12-09-2006, 05:11 PM
Quote:In the name of God - Father Son Holy Spirit
May the peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you.
Prepare yourself, Ruggedtouch - one day you & I will most likely be living under Sharia Law. If not us, then most definitely our descendents!
No. I just don’t see that happening. While it’s true that stealth sharia is happening (muslims certainly are bring their intolerance and self serving, supremacist ideals to our shores), there also is an evolving hardening to the arrogant demands made by muslims.
We have a strong secular (more on that in a moment), Constitution that will shield us from the inequities, hate and dhimmi status for non-muslims that is a core component of islam.
Quote:If you ask me, there's only one thing worse than Sharia Law... SECULARISM!!!
Oh dear! What's the world coming to :confused_smile:
No dear, there is <i>nothing</i> worse than Sharia, period!
The principles and values embodied in Islam were relevant to medieval Arabia. In those brutal and nasty times, a brutal and nasty theocratic order was effective in cohering illiterate, warring tribes and providing the draconian stability to build an empire. Which is what happened. But times have changed—much of the world is now civilized, free, technologically capable, literate, and tolerant. Until Islam meets with a massive reform and enlightenment movement, it will continue to be unfit for the modern world, and we will continue to see a steady uptick in the devastating terror attacks of Islamic jihad.
To follow up from above, In the U.S., we are by definition a secular nation -- there was considerable debate among the Founding Fathers about the entire god issue-- and the constitution is quite secular.
One can argue far better that having come from theocracies themselves The Founding Fathers were very much aware of the dangers of blending religion and government. Even if they personally believed -- they purposely ratified a constitution that was totally secular in nature (and intent). They clearly did not wish to eradicate religion which is why they enacted a muzzle on government to keep religious expression free. However, the result of this by definition means the gov't cannot exalt one religion over another. Keep Christianity in culture, whether or not Christianity is dominant or not, but do not allow the government to assert it or any other religion over the other. The only way to do that is to be neutral on the issue of religion at all. As the country does become more diversified and embraces more religious beliefs (including none) the Constitution is designed to evolve to include those concerns. The Founding Fathers would, I believe, note their legal design has worked quite well.
Quote:Muslims living according to the teachings of Allah & His prophet (PBUH) is way better than Atheists who either deny the existence of God or make themselves out to be gods!
Really? Put your convictions to the test, then. Try living in any muslim nation of your choice. Try this on for size: arranged marriage, "honor" killing, second class citizenship, reduced rights, etc., etc.
Post your results.
Continuing - Your comment in connection with Atheists is insulting, absurd and wrong. If you think otherwise, imagine this: Tomorrow, it is discovered for certain there is no god. Would such information suddenly cause you to murder people?
If you answer no, then god isn't needed.
If you answer yes, then you are corrupt and immoral and that is <i>your</i> personality fracture, not morality's weakness. Morality isn't the province of Judaism or Christianity or Islam. Whatever did we do before religion? How is it we are here despite our ancestors total lack of moral compass?
Plenty of civilizations who never heard of the religious myths operated under the same rules and codes of behavior and they did just fine-- in fact, better in many cases. Research a king of India named Asoka -- probably one of the greatest rulers of all time who established public education, functional welfare, medical support, etc.
And tell me, why is it we see rudimentary social structures in animals that don't really have any special creation? Why do higher apes adhere to "moralities" in terms of not blindly killing one another? I suppose you must believe that the gods have touched them as well. Interestingly, I would like to see anyone use the primary Judeo gods as a role model for moral behavior. Just make a list of the things Yahweh or Allah have done, and then go on and try to live according to their morality. They are the example after all, right?
Morality is both transitory and fully natural in its source. Take gods away tomorrow and humans would behave pretty much like they do with gods in place. We are a mixture of selfishness and cooperation and it serves us pretty well. Most people do behave morally. It's you wonderful religious folks who have a problem with moral behavior