The Religion Discussion

[MG Man]

AdamB do you deny that for decades, muslims in pakistan used to cross the border into india to rape women witht he goal of impregnating the hindu infidels with muslim seed?

[AdamB]

AdamB do you deny that for decades, muslims in pakistan used to cross the border into india to rape women witht he goal of impregnating the hindu infidels with muslim seed?

I DO DENY!! Bring your evidence, the burden of proof is upon you.
Even if some did that, it may have been the exception NOT THE RULE. Just like there may be hypocrites in Hway mosque, there may have been those who were on the muslim side but "in their hearts there were a disease".

CERTAINLY WHAT YOU ACCUSE IS NOT THE MUSLIM WAY!! Those who know Islam would know this.

[MG Man]

ok fin, but answer me this...........why is the word of god as ascribed in his holy book (any religion, not islam alone) so easy to twist, interpret, misinterpret to suit the motives of different people?
Furthermore, not everyone has the same capacity for learning, comprehension, reasoning etc, yet they are all expected to read the same book(s) and arrive at the same conclusions..........human diversity makes this impossible...........hence all holy books are fundamentally flawed..........so either god shuffled his feet, or it's all man made

[AdamB]

ok fin, but answer me this...........why is the word of god as ascribed in his holy book (any religion, not islam alone) so easy to twist, interpret, misinterpret to suit the motives of different people?
Furthermore, not everyone has the same capacity for learning, comprehension, reasoning etc, yet they are all expected to read the same book(s) and arrive at the same conclusions..........human diversity makes this impossible...........hence all holy books are fundamentally flawed..........so either god shuffled his feet, or it's all man made

What you have stated is the reason for revelation of the Quran, the reason why the Quran supersedes all previously revealed books, the reason why they are now null and void.
Do you expect Dookeran to show up in the morning in the office of Minister of Finance? No, you follow the LAST MEMO!!

[Dizzy28]

^^Suddenly you ask for burden of proof.
And all this time you been pointing to a book as the source of your religion with no proof that the book is not the imagination of some wandering desert nomad who decided one day to play a cruel trick on humanity.

[AdamB]

It's your choice to disbelieve in GOD and His Book. No scene.
But you try to find someone who wasn't taught / can't read and write, who did not know any history of any other book, who can come up with a trick like the Quran and be able to memorize it.

You are guaranteed to become DIZZY!!!

[Dizzy28]

It's your choice to disbelieve in GOD and His Book. No scene.
But you try to find someone who wasn't taught / can't read and write, who did not know any history of any other book, who can come up with a trick like the Quran and be able to memorize it.

You are guaranteed to become DIZZY!!!

I don't disbelieve in GOD. I disbelieve in Allah as the only form of GOD and the Quran as the source of knowledge and prescription of life.

[MG Man]

ok fin, but answer me this...........why is the word of god as ascribed in his holy book (any religion, not islam alone) so easy to twist, interpret, misinterpret to suit the motives of different people?
Furthermore, not everyone has the same capacity for learning, comprehension, reasoning etc, yet they are all expected to read the same book(s) and arrive at the same conclusions..........human diversity makes this impossible...........hence all holy books are fundamentally flawed..........so either god shuffled his feet, or it's all man made

What you have stated is the reason for revelation of the Quran, the reason why the Quran supersedes all previously revealed books, the reason why they are now null and void.
Do you expect Dookeran to show up in the morning in the office of Minister of Finance? No, you follow the LAST MEMO!!

Dude you do realize your book was included in my comment right?

[AdamB]

Dizzy,
Do you believe there is more than 1 god? If not, then you believe in Allah as the Only One True GOD who is worshipped out of Love, Magnification and Longing. The same and Only One True Creator and Sustainer of everything that exists, including life and death and good and evil.
Don't let your hate for muslims affect your judgment of the fact that the Arabic word ALLAH means the same as the english word GOD. So NOT a god but THE GOD.
Polytheists use the word ALLAH as the MAIN God.

Allah loves that you are so meticulous to search for Him. Seek Him sincerely and you will discover Him, in all His Perfect Glory!

[AdamB]

MG,
Don't you realize that if you took the time to read the Quran, you would see that it is the most straightforward of all the scriptures. So twisting, interpreting and misinterpreting would only occur if ppl intentionally want to follow their evil desires into misguidance.

[MG Man]

And human diversity and varying mental capacities have nothing to do with it?

