Originally posted by Johnv:
First, a Muslim is supposed to accept scriptures as the word of God:
[God] gave the Scriptures to the Israelites and bestowed on them wisdom and prophethood.... Therefore, call men to the true faith... saying "I believe in all the scriptures that God has revealed."
Most of what you have posted is in theory only, not in practice; some of it not even in belief. For example this one, especially. Muslims believe that not even one verse of the Bible has remained true or unchanged from its original. It all has been corrupted. The only part of the Bible that is accurate is contained within the Quran. So, even thought they say they believe the Scriptures, or parts of them, they really don't, only that which is contained in the Quran.
Muslims are to practice what we know as the Golden Rule (do unto others, etc) :
Requite evil with good and he who is your enemy will become your dearest friend. Only by enduring with fortitude can this be done.
Only in theory. In reality Islam is a religion of vengeance. The golden rule is actually twisted to mean if you do evil to mean expect evil right back. It is a rule of vengeance. Their god, Allah is a vindictive god, himself. It is in the nature of their religion to be vengeful.
Christians and Jews are to be treated respectfully:
Be courteous in your debates with the People of the Book [Bible], except with those among them who do evil. Say: "We believe in that which is revealed to us and which was revealed to you. For God is one God."
"Except with those who do evil," is very subjective. If I preach John 14:6, "Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life; no man comes unto the Father but by me," that is slander on the name of Muhammed (although indirectly), for Mohammed is the way to Heaven. It is evil to preach Christianity; it is especially evil to preach about the trinity, or that God had a Son. In many Islamic countries it is against the law to try to convert a Muslim; and it is against the law for a Muslim to convert to Christ.
Here's one that sounds familiar:
In the Torah God decreed a life for a life, an eye for an eye... But if a man charitably forbears from retaliation, his remission shall atone for him.
Theory only; not practiced.
To those who have received the Scriptures and to the Gentiles it can be asked, "Have you given yourself to God? ...if they give no heed, then one's only duty is to warn them.
To which God? Have you given yourself to Allah? No Christian in their right mind would ever give themselves to Allah. Then warn them. Next step is kill them.
A Muslim who follows the Koran properly is to ascribe peace, not violence:
If anyone strikes down a person... it would be as if he struck down the whole people. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.
No doubt this was part of the civil law that Mohammed instituted among his own people when he was trying to keep peace among his own people. People do not follow the Koran today, so it is largely not applicable.
If two parties of believers (generally, Christians, Jews, or Muslims) take up arms the one against the other, make peace between them. If either of them commits aggression against the other, fight against the aggressors till they submit to God's judgment. When they submit make peace between them in equity and justice, for God loves those who act in justice.
This could be construed as an excuse to make war. If two parties are arguing with each other, and they don't make peace with each other, then the Muslims should step in and with force make peace. "Fight against the aggressors." What do you think Saddam Hussein is telling the Islamic world today?
The believers are a band of brothers. Make peace among your brothers and fear God, so that you may be shown mercy.
No doubt there is an element of unity among many of the Muslims, but not all of them. But they will unite to fight the infidel.
Do not allow your hatred for other men to turn you away from justice.
That depends what is meant by "justice." Was it justice in the minds of the Muslim to crash those planes into the WTC towers? Many think so.
Also, the Quran teaches that religious conversion should be neither forced, nor coerced, sayng there shall be no compulsion in religion. A Muslim is also to let he who wishes to [follow Islam] do so and let he who wishes to follow elsewhere] do so.
This is false, however. There are many forced conversions, and have been throughout history. It was the practice of Mohammed and his followers to conquer by the sword. Convert or die.
DHK
