The point that tax deductions should only go to religions that advance the social good is excellent. Islam is extremely costly in many ways - Homeland Security comes to mind.

This is an excellent foray into a very important set of questions. I totally agree with your point that Islam must be taken as a totality and criticised in its totality. Muhammand was a wicked, deceitful man and Islam's manifold flaws begin with his appalling moral example. Islam is essentially Muhammad's personality encoded for all time. As you say, a lie of this magnitude cannot be addressed with half truths.

Unfortunately, the West at the moment is struggling to awaken from a moral torpor in which the only value we stand for is tolerance. We cannot counter this evil with tolerance. We must renew the pursuit of Truth, Beauty, Goodness and Justice.

Do you analyse these questions in your book "Allah is Dead" ?

Thank you for posting this text.  I enjoyed hearing it at the Memphis ACT meeting and while reading your book, thought the text of the speech would make an excellent companion document to the book.

Thanks again

The speech by Rebecca Bynum is very useful and helpful. I certainly believe Islam is a religion and a totalitarian political ideology and an organised crime syndicate. It is an evil, false religion but we have to allow people to have their false evil beliefs until they reject those beliefs and instead take on better quality beliefs. That is what God does to us all so we should show similar patience with each other. We have to show each Muslim and each dhimmi, one by one, why they are wrong. There is no short cut. 

Rebecca, I believe one can summarize your perspective pithily as follows: Islam is a religious bureacracy.

If indeed we cannot fight the intolerance etc of Islam with half truths, then Rebecca's article comes up short because it too is filled with half truths.

For example: Islam is not the only "religion" that is a total way of life - so is Judaism (of which I am proud because it is a way of life).  Defined by the great thinker Mordecai Kaplan, "Judaism is an evolving religious civilization."  It has its history, genelogy, langauge, land, cuisine, humor, values, hgolidays, etc.  Most Jews today think of Judaism as a culture and a heritage, and not a few are atheists, particularly in Isael where the majority of world Jewry lives!

Of course I agree with much of what Rebecca says, which is why I refer to her article as a half truth.  But it falls short because she catagorizes Islam (and most evcerything else) as either black or white, good or evil, right or wrong.  Rebecca, the world is grey - Christianity has its dark sides, Judaism is not perfect, and Islam is not all evil, though I too am deeply concerned about its infulence and developement in today's world.  What Islam needs is a Reformation - a revision that demonstrates the influence of understanding that came since the 6th century.  See Thomas Frioedman NY TImes who wrote about that some 2 years ago.

A deeper but also critical of Islam in this issue of the  NER is Richard Rubenstien's well-thought out article A More Perfect Union and the Clash of Civilizations

Dear Moshe,

My criticism was directed at those who refuse to deal with Islam as a religious system, who refer only to political Islam or to sharia and pretend that they can ignore Islam as a religion and therefore to ignore the effect it has on Muslims while focusing only on the effect it has on non-Muslims.

I'm sorry that wasn't entirely clear.

It's also important to consider that one can judge a religion by what it makes of its adherents.  Jews become Torah scholars.  Christians become followers of Christ.

As we're dealing with humans here, there are of course exceptions, but those exceptions are people who have - usually intentionally - misinterpreted their religion's teachings.

One of the misinterpretations of Islam is the left turn from "Allah is merciful" to "... so we don't have to be".

What they do often speaks so loudly that we can't hear what they say.

My book, "Satan's Trinity: Hitler, Stalin & Muhammad, is available at http://satanstrinity.wordpress.com/  For the first time in history "HSM" appear together on a book cover. The idea behind the book is to make headway against the ludicrous idea that Muhammad should be conjoined with any religious leader/founder.  This book uses the specific names of Hitler and Stalin to efficiently identify the nature of Muhammad and by extension Islam.  It compares the personalities and approach of each man to such categories as; war, peace, sex, torture, slavery, women, their respective childhoods and deaths, the critical affects of geography and timing, each man’s anti-social and narcissistic personalities. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=CHMartel&aq=f

Hello, I understand Islam is not a Religion but a political ideology of hate and control over others. for the most part it is a good article however I do take exeption on the comment you made in that you placed Mohamad in the same grouping as Joseph Smith Jr. Who did found a faith, a Christian faith based on love, peace, and acceptance of all. He in no way resembles the hatred the polar opposit that Mohamad & Islam is. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a Christ based faith, they seek to live in the light of Christ's teachings. Many false ideas' lies, deceptions and such has been taught about Joseph and the Faith. However if one but watches their bi-annual world conferences you will see what they believe. One of the most charitable organizations on the planet. If I had time and space I could document the history the true history of who Joseph was, however I will add a link, in this link near the bottom of the page and along the right side are links to who Joseph was, so folks can come to their own conclusion. If one wished to learn of a Jew one will not ask the Nazi or Islamist, one should ask a practicing Jew. Such is wisdom, do not ask he enemies for you will get a distorted answer.  http://hiddennorthamericanarchaeology.blogspot.com/

near the bottom are links to what the faith is about and who really was Joseph Smith Jr. As well the blog is designed to teach and share with the world knowledge that has been Forbidden, hidden by society, by those who wish to avoid truth now found, rediscovered. there are articles and links that support the knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior of all the Earth. The Native Americans all, speak of the Creator coming and teaching them many things, he taught them Christianity many hundreds of years before the Europeans came. A few of their stories are here. One thing I can tell you all, the whole of the World. Jesus Christ is the Son of our Living God, our Father in Heaven and the Savior of this World.  His fruits are of peace and love, charity and understanding and the ability for each of us to have and use our Free agency to choose our paths in this life. Islam via Mohamad is the polar opposite, he teaches use the sword, death , war, enslavement, lies, hate, and all other forms of darkness to grow his ideology.