[stickman]

MG,
Don't you realize that if you took the time to read the Quran, you would see that it is the most straightforward of all the scriptures. So twisting, interpreting and misinterpreting would only occur if ppl intentionally want to follow their evil desires into misguidance.

He would also see that it is filled with inconsistencies, contradictions and moral issues.

[AdamB]

MG,
Don't you realize that if you took the time to read the Quran, you would see that it is the most straightforward of all the scriptures. So twisting, interpreting and misinterpreting would only occur if ppl intentionally want to follow their evil desires into misguidance.

He would also see that it is filled with inconsistencies, contradictions and moral issues.

The diseases of disbelief and hypocrisy renders the person unable to see and hear the right guidance, thereby it is unable to penetrate into the heart, the place where faith settles.

So, I say open your mind and your heart and be unbiased. Listen to the call, not the caller (if you issues with me or anyone else). Almighty Allah DRAWS NEAR to those who seeks Him with purity of heart. Walk to Him and He will RUN to you.

As quoted by Daran on the last page:
Quran Chapter 2: (Noble Quran - Muhsin Khan translation)
2 Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe.

7 Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allah's Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment.

8 And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: "We believe in Allah and the Last Day" while in fact they believe not.

9 They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not!
10 In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies.

[Daran]

MG,
Don't you realize that if you took the time to read the Quran, you would see that it is the most straightforward of all the scriptures. So twisting, interpreting and misinterpreting would only occur if ppl intentionally want to follow their evil desires into misguidance.

Surely you can't be serious.

If it was so straight forward why are Radical Muslims use it to justify evil actions? i.e. killing of innocents. Clearly if it was so straight forward and a true religion of peace, then there would no question that killing innocents is WRONG. Yet a great portion of muslims support these atrocities.

[AdamB]

MG,
Don't you realize that if you took the time to read the Quran, you would see that it is the most straightforward of all the scriptures. So twisting, interpreting and misinterpreting would only occur if ppl intentionally want to follow their evil desires into misguidance.

Surely you can't be serious.

If it was so straight forward why are Radical Muslims use it to justify evil actions? i.e. killing of innocents. Clearly if it was so straight forward and a true religion of peace, then there would no question that killing innocents is WRONG. Yet a great portion of muslims support these atrocities.

I have stated before that there are those who deviate beyond limits, not correctly representing Islam.

I have posted before the correct view of violence in Islam. We only fight (IN WAR) those who fight against us. That's war, our standards are better that the Geneva convention!!

Does the Islamic (Shariah) law condone killing innocents! Emphatically NO!!!

So please don't judge Islam by what some deviants have done from their misguided desires.

Bring your evidence "that a great portion of muslims support these atrocities".

What has the FREE WEST done about those who break the rules set by international agreement?? Answer me that, please??

[Daran]

AdamB,

Why would Allah torment me for eternity for simply not believing in his message? I'm otherwise a moral and charitable person.

[Dizzy28]

AdamB,

Why would Allah torment me for eternity for simply not believing in his message? I'm otherwise a moral and charitable person.

Will I be tormented twice?.....I have accepted neither Islam nor Christianity so do I suffer hell/purgatory for not accepting Christ or will Fire be my destiny (Qur'an 11:17)?

[AdamB]

Dizzy,
Do you get paid twice at the end of the month?
Similarly Allah is not unjust to any of His creatures.
Bad deeds remain as they are (unit/one). Good deeds are multiplied ten fold. If you intend to to a good deed and don't do it, the reward is one good deed. If you intend a bad deed but don't do it, the reward is also one good deed.
SO MERCIFUL IS ALLAH TO HIS CREATION!!

[AdamB]

Daran,
Is not believing in Allah a SIMPLE MATTER?

What is it that makes you moral or charitable?

Since Allah and morality are both Unseen, why do you disbelieve in the former and believe in the latter?

[Dizzy28]

Dizzy,
Do you get paid twice at the end of the month?
Similarly Allah is not unjust to any of His creatures.
Bad deeds remain as they are (unit/one). Good deeds are multiplied ten fold. If you intend to to a good deed and don't do it, the reward is one good deed. If you intend a bad deed but don't do it, the reward is also one good deed.
SO MERCIFUL IS ALLAH TO HIS CREATION!!

Living a good life - doing good, being good does not depend on Religion. Seems unfair to punish someone who lived better than religious people just for not believing in a God.

