This is a truly wonderful piece put together by William Federer of the Heritage Foundation... It explains, line by line, a comparison between Muhammed and Christ. Quite simply, there IS no comparison and what a blessing it is to serve Christ!!! God bless you all, feel free to share as you see fit. --John

What motivates fundamental Muslims to violence? Much effort has gone into answering this. Muslim apologists are quick to point out Christians have also committed violence. Secularists suggest anybody who believes in God is prone to violence, conveniently ignoring the atheistic killings of the French Revolution, Stalin's purges and Mao Tse-tung's Cultural Revolution.

In an attempt to uncover motivations, founders of the world's two largest religions can be compared. According to the www.CIA.gov World Factbook, the world's 6.5 billion people are 33.32 percent Christian and 21.01 percent Muslim.

If a computer acts up, the technician resets it to the default settings it had when it left the factory. If followers of a religion act up, one should examine the default settings the religion had when it left its founder.

One can examine the life of Jesus from the four Gospels.

One can examine the life of Muhammad from the Quran, Hadith and sources like the Sirat Rasul Allah. The Quran is a collection of private revelations Muhammad received between A.D. 610-632. Conflicting versions were passed down orally until Caliph Uthman standardized them around A.D. 650. The Hadith are stories about Muhammad passed down orally until Caliph Umar II began collecting them around A.D. 717-720.

The Sirat Rasul Allah, or "The Life of the Prophet of Allah," was written by Ibn Ishaq between A.D. 707-773 and preserved in copies by Ibn Hisham (d. 833) and al-Tabari (838-923). In 1861, Sir William Muir published an English translation, "The Life of Mahomet." Edward Rehatsek's translation, edited by Michael Edwardes, was presented to the Royal Asiatic Society of London in 1898. Oxford University published Alfred Guillaume's translation in 1955.

A review of these resources reveal:

• Jesus was a religious leader.
• Muhammad was religious leader and a military leader.
• Jesus never killed anyone.
• Muhammad killed an estimated 3,000 people, including beheading 700 Jews of the Banu Qurayza tribe in Medina, A.D. 627:

"The Jews surrendered and the apostle confined them in Medina. … Then the apostle went out to the market … and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. ... There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900. As they were being taken out in batches to the apostle they asked Ka'b what he thought would be done with them. He replied, 'Will you never understand? Don't you see that the summoner never stops and those who are taken away do not return? By Allah it is death!' This went on until the apostle made an end of them." (Sirat Rasul Allah)

• Jesus never owned slaves.
• Muhammad received a fifth of the prisoners taken in battle, including women. (Sura 8:41)

"Muhammad gave command and the heads of the two chiefs were severed from their bodies. The scene of torture and bloodshed was hardly ended when Muhammad sent Bilal to fetch the wife of Kinana. ... He cast his mantle around her in token that she was to be his own." (Conquest of Khaybar, A.D. 628, Sirat Rasul Allah) "The apostle occupied the Jewish forts … taking prisoners as he went. Among these were Safiya, the wife of Kinana. … The apostle chose Safiya for himself. The other prisoners were distributed among the Muslims." (Sirat Rasul Allah) "Married women are forbidden unto you, except those whom your right hands possess (taken in battle.)" (Sura 4:24)

• Jesus never married.
• Muhammad had many wives.

"Anas said, 'The prophet used to visit all his wives in an hour round, during the day and night and they were 11 in number.' I asked Anas, 'Had the prophet the strength for it?' Anas replied, 'We used to say that the prophet was given the strength of 30 (men).'" (Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Bk. 5, No. 268)
"Muhammad said: 'Woman can be married for religion, her fortune, or her beauty. So marry one for the religion.'" (Abu Issa al-Tarmidi, Sunan al-Tarmidi, Medina n.d., p.275, B: 4, H:1092) "Prophet, we have made lawful to you … the slave girls whom Allah has given you as booty." (Sura 33:50)

When Muhammad's behavior is reviewed, Muslim scholars point out that King David was also a prophet yet he killed people, owned slaves and had many wives.The response is still that Jesus never killed anyone, never owned slaves and never married. There is no Bible command for Jews to subdue the world.