To me there is a War of idea's throughout time, it is simply lead by the followers of Darkness who seek to hide, destroy, enslave, truth, the lies, and murder they use as well as all evil things to force their beliefs, or to control and deny others agency of Free will of choice. This is the ideology of Satan, Lucifer, the Devil and all those who prefer the darkness, such is the reason Terrorists / Islam Hide thier identity, and all followers of darkness seek to hide thier faces.

And the followers of Light or Jesus Christ even the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Thier fruits are evident, with charity, hope, love, peace, yes they will defend them selves against extermination when it comes to that. But they seek to share thier idea's and allow the Free agency granted us by God to choose whom / what we shall follow.  Such is the love and freedoms granted us by God. Agency is a great thing. Such is the reasons the powers of darkness find it necesary to 1st deny, take away freedom as they seek to enslave all.

Seek truth and light.

I am Tsul' Kalu of the Ani-Kituhwagi, we are of he origional people whom the Creator did guide to these lands of America long ago from out ancient home lands of the East. This is a promised land of our peoples, as long as we serve the God of this land even Jesus Christ we shall have our Freedom and peace. However long ago we faced a doom as we do today. The Ideology of Darkness and Evil filled the land, like Islam they sought the same thing, eventually our bretheren did fall into the shadows of complacency, into the power, greed, and forgot thier God. They did turn against his teachings and as a nation did envelope darkness, our teachers did warn them however to no avail, finaly there was the last great conflict where my ancestors did join in the last great struggle of our peoples and as foretold they did destroy or exterminate almost all of our kin. I am a remnant of these, of the house of Jacob, of Father Lehi. We remain. Millions did perish and the stories do live today of when the great civilization of the northern lands where destroyed, by whom they call the native American's today.  This same pattern is being followed today. The great evil of darkness has a new name but it is all the same. Islam is the fruit of evil and hate. This time the teachers and other offer thier voices of warning through out the world, some listen others choose to not. Millions have perished all ready, more will in the future.  My prayer is to not allow it to be as history, repeat. In our times Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Creator will return and in time destroy Darkness from off the Earth, even Islam that is a supporter of the Anti-Christ by thier own definitions.

Truth I know, history I understand, the future is as it will be.

Awake and learn. Defend all who seek the light of truth.

May these words not fall upon closed and deaf ears. For I Tsul' Kalu have spoken.

You are correct about the nature of Islam, but wholly incorrect about the nature of religion, at least in so far as history of religion goes, including current history being made as I write this.  There have been many religions throughout history that sought to control populations for the benefit of an elite by means of terrorism, and to dominate territory by the same means (e.g., the Aztec or Mayan religions of mesoamerica, among others; the Inquisition should also come to mind). 

Ritual conformity and impersonal ritual prayer has also been a widespread feature of religion in many places at many times, including now.  You can bring out your Roman Catholic rosary beads (if you have a set) and then ponder the situation. 

Take a look at Tibetan Buddhist and other nationalized Buddhist traditions and you will find a plethora of impersonal, prayer rituals.

In the not-so-distant past most Christians could not read, indeed were forbidden to distribute the Bible in the common tongue even if they could read.  They were coerced to conform to dogmatic ritual and belief.  (I don't see how you could miss that if you have sufficient knowledge of Eurpoean history.)  

Nations of Europe went to war over territorial claims made by rulers who justified their authority and use of violence by reference to divine right, i.e., some god picked them personally to work his will, which just happened to include war on non-conformers.  Sound familiar?  It should.  Mohammad used the same excuse.

Islam has no copyright on sectarian violence, although it seems to have the longest run of sectarian violence so far.

Lastly there are religions that do not feature the fatherly god you seem to believe is characteristic of all legitimate relgion.  Animism is still popular and has been for a long time, but it does not require a god of any sort, be it the universal cosmic mommy-daddy or your idea of a fatherly deity.  I understand that the Hebrew god was not a very fatherly type, either, but instead was a very jealous and demanding guy who had no familial relations at all among human beings.

 WHY NOT ISLAM ITSELF? WHY PATCHING UP?

