Islam doesn't condone terror

[Servant of Jesus]

Interfaith dialogue can take a few routes.

There are those who only wish to have strife and conflict. These people are the enemies of peace. They do not wish for the world to get better, to attempt less war, to attempt less suffering through religious conflict. They merely care about their side being better or winning.

There are also those who wish to find common ground. To have peaceful discussions where each side can learn and understand better. They do what those who wish to create conflict hate; they talk. Talk is the great enemy of conflict. When people become humanized, it is harder to harm them. The conflict minded people wish to reduce the other side into beings that are less than human, that move with a single mind and are only there to fight.

It is up to each of us to decide which side we wish to be on.

Is finding common ground even possible with some of these issues?

In Israel, the Jewish people were given certain lands by God. They were then kicked off that land, and their city and temple were destroyed.

In 1967, after responding to a conflict they did not start, they regained those lands- specifically, the Temple Mount and the City of David, and other lands on the West Bank.

Now they are being told to vacate those lands and retreat back to the 1967 borders if they hope to have peace with the Palestinians. But the ultimate Palestinian position is even more radical- most of them want Israel to be pushed into the sea; to reinstate the pre-1948 border.

So in this case, there is no common ground- Israel will never, ever vacate their land- especially the City of David in Jerusalem. There is no point in bringing this up in any negotiations- it is a non-starter.

Sometimes I think we have to have the courage to tell it like it is- to say "no- there is a line in the sand"; to say "no- the violence you are promoting is wrong."

 

[b&wpac7]

So in this case, there is no common ground- Israel will never, ever vacate their land- especially the City of David in Jerusalem. There is no point in bringing this up in any negotiations- it is a non-starter.

Sometimes I think we have to have the courage to tell it like it is- to say "no- there is a line in the sand"; to say "no- the violence you are promoting is wrong."

The Israeli conflict is one issue. It is, of course, tied closely to Judaism and Islam, but it is not the entire world of Judaism and Islam. There are political issues and other driving factors. I support almost all the measures Israel takes to stop the violence, and yes, there is a line in the sand that says no. However, saying no to terrorism is not the same as seeing what ground is the same between religions. You'd be amazed how much I have found between both religions.

The terrorists don't want us to find that ground. They don't want peace to hold. That's why they break the peace every time one is established. They don't want to let go of their hate. The more we talk, the easier it becomes to drown out those voices.

 

[GuardianShua]

The Israeli conflict is one issue. It is, of course, tied closely to Judaism and Islam, but it is not the entire world of Judaism and Islam. There are political issues and other driving factors. I support almost all the measures Israel takes to stop the violence, and yes, there is a line in the sand that says no. However, saying no to terrorism is not the same as seeing what ground is the same between religions. You'd be amazed how much I have found between both religions.

The terrorists don't want us to find that ground. They don't want peace to hold. That's why they break the peace every time one is established. They don't want to let go of their hate. The more we talk, the easier it becomes to drown out those voices.

QUOTE: "You'd be amazed how much I have found between both religions." I presume you mean Islam and Orthodox Judaism. Well, with your new found friends you will no longer need support from America. That is good news.

 

[b&wpac7]

QUOTE: "You'd be amazed how much I have found between both religions." I presume you mean Islam and Orthodox Judaism. Well, with your new found friends you will no longer need support from America. That is good news.

What?

 

[FRM48]

Well I'm not look for a fight but there is a old saying"Don't go lookin' for trouble,but when trouble comes to you don't run from it.I'm ex-military,I trained to protect the citizens of this nation from both foreign and domestic enemy,and the last time I checked both were attacking us and they were using the Quran to justify it.We are in survival mode as a nation,and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon.Islam is at the center of everyones attention because of the change of the political climate in the world.This due to a mutual distrust between Western Nations and Islamic Nations.I really don't see any type of change from that mindset anytime soon.What muslims need to understand is Radical muslims attacked civilians in the name of Allah.What we need to understand is that Radical faction makes up about only 10 to 15 percent of an estimated 1.5 billion muslims worldwide.If we are to have any kind of meaningful dialogue,then we have to find a way around the distrust.

