SCHENECTADY Event seeks to dispel myths about Islam BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Like many Americans, Jamil Ahmed watched in horror as the World Trade Center disaster unfolded. A Muslim immigrant from Pakistan, he was driving a cab in Manhattan during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. And like many others of his faith, he feared there would be a backlash against his religion. “I was afraid to go to the mosque on Friday for prayer,” he recalled. But to his amazement, he found New Yorkers buying up copies of the Quran and studying the religion. Instead of fi nding prejudice, he found people with a curiosity about the principles of Islam. That doesn’t mean there aren’t people who misconstrue the ideals of the religion, which is why the Muslims of the Capital Region hosted the second annual Islam Awareness Day. This year, about 100 Muslims gathered at the pavilion in Central Park to give the community a sense of what they say is their religion’s true meaning: peace and harmony. Organizers estimated more than 100 non-Muslims attended the fourhour event, which featured speakers and traditional foods originating from nations with large Muslim populations. Free helpings of biryani, dodo and kabob were served, while all who attended were offered copies of the Quran in English. Musodiq Bello, a Nigerian national now living Niskayuna, said spreading awareness of Islam is crucial in this day and age. He said misinformation continues to proliferate about the Muslim community and its tenets. “It’s our duty to share with our neighbors what we truly believe,” he said. Bello said the goal of the awareness day is to dispel some of the myths propagated through the media. For instance, he said, there’s a constant misconception that the Quran suggests woman are inferior to men, an assertion that he said is simply untrue. “There are a lot of people that can see through these misconceptions,” he said. “All people need to do is pick up a copy of the Quran and read.” ..................>>>>...................>>>>.....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00701&AppName=1
I am already aware of how violent the whole ideology of domination and mass murder is.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Too bad more don't know what they really believe. Women can't even drive in Saudi Arabia. No churches or temples are allowed. And don't let them catch a female talking to some man that is not a relative.
There is a reason there is a sword on the Saudi flag-and it ain't about peace or coexistence. But the delusional will be out in force for the free pita.
It's true that SOME Islamic countries use their region to subjugate women, in others women are about as free as men.
It's strange that Conservatives use the subjugation of Muslim women as an excuse when it fits their needs, yet in others they are blind to it.
Saudi has strict Islamic rules on women...(Bush didn't invade Saudi Arabia even though the WTC terrorists had ties to Saudi) But other countries had almost NO Islamic restrictions on women (Like Iraq under Saddam, women could drive, hold public office, vote, work in most jobs that men can... But Bush invaded Iraq??? Go figure)
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
It's sad to think there even needs to be an entire day dedicated to how 'non-violent' and 'peace loving' a religion is!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
It's strange that Conservatives use the subjugation of Muslim women as an excuse when it fits their needs, yet in others they are blind to it.
What is more amazing is, how liberals ignore the Islamic doctrine that teaches the subjugation of women when it fits their needs. N.O.W. would rather bash GWB than fight for women’s rights denied under Islamic Law. Party first, principles second.
What is more amazing is, how liberals ignore the Islamic doctrine that teaches the subjugation of women when it fits their needs. .
The Right uses Islam to push their own agenda. When has the Right ever cared about women or women's rights? It took a hundred years to pass Roe V Wade against objections of the Right.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Right wingers will quote the Quran to show the 'evils' of the Islamic faith... but they seem to ignore similar quotes in the Christian faith. If I were a Muslim, I could post about Christianity subjugating women based on their holy book... the bible:
The Christian Bible is inspired by God and everything in the Bible is true for all time and must be taken literally. So: 1. In the Bible's book of Deuteronomy it says that if a man marries a woman and then decides that he hates her, he can claim she wasn't a virgin when they married. At that point her father must prove she was a virgin. (How is not explained.) If he can't, then the girl is to be stoned to death at her father's doorstep.
2. If you see a pretty woman among your captives and would like her for a wife, then bring her home and "go in unto her." Later, if you decide you don't like her, you can simply "let her go." (Deuteronomy)
3. If a betrothed virgin is raped in the city and doesn't cry out loud enough, then "the men of the city shall stone her to death." (Deuteronomy)
4. In the book of Esther the king apparently decrees a sex contest among young virgin women to see who can best please him. (There is debate on how.) He eventually chooses Esther. However, since women are viewed as inherently dirty, Esther must be "purified" for twelve months before she can be made queen. (Esther)
5. Paul points out in New Testament Romans that "the natural use" of women is to provide men with sex. (Romans)
6. Heaven is to be inhabited by 144,000 virgin men who have not been "defiled" by women. (RE 14:1-4) [One wonders how this squares with God's command to, "Be fruitful and multiply...(Genesis )]
7. A group of sexual depraved men beat on the door of an old man's house demanding that he turn over to them a male house guest. Instead, the old man offers his virgin daughter and his guest's wife: "Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine (wife); let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do with them what seems good to you; but against this man do not do so vile a thing." The women were subsequently ravished and killed. (JG)
8. In Exod. we see that it is permissible to sell one's daughter (but apparently not one's son) into slavery.
9. According to St. Jerome, "Nothing is so unclean as a woman in her periods; what she touches she causes to be unclean." In Leviticus it states, "If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days...if she bears a female child she shall be unclean two weeks...."