BY Allama Mohammad Yousuf Gabriel

 Islam itself today may be round as pure and exact as it was at the time of its first appearance in the world. It is the last perfected religion for the entire mankind. It can still provide complete guidance to this world. The notion that time has outmoded the Quran is based on no grounds and emanates from sheer ignorance. The Muslims still say be found to entertain utmost love for it. The entire Islamic World is boiling with zeal for the renaissance and promulgation of Islam in to. There is a desire as well as endeavor. There is ambition as well spirit of sacrifice. What is needed is the clear understanding of this Baconian culture and prevailing circumstances. And the correct view of the Quran regarding this prevalent Baconian Culture and its logical hazards. And truly the entire world at present is so extremely worried about the Baconian ills. That it is obliged to understand the truth of Islam. The Muslims however stand in need of judging correctly the nature of the Islamic Revolution, its great extent, its difficulties, and the sacrifice necessary. Repeating the things heard in the West like a Parrot will be of no avail. Nor the blind imitation of the West will do good in any way. The Muslims will have to peep out of this present shell and will have to look and think for themselves independently. Observation reveals without exception, that the Muslims economic expert repeats merely the few terms that are to be found in currency in the West. He lacked completely any originality and is in the habit of merely churning the Western Waters. Muslims Scientists are confined to the light of the Western discoveries. The education department is a mere reflection of the Western system of education. Courts have the English, French or German law. And throughout dress, language, thought and demean our is that of West. The discussion may be enlarged and advanced to places where very little of Islamic Color could be discerned. The answer to any question about this state of affairs is always the same. And is always this, that the circumstances are compelling. One thing that appears most manifestly is that every individual of the Islamic World today is of the opinion that this existing structure as it is, should be modified and given Islamic color, and this arrangement is not generally regarded as temporary but permanent. Ask what should be the political system in an Islamic Country. And the answer will invariably be, either parliamentary or presidential and why? Because these are near to Islam. But why to seek thing near to Islam? Why not Islam itself? Why patching up? It will not work.

Allama Muhammad Yousuf Gabriel

Adara Afqar e Gabriel Quaid e Azam Street Nawababad Wah Cantt Distt Rawalpindi Pakistan

Yousuf_gabriel@yahoo.com

www.oqasa.org

This is disgusting! How dare you say that. All religion is moronic. Islam is less so!

Wow, Rebecca. You hit this one out of the park. Indeed, calling this irridentist movement, morally equivalent to the other great religions, is a fraud. Adding insult to injury, the category "religion" provides a kind of cultural immunity for all the depradations committed in its name. Good get!

Muslims do not refer to their faith-culture-system as religion. Because religion is essentially an individual decision, even if one is born to it. Islam is not an individual decision because if you leave Islam as a personal choice you are dead meat. Muslims claim the mantle of religion only from those useful idiots who are willing to provide for their own doom. Islam, according to the Muslims. is a superior Ism, to be enforced wherever it can, or steal its way in wherever force is inadequate. which is why Nazis and Communists find it so easy link up with Islamists: Its really the same godless faith.

Your article is mostly deficient in knowledge. Good attempt at brain washing and furthermore creating problems to people that can not use there interlect. Your website does look very professional though.

Hello Rebecca,

indeed a very brilliant, eye-opening and thought-provoking analysis. You speak in truth. Especially when you describe what a true religious understanding / living ought to be.

Now I'm curious to read your other articles.

Sincerely,

Sebastian

(Would you be against me translating this article, or part of it, to my mother tongue in my blog, with link to the original article and full credit to you?)

 So basically your saying we're not a religion. Cool. I don't believe that any of this was excellence. I'm not about to come here and tell you parts of the bible that are wrong because I'm not here to argue. These aren't evil beliefs. If Mohammad was e il so was Jesus. Jesus was one of our prophets too. Do you think he was evil? Another thing you need to get straight is just like Christianity, there are many types of muslims. I'm very upset about his article but I'm not about to go accuse some random white person of doing something to me just because you two are in the same religion.  Think matters carefully. The book can be interpreted in many ways. You look at the negative side. Read both sides. Anyone do that. Next time, please watch what you say. 

I agree partially with Rebecca more authentic stuff is found on answering-islam.org. this site has opened my eyes they have proofs and authentic articles than rebbeca and i would recommend yousaf from nawababad to study those articles. i belong to his area i cant believe how quran can contradict on embryology (read surah-e- mominoon ayat 12-14). production of sperms and a lot. it took me several months to cross verify their claims. m sorry to say muslim scholars like zakir naik try to gloss and twist the facts and many more.if I were not in pakistan i would have said good bye to this religion. 

I agree partially with Rebecca more authentic stuff is found on answering-islam.org. this site has opened my eyes they have proofs and authentic articles than rebbeca and i would recommend yousaf from nawababad to study those articles. i belong to his area i cant believe how quran can contradict on embryology (read surah-e- mominoon ayat 12-14). production of sperms and a lot. it took me several months to cross verify their claims. m sorry to say muslim scholars like zakir naik try to gloss and twist the facts and many more.if I were not in pakistan i would have said good bye to this religion. 

Hello Everyone starting with Rebecca

You mad an excellent point when you say Islam is unique and it is a political, socisl, economical, ...etc system including worship, spirituality, and other faith related things.

But I have these reservations and observations and would like you or anyone help me out but with clear evidences not only what you say

1. I doubt you know Arabic. So whatever you say does not have the strenght of a clear evidence, since you can not take a look at the orginial source which is there untouched( as they say) and its one version all over the worl, so we dont have to worry about many different versions like our Bible...etc nor it is written in a second language, so the original scripture is there in its original language which is Arabic.

2. You make points, but without backing them with evidences from Koran or Muslims only book. This not only discredits what you say, but makes it does not worth handling it. Because scientific communities and scholarly works do not deal with assumptions.

- You bring an ordinary guys opinion or saying to prove what you want to prove.

- I did not see any verse from Koran to prove your point!!!