 

[Servant of Jesus]

We are all a product of two sets of values:

The first comes directly from a benevolent, loving God- it is hard-wired into our brain; is part of our psyche. So every human being knows it is wrong to murder, wrong to steal, wrong to lie, wrong to commit adultery; basically, wrong to do all those things that are set-out in the 10 Commandments. I would go one step farther and argue that all of us generally get along with most other people in the world- that is, we are hard-wired to subscribe to the Golden Rule.

The second set of values comes from our environment- they depend on where we were born, what our parents taught us, what kind of society we grew up in and lived in. These values are also influenced by those we interact with- and are easily influenced by propaganda, brain washing, physical violence, coercion, etc. I believe that the evil portions of those values come directly from satan- who is trying to separate us from God.

So every person needs to determine what it is they want to believe in: the principles of a loving God, or the forces of evil and the devil. Anything and any leader that promotes love and adherence to the 10 Commandments and the Golden Rule can only be from God. And conversely, anything or any leader that promotes violence can only be following satan.

Satan and God will never be at peace; it is one or the other; black or white. Unfortunately, this is the situation I believe we are faced with in the conflict between Muslims and the rest of the world: as long as Muslims truly believe that murdering infidels, and other acts of terrorism, is their Allah-given duty, and refuse to reject those principles and remove them from their scriptures, there will be no common ground, and there will be no peace.

.

 

[b&wpac7]

Well I'm not look for a fight but there is a old saying"Don't go lookin' for trouble,but when trouble comes to you don't run from it.

I would never suggest running from a fight. I'd like to say I'd be the first to sign up to fight, but the military would not take me.

What I am saying is that talking can help bring that 85-90% to the point where they are ready to stop that extreme.

 

[b&wpac7]

I believe that the evil portions of those values come directly from satan- who is trying to separate us from God.

So every person needs to determine what it is they want to believe in: the principles of a loving God, or the forces of evil and the devil. Anything and any leader that promotes love and adherence to the 10 Commandments and the Golden Rule can only be from God. And conversely, anything or any leader that promotes violence can only be following satan..

I do not believe in Satan. I see no reason to attribute the actions of people to being influenced by anything but themselves. Taking the path that Muslim are "of the devil" is wrong, just like taking the path that the Jews are "of the devil" when it was in fashion in prior centuries. It dehumanizes them, makes it easier to hate, easier to fight, easier to kill.

 

[Servant of Jesus]

It's very simple: you can't negotiate peace with a guy that has a knife behind his back, no matter how peaceful and accommodating he appears to be.

If he decides to drop the knife- or even just to put it full-view on the table- you can begin to talk peace.

 

[b&wpac7]

It's very simple: you can't negotiate peace with a guy that has a knife behind his back, no matter how peaceful and accommodating he appears to be.

If he decides to drop the knife- or even just to put it full-view on the table- you can begin to talk peace.

So best to not even try? Doesn't your own New Testament say "blessed are the peacemakers"? Don't you wish to be one of those blessed people?

 

[Servant of Jesus]

I do not believe in Satan.

Then you clearly are in complete conflict with your stated faith.

I see no reason to attribute the actions of people to being influenced by anything but themselves. Taking the path that Muslim are "of the devil" is wrong, just like taking the path that the Jews are "of the devil" when it was in fashion in prior centuries. It dehumanizes them, makes it easier to hate, easier to fight, easier to kill.

You have to confront Islam for what it is: a religion that preaches terror. There is no point in ignoring that- it is a fact born out by hundreds of passages in the Qur'an, and by the almost daily acts of the Jihadist terrorists. I'm sure not all Muslims believe in Jihad- some of them, despite the conflict that it causes, follow their God-given conscience and respect the sanctity of human life- so we need to do more to encourage those who reject portions of their faith that promote violence. But when we do this, it is better to try and renounce the behaviour, and not attack the people.

