Hey, Komrade - EVER READ THE FRIGGIN KORAN? Or Qu'ran, as they call it?
Wanna discuss it with me? I have a few degrees in history, and comparative religions? I have five translations right here, three within arm's reach. I'll quote ya verse for verse.
:twisted:
I've always considered it to be fundamentally illogical that the biggest criticism of Christianity as a religion is because of the hypocrisy, when, (ahem) the definition of a hypocrite is someone who preaches something he doesn't even believe in, let alone practice - thus the problem with christianity isn't the Christians, but the yahoos claiming to be Christian who AREN'T. Much like the leftist who belongs to the "progressive" church but disagrees with what mainstream religion defines as the tenets of faith and values.
Well, okay, yeah. That is the problem. Pity there's not a lot more excommunication going on to get the asswipes who want to parade, say, their Catholocism (Kennedy? Dukkakis?) around, but not put any of it meaningfully into their lives.
Now - let's take a look at some of these "peaceful and tolerant" laws of the "Benevolent Muslims."
For several centuries following the codification of the Quran, the religion of Islam spread through warfare. Conquered peoples were generally forced to convert to Islam or be put to death; the only exceptions were Jews and Christians, who were given the choice to become a dhimmi. If a Jew or Christian did so, they became a protected citizen under Islamic law, and they would be allowed not only to live, but also to freely practice their religion. If they chose not to become dhimmi, they died.
Dhimmis were legally exempt from performing otherwise mandatory Islamic duties, such as paying the zakah (alms for the poor), but must instead pay a special tax called jizyah ("skull tax"). While Dhimmis were exempt from the military draft, they could not serve in the army even if they wished to.
Later legislation in the Sharia (Muslim Religious/Secular Law) codified the rule that Jews and Christians were forbidden to blaspheme the Quran, the religion of Islam, or their prophet Muhammad. Jews and Christians were also forbidden to ask Muslims to join their faith, but Muslims were allowed to ask Jews and Christians to convert to Islam (see proselytization). Violation of these rules could invoke the death sentence.
Dhimmis were subject to many further restrictions. There were various things forbidden to dhimmis at various times:
Holding public office
Bearing weapons
Riding camels or horses
Building houses of worship higher than mosques
Mourning loudly
Offering evidence in court against a Muslim
Offering an oath in a Muslim court of law
Dressing in the same way that Arabs dressed
Also, dhimmis were sometimes forced to wear distinct clothing, such as forcing all Jews to wear a yellow badge. (A yellow Star of David. Hmmm. That sounds so ...so ...familiar? Oh yeah, Germany, in the 1930's.)
Under Sharia (Muslim Religious Law), if a Jew or Christian is convicted of killing a Muslim, the sentence is death. If a Muslim is convicted of killing a Jew or Christian, there is no death sentence.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.50; Narrated by Abu Juhaifa, states:
I asked 'Ali "Do you have anything Divine literature besides what is in the Qur'an?" Or, as Uyaina once said, "Apart from what the people have?" 'Ali said, "By Him Who made the grain split (germinate) and created the soul, we have nothing except what is in the Qur'an and the ability (gift) of understanding Allah's Book which He may endow a man with, and what is written in this sheet of paper." I asked, "What is on this paper?" He replied, "The legal regulations of Diya (Blood-money) and the (ransom for) releasing of the captives, and the judgment that no Muslim should be killed in Qisas (equality in punishment) for killing a Kafir (disbeliever)." Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2745; Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As, states:
The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ... A believer shall not be killed for an unbeliever, nor a confederate within the term of confederation with him. Islamic law holds that if a Christian rapes a Muslim, the Christian must immediately be killed by any Muslim. If a Muslim man rapes a dhimmi, there is no death penalty. 7520, AL-RISALA (Maliki Manual); 37.27 A CHRISTIAN RAPIST, states:
If a Christian rapes a Muslim woman he is to be killed immediately by any Muslim. But a Muslim cannot be executed on account of a non-believer. Islamic law prohibits Muslims stealing from dhimmis, and dhimmis stealing from Muslims. There is one exception: According to some opinions, Muslims are allowed to steal religious objects from Christian or pagan houses of worship, because such objects considered idolatrous and prohibited. 3915, AL-HEDAYA Vol. II (Hanafi Manual):
Amputation is not incurred by stealing a crucifix, although is be of gold, - nor by stealing a chess-board or chess pieces of gold, as it is in the thief's power to excuse himself, by saying "I took them with a view to break and destroy them, as things prohibited." It is otherwise with respect to coin bearing the impression of an idol, by the theft of which amputation is incurred; because the money is not the object of worship, so as to allow of it destruction, and thus leave it in the thief's power to excuse himself. It is recorded, as an opinion of Abu Yusuf, that if a crucifix be stolen out of a Christian place of worship, amputation is not incurred; but if it be taken from a house, the hand of the thief is to be struck off, for in such a situation it is lawful property, and the object of custody. Trust me, this only scratches the surface of this utterly degenerate and morally bankrupt, miserable, excuse for a religion.
