Has anyone heard of Christian unrests in any part of the world resulting from Dan Brown's best seller, The Da Vinci Code? The silence does not make us any less Christians and naturally, we leave all such matters for God to judge. If thesame topic were directed towards Prophet Muhammad however, Dan Brown would by now be on death row and who knows how many Buildings would have been torched and innocent people killed so far.

Muslim brothers and sisters, take note!

Christians are more tolerant,and besides,they leave God to fight his fight.Very sensible.

I WILL LIKE TO GET SOME COOL STUFFS FROM YOU[center][/center]

@ Piddo

Wisdom is da principle thing.

I dislike the implications of what you're saying. The people of the Middle East are generally zealous -- can you remember the Jews wanted to stone Jesus because he called God his father?

You're beginning to ascribe some atributes to these people that helps label muslims as "bad."

My best friend is a muslim and I've seen how he responds to criticism of Islam -- he just smiles and say "they don't know what they're talking about." His parents are very open-minded -- in fact his mom treated me like her son the only time I ever went there despite the fact that I was a christian and mis-behaved a little.

It depends on the level of education. Have you noticed that when there's any butchering, it's usually the uneducated ones who go around doing it? It's mainly lack of ignorance that causes this -- but please, don't label muslims bad. When you meet a true muslim you'll know what I'm talking about.

Zahymaka:

I dislike the implications of what you're saying. . .

It depends on the level of education. Have you noticed that when there's any butchering, it's usually the uneducated ones who go around doing it? It's mainly lack of ignorance that causes this -- but please, don't label muslims bad. When you meet a true muslim you'll know what I'm talking about.

"The Prophet Muhammad has said several times that those who convert from Islam should be killed if they refuse to come back." That was made by an "educated Judge" at the impending trial of a Muslim convert in Afghanistan - see here.

Hitler's men (who built the Auschwitz extermination camp that murdered millions) were 'educated'.

The businessmen of Enron who pulled the largest financial scam in US history were 'educated'.

Education does not change a man's heart - no matter how much you expose a man to education, if he is evil at heart, he will still carry out his evil perpetration, and it does not matter if he does so by religion, communism, politics, agnosticism, or whatever else.

I know a lot of Muslims who are warm and tender hearted, and I know a whole lot more Christians whose testimony dwarf mine. There are as many bad people as you can count from any walk of life - political, religious, etc.

Your suggestion of a "true muslim" is a relative connotation until you meet those who call for the Sharia law in the Qur'an. I do hope I don't label anyone (Christian or Muslim) as bad; but I don't see Piddo implying what you're suggesting. We all need wisdom & tolerance to be demonstrated in our lives, and there's no talk of either if people are still pushing ideas like those of the Muslim Afghan Judge.

Peace to all.

I'm not talking of "book" education. Haven't you seen Doctors who think only slightly better than a hare? I'm talking of a very different kind of education altogether -- education of the mind.

Zahymaka:

You're beginning to ascribe some atributes to these people that helps label muslims as "bad."

It depends on the level of education. Have you noticed that when there's any butchering, it's usually the uneducated ones who go around doing it?

[size=13pt]and[/size]

Zahymaka:

I'm not talking of "book" education. Haven't you seen Doctors who think only slightly better than a hare? I'm talking of a very different kind of education altogether -- education of the mind.

Ok, I see your meaning. It doesn't change how your earlier post reads. Thanks all the same for setting me straight.

@Zahmaka
Even tho I respect what u'vs said and I wouldn't dare to label ALL muslims violent, but pray tell me why MOST predominantly muslim areas are prone to religious backed violence.Most if not all religious riots in Nigeria occur in the muslim dominated north. Don't we have uneducated people in other religions?

welborn:

"The Prophet Muhammad has said several times that those who convert from Islam should be killed if they refuse to come back." That was made by an "educated Judge" at the impending trial of a Muslim convert in Afghanistan - [url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4841334.stm]see here

I have a question, which kind of follows on from Welborns post.