• Jesus never forced followers to continue believing. After Jesus made a difficult saying, "many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Will ye also go away?' Then Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.'" (John 6:31-69)
• Muhammad forced followers to continue believing, "Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him." (Hadith al-Bukhari, Vol. 9, Bk. 84, No. 57)
• Jesus taught God was our Father (Matthew 6:10).
• Muhammad taught it was blasphemy to call Allah your father (Sura 5:18)
• Jesus taught man was made in God's image. (Matthew 22:20, ref. Gen. 1:26-27, 9:6)
• Muhammad taught Allah has no image. (Sura 42:11, Sura 112:4)
• Jesus taught "forgive those who trespass against you." (Matthew 6:10-15)
• Muhammad taught to avenge trespasses against your honor, family or religion.

"Narrated Anas bin Malik: 'On the day of the Conquest, the Prophet entered Mecca, wearing a helmet on his head. When he took it off, a man came and said, "Ibn Khatal is clinging to the curtain of the Ka'ba." The Prophet said, "Kill him."'" (Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 59, No. 582) "Ibn Khatal ... had two slave girls who used to sing for him and for his companions songs full of abuse of the Prophet. The Prophet's instructions specified that the two slave girls should also be killed. … Another (to be killed) was al-Huwayrith Nuqaydh Wahb Qusayy, one of those who used to insult him in Mecca." (Sirat Rasul Allah)

• Jesus did not retaliate when violence was committed against him, saying "Father, forgive them." (Luke 23:34)
• Muhammad retaliated when violence was committed against him, ordering the death of his enemies.

"Muhammad sent Abdullah to use diplomacy to gain an opportunity to assassinate Sofyan. Abdullah went forth, pretending to be on his Sofyan's side, and when the moment was right, cut off his head. He carried it to Muhammad, who was in the Mosque in Medina. Muhammad was so gratified, he gave the assassin his staff, saying: 'This shall be a token betwixt you and me on the day of resurrection. Verily, few on that day shall have anything to lean upon.'" (Sirat Rasul Allah). "Ibn Sa'd Tabaqat reported: 'The apostle of Allah entered through Adhakhir into Mecca. … He ordered six men and four women to be killed." (Kitab al-Tabaqat, written by Ibn Sa'd (A.D. 745-845), Vol. 2, p. 168.)

• Following Jesus was voluntary, from the inside out.
• Following Muhammad could be coerced, from the outside in.

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued." (Sura 9:29)

• A martyr in Christian and Jewish thought is one who dies for his faith.
• A martyr in Islamic thought is one who dies for his faith while killing infidels.

"Narrated Abu Huraira: 'The Prophet said, "The person who participates in (holy battles) in Allah's cause and nothing compels him to do so except belief in Allah and His Apostles, will be recompensed by Allah either with a reward or booty (if he survives) or will be admitted to Paradise (if he is killed in the battle as a martyr)."'" (Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Bk. 2, No. 35)

• Christianity teaches God wants a personal relationship with each individual.
• Islam teaches individuals cannot have a personal relationship with Allah, as he is transcendent and unknowable.
• Jesus' religion is known for forgiveness and love.
• Muhammad's religion is known for obedience and fear.
• None of Jesus' Apostles led armies. A village did not receive Jesus "and when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, 'Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias did?' But he turned and rebuked them, and said, 'Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.'" (Luke 9:52-56)
• All of the caliphs who followed Muhammad led armies. (Caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Muawiyya, the Umayyads, the Abbasids, etc.)
• In the first 300 years of Christianity, there were 10 major Roman persecutions, and Christians were fed to lions in the Colosseum. Never did Christians lead an armed resistance against those who attacked them.
• In the first 300 years of Islam, Muslim armies conquered Arabia, Persia, the Holy Land, North Africa, Spain, Southern France, Central Africa, and invaded vast areas of Asia and Asia Minor.

Fighting is inconsistent with Jesus' example but not Muhammad's, as the Sirat Rasul Allah records Muhammad personally led 27 raids.