[AdamB]

Daran,
Is not believing in Allah a SIMPLE MATTER?

What is it that makes you moral or charitable?

Since Allah and morality is Unseen, why do you disbelieve in the former and believe in the latter?

Furthermore, moral and charitable acts are deeds of righteousness, aka WORSHIP, to those of us who believe in GOD according to what GOD has informed us.

So you have to ask yourself:

What is it that makes these acts acceptable to GOD?

Can it be done directly to HIM?

Do we need an intersessor to beseech HIM on our behalf?

[bluefete]

AdamB,

Firstly, you're wrong about homosexuality not existing in animals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals

Secondly, has it ever occurred to you that these people are born with no sexual attraction to the opposite sex? Why would Allah make people this way?

Thirdly, you must really be daft to compare homosexuality stats in muslim countries vs western countries.

You think any gay person is going to openly admit to being gay in those countries? Self preservation man.

Even in the western world where they don't face death, so many people stay in the closet for fear of coming out.

It is very interesting to note what scientists consider to be homosexual behaviour in animals. I remember the late Professor Julien Kenny making this argument (see below) shortly before his death. Then as now, I am totally unconvinced by the scientific argument.

It seems that scientists are trying to justify this behaviour in the animal kingdom as an excuse for homosexuality and lesbianism in the human kingdom.

God did NOT make people into homosexuals or lesbians. Those are choices (especially of sexual behaviour) that people have made for themselves. Those choices have attendant consequences!!!


On sexual orientation
By Julian Kenny

Story Created: Oct 18, 2010 at 9:39 PM ECT


Part I

It may disturb some and it may even shock many. Homosexuality, bisexuality and asexuality have in the past few years been recorded in a wide variety of animals in the wild, particularly birds and mammals. Is it a matter of the animals' choices, or, a perfectly natural phenomenon? Many seem to look at the rest of life from a human perspective, very often failing to see the diversity of sexual reproduction and the diversity of ways in which it is manifested.

Perhaps it might be helpful to examine sex and sexual reproduction from the biological perspective of reproduction of both plants and animals. While life forms may reproduce themselves asexually, most forms reproduce sexually. What do the terms mean? The word "asexual'' simply means "without sex'', so that it is important to understand clearly the meaning of the term "sex'' in biology.

Classically the meaning of the word "sex'' is simply the sum of the diverse characteristics, structures or functions that enable one to determine that a plant or animal is either male or female. Of course there are many plants and animals in which it is often impossible by simple direct observation to determine gender. It is therefore necessary to look into the heart of sexual reproduction which is at the cellular level and a process that originated, or if you will, was created, over a billion years ago, and not at the diverse behaviours that are involved in facilitating the process. In a nutshell, sexual reproduction is about the union of male and female sex cells or gametes that are produced by two parents.

In most life forms the body cells are seen to have a discrete nucleus in which are the paired chromosomes that contain the DNA or genetic material contributed by both parents and are said to be diploid.

To compound the general picture is the phenomenon of polyploidy as may be seen in certain plants where chromosomes may be in multiples of the diploid state. In the production of the gametes the number of chromosomes is reduced by half. They are said to be the haploid state. In the process of the reduction of the number there may be a crossing over of fragments of individual chromosomes to form new combinations of DNA material from both parents.

In addition, as is well known in humans, there may be an unlike pair of sex chromosomes, the X and the Y chromosomes. Gametes may therefore have either an X or a Y chromosome and when the gametes fuse and the chromosomes become paired up, the combinations of these may be XX and XY, the former becoming a female and the latter a male. And just to confound us further the process of sex cell formation or gametogenesis abnormalities may develop with say an XYY or simple XO combinations of chromosomes. Also some genes may be carried only on one of the two sex chromosomes. The medical condition of haemophilia or bleeding is carried on the X chromosome, making females carriers and their male offspring victims.

There is much variability in the form of the gametes, some may be of similar shape and form, while others may be strikingly different. Some may be filled with nutrients for facilitating growth while others may be small and motile, being no more than small packets of DNA with some form of a tail for propulsion.

In sexual reproduction haploid chromosomes of the gametes recombine and restore the characteristic diploid state of a new cell or zygote that then grows into a new organism. Growth is of course not a sexual process for as cells divide and differentiate into different forms division of the cell nuclei is by a different process and the diploid state is maintained throughout life of that individual. This is all the way in passing to the equally important questions of maleness and femaleness.

