I was taken aback by a web site I was directed to on someone's profile.
This web site prompted me to question my own beliefs and to find out more about Islam.
What I found was enlightening and frightening at the same time for depending on which web sight you go to you will get differing variations of the same theme.
There are contradictions in many if not all religions the main one I have found is that Islam is reported to be in some places "the word of god" It was handed down verbally through the prophet Mohamed and was not to be written down. Yet years after his death the words were written by man for all to follow.
The bible is reported to be "the word of god" as handed down to Moses and used as a blueprint for man to follow in the footsteps of the lord.
Academics on both sides argue that the word of the lord has been distorted by the other side; some Muslims say that Christians were swallowed by the earth and made into swine or apes?
Apparently this is written in the old testaments. So it must be true.
The Quran states that each and every individual shall tolerate others not of their thinking, but also states, just like the followers of Jehovah that "all" none believers must be converted for their own good, or they will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
The Catholic Church did a good job with this interpretation when they went to southern America and destroyed a whole civilization regardless of the fact that although wildly different in their actions the Incas were as near to a Christian society as any others. It was the fact that they were” different" that led the Catholics to believe they could help them to attain entry into heaven.
Most if not all religions adhere to the fact that there is a superior force than man, who is controlling things (even pagans) and that we as humans must follow the code set out by our deities so that we can obtain salvation and enlightenment.
The problems seen today in the world are to me not a case of religious bigotry, but down to mans interpretation of the rules laid out by their god.
Which boils down to MAN and MAN ALONE. The premise for my thinking is that:
ALL RELIGIONS speak of love and forgiveness
ALL RELIGIONS speak of respect of others beliefs
ALL RELIGIONS speak of a common bond with all living creatures.
Not one religion talks of one singer one song but they all preach tolerance.
I am not saying that all believers in religion are responsible for there still being racism today BUT, given the attitude of the church to The word of god it is a small step to fearing anything that is different or has a perceived threat to the power that the leaders of those institutions hold.
This perceived threat can be transferred to those who follow.
