Hi Muezzin,
You make some good points.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Muezzin You're confusing 'culture' with 'religion'. Islam is a religion encompassing people of many disparate cultures. Whereas culture is a lifestyle influenced solely by the behaviour and attitude of one's countrymen, religion is a way of living that is decreed by God and communicated through man. |
I see what you're saying, but I don't think I've confused the two. In any Muslim country, no matter what other culture is present, Islam will be the dominant influence, since the only culture that is permitted is that which does not contravene Islam - this obviously greatly limits the possibilities for cultural influence.
Quote:
|
Islam does not forbid curiosity of other cultures. It does however forbid the engaging in of what it considers to be sinful practices, be they in other cultures or one's own native culture.
|
These two could amount to the same thing, no?
Quote:
|
What of Newton, Einstein, Hawking? Some of the greatest scientific minds in our history believe in God. True, Newton died before the late 19th century, but few would argue against the prevalent influence of the latter two. If such great scientific minds believe in God, surely it is erroneous to call spirituality a fantasy, a passing fad.
|
You're absolutely right - those three were theists. Saying spritituality is a fantasy is my opinion, and it was the opinion of the others I've mentioned. I don't think it would be fair to call it a passing fad, because it hasn't passed yet. Maybe it will, maybe it won't, I can't say. However, the point I was making was an attempt to explain this reduction of the spiritual side that unquestionably happened in the West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. What's happened since then is another story.
Quote:
|
While your list may have renounced religion, it does not make their opinion fact.
|
Although it is what I believe, I would never make the assertion that it was fact.
Quote:
|
Conversely, scientific theists' beliefs are not factual either - what is a fact is that the concept of faith, of some sort of intervention by higher authority than mere humans, is one present in all cultures.
|
Well, it's true to say that most cultures have at least one deity. Buddhists don't have any, though.
Quote:
|
Well, you're entitled to your opinion. I don't really want to comment on wicca and 'other substitutes for religion' what with the recent Religious Hatred bill just waiting for passage ;)
|
Good point!
Quote:
|
True. I do not agree with such resentment and hostility but it does in fact exist. A similar statement could be made about the perversion of Christianity by the Klan into some sort of racial dogma. Few would agree with their beliefs or methods, but none would doubt its continuing presence.
|
Absolutely right. The Klan are a very good example to use.
Quote:
'That reasoning' is common of many religions. After all, who'd want to subscribe to a religion they know is false or must be validated by other religions? To validate the commands of God by those of men isn't merely sacrilegious - it's ridiculous  |
I'm not saying any religion should justify itself by reference to another, simply that any appeal to any kind of objective truth at all would make any religion more convincing to outsiders.
Quote:
|
Sad but true. Islam is a perfect religion so long as the people following it don't screw things up.
|
As soon as you bring people into the equation, the can of worms is opened...
Quote:
|
Rambo isn't old enough to be considered 'old'. By that logic, Charlie Chaplin's films are ancient. Besides, some of the best stuff is in black and white. Laurel and Hardy; the Three Stooges. Need I say more?
|
Rambo is a nice piece of historical revisionism, courtesy of those kind people in Hollywood. Would anyone know anything about history if it weren't for the movies? ;)
Peace