Greetings Pygoscelis,
ibn-Adam said:
So the first step is finding the One True God, the One who is the real God. Once you find Him, you place absolute trust in Him.
... Regardless of being right or wrong about that first step. That is the problem. You may be right, but that means others are wrong, and they follow that same second step, thinking, just like you do, that their God must have some higher reason to demand they do whatever they are convinced that he demands of them, whether or not it makes sense or seems moral to them.
I am glad you finally acknowledge this discussion is really about the existence of God. To understand the context of morality and obedience, we first need to establish belief in the One True God, as everyone has been telling you.
However, once again you put up a front of complete ignorance with regards to the belief in God. About four months ago we were having a very similar discussion. I mentioned Muslims hold that there are very strong, rational reasons for them to believe in their religion. It is not simply a matter of blind faith. Yes, many people do have erroneous beliefs about God, but the falsehood of such beliefs very quickly becomes apparent when one examines them as there is no evidence to support such erroneous beliefs (the example of
Poseidon was discussed earlier). The reasoning given by such people and their conviction can in no way be assumed to be the same, as all religions are not on an equal footing. The false gods worshipped by the idolaters, which they hoped would help and provide for them, have been likened by Allah :swt: in the Qur'an to the house of a spider - something so weak and frail, because by clinging to these gods they were like a person who holds on to a spider's web, who does not gain any benefit from that. When Prophet Ibrahim :as: debated with his people against their mistaken worship of false gods, he advanced logical arguments to negate their views and establish the correct creed. Thus, in elucidating the correct monotheistic belief in God, Islam offers many logical arguments and examples, facilitating the use of our intellect and reason.
Therefore, what 'others' are doing due to their erroneous beliefs is not relevant to this discussion. You are on Islamicboard and you are conversing with Muslims about their obedience to Allaah :swt:. We are all telling you to be fair to our religion and consider our arguments separately to what believers of other religions may believe.
The other mistake you and others make is bringing up extreme cases of terrorist groups to justify that religion is dangerous and removes moral responsibility. You will find that the actions of such groups have more to do with political grievances and social factors than with following religious teaching. There are countless examples of wars and killing which are not in the name of any religion. Therefore, these examples have nothing to do with the perfect moral code taught by Islam.
And I can't really distinguish the believers in true God from the believers in False gods, as everybody insists that they are the beleivers in the true God.
That's a shame if you haven't come across any arguments presented for the truth of Islam in your (almost) 10 year stay here. Here are some points to remind you [a post from another thread]:
We can begin by considering two broad categories: the Prophethood of Muhammad :saws:, and the miracle of the Qur’an.
Regarding the first, whichever aspect of the life of the Prophet :saws: we study, we see evidence for the truth and credibility of his message. He was from a noble family and one who, from the beginning, demonstrated a virtuous character and was well-respected amongst his people. They called him ‘Al-Amin’ (the trustworthy) and considered his advice. This is a very important sign of the truth of his Prophethood as someone who has never lied to people would not lie regarding the Lord of the Worlds.
You make an accusation that he was deluded or insane. If examined, this claim does not stand whatsoever. The Prophet :saws: displayed no symptom of insanity at any time in his life. No friend, wife, or family member suspected or abandoned him due to insanity. To the contrary, they viewed him as an example to be followed and found from him a solution to their problems. The Prophet :saws: preached for a long time and brought a Law unknown in its completeness and sophistication to an ignorant society. If he was insane, it would have become obvious to those around him in the decades of his teaching. When in history did an insane man preach his message to worship One God for ten years, three of which he and his followers spent in exile, and eventually became the ruler of his lands? Which insane man has ever won the hearts and minds of people who met him and earned the respect of his adversaries? Delusion cannot explain the detailed legal codes and rulings that would be followed by millions over centuries, providing guidance in all areas of life including divorce, inheritance, finance, moral character and social justice. Delusion cannot explain 600 pages of revelation to an illiterate man that would be inimitable by the most talented around him, that would be memorised, recited and taught every day. Delusion does not explain the distinct difference that would come over him when he was receiving revelation, as witnessed by his Companions.
Those are some points to get you thinking. There are many other areas to explore, such as how he could know of stories regarding previous Prophets and nations, the testimony of those Jews and Christians who came to know him, his miracles and prophecies, the fact that he did not desire material gain or power, and the list goes on.
The second category of discussion is the Qur’an. There are numerous facets related to the Qur’an to prove its miraculous nature. I have linked you to threads and posts above, so I’ll only quote the following for now:
Originally Posted by
Ansar Al-'Adl
I'll try to give you a comprehensive answer as to why the Qur'an is regarded the way it is by so many people.
1. The Power of the Qur'anic Message:
-it is universal, unrestricted by time and applicable to any nation/culture. The Qur'an is by far the most widely followed and acted-upon book in the world. As for the Bible, most Christians follow the Church over the Bible, and each denomination has its own bible anyway. The fact that there is no other book in the world that forms the constitution of the lives of billions of followers is itself a sign.
-it is practical and logical, it can be established practically in society and is logically able to address the fundamental questions relating to all aspects of our universe.
-it is comprehensive, addressing all fundamental sectors of human life, be it spritual, physical, mental, social/societal, politcal, environmental, economic, etc.
-it is natural, in concordance with a person's nature and what they feel deep inside to be the truth.
-it is clear and consistent, free of the changes in worldview and understanding that dominate the works of human beings.
-it is deep, having provoked thousands upon thousands of volumes of exegesis, expounding upon its meaning and revealing fascinating details that many people otherwise miss in their reading of the Qur'an.
2. The Power of the Qur'anic Style:
-it is
Interactive, the text seems alive as it responds to the very questions that arise in one's mind at that moment. It speaks to the reader and delivers specific yet universal advice.
-it is
Inerrant, free from contradictons and discrepancies, or other errors that would normally be found in the works of human beings.
-it is
Memorizable; the Qur'an is the only book in the world which is continuously being memorized by millions of people and recited daily. No other book has been committed to memory by so many followers, as though it fits in one's mind as a key in a lock.
-its
Language, the Qur'anic arabic is a stunning miracle in itself, its style is powerful and its recitation is melodious. More info:
Here,
Here,
Here.
3. The Power of the Qur'anic Text:
-it is
Preserved, even after fourteen and a half centuries, the Qur'an is recited today exactly as it was first revealed. Thus it was free of the tampering that befell other religious scriptures.
-its
other Remarkable features; many Muslims find a striking concordance between many Qur'anic statements and established scientific truths, which could not have been known by any normal human being 14 centuries ago. (see
here). Many Muslims have also found the Qur'anic perfection extends even to various
mathematical miracles within the text (see
here for discussion of word repetitions). As well, there are the
Qur'anic Prophecies.
-its
Authorship; the context in which the Qur'an was revealed leaves the reader with no other conclusion than the fact that it could only be the word of God.
Further reading:
http://www.islamicboard.com/discover-islam/134320436-evidences-qurans-divine-origin.html#post1588513
http://www.islamicboard.com/clarifications-about-islam/134309951-prove-muhammad-prophet.html
http://www.islamicboard.com/seerah/37027-12-proofs-muhammad-peace-true-prophet.html