| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Koran bashers @the Oaks | |
| Posted by: | Clare Margaret | |
| Date/Time: | 13/11/09 21:15:00 |
| Interesting thread. I got into a conversation with them one Sunday, a while back now, maybe 2 years ago. I did have some questions about islam and I asked them if they would be willing to answer. My intention was to be very respectful but nonetheless blunt, because there's little point in beating about the bush and merely exchanging affirming pleasantries. The main gist of my question was this: what is it that makes Mohammed such an exemplar fellow and therefore worthy of imitation, or more especially of believing his claim to be Gods prophet? If a sincere Christian tries to follow Jesus then, if I'm honest, I can't see anything to be concerned about ( I then gave some reasons for my conclusion based on the testimony of Jesus's life and death. He wasn't very scary basically. Ditto the Buddha who seems to have mostly sat under a tree and thought alot and said some Really Deep Things. Not scary. Ditto Sikhism's Guru Nanak who was positively ahead of the curve in his 'we are the world, we are the children' brotherhood of man philosophy. Again, Not Scary. The prophet of Islam, on the other hand, DOES scare me. And this is what I put to the chaps on the stall. Judging by the evidence of his life in the Hadith at any rate. I ran through a few examples of what I meant ( his military campaigns, the account of a Jewish tribe being conquered, all the men being decapitated infront of the women and the womenfolk being divvied up for sexual booty among the soldiers. His marriage to Aisha which was consummated when she was still pre menarche, 9 years old I believe etc) I emphasised to them, and I emphasise again here, that I absolutely DID NOT want to offend or scandalise them, but there seems to be few opportunities for an honest exchange about these nitty gritty issues. I don't need to hear, for the umpteemth time about the crusades or the conribution the islamic world made to the world of science and art etc. THESE are the questions I have and I'd really appreciate if someone would answer them straight without getting bent out of shape. Because of the accounts in the Hadith, a muslim who was sincerely and devoutly trying to imitate his prophet would frighten me. And therefore i find islam uniquely concerning among all the other faiths. I got a mixed response. One of the men on the stall seemed quite receptive and less excitable. But another one became very very agitated and eventually went off to talk on his mobile phone. Within a short while about 3 or 4 men in robes and long beards turned up. I took them to be elders of some sort from the mosque. They didn't say anything but just stood around the stall. I found it rather intimidating. I had a couple of my younger children with me and started to feel a little vulnerable at that point ( one of the men on the stall seemed to be having some difficulty controlling his anger towards me and I didn't want to inflame his ire any more than it was already) I wished them well, apologised for having given any offence as that had not been my intention at all. And I went on my way. I'd really like to meet a muslim who would answer my questions though without feeling provoked and getting angry. I thought the stall would be the place to go for that but unfortunately i concluded that they were really only interested in giving me leaflets and extolling the faith rather than sincerely responding to a sincere challenge. Shame. |