I understand Afghani law is based on the Sharia code. I have not heard anyone say that the death penalty for apostasy from Islam (and in light of developments in the case, may I add "of a sound mind" is is a mis-interpretation of said law/code.

In light of this, could someone please advise the penalty for non-Muslims who refuse to convert.

Thanks

seun take note this place should not be a medium for religion extremists. Let God do HIS work at HIS own time.

wande:

seun take note this place should not be a medium for religion extremists. Let God do HIS work at HIS own time.

Of what purpose does your post serve? Are the posters on this thread children that need to be coralled by "Seun"?
After 5 minutes, the same set of people like you will turn around to call Seun a "devil" for moderating YOUR posts!

As long as there is no form of direct verbal abuse, everyone is guaranteed their rights to free expression, if that is a problem to you, please find another forum or build yours! 

As for the muslim-christian issue, i agree with the first poster. When the Muhammad cartoons broke out, several "educated" muslims many of them presidents and prime ministers of countries where involved in the brouhaha that took place. This is not a case of non-education, millions of christians are also not educated. This is a clear case of religious bigotry and intolerance. Dan Brown is to christianity what Salman Rushdie (Satanic verses) is to muslims.

No one is yet to declare a fatwah on Dan Brown, infact he seems to be getting fatter every day!

Lest i forget, those that declared the fatwah on salman rushdie were not uneducated morons, but highly regarded "religious leaders"!

I noticed Muslims watch what dey say for the fear of been misquoted or lead into giving wrong jugement.

though i do believe you cant change anyone by an argument.peoples view differ.


The north riots in nigeria has mostly being tag as islamic but what would we say when another muslim's house is burnt and families killed cos the are southerner and assummed to be nonmuslims.
Not about education it more of common sense.My father said my forefather were told be our anciestors, Haba!

If Islam mean peace or religion of peace. educated or uneducated should live by example so nonmuslim can learn and see them that way.

Religion is different for every individual, cos is a blend of the standard believe and self reasoning.

Have meet wonderful muslims and xtains even those who do not belive in God!
Like i always say attitude is what makes or break a man.
Nairaland is a good avenue to be openminded to learn and see the truth instead of blindly arguing or palying ignorant.
Knowledge is not thought it is learnt!!

@piddo
Has anyone heard of Christian unrests in any part of the world resulting from Dan Brown's best seller, The Da Vinci Code? The silence does not make us any less Christians and naturally, we leave all such matters for God to judge. If thesame topic were directed towards Prophet Muhammad however, Dan Brown would by now be on death row and who knows how many Buildings would have been torched and innocent people killed so far.

Muslim brothers and sisters, take note!!!

I think he is talking of muslim in the 21 centuries, could you imagine a whole nation demand the death of a person, just because of little offence he made, and you want to know the offence he committed
he converted from islam to christianity, if you doubt me i will give you the link, it is a top story in bbcnews headline

before that incident happened, a post in nairaland was pinpointing that islam is a not a religion of tolerance, and my muslim brother here by id Nijaman,came out that islam preaches peace and tolerence, well i accepted his view halfminded, but i was looking for a good evidence to tell him that it was not true, not until that inccidence happend, the man that get converted from islam to christainity, i then made an update to the forum, uptill now, i never seen any muslim post in that topic to tell me that,what i posted is wrong.

well i will re-visit the topic again for update and more proof

while i respect islam as a religion,i feel that some of our brothers that practice it are too damn fanatical,i was in kaduna during the religious crisis in 2000.could u believe that some of my moslem friends took part?i'm talking about undrgraduates in higher institutions.ofcourse i was among those that fled the north for good after graduation from ABU,zaria.i want to use this medium to re-inform our moslem friends that islam preaches peace and not violence and that love conquers violence.After all,i have other moslem friends who appreciate me as a christian.

I have a Muslim girlfriend and we are together.

Love is above religion.
Love conquers all.

