Dealing with What Others Have to Say

[Wyatt]

I have to be careful when writing this..
I'm pretty sure this fits into this part of the forum because what I want to make is a conversation on how people clarify Islam to others for their misinterprations.

There's a lot of prejudice and misinformation out there. I was surfing around and reading some people of other religions' opinions. I don't mean offence to any religions whatsoever and this shouldn't lead to any arguments. I wanted to see what others were saying, and, unfortunately, it's what I expected. I do not dislike Judaism or Christianity and I'm not trying to attack them, but a lot of their followers just don't know while, of course, many do. I know there are Christians, Pagans, Atheists, (Jews?) here, so if they have any input on what kind of comments they experience being around others like them and how they deal with it, I think it'd be great to hear about it.

Please don't use these to stereotype any religions, because the followers of any religion differ as much as people without religion. I collected these to show what I thought was unreasonable.

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These are not attacks on the religions nor the followers, but rather something to point out these specific users' ignorance on history or reality.

http://www.christianforums.net/viewt...p?f=36&t=32099


"Those who don't convert, are abused, or killed.

Muslim hatred has always been pointed towards anyone who is NOT their kind."

" My time in Muslim countries and interactions with Muslims from around the world show them to be: human beings. Yes, shocking to some Christians here, but there are human just like us and have many of the same wants and desires as well.... but........ my field is history, and it would be naive to think that Islam is a religion of peace. It has survived by use of the "sword" and I truly believe there are enough hate-filled Muslims to influence the peacful among their bretheren."

This person says this as if no other religion (cough) is innocent of the sword treatment in the past.

"They have peer pressure, and religious conformity, to the Muslim faith.

I saw an example of that here in my city recently. A young man in their community was killed, and they gathered en masse to mourn for him, placing tons and tons of flowers on the site.
Small example, but, a good one."

I can't tell if this is a joke or not, but it's quite funny. :rollseyes

"Nor do they have people in their religions who strap explosives to their bodies, and
kill Jews in Israel. Nope, haven't seen any Polish extremists. Not in America, or in Israel."

Of course, 'Christian extremists' blowing up abortion centres or that have hit lists don't exist.

"There is a sect of Islam that strive for a theocratic rule to the point of violence, but that is not the majority of Muslims.

If it were, we would have a far more bombings than we have since there are numerous muslims.

AQ and the Taliban are extreme cases of theocracy. Christianity has a few cases itself that I am sure you would not wish to be judged by. Why judge other muslims unfairly as well?"

Kudos to VaultZero4Me.

http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/jewi...s/vjforum.html

"When I opened my computer on Sunday morning and heard that Israel had launched an offensive against Gaza, I was so happy. Happiness seems a rather morbid reaction to war but in this case I think its justified."

"Israel must defend itself. Thats right !

The Palestinian people and the Israelis will be better off without Hamas."

Warning, personal opinion: So Israel must bomb the women and children of Gaza to eradicate Hamas?

http://www.ecauldron.net/forum/index.php?topic=7664.0

"Because of course it's only Muslims who kill other people in the name of religion... (Sarcasm)
...
Also, if you crack down on one particular religion, all you're doing is antagonizing the people who believe in it, and you don't get people to do what you want them to do by antagonizing them. It creates the opposite effect, if anything. It makes people dig their heels in and want to prove you can't tell them what to do."

http://www.israelmilitary.net/showthread.php?t=3260
"Yet almost everybody blame jews not muslims for ME wars ans conflicts."

I've read other comments like this that the media is also in bias with Islam. I, as a non-Muslim and not a Jew, don't get any of this. I've seen biased for Judaism and I've seen biased for Christianity, but have never seen anything in bias of Islam.

"Three whom God should not have created:
A. Rattlesnakes.
B. Tornadoes.
C. Muslims.

'Nuff said."

"the islamic jihadists vs Israel gets people killed everyday, sure its a shame but the Jews never attacked anyone, over history everyone has been so keen on attacking Jews.
...
People need to wake up and protect Israel."

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These are just some comments I, personally, thought I would blow up if I ever heard someone say them in real life. I'd like to start a conversation on your interactions with people that have opposing views to what you think or believe, whether you agree with anything stated above or not.

