RE: Non-Practicing

maybe this should answer your question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqZpNj76HtI

EDIT: but seriously my friend you've been on this forum for how long now? i don't know that you have "minimal understanding", but perhaps you do as there are some people on here who are bad daees or who are bad at representing islam, may allah forgive them, myself included may allah forgive me.

format_quote Originally Posted by DanEdge

To this day, the thing I find most concerning about religion is when believers use it to exclude, judge, and condemn outsiders. Almost all religious communities have hardliners who adopt this view to the extreme, and who view believers in other religions as their enemy. But even moderates tend to agree that believers in other religions are doomed to eternal torture in the afterlife.

For me, I am often reminded of my friend John when I see this kind of rhetoric. I simply could not believe that he deserved to go to hell. I still don't believe it. Never have, never will.

Of course, I don't necessarily believe in an afterlife. Maybe, maybe not. I'll find out when I get there. But I do believe that if there is a higher power, and it is a power of good, that character will be considered independently of adopted religion

In Islam it boils down to what you believe the universe was about and why your doing a certain moral act or being a "good person". Anybody who believes in God without partners is already on his way. Ofcourse we shouldn't kid ourselves that different religions have very different starting positions or don't believe in God. Heaven and Hell presuppose a God and in Islam prophets that warned us about it.

format_quote Originally Posted by Zafran

In Islam it boils down to what you believe the universe was about and why your doing a certain moral act or being a "good person". Anybody who believes in God without partners is already on his way. Ofcourse we shouldn't kid ourselves that different religions have very different starting positions or don't believe in God. Heaven and Hell presuppose a God and in Islam prophets that warned us about it.

Non Muslims cannot believe in God without partners brother; Shaykh Nuh explains why :

2) A second group of people consists of those who turn away from God's divine message of Islam, rejecting the command to make their worship God's alone; whether because of blindly imitating the religion of their ancestors, or for some other reason. ...they persist in associating others with Allah, either by actually worshipping another, or by rejecting the laws brought by His messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), which associates their own customs with His prerogative to be worshipped as He directs. Such people have violated God's rights, and have accepted to go to hell, which is precisely what His messengers have warned them of, so they have no excuse:

"Truly, Allah does not forgive that any be associated with Him; but He forgives what is less than that to whomever He wills" (Qur'an 4:48).

http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/nuh/amat.htm

Greetings and peace be with you

format_quote Originally Posted by DanEdge

To this day, the thing I find most concerning about religion is when believers use it to exclude, judge, and condemn outsiders.

We are all sinners and we should all be fearful of our own salvation; so how can anyone pass judgement on another, none of us are God. And God says, my ways are not your ways, my ways are above your ways as the heavens are above the Earth. Religion is more powerful when we use it to try and change ourselves, rather than try and change others.

You cannot take scripture out of context and make judgements about God. In Islam, I would suggest spending a lot of time studying the 99 names of Allah; he wills good for all of his creation, he is just, compassionate, forgiving merciful. When you read the 99 names of Allah, I don't believe that you will find a God who would condemn unjustly.

In the spirit of searching for a greatest meaning of 'One God'

Eric

format_quote Originally Posted by DanEdge

Greetings,

I wrote a post responding to the thread about non-practicing people of good character, and then discovered that I couldn't post it and the advice forum because I'm not Muslim . But I wanted to posted somewhere oh, so here it is:

----------------

It is this very issue that first inspired me to study religion when I was 12 years old. One Summer while in summer camp, I made a good friend named John who happened to be Jewish. I recalled hearing my pastor say that there was no way to heaven except through Jesus Christ (pbuh). Did this mean that John would go to hell?

This created a moral quandary for me. John was a good kid, and he was my best friend that summer. He was open and kind to everyone. Though there were some who judged him negatively for being Jewish, he didn't take offense to this, and did not judge others negatively for believing differently from him. How could it be true that this young man would go to hell if he died today?

By the end of that summer, I had read the Bible from cover to cover, looking for answers. But all I found were more puzzles. I spoke to pastors and priests and ministers, and none were able to resolve my puzzles to my satisfaction.

So I read the Quran. I didn't know any Muslims and didn't have anyone to talk to about it, so I didn't retain much at the time. Then I read the talmud, then the Bhavid Gita, the Tao te Jing, and I was up and running. I started studying philosophy, history, political science, etc., and I continue to study.

I found that most religions have similar morality systems. There is usually something akin to the ten commandments: timeless moral principles that apply to almost every time period and culture. Most religions also have very specific and dated lists of instructions that make the most sense for the time period and culture in which they were written.

To this day, the thing I find most concerning about religion is when believers use it to exclude, judge, and condemn outsiders. Almost all religious communities have hardliners who adopt this view to the extreme, and who view believers in other religions as their enemy. But even moderates tend to agree that believers in other religions are doomed to eternal torture in the afterlife.

For me, I am often reminded of my friend John when I see this kind of rhetoric. I simply could not believe that he deserved to go to hell. I still don't believe it. Never have, never will.

Of course, I don't necessarily believe in an afterlife. Maybe, maybe not. I'll find out when I get there. But I do believe that if there is a higher power, and it is a power of good, that character will be considered independently of adopted religion.

..the Jews have a mixed representation in the Quran.

..and you already know what the pastor says.


But you have to let us know what conclusion you came to after reading the Quran, on the subject..

Before you moved on.


The only parts of the gospel/bible I have read are those that have been posted on forum..

..but seriously, no work around? No misrepresentation?

What's the best worse answer you came across?

But even moderates tend to agree that believers in other religions are doomed to eternal torture in the afterlife.

...me personally, not really.. although if you talked to John about it things may have gone in a different direction.



It's a strange case for how God works, but something to be aware off in our unawareness.

Although its extremely easy for people to draw the wrong conclusions from what we post here, not enough time or space to explain ourselves.

Edit: imo.. I have seen an increasing trend in people using religion for trolling.. it's become an art of sorts lol.

So you have to be aware of incitement as it stands today, although people of different mindsets may respond differently.

At the same time you dont want to be responsible for those sorts of people or pander too them.