Jesus' teaching on how to treat enemies:

• Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you (Matthew 5:44).
• Resist not evil (Matthew 5:39).
• If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to them the other (Matthew 5:39).
• If someone takes your coat, give them your shirt (Matthew 5:40).
• If someone make you carry something one mile, carry it two (Matthew 5:41).
• Forgive and you shall be forgiven (Matthew 6:14).
• Judge not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1).
• Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).
• Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7).
• Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not kill, but I say who ever is angry with his brother is in danger of the judgment (Matthew 5:21-22).
• Treat others the same way you want them to treat you (Luke 6:27-36).
• Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, whatever you do to the very least you have done unto me (Matthew 25:40).

Muhammad's teaching on how to treat enemies:

• Infidels are your sworn enemies (Sura 4:101).
• Be ruthless to the infidels (Sura 48:29).
• Make war on the infidels who dwell around you (Sura 9:123, 66:9).
• Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day (Sura 9:29).
• Strike off the heads of infidels in battle (Sura 47:4).
• If someone stops believing in Allah, kill him (al-Bukhari 9:84:57).
• Take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends (Sura 5:51, 60:13).
• Never be a helper to the disbelievers (Sura 28:86).
• Kill the disbelievers wherever we find them (Sura 2:191).
• No Muslim should be killed for killing an infidel (al-Bukhari 1:3:111).
• The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land (Sura 5:33).

What motivates fundamental Muslims to violence? Where Jesus was a religious leader, Muhammad was a religious leader and a military leader, thus the effort to separate the militant aspect of Islam from the religious aspect is an attempt to split Muhammad.


The closer one follows the example of Jesus, the more peaceful is one's motivation.
The closer one follows example of Muhammad, the more militant is one's motivation.

 

Religion is poison. And there are many things in this article just simply made up. There is no such a thing in kuran if someone stops believing in allah, kill him. My mom is muslim and my dad is christian. I grew up as muslim and not even once, i mean not even ONCE i have been tought nor heard any kind of violence towards anybody or anything. We were raised so peaceful, we would feel bad if we killed a simple insect. It is not about the religion, it is the minds of radicals, extremist in some messed up countries. Education is a BIG deal and you see what uneducated people do in life. Generally violence, etc. Those messed up countries are soo poor, everyone is uneducated and still living the 19th century. You dont expect to see modern mind from them. Take a look at Turkey. A muslim country. Many christians and other religions live there. What kind of violence do you see there? I will safely tell you that Turkey is safer than the united states. So it is not about the religion. You my friend only see what media wants you to see. If you really want to explore other religions, simply go to one of the countries and observe in person. You will see it yourself, it is actually not the way it is being shown. Also The similarities between these two religions are mind blowing.

Once again, with all due respect to everyone, Religion is poison. It has killed more people than anything else. I believe in god only. Nobody else... nothing else...

 

An interesting stance... But one I must respect.

You believe in "god", but pray to no one? What is the "form" of which you wish to model yourself by? Other flawed humans?

Not trying to be crass, I'm seriously wondering what one uses as a benchmark if there is no tangible relationship with a Creator?

 

electrical energy is god. All else made up by man to control man. It powers my Crossfire and I control it.

 

I'm sorry you feel that way.

 

I believe in god and pray to him. I believe there is god whom created us. I believe religion was created by men to control large group of people back then. I believe that if you live your life clean, you will be rewarded. I dont believe in following certain rules to get rewarded. I mean, every religon thinks they are the right one and others are wrong. I am sitting here and thinking... so if islam is the right religon, others are wrong, so only muslims will get rewarded and rest of the world will get punished because they simply happened to believe in something else but STILL lived that perfect, honest life? No way. the same goes for christianity.. I have met many many extremely nice people from multiple different religions. I just dont see one being right and other being wrong and they get punished over it.

I am going to god by being a good person overall. Religious people are going to god by being a good person who follows some certain rules to get there. At the end I believe it is the same destination. You can get there without religion. Once again, religion blinds people. Just like you, I am sure you dont have sempathy to islam after seeing the things on tv, internet and this article. This is the proof that religion blinds peoople. There are soooo many unbelivably nice muslims out there, who are very clean and probably safer than your own self. Generalizing things arent good but religion makes us do that. That is why, i say religion is poison. Be a good person, believe in your creator...


P.S. I edited my first post. Well, added some stuff actually.

 

Food for thought... this is from a book authored by Nonie Darwish, a former Muslim.