I don't want any conflict or debate here though (that's not why I created this), so if anyone has anything you would like to yell at them for, be it I or another member, please ignore it and agree to disagree.

[Trumble]

There is a huge amount of misinformation, misinterpretion and misunderstanding regarding Islam among followers of other religions. There is also a huge amount of misinformation, misinterpretion and misunderstanding regarding other religions among muslims! Any sensible person is aware of that, but improving the situation depends on them having a genuine desire for understanding. It also requires a sensible assessment of the value of sources of information, it is utterly pointless trying to get valuable information on Buddhism, for example, from a fundamentalist Christian website even if you happen to be a fundamentalist Christian. You need to consult 'neutral' or multi-faith sites, and Buddhist sites. The value of the latter may seem dubious also but in actuality sites dedicated to a particular religion tend to be both honest and accurate regarding it (compared with political or government websites, say).

Many of the problems you have occur when you are disputing with someone not aware of that, or who refuses to accept it. For example (and I hear the groans already ).. there is a certain 'Harun Yahya' who owns and operates an 'Islamic' website. As far as I am aware what he has to say regarding Islam is perfectly accurate, but unfortunately most of what he has to say regarding other religions (and he has quite a lot to say) is a mixture of half truths and deliberate distortions.. but if your 'opponent' cannot understand the agenda and treats such rubbish as gospel you might as well just give up.

The biggest problem, though, is an inevitable one. The vast majority of religious believers must, and do, think that their religion is 'right' and all others 'wrong'. That must colour the way they view other religions, no matter how genuine their desire to understand may be, it is human nature to interpret other religions negatively to some extent no matter how hard you try to avoid it. You can only truly understand any religion by belonging to it.

I'm not sure how that really relates to your examples. Not much, probably. I'm conscious that several aren't exactly religious as such at all, they are political with a religious veneer. I'm afraid the chances of a workable Middle East peace get ever more remote the more it becomes seen as a religious conflict rather than the political one it actually is. That's very sad as all three (including Christianity) religions involved promote peace, not conflict.

[Wyatt]

... if your 'opponent' cannot understand the agenda and treats such rubbish as gospel you might as well just give up.

You can only truly understand any religion by belonging to it.

I'm not sure how that really relates to your examples. Not much, probably.
...
That's very sad as all three (including Christianity) religions involved promote peace, not conflict.

Yes, it's often that one wants to practice their own idea of peace rather than their religion's. :exhausted

[Danah]

Interesting topic.

how to reply on them....

simply by answer them and give them the correct view.

for example, I remembered once I was a in a forum and we were talking about some Islamic things. One member (a christian) told me that after Prophet Mohammad died, the Muslims fight over who will be the Muslim leader. He also told me that Prophet Mohammad's brother and his son fought over who gain the leadership.

I was surprised by that. prophet mohammed was the only child in his family, so from where they brought that brother?
Also, I told that member that all of prophet Mohammed's children(boys) died when they were still children.


That member was shocked as well, and he told me that they have those facts written in their school history book, which is written by a Christian author.

So most of the misconception is coming from the media after all and those who enforce people to have a specific understanding about a religion that goes along with their goals

many people dont bother themselves to look more about the facts that they got from any source to make sure whether that source is a reliable or not

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[crayon]

but improving the situation depends on them having a genuine desire for understanding.

That's exactly it.

Whenever I hear/read comments like the above, my reaction depends on who I'm dealing with.
If it's someone who is misinformed, someone who really seems like they want to understand, then I try to explain to them the truth of the matter, give them a muslim's perspective. I try to give them a better understanding of whatever the topic is about.
If it's some ignorant fool who is simply full of hate, doesn't want to listen or understand, and just spouts rubbish every time he opens his mouth, then I just smile, try to explain a little. If it just goes in one ear and out the other, and they're still being stubborn, I just walk away. There's no point getting all riled up.

42:48 But if they turn away [from thee, O Prophet, know that] We have not sent thee to be their keeper: thou art not bound to do more than deliver the message [entrusted to thee].

[Danah]

^ right....it happened a lot
Some are insist on what they have been informed, and even if I clarify facts to them they look like they want to attack me by acting that they want to know. Its like I explain to them then, they keep asking questions in the same circle just to find a gap in my explanation to jump to. Such people are better to be informed lightly then ignored, because there is no point from explaining to them