We need some form of education of the heart. I have seen a case where a lecturer in Unimaid who has a Ph.D in Geography pick up tins and small drums and sticks leading a group of kids because their uneducated "malams" told them that a lunar eclipse is actually an evil spirit trying to eat up the Moon or something like that.[color=#770077][/color]

The difference between Islam and Xtianity is that Xianity has had the benefit of reformation, the Christian past is not exactly one to be proud of ( Galileo was killed for saying that the earth was not flat he went against the church and paid with his life also Voltaire one of the great French philosphers of his time had escape from France for publishing Candide a story that was said to have undertones beliefs contrary to the xtian ones and that's just 2 examples there so many more) but like i said times change and christianity has been forced to get on with the times. In the end the same thing will happen to Islam it will just take time, how long nobody knows but it definetely will happen

I like that. If anyone were to dig out the dark history of christianity, then what happens? You'll discover christians were even more bloody than muslims are today or ever were.

As for someone quoting that people are not allowed to change from Islam, aren't there places in the Bible in which the Lord says to wage war against your enemies -- yet you don't because you don't interpret it literally. That's the muslim problem -- interpreting things literally.

I once talked to my friend about jihad and he told me jihad is something you do everyday -- fighting against the evil within and outside you, not blowing yourself up and killing people who haven't done anything to you.

Naijababe,

I hear you.
But the reformation has been in terms of how Xtians practice their faith. The truth has not changed. Greater enlightenment, freedom and access means more people can engage in a more direct way. Even today there are some dodgy practices in Xtianity.

Not being an expert on the Islam, I can't really comment, but doesn't that beg the question "how closely to the Koran do Muslims believe they are adhering"?


God bless

ps would you consider someone in the Se your neighbour?

Hi Zahymaka,

True.
Christian history is has in the past been bloody. But the Christian faith has never been. The Bible has been used to justify slavery, racism and wars, but it does not do that.

If one apostasises from Christianity, they are not considered enemies, just no longer Christians, which is ostensibly what they want and why they left ? No injunctions, no penalties.

"Wage war against your enemies". There are wars in the Bible, but no where in NT Christianity are Christians asked to make way. In fact we are enjoined to love/bless those who hate us. So even in this day and age I have heard people claiming to be Christians call for war. Anyone can adopt any label they desire, but a commitment to Christ is evidenced by your actions/fruit.

The Bible can be read literally, allegorically, prophetically (and a few other ways besides), but the truth of the Bible always harmonises.


Hope this helps.

God bless

What I'm saying is that you shouldn't judge them based on their misled leaders. When you meet a very nice one, you'll know what I'm saying.

Zahymaka:

What I'm saying is that you shouldn't judge them based on their misled leaders. When you meet a very nice one, you'll know what I'm saying.

i do agree with u defences and enjoy your post'g but i also don't agree that muslim in general are mislead.
like i said it more of individual that religion.
I think the problem is that most people ask religious question with wrong intentions
you can't feed a dog with a club in one hand and bone in the other

there is a saying that if you the eyes looks down patiently it will see the nose.
After all we all can't go to heaven !! neither is heaven meant for all!!
‘It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.’— Aristotle

I have a Muslim girlfriend and we are together.

Love is above religion.
Love conquers all.

@Orikinla
Well if you are a Christian, then that muslim girl is committing sin, since muslim do not allow their girls to marry outside islam, except the guy in question is ready to convert to islamic religion.

So i advise you to watch the step you are taking

who's say?
why shld he watch his step ?

All I have to say is make sure you go see the movie version in May!
Make sure it beats Mission Impossible 3 at the box office!

I can't be surprised that many people criticize Islam and Muslims but one thing I have noticed is that 99% of those people that know little or nothing about their own religion

yeepa:

I can't be surprised that many people criticize Islam and Muslims but one thing I have noticed is that 99% of those people that know little or nothing about their own religion

So, what in effect are you trying to say? That Islam should not be criticized or what? If it wasn't for the recent developments, would Muslims have even criticized certain aspects of their own religious ideas? The indiscriminate use of fatwa by the Islamic authorities that make no sense? The recent Afghani push for death sentence on a convert? The thoughtless rampage and murders in the name of a cartoon of the prophet Mohammed?