Nonie Darwish lived in Egypt, as a Muslim under Islam, for the first 30 years of her life. Keep in mind she is not biased againt Islam, rather she knows first hand about living under and with Islamic law.
These are some of the truths from her book Cruel and Usual Punishment: The terrifying global implications of Islamic law.

"With radical Islam on the rise it is no longer safe for Jews and Christians to live in Arab and Muslim countries. They are not allowed to practice their religion peacefully in many Muslim countries, and in Saudi Arabia, they cannot practice any religion other than Islam under Sharia laws." [page 133]

"Muslim countries are very tolerant to those who kill in the name of Islam. The above Sharia law is designed to protect jihadists and terrorists. A simple fatwa (An Islamic religious decree - Dictionary.com) labeling someone an apostate (A person who forsakes his religion - Dictionary.com), even if that person lives in the West, becomes a death warrant entrusted to any Muslim willing to kill an apostate in the name of Allah, with the full blessing of Sharia." [page145, 146] "Do people in the West actually understand what a fatwa is and how far it can go?" [page 147]

"In my research for this book, I tried my best to find that peace is a major theme taught in Islamic scriptures, but the opposite is the truth. Radical Muslims believe that peace in the Muslim world will come when all the world has become Muslim, but how can that be when all the sects are fighing and killing each other, especially Sunni and Shi'ite sects, who all call each other apostates. The Muslim state was never a peaceful state." [page 149]

"Muslim preachers describe the West and the Jews as the personification of Satan and therefore deserving of being cursed, humiliated, deceived, and killed. Is it any wonder that Muslims call America "the great Satan" and Israel "the little Satan?" That is what Islamic scriptures have done to the Muslim mind. Day in and day out, preachers tell Muslims that the West and the Jews are using pornography and drugs to destroy Muslim society. Such outrageous propagando is the only way a population can be prepared for jihad againt non-Muslims." [page 157]

"Sharia and Islam education tells Muslims it is acceptable to lie, when it comes to non-Muslims, if it is in the best interest of Islam. Is it any wonder that Muslims will look Western media in the eye and say, "Islam is a religion of peace," and then turn around to their own Muslim people and say, "God bless the Magnificent Nineteen," meaning the nineteen 9/11 Arab terrorists." [page 159]

"Some Muslim apologists tell the West that jihad is only for just causes, but they don't explain what a "just" cause means in Islam. The concept of justice and injustice to Muslims is very differnt from the Western perception. Under Sharia, there are 2 different sets of justice - one for Muslims and one for non-Muslims. To Muslims, it is always a "just" war if the end goal is to spread Islam. If the war is waged by non-Muslims to stop Muslims from marching in to spread Islam inside their land, it is an "unjust" war." [page 182]

"Many Muslims call for dawa in the West, which technically means "an invitation to Islam." They present it as a peaceful invitation, but they do not tell the West that this is the first step before outright war if their dawa is rejected. So when Muslims say dawa, the West should be warned, because what they do not want you to know if that dawa is merely the "make nice" step preceding outright jihad, according to Sharia. Muslims who believe in dawa also believe in the totality of Sharia and demand it even in the West." [page183]

"Many Muslim preachers and Islamists have no respect for the legitimacy of any government that is not based totally on Sharia, and no constitution is ever Muslim enough for them." [page 189]

"Islam made its top priority the running of the state under an elaborate legal system. Sharia became Islam and Islam became Sharia. Where is the religion in all of this?" [page 193]

"The Five Pillars of Islam by themselves cannot sustain themselves in the market of religious ideas (prayer, charity to Muslims, pilgrimage to Mecca, fasting, and declaring Mohammed to be the final prophet). That is why they had to create Sharia, but what they created was a political and legal system to totalitarian control. The most glaring evidence that Islam is hardly a "religion" is in its apostasy law - the order to kill those who leave it." [page 198]

"When it comes to Islam, more religion does not mean more tolerance, compassion, and kindness between people. More Islam means more violence and religious intolerance." [page 218]

"Many Muslims claim that the West simply misunderstands Muslim scriptures and that Islam is a religion of peace. It is the duty of Western governments and democracies to protect their citizens from hate speech and calls for murder, even if such commandments are in a "religious document." [page 219]

