Is Islam a religion of love and peace?

My goodness, the ignorance here is astounding.

What Christians have done historically , violently, persecuting, slaughtering en masse in the name of Christ, wiping out/slaughtering men, women and children populations in the Crusades and the Inquisition, terrible oppression of women at some points...

Smug comparisons in the now to prove How Superior We Undoubtedly Are Currently don't carry a lot of weight with me: its all to do with power relationships in the world, social conditions, the sorts of weaponry available, as to whether the more peaceful or the more warlike texts are drawn upon for justification at any given point.

We need someone with a fuller and more comprehensive understanding of what I have described, a proper comparative theologian as far too many posts here are just having yet another go at Islam. We all are aware I'm sure all religions have much of love, peace, harmony, in them, but frankly we aren't equipped.

Again, I didn’t look at date on OP, must do in the future.

I don’t understand how or why they pop up!

Fallingstar

I don’t know enough about Islam to comment on its belief system, but have lived and worked alongside Muslims for most of my life and they were just the same as everyone else, ordinary people just making a living, worried about their bills/mortgages, and their kids education. I think is probably the same story wherever you go in the UK.
There are extremists in most organised religions, the evangelists in the US, the Catholics and Proddys in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, and far right Jewish members of the Knesset.
This is why I don’t subscribe to any organised religion, my origins are Jewish but my faith I put in a God with no religion.

👏👏🫶

This is another ridiculously old thread- I get sick of seeing them.

You aren't alone in doing so Fallingstar, lots of us have been caught out one time or another. I would just gently point out that Irish Protestants might not like the term "Proddys" as it is used as a derogatory slang term.

Oh so that is what a zombie thread is Rosie.
Feel a bit silly now posting a reply.

I don’t know enough about Islam to comment on its belief system, but have lived and worked alongside Muslims for most of my life and they were just the same as everyone else, ordinary people just making a living, worried about their bills/mortgages, and their kids education. I think is probably the same story wherever you go in the UK.
There are extremists in most organised religions, the evangelists in the US, the Catholics and Proddys in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, and far right Jewish members of the Knesset.
This is why I don’t subscribe to any organised religion, my origins are Jewish but my faith I put in a God with no religion.

Fallingstar

What is a zombie thread??
Am just finding my way around this site and all the initials used, DD, GC, etc., and now I have come across this term.
Is quite confusing.

A zombie thread is one which has lain dormant for many years, this one for over 13 years. They are often revived by spam posters, or bots. The last post before the spammer one was September 2012!

What is a zombie thread??
Am just finding my way around this site and all the initials used, DD, GC, etc., and now I have come across this term.
Is quite confusing.

So they say, but actions speak louder than words !

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

The thread is 14!!! years old.

Oreo

What’s with all these zombie threads at the moment?

Sorry if I’m being dim, what’s a “zombie” thread please?

whenim64

I and my working colleagues, before retirement, received the hospiility of Muslims and visited mosques in a spirit of learning and integrating more, both professionally and in the commnities we worked and live in. When visiting one mosque at Christmas time, we were treated to mince pies and wished a Happy Christmas. This mosque was named by police as a source of recruitment for training young asian men to become terrorists. The elders were not aware of these alleged goings on, and came out in force to say 'not in our name.' the community was in uproar, and young men were held in Cat A custody, only to be released weeks later without charge. They sued the police for wrongful arrest. There was no community backlash because the elders advised them to keep the peace.

We held fund-raising events for the victims of the Kashmir earthquake, and presented this mosque with a cheque for £600, which was used towards medicines, hats, socks and blankets. A probation colleague drove through Kashmir villages with a Landrover stocked with supplies, risking her own life from bandits. She collected more money by having collection tins in her husband's greengrocery shop. They were stolen by white youths, who were taped on CCTV. They were not caught, and the community filled the collection tins again.

The Muslims I have known well give a percentage of their income for the less well off, ensure their neighbour has food, and look after their old people. They don't want war and are tolerant of other religions.

It puzzles me to think of ex-pat communities in countries like Spain, where there is no attempt to integrate and no issue about people holding to their own beliefs. Because we know about 'western' religions in general, there is a level of trust, but it seems Islam is seen as threatening to our way of life. It isn't. It's the fanatics and terrorists who threaten our safety, the police who manufacture false evidence and ignore crime done to minority ethnic groups, and the politicians who spin stories for their own ends. There so much damaging propaganda circulating, and now we are being fed stories about this film, but I bet we don't know the truth.

🫶🫶👏👏👏👏

What’s with all these zombie threads at the moment?

Prior to retirement I worked with many Moslems, had two direct line managers who were Muslims, one of whom is married to an English woman, who hasn’t converted. In their home they celebrate all Muslim and Christian holy days and their son is being brought up with knowledge of both faiths.

In my limited experience Islam can be about love and peace and I very much liked my Muslim colleagues and bosses, I found them kind and tolerant and willing to talk openly about their beliefs.

Zombie thread

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Read the essay - it is absolutely right. We of all people should know that appeasement is the road to disaster.

when I've just caught up - great post.

Very measured, sensible article bags

Sorry. That isn't clear. I mean why the film should be suppressed, not freedom of speech.

Very good essay on that awful film, and why we should not let it and the reaction to it change our belief in freedom of speech, but giving a reason why it should be suppressed.

Sometimes I wonder if we hadn't gone into Iraq when we did, maybe Sadam would have been deposed when the Arab Spring gained momentum and spread to the rest of the Arab world. I think it would have been far preferable for the people of Iraq to have determined their own fate rather than have America/UK and allies sticking their oar in.

Yes, the 9/11 bombers got what they wanted didn't they? Worldwide fear, suspicion, wars, and a widening gap between Muslims and the rest. Who knows what is going to be the result of the Middle East instability, but it is pretty certain it won't be good for women, minorities, and personal freedom.

Of course, when talking about Islam it is easy to forget that divisions within that faith - sunni, shia, etc can be every bit as wide as the Islam/Christian divide.

Which all leaves me glad to be free of religious ties myself.