3. I am not sure if that is all your knowledge about Islam or you try to deceive the readers and give them worng impressions.

- You should know if you dont that, it is them Muslims who pray 5 times a day.

- They voluntarily pay 2.5% of their annual savin to POORS not to their religious leaders

- There is no business related to their Mosques as we have here in our Churched.

- THere is no membership or payment for churches, it is all charity, voluntary work..etc

- Muslims have one month of fasting which  they dont eat, drink, indulge or do any sexual act from 2 hours before sunrise till sunset.

- They have pilgrimage which is compulsory once in lifetime

- Everyday 5 times praying with ablotion or washing limbs, mouth...etc

all these things show the spiritual and worship side of Islam and Muslims practice it.

and this link which I read from CNN shows that Muslims are more devote than any other religious followers, or most committed to their religions.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/03/conflict-theology-and-history-make-muslims-more-religious-than-others-experts-say/

http://www.ipsos-mori.com/newsevents/latestnews/810/How-much-does-religion-matter.aspx

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/blogs/the-religious-write/muslims-more-devout-20111207-1oiio.html

4. And from a philosophical point of view, who decides that how a religions should be?is it you ? me?

who decides that religion should be only worship or else? does not have to include others or what to include?

Thank you rebecca for your fair words about islam.

When i start to read the speach i thought that the writer is muslim,but i want to correct you about some points.

Islam is a perfect religion ,simply because it comes from (Allah) .from the god ,and the prophet mohammed (صلى الله عليه وسلم) dont know how to read or write ,so how can a man like him bring an integrated system like that .you know why ? Because islam is the right set forth .belive me rebecca.

You said (what islam is and what it isn't) .

Islam isn't is not exist word ,go and make sure.

Also you cant judge islam by muslims doing.ok try to judge christians by there doing .thats not justice.(A suicide).

Women in islam have a rights have no parallel.Go and make sure.Hijab makes chastity spread over the society,do you like to go out and every humanwolve look on your body .that spread the obscenity in the society.

Hijab protect women rights ,honor and chastity .not like you think.

Islam protect the nucleus of society (the family) by ligislation the marriage and baning the adultery .thats makes society healthy.

Islam is compromise betwen the monastic and porn.

And finaly i invite you to be a muslim .also i sugust you to read about (scientific miracles in the quran)it will lead you to the wright way.

and remember that:

IF YOU WANT TO FIND THE TROUT  YOU WILL FIND IT.

Thank you.

 Well, with all that being said, explain why Islam is the fastest growing religion on the planet. Hmm?

@rebecca- nice article. You don't beat about the bush. I like that.

In my opinion Islam doesn't belong to this era but thanks to the ignorance and stupidity and the low level of education or rather indoctrination of the fools.....it sure does exist till today. The promise of 72 virgins and a perpetual erect penis shows how desparate and sexually frustrated muslims are.

Muhammad- If someone ever reads the summary of MHD. you will understand why he was disgruntled by women and wanted to punish them. His mother gave him up on birth to bedouin wet nurse as just prior to his birth his Father had passed away. He was constantly given away even after the wet nurse brought him back at the age of 5. Plus, to prove my point that he was the most lecherous paedophile- he married ayesha when she was 6 and he was pushing 53. He used to thigh her and ayesha has mentioned that in her accounts. Marriage to Ayesha, when 8 years of age , was consummated when MHD was 55. If MHd was around today Interpol would have a 'redcorner' notice for him in every part of the world under the heading " Paedophile on the loose".

Now, I wish to present to you that where ever there is a war in progress...one of the party's to that war is an Islamic party. starting from the 90's balkan war, moving to indonesia...east timor and the hacking of timorese by the indonesian army and the list goes on and on and on.

To the person who commented "why is islam the most embraced religion"- well, in africa, tribes as a whole are converting out of Islam. But, those statistics are not being counted or advertised.

In my personal opinion MHD was suffering Bi Polar disorder. This conclusion I have drawn to after reading the Hadith and other books in which most of the time MHD was halucinating hooris( celestial virgins), heaven , hell fire, Gabriel etc.

Today, when the world has seriously found alternative fuel sources, the muslims need to be very careful as the oil money that fuels their jihad has already started towards its tailing end.

Thank you for the article. I admire the website.

Regards

C.R.I.S (counter radical islamic support)

Dear Sir,

i read your artcle but let me tell you one thing that you all better know that islam is a real and true religion but due to some ego you are not gonna accept that.

propagandas against islam and muslims are the hobbies of yours.

you may know Dr. Zakir Naik if you have spirit and courage go and have a debate with him. i challenge you on his behalf.

Amen.  I have said for years that Islam is merely a cult of a murderous, perverted, child molester, it is NOT a religion.

 Excellent.....you are a shining example why we, humanity, cannot allow Islam to place women as property or into silence! The world, the church, the synagague, or a family would be deprived of a great thinker in such a women like yourself!

As Americans we cannot forego Islamic neo-governance totalitarianism. Muslims must be brought back into the circle of humanity where religion submits unto an individual free conscious with a right to reject, critize, or sustain a personal faith or religion without Islamic ideology!

I am an indepentent Progressive Baptist Missionary living in the Philippines. My residence is on the most southern island of Mindanao; which has a distribing Muslim governance presence! I attest no other part of lost humanity needs confrontational  truth placed infront of it  like Islam today! 