In many animals and most plants it is quite impossible to determine maleness or femaleness in terms of physical structures or behaviours. Many plants, for example, do not display any difference in form between male and female principally because they are hermaphroditic, that is producing both male and female gametes from the same plant. Some, for example, like the common pumpkin, produces separate male and female flowers. Others like the paw paw, however, may produce separate male and female plants. In many primitive animals hermaphroditism is the norm while in many advanced animals the sexes are separate, often with marked differences in form, and some even abandon maleness and all are female.

Sexual reproduction ranges from a simple shedding of the gametes to the wind or waters, while in others there may be complex mechanisms that have evolved to enhance the possibilities of contact between gametes, the employment of pollinators in many plants, or the transfer of sperm in some form of physical contact.

• To be continued

• Julian Kenny is a biologist and natural history author. Heis a former UWI Professor of Zoology and

Independent senator




On sexual orientation
By Julian Kenny

Story Updated: Nov 1, 2010 at 10:51 PM ECT

Homosexual behaviour in the wild amongst higher vertebrate animals has been recorded in the literature for over 1,000 different species. Amongst birds a full range of homosexual behaviours has been recorded amongst as diverse groups of birds as gulls, ducks, swans, penguins and albatrosses. Note that these groups all display social grouping behaviour.

The behaviours range from simple courtship through pair bonding and even parenting, as has recently been reported in a pair of female albatrosses that actually incubated and raised offspring in the absence of a male, the eggs having been abandoned by the previous heterosexual pair.

Homosexual behaviour in mammals is also well documented in as diverse groups as lions, elephants, dolphins, sheep, giraffes, monkeys and apes, such as the bonomo and the chimp. Indeed the bonomo, a sort of pygmy chimpanzee and a separate species, demonstrates heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual behaviours even within a single social group, with individuals alternating their behaviours as circumstances change.

Again, as suggested above the phenomena of heterosexuality, bisexuality and homosexuality occur in both birds and mammals and clearly must be a natural phenomenon, from which it must be concluded that it must also be natural in man. To argue contrary to this conclusion is to argue that the human species is somehow separate genetically from its anthropoid relatives.

Given the different cultural, religious and legal attitudes toward homosexuality and bisexuality and to the variability of homosexual or bisexual relationships between individual pairs in human history, it is highly improbable that in the foreseeable future there will be universal acceptance of any but the conventional heterosexual relationship, especially given that the latter is the more common.

On the other hand it is highly likely that science will be able to determine the relative frequency of the phenomenon, and, in time, the genetic basis for such behaviour might be unravelled, as it has for other expressions of the human gene pool. Some studies suggest frequencies ranging from two per cent to ten per cent of studied groups in liberal western societies.

What may obtain in Islamic countries remains questionable, as simple self-preservation will certainly eliminate any possibility of admissions on the part of individuals of their sexual orientation even to detached scientific query. But given studies in more liberal countries and human genetics it is probably more than likely that there will be a similar percentage in all socially repressive systems.

Homosexuality and its emotional and physical manifestations have been known throughout human history; it is often condemned but also often accepted. The same may be said for bisexuality. But the strongest disapproval clearly comes from the monotheistic religions and the extreme sanctions prescribed in their "holy" books, sanctions that became entrenched in codes of law at times when religions held considerable political power.

In the evolution of the western democracies and the progressive codification of basic human rights the trend in the past century or so has been to decriminalise homosexual acts and to accept such persons as having the same civil rights as all other citizens. Today in many western democracies civil unions or even marriage between members of the same sex is widely accepted, although somewhat grudgingly by conservatives and fundamentalist Christians, and in some of the American states homosexual parentage either by adoption or by insemination is also accepted. Today also, open homosexuality is accepted as a norm in many countries. The upside of the change in attitude is a widely held perception that homosexual persons are often highly creative and productive in diverse fields.

We in Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed in the Anglophone Caribbean, continue to display a less-than-civilised attitude to the reality of the phenomenon of sexual orientation in humans. Sodomy continues to be on the statute books as a criminal offence. Given the obvious power of all religions in this small, fractured country with its accumulated baggage of 19th century English law and Victorian thinking it seems highly unlikely that change will come easily.

