It is encouraging, to read such diverse comments on a 'Western' political board such as this...

Sadly and ironically, some of the most extreme comments come from people who seek to paint 'Islam' as homogenously extremist...

I shudder to think...how a 'Muslim' with extreme tendencies might selectively interpret 'Western' values, after reading our media - and forums such as these...

muso - Quote:



so, we were just "unlucky" and the ones who stoutly defended and explained their beliefs had it wrong ?
same as many other muslims worldwide?
well, maybe the moderates should teach the extremists what is right.
Oh - the extremist get it from the koran and have read and reread the koran for many many years, if not decades.
same as the moderates have.

so, how many wives did mohammad have ?
and how many sex slaves?
how many people did he  murder?
did he encourage and reward assassainations ?

I'm not interested in sarcasm or asides.

course we should believe in those that call themselves muslims, unless we have genune reason to disbelieve them.

say what you mean

Quote:


In Islam there is the Quran and Hadith. The Quran is the word of God, and the Hadith are narrations by the companions of Muhammad and were compiled after his death -  in some cases hundreds of years after.  Stoning for adultery, the forbidding of music etc - these are all Hadith. Shia and Sunni Muslims have different Hadith, but all have the same Quran. Many Hadith contradict the Quran.

Suicide bombings are forbidden by the Quran, but extremists manage to twist Hadith to suit their own purposes. Most of the Talibani laws were based on Hadith, as are those in Saudi Arabia and other Islamic countries.

Here are some verses from the Quran relating to suicide:

Quote:


Cat Stevens (Yusef Islam) bought into the 'music is forbidden' thing for years. Only recently has he started using guitar and other instruments in his singing.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Jun 29^th, 2010 at 11:47am:


The point I was making was that one of our resident Muslims made the point that music is discouraged by Islam, but we know for a fact that orchestras and even pop music are very popular throughout the Muslim world. Tune into any radio station in Indonesia and you'll see what I mean.

The same applies to the idea of a worldwide caliphate. Some Muslims have such a political agenda, but it's not exactly true of that nice waitress who serves you up nasi goreng or the guy you buy your kebabs from.

Doesn't it strike you as strange that a Muslim would be banned from Muslim village? What does that tell you about their ideas?

It's like saying that all Catholics are weirdo s&m fanatics because you heard it from an Opus Dei follower. Well - they're Catholic aren't they?  

Just adding my 2-bits worth, nothing more, unless requested.

Fashion = Spirituality
The Spiritual industry tends to work alongside the Religious industry. Of the 3 Monotheisms (Judaism, Christianity & Mohomeddism), Mohomeddism tends to be the more 'Spiritual' or 'fashionable'.
Fashion: a physical state of being expressed through 'attirement'.

Seems that Religion/Spirituality was 'created' in the Middle-East.
Wait, there's more...
But it takes the rest of the world to make it 'evolve'.
There's a spanner too!

Saying this, the Moslem Burqa is a very acceptable fashion
...only in Religious and Spiritual places.
EG: I was working in a Private Hospital (the type that doesn't have to be subordinate to Religion and its masses of paperwork, Politics and its 'pro-discrimination /anti freedom-of-choice litigations, the military and its 'real men are in the army ...cuz I was a Male Nurse, who just happened to give it to a female Colonel for a few weeks) that only practices subordination to the Accountants and their Managment in the name of ripping everyone off !
A few Moslems came into our Hospital and start 'telling us' what we should be doing. I stated that "...we can only practice Medicine because thats what we are here for and although we will try to respect peoples wishes, for whatever reason, we give the priority to Medical needs. So your wife will have to remove the Burqa for identification and clarity of expression, especially if she doesn't speak the International Language of English very well, if at all. If she refuses to do so, then I will have to ask her to leave and take her business elsewhere, as this is not a Holy or Spiritual place. I think it is highly possible though that I can allow her to have female staff attend only, even though she is over 40 years of age, as we are adequately staffed."
I guess my remark, made the husband and family attending realise that there really was no point in arguing and the Burqa was removed, though the curtain drawn.

I respect a person's need for privacy and 'personal space'. The USA Government has its CIA and all its secrets and privacy hidden under those letters, so its only fitting, that besides the Political Industry having something to hide (doesn't matter if things are feminine or masculine), then the Spiritual (and to a lesser extent, Religion) could do so too. Working as a male nurse in my very 'surgical' Blue (because blood doesn't show as much : see Art 'moving colours') and my sense of 'spirituality', especially when treating people with Depression (feeling blue), was a 'comfortable' feeling.
Spirituality (Fashion) is a very important Industry...
A man may be Black of Skin, but by 'spiritually' wearing 'Green', he can feel comfortable and respected for being an Environmentalist or a Military personel.

I hope this clarifies a few things towards a more constructive debate topic as I believe this is a very important issue for Australia.

Am I bias? Living near Camden, I have nothing against the Islamic Religion setting up schools. I don't like how Christians try to use 'Anti-Islamic' feelings to justify their own causes and effects in that area of outer-Sydney ...especially when the Islamic Religion expresses 'the Land' more than Christianity (which expresses 'Healing') does ...and thats saying that Camden has always been a proud and strong Farming area. In the end, I think Hurlestone Park Agricultural School should transfer to Camden, and leave the 'burbs behind.

Conclusion: Keep the Burqa (the Ned Kelly look), but only in Religious and Spiritual places of worship and practice.