Sorry if I'm sounding somewhat surprised at your insinuations, but I don't even shrink from the fact that certain trends in Christian history are criticized - and I welcome the criticisms: the Inquisition? The murder of Galileo Galilei by so-called "Christian authorities" in the 17th century? How many more - in the past and contemporary times? What you have to realise is that those authorities claiming the titles were not practising Christianity by the Book, anymore than Hitler claimed to have been directed by God to murder the Jews.

Even so, other worldviews have been criticized - atheism, agnosticism, New Ageism, communism, naturalism, and countless "-ims" out there. To me, anyone who is afraid of being criticized has not learnt to live among the mix of society. Christianity is not afraid of criticism, even of the harshest kind - we were warned that such will come both from within and without the Christian fold, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was acridly criticized to the extent that He was called a glutton, winebibber, as well as accused of working miracles by the power of Beelzebub the prince of the devils! (Please see Luke 7:34-35 and Matt. 10:25 & 12:24).

What does criticism accomplish? There is such a thing as "constructive criticism", as well there is criticism of the prejudicial type that only shows a man's heart for what it is. I welcome criticisms if someone has something beneficial to share with me. However, if the aim of the caller is merely to ridicule my faith or convictions for the mere fun of it, I'll let him/her have the day because it does not remove anything from me. That is why, I enjoyed mlks_baby's call to fellow Christian believers to slow down this kind of criticism against our Muslim brethren and rather respect their convictions even when we do not agree with them (see it here).

Any regular visitor to or user of the Religion Forum on Nairaland would have noticed that so many questions that have been posted about Jesus are merely a vaunt with a prejudicial slant and nothing more. I laughed at Reverend's take recently with such captions as George Carlins View On Religion and Was Jesus An Extraterrestrial?. The guy is still feeling the scotch of his botch on suggesting that Jesus Used Cannibis and bari_kade's knockout punches at his [b]kinky[/b]marymagdalenechurch (kinky_marymagdaline_church). What's wrong with this chap called Reverend? It seems to me that since he has been exposed for his sinister backdoor entry into Christendom with a disguise of his pornography club, the only way to get noticed is to come back and be against Christ. If he is truly called with a 'Reverend' badge to his ministerial cloak, why has he never sought to present the real Gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone - much less defend the Christian faith?

Okay, I digressed - as not many people like to read 'epistles' on Nairaland.

In one word, if criticisms help and challenge you to investigate your faith and convictions, stop whimpering and get to work! That's why I'm grateful to God that the Da Vinci Code helped me to investigate my convictions, drove me to my knees, and God strengthened me by His grace. Such other issues like Jesus Walked On Ice and The Gospel of Judas had the same effect on me - challeneged me to have a second look at my convictions. . . but the result for me is that, those propaganda are too weak to shake me now! Those gentlemen would have to pose a greater joke to the world to shake my faith in Christ!

Blessings.

I started this topic and its been very pleasing to read the many diverse views and opinions people hold on the issue. Someone in an earlier reply (Zahymaka I think) pointed out the fact that his best friend was a muslim, and a good one at that. My response to that is, my business partner is one of the best muslims I've ever met and his dedication to the 5 daily prayers and general demeanor is nothing but impressive.

On more than one occasion, we have discussed this issue of extreme radicalism in Islam and he rightly points out that it is an issue that embarrasses him as a dedicated muslim (bad eggs he says). This forum however has helped me better understand more, not only about the diabolic Jihadists but also more about my christian faith.

Replies from welborn are worthy of commendation, quite versed and educative. My first week on Nairaland has been worth it afterall.

Hmm.

Well lovely topic. Muslims are not tolerant at all thats what i know. all they know is war, fight, kill and burn the infidels. i live in the UK and i am a Christian and i see all the nonsense that they get up too. if a book was written on Islam expressly or impliedly, we are sure that they would declare war on everyone. the Muslims need to be more tolerant the fact that Christians don't fight or riot does not mean that the are not passionate about their religion. half of the things the Muslims do here in the western world or may i say Europe where i know about the Christians cannot try a tenth of it in their country. the placards that the Muslims carried when the cartoon came out was extreme. what was written on those placards were just to evil.