Comments on my last Post
I got two comments on my last post, one reasonable.
As Farook says, 'Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all tell people to do good things, but then people do bad things.'
One comment said I should leave the Middle East since I hate Islam. I have no idea where he got the idea that I hate Islam, though I do not approve of Muslims who think their particular school of Islam is the only one that is correct, any more than I approve of Christians who think their sect is the only one that is correct. But my criticisms of misguided Muslims or misguided Christians are not an attack on either Islam or Christianity.
Both Christianity and Islam call themselves 'Religions of Peace,' and both, religions, I think, strive to achieve that status. I have not observed either religion achieving perfection, this world being a place of fallibility and sin.
However, any objective observer is required to admit that Islam comes much closer than Christianity to achieving the goal of being a 'Religion of Peace.' A relatively small number of people have been killed or injured in the name of misguided versions of Islam compared with those killed by misguided Christians.
World War II included one atheist nation, but most of the 50 million killed were killed by the Christian nations who took part in the war, and most of those killed were civilians. The controversial concept of a 'just war' under some versions of Christianity and Islam does not includes killing innocent civilians.
The 'War on Terror' in Iraq has resulted in more than 93,000 confirmed deaths of innocent civilians according to Iraq Body Count, and this war was initiated by Christians and largely prosecuted by Christians against people who had absolutely nothing to do with any attack on the US.
I am not condemning Christianity, but I do condemn Christians who violate Christian principles.
The commentator was also furious that I quoted a hadith about giving water to a dog and he said there can never be any such hadith in Islam. The hadith was Hadith 1:174 Narrated By Abu Huraira:
The trouble with hadiths is that not all Muslims accept all hadiths, and the person who posted the comment obviously does not accept this one, which I grant is his right. I have a bit more trouble with his saying that no true Muslim accepts any hadiths that the author of the comment rejects, and anyone who is not 100% in agreement with the author is 100% wrong and must immediately leave the Middle East.
The comment also said that Christians should help Christians and should not expect Muslims to help Christians.
But I've known Christians who donated generously to help people in need regardless of whether the people were Christian, and who considered that to be part of their tithe, and I've known Muslims who consider it part of their Zakat to help anyone in need, regardless of the needy persons' religion.
Overall, I've seen more tolerance and hospitality in Dubai than anywhere in the West, but I know that this tolerance and hospitality does not meet with universal approval, since, in this vale of tears, nothing meets with universal approval.
As Farook says, 'Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all tell people to do good things, but then people do bad things.'
One comment said I should leave the Middle East since I hate Islam. I have no idea where he got the idea that I hate Islam, though I do not approve of Muslims who think their particular school of Islam is the only one that is correct, any more than I approve of Christians who think their sect is the only one that is correct. But my criticisms of misguided Muslims or misguided Christians are not an attack on either Islam or Christianity.
Both Christianity and Islam call themselves 'Religions of Peace,' and both, religions, I think, strive to achieve that status. I have not observed either religion achieving perfection, this world being a place of fallibility and sin.
However, any objective observer is required to admit that Islam comes much closer than Christianity to achieving the goal of being a 'Religion of Peace.' A relatively small number of people have been killed or injured in the name of misguided versions of Islam compared with those killed by misguided Christians.
World War II included one atheist nation, but most of the 50 million killed were killed by the Christian nations who took part in the war, and most of those killed were civilians. The controversial concept of a 'just war' under some versions of Christianity and Islam does not includes killing innocent civilians.
The 'War on Terror' in Iraq has resulted in more than 93,000 confirmed deaths of innocent civilians according to Iraq Body Count, and this war was initiated by Christians and largely prosecuted by Christians against people who had absolutely nothing to do with any attack on the US.
I am not condemning Christianity, but I do condemn Christians who violate Christian principles.
The commentator was also furious that I quoted a hadith about giving water to a dog and he said there can never be any such hadith in Islam. The hadith was Hadith 1:174 Narrated By Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "A man saw a dog eating mud from (the severity of) thirst. So, that man took a shoe (and filled it) with water and kept on pouring the water for the dog till it quenched its thirst. So Allah approved of his deed and made him to enter Paradise."
The trouble with hadiths is that not all Muslims accept all hadiths, and the person who posted the comment obviously does not accept this one, which I grant is his right. I have a bit more trouble with his saying that no true Muslim accepts any hadiths that the author of the comment rejects, and anyone who is not 100% in agreement with the author is 100% wrong and must immediately leave the Middle East.
The comment also said that Christians should help Christians and should not expect Muslims to help Christians.
But I've known Christians who donated generously to help people in need regardless of whether the people were Christian, and who considered that to be part of their tithe, and I've known Muslims who consider it part of their Zakat to help anyone in need, regardless of the needy persons' religion.
Overall, I've seen more tolerance and hospitality in Dubai than anywhere in the West, but I know that this tolerance and hospitality does not meet with universal approval, since, in this vale of tears, nothing meets with universal approval.
posted by Dubai@Random at 1:48 pm
10 Comments:
Maybe zsilence should be just that!
I read that comment and didn't get why the person said what s/he said. There was nothing wrong with your post, but I guess people will be people.
It's true, "then people do bad things". I've often heard that we shouldn't judge religion by the way ppl act (muslims, christians, etc) since they don't always protray what their religion says.
Anyway, I meant to say I was glad about your interest in Arabic/Islam (your last post). It's not often you come across expats who make an effort to learn more about the culture here. Altho I have to be fair, and say that we aren't very approachable sometimes.
All the luck.
-N
D@R, a good response to yet another of the increasing number of trolls who debase the internet.
They have tunnel vision on a handful of obsessions and see statements in posts which simply aren't there. I get them regularly.
Yours was an intelligently written and inoffensive post, as is this one, but still attracted an abusive and stupid comment. The internet is highlighting how many disturbed people there are out there!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
seabee says : They have tunnel vision on a handful of obsessions and see statements in posts which simply aren't there. I get them regularly.
seabee, dont delude yourself by thinking your writing is anywhere nearly as knowledgeable, interesting, insightful or NEUTRAL as Dubai at Random. You throw generalisations about vapid subjects that will not get you ejected from UAE, and whenever anyone questions anything you wrote, you foam at your mouth, reply rudely, and claim that is not what you meant, and everyone else are trolls. you dont need to look very far to see one in the mirror. to loosely quote one reply of yours to someone " i am a research expert and i dont need any help from you in analysis".
Meanwhile, keep up the good work Dubai at Random. Maybe when it comes to intangible delusions like religions, we should not try to analyse what generates love or hate. They are just two sides of the same coin, are they not.
The two deleted comments were very long unsolicited commercial spam for some mobile phones.
nice posting.
Very nice posting. Thanks.
Bathmate
Before you can start making decisions about http://hab913.com/ you need to know as much as you can about it. Read on...
Post a Comment
<< Home