"How can a former Muslim like me live in peace in America when there are neighborhood mosques reading scriptures to their believers telling them to kill Muslims who left the religion? How can Jews, Christians, atheists, Hindus, and Buddhists in the West sleep well at night when Muslim scriptures read in a mosque call for their murder and the seizure of their land land property?" [page 223]

 

It would be refreshing if the religious people kept to themselves and not try and hoist it upon everyone else. More people have been killed in the name of religion than any other war. It all gets tiresome, me I believe in physics or science. Woody

 

I enjoy reading that there is a vast gulf that separates the beliefs of christianity and islam. Obviously, one promotes peace and tolerance while the other teaches violence and hatred. In a very fundamental point, however they are not all that different. They both share a similar view of man and his relationship to existence. The common denominator for both christianity and islam is that the infallible "truths" of both faiths were handed down by a revelation from god.

I consider the definition of truth to be that which is in correspondence with reality.
No matter what your feelings might tell you, truth is not discovered by revelation, whether caused by a supposed supernatural force or a drug trip. Reality exists, and it is up to our senses and our correct use of logic to discover the truth.

Christianity has its good points; its teachings on morality are a positive influence on men. But the flawed foundation of the morality (revealed truth) teaches men to ditch their minds and believe what they are told by their superiors. As examples, the new testament regularly teaches that it is a virtue to live by faith rather than by sight (a functioning intellect is useless), to give unconditional love to your neighbor (personally chosen values and standards are worthless, or outright evil), and you are not your own but have been bought by god ( the American principal of individual rights is not to be found in the Bible. Go ahead, prove me wrong if you can).

The dark ages and medieval times, dominated by christian beliefs, are ample testimony of the depths humans sink to when they abandon their minds and turn to faith. For nearly two millennium humans lived as slaves to both their political and religious overlords. Pestilence, famine, tribal wars, infant mortality...its a wonder that mankind survived. Modern day islam is trying to drag civilization back to that level of existence.

Our only hope is a new renaissance, a turning to reason and logic as our sole means of discovering of truth. We certainly have given faith a plenty of chance.

 

Ut oh! Now you went and done it by posting this on the internet. Nancy Pill-losi wants to investigate you:

Ground Zero Mosque Shock: Pelosi Wants to Investigate Critics

 

I will never understand how people who live on this little rock in a vast universe can't understand a very simple fact....we are all human beings, whether short, tall, thick, thin, black, yellow, red, white in color, our eyes, our hair, all different colors, but in the end, we are still human beings living together in universe so vast, we can't measure it,,,,and we think we are the only ones that exist....it's just about us,, individually....sorry, but it is about how we treat one another. This little car, proves that everyday....we share our love for it, no matter what any of us look like, sound like....you would have thought this "internet" would have helped with that....wouldn't you....peace my friends...politics are bad enough...but religion....is sometimes taken to the extreme too many times....

 

I'm with you Woody, I have seldom seen so much hogwash as I have seen in some, not all, of the above posts.

 

Reminds me of another racist rant I once saw!!

 

I AGREE WITH YOU "DOC" THIS FORUM AND OUR LOVE FOR THESE CARS HAVE BROUGHT MANY MEN AND WOMEN TOGETHER. FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE BE IT RACE,CREED,OR RELIGION.I OFTEN SIT AND READ ALOT OF TREADS ON THIS FORUM AND I CAN SEE THE DIVERSE THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS OF MANY FORUM MEMBERS.BUT WHEN SOMEONE POST A QUESTION OR NEED HELP OR EVEN NEED A PART.WE THE MEMBERS OF THIS FORUM PUT ALL THE POLITICS,RELIGON,RACE,CREED,AND PERSONAL BELIEFS TO THE SIDE.FOR THE COMMIN GOOD TO HELP A FELLOW "CROSSFIRE"OWNER.NOW ONLY IF WE COULD DO THIS IN THE REST OF OUR EVERYDAY LIFE.WE COULD ALL PUT ALOT OF ISSUES AND DIFFERENCES BEHIND US AND MOVE FORWARD IN LIFE AS HUMANS.

 

At one point, I remember there being several Christian members on this forum that would step up to the plate and defend their beliefs, and support the brothers that proclaim Christ as their Savior.