When, for example, we were debating the Equal Opportunities Bill in the Senate about a decade ago I seriously proposed amending the Bill to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. It met with snickering and laughing from the government side, the sort of reaction one expects of a first form schoolboy hearing his first risqué joke.

Today in our law it is permissible to discriminate against a citizen on the basis of his or her sexual orientation, although not on their ethnicity, race or religion. But back to the issue of human homosexuality. Is it a voluntarily adopted lifestyle, or is it a biological phenomenon?

To answer the question, simply ask another question. Does the science and practice of psychiatry accept homosexuality as a medical condition or disease? While that profession recognises a range of medical conditions that may be diagnosed objectively and scientifically as diseases the American Psychiatric Association was persuaded by scientific studies that homosexuality could not be so defined and removed it from their diagnostic manual.

Schizophrenia is a disease. Homosexuality is not.

• Concludes next week

• Julian Kenny is a biologist

and natural history author. He is a former UWI Professor of Zoology and Independent senator


On sexual orientation
By Julian Kenny

Story Created: Nov 8, 2010 at 11:45 PM ECT


Conclusion

Human homosexuality and bisexuality, historically, have been well documented parts of, and accepted by, established civilisations, as were polygamy and polyandry. Indeed, pederasty in ancient Greece was openly accepted by the public as the norm, with older men consorting with openly willing post-pubescent boys. There are even pictorial records of homosexuality in ancient Egypt. Homosexuality, however, has also been proscribed, with the most severe of sanctions in religious scripts from the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Qur'an.

There is no ambiguity about the message of the words of Leviticus 18:22 or Leviticus 20:13.

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination". "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Or Romans 1:26-27. "For this reason God gave them up to passions of dishonour; for even their females exchanged the natural use for that which is contrary to nature, and likewise also the males, having left the natural use of the female, were inflamed by their lust for one another, males with males, committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was fitting for their error."

Or Qur'an 7:80-84. "Do you commit such indecency in a way that no one has preceded you in the worlds? You approach men lustfully instead of women. Truly, you are a nation who exceed. The only answer of his nation was: 'Expel them from your village. They are people who keep themselves purified.' We saved him and all his family, except his wife, who was made to remain, and we rained down upon them a rain. So look how was the end of the evildoers."

Perhaps what must certainly be the ultimate in homophobia was the systematic murder of homosexuals by Hitler (raised a Catholic) and his Nazi psychopaths, greatly overshadowed by his murder of millions of Jews from throughout Europe. Even in our times right wing fundamentalist Christians in North America openly spout their venom about HIV and AIDS being a curse on people for homosexual behaviour while violence is rained down both verbally and physically in Jamaican "culture".

There are, however, some facts that simply cannot be denied. Homosexual behaviour amongst unrelated animals, especially birds and mammals, has been observed in the wild under natural conditions. Second, homosexuality has been known throughout recorded human history. Third, many homosexual and bisexual persons in western liberal democracies have made significant contributions to society.

One inevitable conclusion that may be drawn is simply that homosexuality and bisexuality are natural phenomenon of the manifestation or expression of human sexuality and, while less frequently occurring, must be as natural as heterosexuality.

There is, of course, the counter argument that it is unnatural — it is against nature and therefore the natural law — the sort of medieval thinking of Aquinas. This argument is noisily presented by religious groups, even by the odd born-again American televangelist who was having a bit of something on the side. Some religions have even softened the condemnation with accepting the reality of homosexuality — the sort of loving-the-sinner approach — but hating the act of sodomy. How do they justify celibacy when it would be equally unnatural not to behave naturally? To be celibate is to be biologically useless as potential genetic combinations are simply lost (at least officially). While some scientists and thinkers may be somewhat reluctant to extrapolate from animal behaviour to human behaviour, many must agree that although a clear genetic basis has not yet been proven differences in microanatomy of human brains suggests a possible physical link between hormones/brain wiring and sexual orientation.

In Trinidad and Tobago it is hardly likely that the society will progress much beyond the hard and irrational prejudice and non-acceptance of the fact of variability of basic human behaviour as modulated by cultural influences. Religions of all flavours thrive in our society, all forgetting history and the roles of the various religions in the power structures of countries. Most forget that values shift in time and that religions, particularly monotheistic Christianity and Islam, condoned or actively participated in warfare, slavery, torture, oppression and genocide and their leadership continues to be male dominated.

