Islam: In Need of a Reformation

[rjamortega]

Here are two Prager articles that got me to thinking about what must be missing in the Islamic religion. My goal is not to speak of specifics in the articles, but to see what you think of my call for an Islamic reformation. Both Christianity and Judaism have gone through such revision.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/dennisprager/dp20021105.shtml

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/dennisprager/dp20040406.shtml

[cpwill]

purty much.

[Redratio1]

I agree, they started later than the other monotheistic religions, and thus have had less time for self reflection. Basically they are where the western world was 600 years ago.

[cpwill]

they'd better speed up development, then; i don't know if they could last another 3 centuries this way.

[Pet Shop Bunny]

Having read the first article, it's made up of 50% pure lies, 40 conjecture, and 10% exaggeration. Really, the author is absolutely clueless.
And let's not forget where Christianity was 600 years ago - I believe you still had the Crusades to come, right?

[Pet Shop Bunny]

I can't finish reading that second article. I was laughing too hard at the similarities between him and Robert Kilroy-Silk and their low-educated-highly-isolated opinions on something they understand not at all.

[mataj]

. . .
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/dennisprager/dp20040406.shtml
Title asks "Why no Christian suicide bombers?"

Hmmmm... Why exactly suicide bombers? What about plain, ordinary, non-suicidal bombers?

[Zephyr]

I believe that any reformation can be a good thing. I, as a muslim mind you, think that it could be a good idea, assuming that by reformation you mean isolation and destruction of the more violent groups. The groups around where I live seem just as reformed as any Christian sect in the area.

[Redratio1]

And let's not forget where Christianity was 600 years ago - I believe you still had the Crusades to come, right?

Doesn't that make my point exactly?

[eugene40]

Title asks "Why no Christian suicide bombers?"

Hmmmm... Why exactly suicide bombers? What about plain, ordinary, non-suicidal bombers?


Christians had the Crusades,,,,, same mentality of suicide bombers,,, different era and different weapons.... but they still marched toward their death thinking their cause was righteous and they would be rewarded in the afterlife....

[cpwill]

not exactly same mentality; but comparable. don't forget; the crusades weren't exactly an attack so much as part of an ongoing series of wars.

anywho, that being said; yes; islam needs to have it's reformation and learn those lessons which we learned the hard way: the dangers of killing to install one's religion in government, and the importance of some degree of acceptance. the problem is, christianity adopts much more easily than islam to being in a non-governmental position.

[lord tammerlain]

Comparing christian nations to most muslims nations today you only have to look back only 80- 90 years. Treatment of minorities, women, the disregard for human life all were aspects of Europe and North America during the begining of the 1900's. Only with the strong growth in the middle classes did these traits diminish in Western society. Should the muslim world develop a strong middle class and the fundamentalist Islam will diminish as the possiblity of a better real world becomes stronger.

[Simba]

Comparing christian nations to most muslims nations today you only have to look back only 80- 90 years. Treatment of minorities, women, the disregard for human life all were aspects of Europe and North America during the begining of the 1900's. Only with the strong growth in the middle classes did these traits diminish in Western society. Should the muslim world develop a strong middle class and the fundamentalist Islam will diminish as the possiblity of a better real world becomes stronger.

Outstanding. You are absolutely right. How wonderful people of faith took this measure to heart and made the changes that allow my daughters to live with so much more opportunity.

Now, to extend this to all. A reformation is very long overdue in the Islamic religion and the middle eastern countries in general. It will come only with encouragment and much change in current attitudes as exist there presently. Veil, beating wives, having multiple wives, and selling children are ways of a long distant past. They can do better.

[lord tammerlain]

The change though has to come from within the Arabic/muslim society, except of course for the growth in their economic conditions which will be the starting point for any change. As peoples economic lives become better in general they become less fundamentalist in nature more liberal. As their economic conditions change for the worse fundamentalism or radicalism comes to the forefront. Seen by Nazi Germany, and the growth in both the communist party along with the growth in the Nazi party itself. Germany happened to fall to Nazism instead of communism.

One imporatant thing to look at for the ME is Iraq and even Syria. Iraq up untill the Gulf War 1 and Syria now are were propably the most secular of the arabic states. The growth in fundamentalist Islam in Iraq coinceded with the worsening of the socio-economic conditions for the population (excluding kurds of course). As the education and health system in Iraq crumbled the number of people who turned to Islam as a substitute grew. This is also seen in Saudi Arabia as the socio-economic conditions for the large percentage of the population has decreased over the last 20 years, without changing that the growth in Islamic terrorism will continue