Presonally I have assisted many young Muslim boys and girls to run and find safety from their families  and communities. These poor lost battered and beaten souls must give up everything to gain freedom and peace of mind! Some of these youths, while running, are hunted like animals by their families and friends. The rage, hate, and feverous will of Muslims to find them seem almost inhuman as if a brainwashing has occured from Satan himself!

As a Christian because of their situation and limited time to gain their distance I have remained silent to witness to them because of their extreme  mental state! I have walked long miles physically at night only listening to their tears and uncontrolled questioning of why is this happening to me? My prayers have mostly been silent for them, but I have hugged them cried with them and felt the pain of this run to freedom with them!

A large number who begin their run embrace Atheism professing angery at God....I remain silent even if their attacts become personal upon me as a  Christian. I have been a Christian nearly 43 years and an American since my birth, but one night I discovered the power of God's love and protection while making a run.

On this particular run it began raining heavey and it was around 1230am. This young ex muslim boy was a handful with angery against God and he was not willing to follow are procedures for saftey reasons all he wanted was the big city of Manila! His family was head strong on getting him too. Then he tells us how his father is a devout Muslim in the community with money this all spelled trouble and moments later we all had to run and hide! Car loads of his family and friends were  driving the streets to find him.

This near fatal event disrupted our plans and we had to run on foot causing us to miss our 1st pick up point. We decided to leave the main roads and walk on unlighted streets in the rual areas. I have several medical conidtions and my age which says not to get involved, but this is too important to allow the flesh any justification to set on the sidelines! Here is God's grace and love on that fatal night.

While walking partly in the woods and along paths on the road we had to  aviod being seen by every car. My feet were developing blisters and I was slipping in the wet grass and mud but we continued. Then suddenly coming behind us  is four cars driving slow. We only had seconds and it was a bad place with little cover. I told  everyone run to those weeds lay down and don't talk. The  cars  were  approaching us slowly then the lead car stop just feet pass us. Car doors open up  from all the vehicles voices talking and people lighten up cigarette. The boy whipered to us its them that's my father walking over here! I told him to stand still God was going to protect us. Even though I had said it I didn't expect it to happen honestly.

Within 4 to six feet of us stood his father  in all white Muslim clothing. Suddenly I felt a war going on inside of me not of fear but one of standing up and aginst this evilness regardless of our lives. I got up from laying pron on my stomach knelt upon my knees and said out loud God you 1st then  began signing "Great is Thy Faithfulness" no one seen us and no one heard us! His father and friends all got back into the cars and left. I was emotionally and physically drain plus crying at almost 60 years old. The boy asked me why I was crying? I told him we had just stood in God's Grace and Mercy and I am weaken and humabled! 

Later we continued walking and stopped hiding when cars passed and the boy was passed to another person. As we departed I told him now you have a reason to find God.

I tell you this story to encourage you and testify nothing can stand where God's Grace and Mercy stands keep them next to you always your friend Rev. Dan 

Sorry its late and my typing is not good. 

An evil religion, like Islam, is still a religion. The good Muslims are good, but it is ultimately in spite of, not because of Islam, most of the time.

im sorry to say but it was too painful to read the rest of your article! to what i have read, i think people are very judgementle when it comes to critising others faith as they think their religion is the true one... a battle which will go on until the day of judgement day which almost all relgions believe!

all religions have the right to be respected for their beliefs and people should understand why they belive that religion!!!!! we shouldnt pick out minor defects which sound insane to belive in this era but undsertand  why those practices where practical when the religion began!!!!!

i was  born a muslim and unfortunately because i was bought up in the western world i have no clue about the religion in depth! however i have the gist of of it :)  as im not influenced by the old wives tales or corrupted by politician..trust me ive heard and seen some sects brainwashing kids to follow and belive things that have nothing to do with islam or the shariya which i find absolutely disgusting and those so called imaan should be put behind bars!!!!! anyways, i can say confidently islam is a peaceful religion. you just need to find an authentic source to clarify the doubts you have :P

food for thought, the last messenager who was an ordinary man could not read or write. i wonder how he managed to summon the holy Quran??? Answer: Allah swt choosen him and helped him put together the message for the human race to abide and use it as a guidence which lead them into heaven. not to mention what basic behaviours should be adhered to to make them civilised beings to other being :D

oooh another thing i forgot to mention...even in the bible it mentions the wait for another mesiya..sorry cant spell it (prophet) ... without being all rude like guys about islam, maybe you should question whether christainity is a man made religion!  why did your ancesotor hide the genisuse and alter it?  was it because the word of GOD was unreasonable for the man to do, where the priest or community jointly decided to alter bits to their prefernces???

i know these questions hurt you and you have answers lined up for me to justify these questionS... JUST LIKE HOW WE CRY OUT LOUD TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU FIND STRANGE WHAT OUR PROPHET DID WAS REASONABLE AT THAT TIME.... HE MARRIED MANY WOMEN TO MAKE ALIANCES TO SPREAD THE WORD OF ISLAM. ON TOP THEGIRLS HE MARRIED E.G AIYSHA  THE PARENTS FELT PRIVILAGE TO MARRY THEIR DAUGHTER TO A PIOUS MAN...OF COURSE NO SEXUAL ACTIVITIES TOOK PLACE UNTIL THE CHILD TURNED TO A WOMAN AND GAVE CONSENT... U GUYS REALLY NEED TO DO YOUR RESEARCH! 