There is always some variation of meanings of scriptural text but the theme of Romans permeates custom in the monotheistic religions — natural use of the female. Reflect on the term.

Might it not mean the manifestation of deep Y chromosome-generated-male insecurity? After all, parthenogenesis and male-to-female sex reversal is known in vertebrate animals, some species of which actually occur in T&T. The next time you eat a big grouper steak, note that it may once have been male!

And while the Equal Opportunities Act Chap. 22:03 loftily seeks to prohibit discrimination and promotes equality between persons of different status, it neatly enshrines another form of discrimination by explicitly stating in the interpretation clause that the word sex "does not include preference or orientation". Forget the rights of privacy enshrined in Section 4 of the Constitution!

[AdamB]

Advice for your friend:
sMASH,
This is the remedy also for your music addiction with the appropriate modifications. We must not take lightly the things that Allah does love, that HE does not like for us to indulge in. For it opens the door to shirk and distancing ourselves from HIM. The benefits and rewards for HIM loving us and rewarding us IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT may then be not realized.

Wisdom means offering a suitable remedy in a suitable manner, which includes the following:

1. Strengthening his faith, by encouraging him to do acts of worship and avoid evil deeds.

2. Instilling the love of Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his heart.

3. Teaching him the meaning of love for the sake of Allaah, the basis of which is that the person who is loved for the sake of Allaah is loved for his faith and acts of obedience, not for his appearance, image or status.

4. Not giving him the opportunity to make contact repeatedly or to visit frequently; explaining to him that if a legitimate relationship transgresses the limits it becomes haraam and must be stopped.

5. When meeting, not allowing him to look continuously, embrace or kiss.

6. Giving him academic or da’wah-related tasks to do, such as collecting evidence on a certain issue, or summarizing a book, or listening to tapes, or doing da’wah-related activities such as calling people to Islam, distributing pamphlets and tapes, and other things which will fill his time with beneficial acts of worship and permissible activities.

Secondly:

If a Muslim feels that he is attracted to someone and fears that this may be one of the tricks of the shaytaan, then he should hasten to rid himself of it, and to treat himself, before it develops further and becomes haraam love . If he wants to rid himself of that, he should do several things, including the following:

1. He should focus his heart on his Lord, for He is the Bestower of blessings and bounty Who has granted him immense blessings, so he should direct the love of his heart towards his Creator.

2. He should cut off ties with everyone who he feels he is developing an (inappropriate) attachment towards, so he should not continue to listen to his voice or look at his image; he should try to avoid meeting him, even if the focus of his love is a teacher, educator or relative. This is the best remedy that he can give himself.

3. He should continually read about the lives of righteous people, scholars and mujaahideen, so that he can learn from those who offered their time and their lives in the service of Islam and the Muslims whilst he is preoccupied with looking at the image of his beloved or enjoying listening to his voice, or reading his words. These are things that are it is not befitting for a Muslim to do even once, so how about if this is his whole life?!

4. He should also ponder the grave and serious effects of these two destructive diseases, namely haraam infatuation and love. The harm that they cause includes the following:

(i) Diverting a person from his Lord and Creator to focus on a weak creature who may harm him but cannot benefit him

(ii) Creating worry, anxiety, grief, confusion and depression in this world, and torment in the Hereafter

(iii) Imagining kinds of haraam actions with the object of his love and infatuation, such as looking, touching and kissing with desire. That may even lead a woman to lesbianism and a man to homosexuality to bring these images out of the realm of imagination and into the realm of reality.

(iv) Contamination of sound human nature (fitnah) with a weakening of natural sexual desire, which will lead to spoiling of a woman’s relationship with her husband and her desire for the haraam things that she has become used to; similar effects may also apply to men.

Fourthly:

Relationships between Muslims should be based on sharee’ah and taqwa (piety). The one who comes together with another person on the basis of sin in this world will find their relationship turned into one of enmity on the Day of Resurrection.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except Al‑Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-Zukhruf 43:67]

Imam Ibn Jareer al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Allaah says: Those who were friends on the basis of disobedience towards Allaah in this world will be enemies of one another, disavowing one another, except for those who were friends on the basis of fearing and obeying Allaah. Tafseer al-Tabari (21/637).

