Why I am Not a Muslim" Preached by Iranian Christian Pastor Ignites Media Controversy

[Ryan Dallion]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/prweb/20041213/bs_prweb/prweb188360_1

Interested in people's thoughts and opinions on this. Not necessarily looking for a debate though.

[Cyrus of Persia]

It is good that he offers freedom to those who are opressed by the violent religion (aka fundy islam - notice, i said "fundy").

It is not good IF he thinks that the violent model of democracy what US (read: Bush and Co) is "offering" to the Asia nowadays is something valuable to share.

Violence done either by the name of Allah, or by the name of Bushidian god is never justified.

[C. D. Ward]

What was the controversy? If I gave a "Why I am not a Christian" talk at my local Unitarian church, would Christians protest? Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think so...

[Ryan Dallion]

What was the controversy? If I gave a "Why I am not a Christian" talk at my local Unitarian church, would Christians protest? Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think so...


I could be wrong about this but, it seems to me that ever since Sep 11 2001 and the subsequent "War on terror", the Muslims in the west have been very sensitive about how Islam is discussed or portrayed.

[spiritmech]

Oh, don't worry. There's a movie coming out called "Kingdom of Heaven" that should put Muslims back in a good light.

Recently certain Muslims were sensitive enough in the Netherlands to kill a movie director who made a film discussing the treatment of women in Islam. Broad daylight, stabbed several times. Is that all Muslims? No, probably not, but there are enough radical ones out there that he may want to watch where he goes.

[Teallaura]

What was the controversy? If I gave a "Why I am not a Christian" talk at my local Unitarian church, would Christians protest? Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think so...
We'd picket - if they had a nice fence - maybe. :wink:
No, you are probably right, no one would protest.
As to the controversy - you do understand that in most Islamic nations it is illegal to leave Islam for any other faith? People have been killed for it. VOM had an article this month on a girl who's in hiding because her father has swore out a warrant for her arrest for apostacy. Her crime? He caught her reading the Bible.
I think the guy who wrote "Satantic Verses" is still in hiding!

[C. D. Ward]

We'd picket - if they had a nice fence - maybe. :wink:No, no fence... :hehe:
As to the controversy - you do understand that in most Islamic nations it is illegal to leave Islam for any other faith? People have been killed for it.True, but this guy was a non-Muslim, giving the sermon in a Christian church in California. Given that every sermon preached in every Christian church every Sunday pretty much amounts to the same thing (an implicit denial of Islam), I'm not sure I understand all the fuss over this one. If it were in a majoritarian Muslim country, perhaps, but in California??
I think the guy who wrote "Satantic Verses" is still in hiding!I think you're right; the fatwa is still in force...

[Teallaura]

Hi!
As I understand it, he's a former Muslim - and even in America, tempers can run high on such matters. Certain parts of Islam aren't tolerant of conversion no matter where they live.

Could you build a fence? A nice pretty white one with the pointy pickets? :teeth:

[Stephen]

What was the controversy? If I gave a "Why I am not a Christian" talk at my local Unitarian church, would Christians protest? Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think so... Really? Around here if anyone gave a "Why I am not a Christian" talk, they would be calling him a hard-hearted anti-Christian, constantly trying to witness to him, and soccer moms would get together and sigh about the sad state of our country to let such people speak in a public place.

I guess we live in different neighborhoods :grin:. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like people around here have way less tolerance for other religions than we do for Christianity. I can just imagine if an Islam club formed at my school, Christian parents would complain and probably either get it shut down, or take their kids out. All the while talking about how great their school's Bible club is, and arguing that "no non-Christian is being forced to go to it."