at the present in terms of art, science, literature etc. He feels that Islamic culture is so stifling and conservative at all levels, from government to household that only the servile and the bullies will survive.

Any opinions will be very welcome.

I hope that the locomotive following message to a friend
It is from the Koran
And write to him in Arabic
وان منكم لواردها وكان امر ربك حكما مقضيا )
And also in the English language
And you Stdkhalunha because this is the judgment of your Lord is final elimination
This verse is the card for an official visit to hell given to him by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad
So this is the first message and I will continue Messages