Knowledge, Humanity, Religion, Culture, Tolerance, Peace

Islamic Challenge?

Manual for the Clash of Civilizations
Why Islam is a Challenge?”
Book Review
Islam Challenges Our Ability to Make Distinctions
The Ignorance of the “Excitation Community”
Universalists and Relativists
Ideology: an Intellectual cul-de-sac
[P.S. COMMENTS: In Judaism, the rabbis believed all Jewish law (Talmudic Law and Jurisprudence) to be of ‘divine. Thus, for example, unfairness in labour relations was considered a religious sin and caring for the sick a religious obligation. Jesus declared that : “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. . . . Whoever thenrelaxes one of the least of these Commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;”(Mathew;5:17-20). “He who kills a man shall be put to death.”(Leviticus; 24:17). Punishment of death by stoning was already prevalent: “But if the thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young woman, : then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has wrought folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father's house; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.”(Deuterinomy;22:20-21). Death by stoning is also prescribed for blasphemy (Lectivis;24:16). Adultery is prohibited, according to Qur’an;17:32 and Mathew;5:28. In Islam death by stoning is prescribed for unmarried adulterer and adulteress only if four eye witness are produced or self confession by the accused takes place.(Al-Muwatta Hadith, 41.2). Death is prescribed for adultery in Bible at Leviticus; 20:10-12, Leviticus; 20:14-16). Homosexuality is strictly forbidden,Qur’an;7:81. Bible prescribe death is as the punishment for homosexuality: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.”(Leviticus; 20:13). Theft  is a serious crime, strictly forbidden by Qur’an and Bible at Deuteronomy;5:19 & Exodus;Chapter:20, 11;Leviticus;19, Qur’an;60:12, 29:29, 7:86. Amputation of hand of thief is the punishment prescribed in Qur’an;5:38, Matthew;18:8. Apparently in the age of Jesus thieves were crucified, Matthew;27:38.]
Perceived Peaceableness
No Understanding without an Ability to Make Distinctions
One would immediately call on those making such a claim to be more discerning in their judgments and not equate the fatal and cynical policies of the Bush administration [not really abandoned by Obama?] with those of the entire Western world. However, it is exactly this kind of discerning judgement that is still missing from the West’s appraisal of the Islamic world.
Stefan Weidner has written a subtle, observant, and above all clever book. He sees his opponents in worlds, the Islamic and the Christian. These opponents are ideologists and agitators; all those who like things in bold black letters and despise the small print. Weidner plausibly and often amusingly illustrates just how flimsy and see-through their arguments frequently are. Islam is indeed a challenge, especially for our ability to make discerning judgments.
Integration of European Muslims
A study of Islamic interfaith relations across the world conducted by Gallup and the Coexist Foundation, and had some interesting things to say about the 2.4 million Muslims who live in the UK. They were found to identify more strongly with the UK than the rest of the population, and have a much higher regard for the country’s institutions – the police and the judiciary to name but two – than do the non-Muslim population. Unsurprisingly they are revealed as socially very conservative and as such at variance with the rest of the population which has gradually liberalised in its social attitudes over the last century; and the survey knocks for six the idea that Muslims are ‘outsiders’ with little in common with their adopted society.
British Muslims also seem to be a lot more tolerant than the rest of the UK population when it comes to accepting other religions. According to Professor Sardar (and quoted in The Independent), the tolerance of other faiths is an important part of Islam and the handful of British Muslims who felt (their faith) was under attack could safely be called extremists. He said… “The vast majority of (British) Muslims believe that Christianity and Judaism are not just viable religions but also contain part of the ultimate truth.” Overall, the picture is that far from being isolated and marginalised, the Muslims of Britain are very much part of ‘society’ (whatever that is) but have retained, with little or no difficulty, their own sense of cultural and religious identity.
[By Chris Cork,. News, Monday, May 11, 2009 ,Email: manticore73@g