Its like me saying i would have loved to be jesus wife even if he had loads of wives ...he is god and he will grant me heaven.... of course todays day and age we dont think like that we all believe we need to do good deeds to be granted heaven :P

Islam is the religion taught in its fundamentals by all the prophets. It is the religion which the first human being was instructed to follow. It is the religion of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad and all other prophets (peace be upon them all) throughout the existence of human beings.

From the world view of Islam, most of the world's major religions originated in the pure religion of Islam itself and only through the teachings being lost, forgotten or wilfully corrupted have these religions changed. Judaism claims special status for the Jews as the chosen people - a status which cannot be acquired except through birth [1] and which makes a Jew superior to any non-Jew (goyim) whatever their beliefs. Christianity insists that you must believe in various doctrines which form the foundations of what is distinctively 'Christian' belief in order to be 'saved' (i.e. that Jesus (peace be upon him) died to atone for the sins of Mankind, that Allah is a trinity etc.). This doctrine, the (Catholic) church itself admits [2], didn't develop until several hundred years after Christ and so cannot possibly have applied to those before Jesus nor to his early followers. In contrast to this, Islam has at its core, a simple message which applies to all human beings before Muhammad (pbuh) and all after his time:

"...And they say: "None shall enter paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say: "Produce your proof if you are truthful." Nay whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, he will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear nor shall they grieve."

Qur'an 2:111-112

The word used in this verse for 'submits' is 'aslama'. It is from this verb that the word 'Islam' comes as 'the submitting'. Islam is a word that doesn't have any connection with an area or a particular character from history, it is the one and only truly universal religion and fittingly it has a truly universal name:

The word "Islam" means voluntary submission to the will of Allah

 You have obviously never studied Islam. 

I would first like for you to study prayer in islam for you are severely lacking in the knowledge of prayer. Also that is a very poor definition of faith.

 I find it ironic that you say, "Justice must take its rightful place above tolerance."  

I also advise you or anyone else to study the difference between prayer and supplication in Islam.  

Don't these backwards nerds get it??  Our fairy tales are better than theirs.

 Although that many of  Islamic practices still not understood for me , I do believe in many of it ideas and thoughts .. also i dont see the need for any religion but to be honest only ,i like to say that it seems that you have many wrong assumptions that are not presented by islam , i recommend that you read more about the thing that you are going to write about ,you cant depend only on what people tell you or for some mispracticing that you might seen somewhere .. thanks alot 

Having lived among islamics and observed their actions to report on their intentions and governmental structure, I came to the opinion that islam is not a religion, but a murder cult. All religion that I am familiar with leads their children to follow a path toward good action and lifestyle. If a child of islamics breaks with islam they do not try to correct the child, they murder the child! Even small and accidental actions can mean death for an islamic child. An excellent example of this is the stumbling of a child in leaving an automobile in which she accidently touched the driver, a person not islamic. For this terrible act she was beheaded. Does this sound like a religion to anyone? We are very foolish to allow islamics to educate themselves in our schools, immigrate to our nations, build mosques or in any way participate in our society. An islamic has no duty to anything but islam, so they cannot be trusted in any way. An islamic will lie to gain an advantage over a non islamic. No treaty has ever stood that had an islamic group as party to it. The islamic side has always broken every treaty they have ever entered into. We cannot live in peace with islam.

 I concur with all that you say by way of my oun research and readings since 9/11.  Prior to this I had many friends who were Muslim but the subject of religion never came up---neither mine or theirs---friends I had for over 40 years.  Reading and investigating I realized they could not be friends with me.  I still concider them as my friends but reciprocation is not possible for them.  If I find any of them to be apostates, I might have different thoughts however, there is the issue of al Takeyya where in the Qur'an protects even apostates, so who is to know?

I believe the same thing is true of Mormons and I would like for Rebecca Bynum to do an investigation of that entity as well because I do not beilive Mormonism is a religion either but rather, Big Business.  They like I$lam, want to rule the world as well.

A good beginning for Ms Bynum would be Bill Schnoebelen's DVD  (or his Book) "Mormonism's Temple fo Doom"  and Shawn McCraney's Telvision program out of SLC, Utah: Heart of the Matter  or his web-site hotm.com or his book: I was a Born Again Mormon.

Our next President will be either a Muslim or a Mormon.

I remain unconvinced of the author's claim that Islam is not a religion. Because it does not match her personal view of what a religion should be? Is that all?

Many religions have made claim (and many still do outside Islam)  that the theology must be the state. History is replete with examples. That the U.S. Constitution has forged a new relationship between religion and state is a rather recent innovation and one that I adhere to avidly. However, this does not negate the past, where religions have had an overpowering presence in rule over others.

My own take is that Islam is one of the last major world religions that still clings to the idea that state should advocate a particular theology as the best and/or exclusive for those governed.

 islam is religion wheather uninformed characters like rebecca like it or not it will serve humanity. Islam doe not apologise to any body who choses to remain locked in cocoon of ignorance. Pls. Rebecca read widely before you write again. 

chow!!!