Seems they have vanished?

Apparently, it's all a bunch of hogwash to you guys...

After all, this thing called life is all about the next pretty set of wheels. Wait...

 

Really? It was all Christianity's fault? Even the most avid Christian-basher, James Burke (of the BBC) in his "The Day the Universe Changed" never tried to make THAT stretch.

That is NOT what "live by faith, not by sight" means at all. That verse is to encourage in times of trouble. You know, times like today - where 55% of us in the USA have taken pay cuts!

As to a functioning intellect being useless, you DO realize that it was Copernicus, a PRIEST, who developed the ... yes, "Copernican System" that not only fixed the mid evil calendar, but started the whole ball rolling that Brahe, Kepler, Galiieo, Newton, Day-cart (Sorry, can't spell it, so I gave the pronunciation for it) and others ran with. Yes, a PRIEST trying to fix the screwed up calendar started the whole thing. Can you fit that into your theory?

Actually, in the west, that COMES from the Bible.

To an extent, I agree. And yes, there WERE problems with the mid evil church, I don't mean to dismiss that point totally.

Got to get to work... back later to continue this.

 

I am still here, John. I do get tired of discussing Christianity with those who don't want to hear it, tho.
I fully support and attest to the veracity of your opening post.

I find it almost amusing, that those who try to make the case that Christianity (and religion in general) are the enemy of intellect must ignore uncomfortable truths to make such a point. (Well, not ignore them, it's just that they don't KNOW about them).

As a Christian, it's even hard for ME to admit it, but Islamic cultures of the past brought us many insights into science we live with today.* It was the "dissenters" (free church men: Quakers, etc.) in England that did much to propel the "English" into the industrial revolution.*

Then, we have my post above, where I mention Copernicus... now SURE - the Copernican theories WERE targeted by the church when Kepler, Galileo, etc. took them and started to run with them. YES, the church DID try to stop this perceived "intellectual challenge" to church authority! I admit that.

But that is NOT an example of faith being the problem, it's an example of political power and control being the problem. Back then, faith and fear of a god is what held the whole of society together... from the prince down to the pauper.

This is getting too long... back when I have time. Im at work!

*Had a footnote to back these statements up, but again, this is going too long. Back later when I have time.

 

Wasn't that scene where he was reacting to what the Russians were doing to him?

 

this post clearly proves another point. You step up and defend your beliefs and expect others to back you up, defend it with you. So think of this at an extreme level. You would start doing whatever to defend your beliefs, even if that is hurting people. You are christian and you defend christianity and has no sempathy for islam. Well, dont blame muslims who has no sempathy for christianity then. A real religious person loves humanity no matter what they are, who they are. Religions are suppose to bring peace, not hate. But you have hate towards islam, etc. and there are some muslims like you who have hates towards christianity. This my friend shows that you are blind, religon is doing that to you. Stop hating on human beings whom your god, my god created even if they hate you. That is what real religious people do, or should do..

Love is optional, but respect is a must.

 

I think you've made some good points Muscle. And I believe in whomever said that we can discuss, and argue all this, and yet when it comes to a problem or a question about the car, which is our common bond, that we drop all the animosities and come to the assistance of the brother in need. and that's what it really is all about.

I too believe that religion, which is really a strict rules organization about beliefs, has been a major sore point on this planet for almost forever. Which is why I don't really subscribe to any of them, yet believe in them all, and understand and accepting that they are my "beliefs" only, not my facts, and certainly not anybody else's facts either.

to say that one is the Truth is stupid in my opinion,yet all are truth, for whomever believes in it.

I tend to laugh at the whole mess of it, because as I've mentioned before, humanity has a way of pushing their own agenda for their own benefits, so I look for who's to gain and lose by this position or that. I believe the Taliban is doing it for the few select who will become the leaders of all theey will rule, as well as the politicians who are selling us out for their own benefit. it's just the same thing from different perspectives, and equally as silly.

I would be as appalled at a current crop of Crusaders as I would, and am, of Islamic radicals. And if I would believe that they were intending to wreak havoc on my country and my life, I would band with others to fight them too. Because I would know that this is not about them being right, and bringing love to the world, but bringing hate to establish power for themselves.