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

i.e., every friendship that was not for the sake of Allaah, on the Day of Resurrection will be turned into enmity, except that which was for the sake of Allaah, for that will last because it is connected to the One Who is eternal. Tafseer Ibn Katheer (7/237).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

If friendship and love are based on something other than the best interests of both parties, then the consequences will be enmity. It can only be in their best interests if it is for the sake of Allaah.

Even though each one of them may be helping the other to achieve what he wants on the basis of mutual consent, this mutual consent counts for nothing, rather it will become mutual hatred, enmity and curses, and each of them will say to the other: Were it not for you I would not have done that on my own, so my doom is because of me and you.

And the Lord will not prevent them from hating and cursing one another, but if one of them wronged the other, he will be prevented from doing that, and each of them will say to the other: It was for your own purposes that you caused me to fall into this; like two who committed zina will say to one another: It was for your own purposes that you did this with me; if you had refrained I would not have been involved in it. But each of them damaged the other equally. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa(15/129)

The gate of repentance is open to everyone who wants to seek His Countenance, and the blessings of faith and obedience are available to everyone who wants to join His friends. Allaah forgives sins and accepts repentance, and He turns bad deeds into good. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-Furqaan 25:70]

“And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till his death)” [Ta-Ha 20:82]

[AdamB]

AdamB,

Firstly, you're wrong about homosexuality not existing in animals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals

Secondly, has it ever occurred to you that these people are born with no sexual attraction to the opposite sex? Why would Allah make people this way?

Thirdly, you must really be daft to compare homosexuality stats in muslim countries vs western countries.

You think any gay person is going to openly admit to being gay in those countries? Self preservation man.

Even in the western world where they don't face death, so many people stay in the closet for fear of coming out.

It is very interesting to note what scientists consider to be homosexual behaviour in animals. I remember the late Professor Julien Kenny making this argument (see below) shortly before his death. Then as now, I am totally unconvinced by the scientific argument.

It seems that scientists are trying to justify this behaviour in the animal kingdom as an excuse for homosexuality and lesbianism in the human kingdom.

God did NOT make people into homosexuals or lesbians. Those are choices (especially of sexual behaviour) that people have made for themselves. Those choices have attendant consequences!!!

Bluefete,
That's a really long article/series.

For those who advocate in that direction, I ask:
Are we to make / base our laws and codes of conduct according to what (wild) animals practise?

Are you then advocating for reversal of so-called EVOLUTION?

[Daran]

Daran,
Is not believing in Allah a SIMPLE MATTER?

What is it that makes you moral or charitable?

Since Allah and morality is Unseen, why do you disbelieve in the former and believe in the latter?

Furthermore, moral and charitable acts are deeds of righteousness, aka WORSHIP, to those of us who believe in GOD according to what GOD has informed us.

So you have to ask yourself:

What is it that makes these acts acceptable to GOD?

Can it be done directly to HIM?

Do we need an intersessor to beseech HIM on our behalf?

Uhm....are you comparing the belied in morality to the belief in God? They are two completely different things.

Being moral has nothing to do with religion. I have never robbed, rapped, murdered, hurt anyone physically or emotionally, always lend a hand, kind and friendly to everyone etc. I'm not a jealous person, I don't wish harm on anyone and most importantly, I don't judge people at all.

I disbelieve in God because it is quite obvious all religions are man made fairy tales used to comfort and control people. It adds no meaning to this life and is a shackle that humanity has to abandon.

Also, since my Sunday mornings and Fridays at noon are free. I'm able to carry out a lot of charitable acts. I'm a member of several charities and at least once a week I'm part of some fund raiser or event. I also tutor (for free) at an Orphanage. In addition, I'm an animal lover and take in and take care of a lot of strays and injured animals. I'm also a gay rights defender since seeing the turmoil a few of my gay friends and family endure.

I will NEVER accept Allah/God because in my humble opinion religion and in particular Islam is a hindrance to the success and enjoyment of our world and humanity. We as a species have evolved far enough to realize that these ancient scrowls that were once important in controlling society, have no place in a modern liberal world.

If atheist societies are so bad, why is it that Scandinavia a far far better place to live than the Islamic countries? Quality of life is higher and crime is lower.

Given my stance. Am I expected to face the wrath of Allah's evils?

[AdamB]

Daran,
Is not believing in Allah a SIMPLE MATTER?

What is it that makes you moral or charitable?

Since Allah and morality is Unseen, why do you disbelieve in the former and believe in the latter?