10. "A woman dropped a stone on his head and cracked his skull. Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, 'Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can't say a woman killed me.' So his servant ran him through, and he died." (Judges)
11. Under God's direction, Moses' army kills all the adult males, but they mercifully just take the women and children captive. When Moses learns that they left some women and children alive, he angrily says: "Kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him." Throughout Bible history God is said to demand that thousands, if not millions, of men, women and children be slaughtered. And they are.
12. A man has an obligation to produce a child with his brother's widow. If he refuses, his sister-in-law is to spit in his face in front of the elders. (Deuteronomy 25:5-9) And in case you are Jewish, you may be familiar with the Jewish prayer: "Blessed be the God who has not created me a heathen, a slave or a woman."
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Very good examples Box of outdated Bible verses that aren't taken literally in 2010. Good thing not one Western country enforces these archaic Bible passages with government force. Christianity went through a reformation, and progressed with the changing times. Sacred Mother Mary is revered and worshiped in the Catholic Church. But you being the good liberal would spend your time railing against Christians and championing for Muslims. You just can't help yourself.
Quoted Text
Top ten reasons why sharia is bad for all societies
10. Islam commands that drinkers and gamblers should be whipped.
9. Islam allows husbands to hit their wives even if the husbands merely fear highhandedness in their wives.
8. Islam allows an injured plaintiff to exact legal revenge—physical eye for physical eye.
7. Islam commands that a male and female thief must have a hand cut off.
6. Islam commands that highway robbers should be crucified or mutilated.
5. Islam commands that homosexuals must be executed.
4. Islam orders unmarried fornicators to be whipped and adulterers to be stoned to death.
3. Islam orders death for Muslim and possible death for non—Muslim critics of Muhammad and the Quran and even sharia itself.
2. Islam orders apostates to be killed.
1. Islam commands offensive and aggressive and unjust jihad.
The Right uses Islam to push their own agenda. When has the Right ever cared about women or women's rights? It took a hundred years to pass Roe V Wade against objections of the Right.
Yes, the Right was hung up on that whole killing the unborn baby thing. Ohhh those evil do gooders.
You have an endless supply of straw man arguments don't you?
To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. - Saint Thomas Aquinas
Thank You MT, That phrase would appear to apply to many religions.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
"The Christian Bible is inspired by God and everything in the Bible is true for all time and must be taken literally."
Some Christians take the bible literally just as some Muslims take the Quran literally. Both are considered Fundamentalists, and both are extremists.
Christian Conservatives pick and choose which bible phrases to believe and which ones to ignore. (IGNORED: The part of the bible that clearly states "life begins when a human takes it's first breath".) (BELIEVED: The earth was made in 7 days and is only a few thousand years old)
They condemn Islam for extremists quotes, then ignore similar quotes from their own bible. HYPOCRITES!
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The general rule of biblical interpretation is that a passage should be interpreted literally unless there is some reason in the context we should interpret it otherwise. For example, when Jesus says, “Take My yolk upon you” (Matt. 11:29), He does not literally mean to place a wooden harness made for oxen upon our shoulders. The context provides the cues for properly understanding the passage.
Other passages are clearly meant to be taken literally. For instance, Jesus says in Mark 16:16:
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
There is nothing in the surrounding context of this passage to encourage a metaphorical interpretation. Instead, Jesus is plainly stating the terms of salvation. It is a direct command, no metaphorical figures being presented.
All written works contain some amount of information which is not to be taken literally. To say “none” of the Bible is to be taken literally is very inaccurate. To say that “all” of the Bible should be taken literally is also inaccurate. But the careful student will be able to discern between the literal and the non-literal passages in scriptures through diligent study.
The Bible should be taken literally. However, there are times when a section of Scripture is meant to be taken symbolically. The context of each section of Scripture reveals how we should interpret it. Let's look at some examples.
Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:7-9 NKJ)
We know that Jesus isn't a literal door. Symbolically, He is like a door. We know from other Scriptures that men can't enter into Heaven unless they go through Jesus.
Notice this account:
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matt. 7:7-8 NKJ)
This section of Scripture is meant to be taken literally. The Bible states that we will receive from God what we ask. It gives us an example of an earthly father giving his children what they request.
Logged
Too bad more don't know what they really believe. Women can't even drive in Saudi Arabia. No churches or temples are allowed. And don't let them catch a female talking to some man that is not a relative. 