 I am indeed so much confused with what is going on now in the world. How can world be destroyed by Islam? why is the world silent on this issue? why is it that out of the whole number of religions in the world, it is only Islam that sheds blood? I know that this article is complete exposure of the hidden truth. I am even angry that the american president could have the mind to flag the controversial movie that attacked islam. where was this president when the islamic idiots burn bibles and other christian materials, where was he when they mocked christianity by shooting movie that humiliated Jesus christ? The world government should arise and do something before this gets out of hand. islam should be removed from the face of the earth and not until this is done, there won;t be any peace.

 I am indeed so much confused with what is going on now in the world. How can world be destroyed by Islam? why is the world silent on this issue? why is it that out of the whole number of religions in the world, it is only Islam that sheds blood? I know that this article is complete exposure of the hidden truth. I am even angry that the american president could have the mind to flag the controversial movie that attacked islam. where was this president when the islamic idiots burn bibles and other christian materials, where was he when they mocked christianity by shooting movie that humiliated Jesus christ? The world government should arise and do something before this gets out of hand. islam should be removed from the face of the earth and not until this is done, there won;t be any peace.

Rebecca's attempt to declassify Islam as a religion is an interesting approach to the issue.

While the attempt is admirable for it's purpose of furthering goodness and harmony for all, I take position with much of the argument...

I see that most of the charges levelled against Islam in this piece, seemingly with the intention of citing features unique to Islam that are not part of other religions, are not as unique as implied herein. Furthermore, they in and of themselves are not grounds to denigrate Islam, but rather are simply seen as unique to Islam and therefore an easy target.

Judaism, for example, in addition to being a faith, has incorporated in it judicial, political etc systems, and while personal prayer is held in the highest regard, communal prayers are organized recitations, polygamy, though not widely practiced, is not forbidden.

These are a few examples off the top of my head that elucidate how the attempted differentiations in this piece meant to point out uniqueness of Islam in comparison to other religions is flawed.
If i wasn't an optimist I would be concerned that this piece is intentionally including many features unique to both Judaism and Islam in an effort to passively malign Judaism.
Why?, you ask?
Because these features in and of themselves do not support the purpose of the piece, being to challenge the basis of Islam's classification as a "religion", for none of these features are in and of themselves counter to goodness and harmony (assuming the judicial and political systems foster peace, the "organized" prayers facilitate positive contribution, if only santifying community as a unit, and polygamy be voluntary for all involved).

Religion is a faith-based belief system.
Attacking a faith-based belief system because it is too comprehensive in it's coverage (judicial, political etc), impersonal in it's practice, or unconventional in it's allowances (polygamy), are not grounds to challenge its classification as such.

The one challenge that reverberated as just, and touched on the core issue was:
Islam's institutional corrosion of basic human values of goodness and morality.

This is one feature that fundamentally sets Islam far apart from Judaism. To elucidate this one need only study the fruits of Judaism compared to the fruits of Islam.
To see the fruits of Islam, the subject at-hand, one need only visit thereligionofpeace.com to see what the insitution of Islam produces.
While the fruits of Judaism on the other hand, to quote the most comprehensive codification of Jewish Law by Maimonides (afaik 12th century Biblical Scholar, Philospher, Astronomer, world-class Physician) "The Torah (Hebrew bible) did not come but to bring peace/harmony to the world", and this is not simply an empty claim but is supported by the evidence, to quote John Adams (organizer of the social revolution of the USA, first Vice President and second President) "The Hebrews have contributed more to the civilizing of humanity than any other people", this does not begin to touch on the advancements in all fields that the Jews have consistently contributed surpassing other societies per capita (their being.02% of the world population), and all this only the tip of the iceberg, for in Jewish communities violent crime has always been near to nonexistent, and if not for Judaism it could be reasoned that the majority of society could still be savage pagans.

The above demonstrates that the periphery arguments are wasteful, for after all is said and done, what really counts the most is not the details (Judaism definitely has many details that some lesser minds take issue with) but the contribution the institution (be it Islam, Judaism or any other) makes to the lives of its adherents as well as to society as a whole, and to the furtherance of goodness and morality in particular (this however possibly bringing faithless secularism under attack too).

In this regard, despite that many of the charges cited against Islam apply to other religions as well, Judaism in particular, it is all irrelevant in the context of this piece were the institution to further goodness and morality, which obviously we can all agree Islam does the opposite of.


All the above said, it is worthwhile to point out, that Christianity was initiated by a Jew, and it's initial adherents were exclusively Jews, and while it has since to an extent greatly moralized a previously savage pagan general population, it was hijacked and polluted by "the church" for strictly political benefit, and furthermore, was easily nearly as savage as it's pagan predecessors until JUDEO-MASONIC (non-christian, but masonic, note: masons take an oath to masonry above "religion", masonry being an agency of Jewish authority for both Jews and non-jews) influence reigned-in the church's reign of institutional theivery, death, destruction, perversion of wisdom and knowledge, and persecution of it's progenitors, the witnesses of G-d, the very family of the founder of their own "religion", the Jews. This said, based on the cheif gauge of assessment as to whether an institution be deserving of the title religion, that it further morality and goodness, until Judeo-Masonic influence reigned-in "the church" Christianity would be as guilty of corruption of society as Islam is today (within the bounds of their pre-modern terrorizing resources), and it would be foolishly arrogant for Christians to assume that things would be any different had the Jews not had the superpowers (see above) afforded them by their following of Torah (Hebrew bible) to affect such great change, despite all odds. Furthermore, this also demonstrates that Christianity in its own right is not better in this regard than Islam, even that it has been reigned in, for as demonstrated during it's free reign, Christianity is no contributor to goodness and morality in it's own right, but only when subordinated to Judeo-Masonic law.

