This thread has obviously started to lose some seriousness, and if you can't tell I was kidding when I said "now your getting it", you need to get used to sarcasm. I'm not saying your friend is a "gay-hater, terrorist, etc." but, if your friend strictly followed what the Kuran says, then he would have a hatrid for homosexuals. And the terrorists of 9/11 didn't attack just because they were Muslim, but as a result of the hatrid they felt against other kinds of people. Recent events have just weakened my patience for Muslim society.
Any portion of "religious work" is open to "interpretation". It is this interpretation which keeps the religion afloat, and creates the foundation of a "belief system". The Christian Bible may or may not have references which cite all homosexuals will go to Hell. Until I at least have an exact reference from the Kuran, I will remain skeptical.
Furthermore, saying all Muslims are vicious savages is a gross oversight of the problem. Yes, it is within the Islamic or Middle Eastren belief that if you die victorious, you will awaken in the hands of 100 virgins (or so). This has been in many religions, including...dah-dah-dah...CHRISTIANITY!
Ok, back to being serious. Ever heard of the "Chaos Theory"? There is a certain chain of events which created the world we live in today. There is a reason most (if not all) of the Middle East are littered with what we call a"Third World country". These are countries which, for whatever
reason(s), have not yet developed to the level of Europe, America, Japan, etc. But it could have just as easily been Muslims as the primary religion of the Industrialized world (God aside). Just because Christanity is more widely accepted doesn't mean their religion is inferior. Winning at a game of chance only proves you're lucky. If you believe God favoured you, then how does that make you any better then those you bias against?
Most (if not all) of the Middle East exists in something like an Arabic Dark Ages. We cannot blame them for that - in fact, it was mostly the imperialism of the countries who eventually became industrialized which caused their stunted growth! Think if Europe had the same stunted growth - the Pope would be declaring the Industrialized countries as "evil" (he already doesn't a like a lot of technology) and order their destruction by the hands of the Crusaders. Instead of hating the people of the Middle East and keep labeling them as an "evil religion", we should be forgive their behavior as something like an act of nature, and seek to enlighten them on a social level.
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