X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: f996b,6dc8a25c7e8a1ea X-Google-Attributes: gidf996b,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2003-12-01 04:01:20 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news2.google.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newshosting.com!news-xfer2.atl.newshosting.com!btnet-peer0!btnet-feed5!btnet!news.intra.bt.com!not-for-mail From: "Anonymous" Newsgroups: alt.ascii-art Subject: Re: REQ: Any Islamic Art Asciis? Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2003 12:01:20 +0000 (UTC) Organization: BT Lines: 62 Message-ID: References: <5fj5svss8ddhd38bd8kmg3cm4vu8njilf9@4ax.com> <9k7hsvgbbcr48csfrnq0oj2ckl5dopibh3@4ax.com> <_k8yb.1667$_P6.1609@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 172.19.58.77 X-Trace: visp.bt.co.uk 1070280080 17181 172.19.58.77 (1 Dec 2003 12:01:20 GMT) X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@news.intra.bt.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2003 12:01:20 +0000 (UTC) X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3612.1700 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3612.1700 Xref: archiver1.google.com alt.ascii-art:664 Bateau wrote in message ... >>It's RELIGION that's a threat, that incites violence and hatred, not just >>one particular religion. > >Muslims actually pay attention to the violent bits of their book. I'm Islamic and have never felt any need or urge to kill anyone. I'm quite pacifistic, actually. My wife (also a non-murdering Muslim) is from Indonesia. I have been there twice so far (where nobody seemed to be killing anybody else), and met my in-laws (who are also non-violent). I went to visit all her old school friends (none of whom are killers) and met many people whom I now consider to be friends (and not murderers). The mere mention of the names "Osama bin Laden" or "Saddam Hussein" is not taboo as such, but is treated with scorn. The average Islamic person does not follow the extremist (bin Laden) or fundamentalist (Taliban) viewpoint that the Koran must be followed to the letter. Most of them treat it like the average Christian treats the Bible - they don't take the killing parts literally. In fact, Islam and Christianity are so similar it's unreal. The Koran even recognizes Jesus (although not as the son of God but as a great prophet). The Koran's Christ-like figure Mohammed is not revered as the son of God either; he is known as the last prophet. I spoke to my sister-in-law very shortly after September 11th 2001. She - and the rest of our family - was absolutely shocked and disgusted with the events that took place on that day. She was saddened and frightened that those lives were taken "in the name of Allah". The fighting in Indonesia at the moment is mostly civil unrest due to the independance of East Timor, and the other islands that are trying to seperate from central Indonesian rule. There is very little fighting between the Muslim majority population and the Christian/Bhuddist/Hindu people (who make up the 25% of the population who are not Islamic). They're a good people. They don't kill because their holy book tells them to. In fact, the vast majority of them don't kill at all. Any Islamic fundamentalist or extremist who kills in the name of Allah is doing so because that's what they were brought up to do from a very early age. It's all they know, and all they have ever known. Don't pass off all Muslims as violent killers bent on world domination, because it's simply not true. -- Graeme Porter -^-_ _ / [_][_]_:_ Proud owner of a 1978 /| _||_ v Pearl Fiberglass Shell kit | / \ | -=/=\\____//=\=jaa "I married Miss right, I just didn't know her first name was 'Always'" -- Anonymous