I might further point out, that according to the Abrahamic code of faith, while both Christianity and Islam may be poisonous trees (which can be reigned in, Islam included, just as Christianity has been) Christianity (in particular the father of organized/modern Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church) is the form of faith that would be more likely considered idolatrous, fundamentally false, and inherently forbidden.

This is not only a fact based on the faith held by Abraham, but even according to Jewish law, it would be permissible to pray in a Islamic Mosque (were one's life not threatened upon entry, hehe), but not a Christian Church under any circumstances.

I might remind  people that Judeo-Masonic ideals initially garnered a foothold in only a couple societies, only later expanding into other Christianized societies.

In the post-modern world both Chritian and Islam will be absorbed by the Natural biblical universal code of morality for all people, predating even Abraham.

"And All the world will fill with the knowledge of G-d like waters covers the sea."

-Good tidings.

Absolutely the best description of Islam I have ever heard. Everything you said is spot on.

I think we should do away with all religions because they turn humans into SHEEPEOPLE.  I don't think you need religion or(the fear of god) to build a moral society where humans can live in harmony and respect each others right to equality and diversity!  Laws have replaced the that role religions once served.

Hello everyone,

I do not want start a long debate, but I find this very biased and proper research hasn't been done.

For example, you are confusing prayer with worship. Many muslims common do that same mistake, but note that it is different.

Muslim will worship god 5 times a day that puts the believer in a meditative state.

A muslim has to pray directly to god whenever, wherever he want, without using a proxy (ex: a priest) to reach him.

Please do a proper research and stop the spread of misinformation. 

I would put more information here, but I can't since I myself am a begginer to Islam, and I only share what i know for certain.

Thank you

 You are damn right : Islam should be dismissed as a religion in the same way Pluto is dismissed by many as a planet : it is not a thing of the other world, but of the underworld.  Many uttely capitalistic ventures such as Scientology take the guise of religion to escape fiscal duties and pursuits.  Scientology may be a religion as per the American corporative law, but no serious inter-faith conference would invite Scientology as a full-status speaker.  Islam is a criminal organization using the pretext of religion to escape pursuits.  If Islam is a religion, the Nazi party has even more rights to be one, for it is less materialistic actually and more spiritual even though it is a satanic spirituality, as for instance is the OTO.  Islam is actually more materialist in philosophical outlook than the Communist parties used to be, and more materialistic in its ambitions than the Sicilian Cosa Nostra or most American Multinational Corporations.  

I hope it's not too late to comment at this stage.

Of all the millions of words on this topic over the Net, finally something that's clear, concise, logical, relevant, factual, and informative.

This document should be mandatory reading/discussion in all schools of the Western World, along with reading of relevant passages from the Quran. Of course, this would give the Marxist self-styled intellectuals a fatal case of apoplexy, because they wouldn't be able to logically refute the arguments presented, and would have to resort to their usual bag of dirty tricks to confuse and obfuscate.

Thank you Rebecca for writing this excellent piece.  Maybe it will open some eyes.

Pinch

Hi Rebecca,

Finally, an article that looked smartly-written from a Muslim-hater but with many flaws. I couldnt be bothered reading the whole article as its an obvious ground-less and proof-less article. However, i did pick up two points which i shall address. You say that there is nothing intimate about our prayers and that everything is routined. 

My argument? Simple. Confessing your sins to a priest is intimate? Confessing your sins to a priest proves that you have a direct link with your Creator? Singing the same Ava Maria or whatever non-sensical hymms that you sing at your church gatherings are not routined? Saying your 'O Father thou art in heaven...give us our daily bread...thy kingdom come...whatever' is not routined?

If we Muslims seek for forgiveness, we seek directly from Him directly. If week assistance or provisions or anything, we raised oour hands in supplications and we seek it from Him directly. We do not go to an imam or priest or anyone. We have a direct link with our maker. I do not know which school did you learn English from, but to me thats more intimate then confessing to a priest, who probably after the confession, goes on to rape an altar boy.

What you are referring to as routine is our 'salah' which is indeed routined and performed in congregational. This is something we are prescribed to do because unlike Christianity, Islam is not a once a week religion nor is it a Sunday only religion. God asked us to do that so that we are in constant remembrance of him and that we take time out of our busy schedule to remember Him. And although the salah is performed in congregational, we are pretty much on our own, i.e. we recite things on our own. We just follow a leader and join together with other muslim brothers. Its purpose is to bring the 'ummah' together. That is why no other religion can beat the strength of the Muslim brotherhood. After the salah, we raised our hands individually and make our own supplications to Him as per our own individual needs.

I am sorry i dont have the time to read the whole article. There would have been more points that i could have made to prove you the fool. 

Thanks.

Fazil

PS: **Your comments must be approved before they appear on the site. <<< I dare you to approve this. If not, it goes to show that your article is fraudelent.