Actually I kind of think so. I can't accept it but many can. If it is the fastest as you claim I would think it is because it is an easy religion. There is not that much thought involved. Do "this" and you go to heaven. Do "this" and get your lashings and go to hell. Just follow the rules. There is nothing relative or ambiguous, and it's not very introspective. There isn't much room for independent thought. It's very black and white and very authoritarian. It is based on obedience. Yeah, I would think that would appeal to a lot of people.
You win dude. I don't even know where to start debating with this ignorant post. Sometimes I wonder why Americans go overseas to educate others when then is so much ignorance right here in our backyard.
What's ignorant about it? The word Muslim means to submit. Any religion that requires total obedience without thought is not likely to produce people capable of critical thought, or people capable of free and independent thought. IMO, People who convert to Islam are looking for life to be easily spelled out for them. It is comforting to submit. Hard questions are answered before they are even asked. There is no thought process to morality in Islam, it is absolute and dictated by Allah. Follow the rules, die and go to heaven where you will finally be happy and have no worries. I think that is very appealing to many people.
i think its actually completely different. given that islam has no church there aren't X rules. there are a variety of rulings from a variety of scholars. you pick basically that which you feel most comfortable with. which is problematic since unlike being a catholic muslims can't just ask priests for the definitive answer. there are no definitive answers. there are a multitude of them. plus unlike in catholicism you can't really be ex-communicated from islam. and you don't have to follow any fatwas. since fatwas inherently are non-binding.
But they think it is definitive even if it chosen. If you ask a catholic why rape is wrong they might explain how it is offensive to god etc. What I hear from Muslims when explaining the immorality of something is by quoting like adeelsiddiqui did earlier in the thread: "Allah, Most High, says, “Whoso slayeth a believer of set purpose, his reward is Hell for ever. Allah is wroth against him and He hath cursed him and prepared for him an awful doom.” (An- Nisa’: 93) I think more of the "fundamental" Christians will quote the Bible to explain their morality rather to "know" it instead of understand it. They know stealing is wrong but there really don't know the the ultimate reason why. It's a learned morality. Learned morality is will not last, it just becomes a set of rules and can actually become oppresive. Buddhists try completely understand the nature of their actions and why they are good or bad ones. It's not dictated, it is understood by thought and meditation.
also the highest number of converts in the USA, happen to be to the faith of Islam... sureley no matter how actively you give birth to children does this negate the fact that the religion spreads in other ways than thru childbirth
But isn't the overwhelming force behind the statistic the astounding birthrate in Muslim countries? Of course the religion spreads in other ways, but without the high birthrate, it wouldn't spread as quickly. That's a fact. It says something about the United States that Islam is able to convert people here. It says that we have an open country. Go to some countries dominated by Islam and try to spread Christianity. You might just get your severed head mailed back to your family.
so now your changing the topic... we were talking about the spreading of islam and how fast it spreads... and you said its coz of the birth rate, i said atleast not in america, where it is the fastest growing religion due to conversion, and you decided to ignore that post and talk about how america is a free country. no **** sherlock, i already know its a free country, we all know that. i freaking live here coz of that... now if you want to discuss the freedom in muslim countries make a thread, as for now... its still spreading... quicker than any other religion in this country. and that has nothing to do with the amount of births.
Could you provide some link to support that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States? Roughly 75% of Americans identify themselves as Christians, btw, so even if what you are saying is true (and I'm waiting on the link), then it's because it is growing from a tiny base.
Actually, I wasn't changing the topic. Look at this statistic: The American Muslim birthrate is about 4.5 children per couple, versus the 1.9 child per couple national average. http://www.iol.ie/~afifi/BICNews/Islam/islam21.htm You were wrong to say the growth in America was not due to the birthrate.
Fastest-growing religion The second-largest religion in the world after Christianity, Islam is also the fastest-growing religion. In the United States, for example, nearly 80 percent of the more than 1,200 mosques have been built in the past 12 years. http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9704/14/egypt.islam/
That says it is the fastest growing in the world, which I do not dispute, seeing as how the birthrate in poor Muslim countries is astonishingly high. While the growth in mosques is noted, it does not compare the growth of the religion in the US to that of other religions. The question remains unanswered. adeel, where did you disappear to after the facts got in your way?
Meowgi I sometimes think you make Buddhists out to be too perfect. Historically there have been Buddhists denominations and sects that are more rule and faith based than what we see in Buddhism in America. Traditional Tibetan society was very strict and rule bound and the average Tibetan, even lower monks, were expected to follow out of devotion rather than understanding.
http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/0596/9605013.htm http://www.iol.ie/~afifi/BICNews/Islam/islam21.htm true you may argue that what I am linking is old news or "democratic", but in all honesty, it was a few years ago that I read about islam being the fastest growing US religion... I dont recall what magazine it was in... however, i still think i posted the proof, and no im not running away from "facts", contrary to popular belief, i do have stuff to do in the "real" world.
ok, so now you agree that islam is one of the fastest growin AMERICAN religions? or do you just like to contradict your statements? anyways, this thread has been derailed more than it needed to... any other questions about honor killings?
A rising growth rate of Islam. Among world religions, Islam ranks as the fastest growing faith. This is demographically driven by higher birth rates in the third world rather than by an increase in conversion growth. http://www.t21.ca/religions/tp.htm
You really struggle to understand arguments! This is quite amusing. You were the one that got shot down by saying that the growth in Islam in America was not driven by birthrates. I then showed you a statistic that showed the birthrate for Muslims to be twice that of the national average. You were wrong. The bottom line is that the Islamic influence in America is tiny. Any growth *rate* being high is a function of the tiny base from which it is growing. Islam is known to be the religion of the poor, uneducated, third world nations of the world. These nations have insanely high birthrates, which contributes to the "spread" of the religion. Back to honor killings, what type of backwards culture allows this type of behavior?