Furthermore, moral and charitable acts are deeds of righteousness, aka WORSHIP, to those of us who believe in GOD according to what GOD has informed us.

So you have to ask yourself:

What is it that makes these acts acceptable to GOD?

Can it be done directly to HIM?

Do we need an intersessor to beseech HIM on our behalf?

Uhm....are you comparing the belied in morality to the belief in God? They are two completely different things.

Being moral has nothing to do with religion. I have never robbed, rapped, murdered, hurt anyone physically or emotionally, always lend a hand, kind and friendly to everyone etc. I'm not a jealous person, I don't wish harm on anyone and most importantly, I don't judge people at all.

I disbelieve in God because it is quite obvious all religions are man made fairy tales used to comfort and control people. It adds no meaning to this life and is a shackle that humanity has to abandon.

Also, since my Sunday mornings and Fridays at noon are free. I'm able to carry out a lot of charitable acts. I'm a member of several charities and at least once a week I'm part of some fund raiser or event. I also tutor (for free) at an Orphanage. In addition, I'm an animal lover and take in and take care of a lot of strays and injured animals. I'm also a gay rights defender since seeing the turmoil a few of my gay friends and family endure.

I will NEVER accept Allah/God because in my humble opinion religion and in particular Islam is a hindrance to the success and enjoyment of our world and humanity. We as a species have evolved far enough to realize that these ancient scrowls that were once important in controlling society, have no place in a modern liberal world.

If atheist societies are so bad, why is it that Scandinavia a far far better place to live than the Islamic countries? Quality of life is higher and crime is lower.

Given my stance. Am I expected to face the wrath of Allah's evils?

Of a surety, you will find out!!

Also, (the reward of actions) are based on intention. So you will reap the rewards of that which you (deliberately) intend.

[AdamB]

Dizzy,
Do you get paid twice at the end of the month?
Similarly Allah is not unjust to any of His creatures.
Bad deeds remain as they are (unit/one). Good deeds are multiplied ten fold. If you intend to to a good deed and don't do it, the reward is one good deed. If you intend a bad deed but don't do it, the reward is also one good deed.
SO MERCIFUL IS ALLAH TO HIS CREATION!!

Living a good life - doing good, being good does not depend on Religion. Seems unfair to punish someone who lived better than religious people just for not believing in a God.

I ask again:
Is not believing in Allah (GOD) a simple matter?

Does your logic above suggest that it is not unfair with the premise that what I am saying is true?

Certainly HE will not deal unjustly with anyone!

[TonyM]

Dizzy,
Do you get paid twice at the end of the month?
Similarly Allah is not unjust to any of His creatures.
Bad deeds remain as they are (unit/one). Good deeds are multiplied ten fold. If you intend to to a good deed and don't do it, the reward is one good deed. If you intend a bad deed but don't do it, the reward is also one good deed.
SO MERCIFUL IS ALLAH TO HIS CREATION!!

Living a good life - doing good, being good does not depend on Religion. Seems unfair to punish someone who lived better than religious people just for not believing in a God.

I ask again:
Is not believing in Allah (GOD) a simple matter?

Does your logic above suggest that it is not unfair with the premise that what I am saying is true?

Certainly HE will not deal unjustly with anyone!

It is amusing to see you talk about logic.

Do you think Ghandi or Mother Theresa will be rewarded highly in paradise?
and before you start to evade the question by stating Allah knows best and you cannot judge, I am asking what do YOU think. Please answer directly.

It is disturbing that God would reward someone more for believing in him, praying 5 times a day and not eating pork just because a book said so than someone who eats pork, drinks occasionally and does not pray 5 times a day who is helpful to humanity, gentle, honourable and trustworthy.

apparently wearing a dress, having a long beard, 4 subservient wives and having a history of violence and chronic entitlement is important to God.

what is the point in free-will if you have to do exactly as a book tells you to?

logic LOL

[Daran]

TonyM Islam is free from logic. They believe in a God that actually wanted man to pray 50 times per day.

Tell me why would a God value pointless sacrifice and the following of inane rules so much? Seems like God is a troll and is just messing with you idiots.

[AdamB]

Daran,
HE messing with you too!!

Thinketh you that you are more knowledgeable and wise than Allah, THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE, THE MOST WISE, THE MOST JUST!!! Note: knowledge, wisdom and justice.

It becomes evident that your choice of words reveal what you are really about!! Mr Charitable Do-Gooder!