 

[b&wpac7]

Then you clearly are in complete conflict with your stated faith.

We don't have Satan as the great evil that opposes G-d. Satan is, at best, an angel that never violates G-d's will. That's quite well established in Judaism, so I am in no way in conflict. Satan may be viewed as the enemy of man, as he is used to test us, but never of G-d.

You have to confront Islam for what it is: a religion that preaches terror. There is no point in ignoring that- it is a fact born out by hundreds of passages in the Qur'an, and by the almost daily acts of the Jihadist terrorists. I'm sure not all Muslims believe in Jihad- some of them, despite the conflict that it causes, follow their God-given conscience and respect the sanctity of human life- so we need to do more to encourage those who reject portions of their faith that promote violence.

Your position is then not to try. That's the road you have decided to walk down. I reject that road and am at least willing to have a dialogue, even with those that dislike me. I have teeth and will fight when necessary, but fighting is the last option.

 

[Servant of Jesus]

So best to not even try? Doesn't your own New Testament say "blessed are the peacemakers"? Don't you wish to be one of those blessed people?

Yes- but even Jesus knew when it was better to cut and run or hide.

 

[Montalban]

Interfaith dialogue can take a few routes.

There are those who only wish to have strife and conflict. These people are the enemies of peace. They do not wish for the world to get better, to attempt less war, to attempt less suffering through religious conflict. They merely care about their side being better or winning.

There are also those who wish to find common ground. To have peaceful discussions where each side can learn and understand better. They do what those who wish to create conflict hate; they talk. Talk is the great enemy of conflict. When people become humanized, it is harder to harm them. The conflict minded people wish to reduce the other side into beings that are less than human, that move with a single mind and are only there to fight.

It is up to each of us to decide which side we wish to be on.

I thought you believed it was a waste of time?

I think interfaith dialogue is okay, but it can't be done at the expense of truth

 

[Servant of Jesus]

Your position is then not to try. That's the road you have decided to walk down. I reject that road and am at least willing to have a dialogue, even with those that dislike me. I have teeth and will fight when necessary, but fighting is the last option.

No- I do try- by having the courage to directly point to verses in the Qur'an that promote violence, and to terrorist acts, and then looking Muslims directly in the eye, and saying "No- that is not right or acceptable, and you must change!".

 

[b&wpac7]

Muslims directly in the eye, and saying "No- that is not right or acceptable, and you must change!".

I don't believe that is the best course of action if peace is the goal.

 

[Servant of Jesus]

We don't have Satan as the great evil that opposes G-d. Satan is, at best, an angel that never violates G-d's will. That's quite well established in Judaism, so I am in no way in conflict. Satan may be viewed as the enemy of man, as he is used to test us, but never of G-d.

Well, whether you want to call him the devil or satan, or the serpent who tempted Eve (as in Genesis 3), or the spirit that led the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah astray- he is an entity that opposes God and is associated with evil.

The New Testament has more direct references- but for obvious reasons, I'll spare you those.

 

[Montalban]

I don't believe that is the best course of action if peace is the goal.

I think you mistake surrender for peace

 

[Servant of Jesus]

I don't believe that is the best course of action if peace is the goal.

I think Israel is on the right track- don't stoop to their level of heinous violence- but make sure that when they do strike, there is a strong response.

 

[GuardianShua]

In the news today it is reported that Indonesia's Muslims have stepped up their attacks against Christians and their churches. These attacks have been going on for many years throughout the world. It has not been reported that millions of Christians have died in the past decade, due to Islamist being at war with Christianity. A fact that the government and news agencies sweep under the table. Because Islam is the religion of peace, that is why other Muslims will not stop their Muslim brothers.