He was my professor in Introduction to History of the Middle East. Dr. Luckacs. He said that no one could hope to understand the Middle East without understanding Islam. I kept my notes and textbooks from that one.
So actually... the source was not a Muslim at all. :) Just a very knowledgeable Christian.
I'm sure you could find a reputable non-Muslim source for a biography of Mohammed if only you will read beyond the cartoons.
So I will now restrain myself from arguing that Muhammed killed Jews who refused to worship him.
That's good, because:
1) Mohammed set up protections for the People of the Book, aka Christians and Jews, to live in peace in Muslim lands. They were not required to convert or die. That is a myth. The enemy, engaged in battle, if cornered, could embrace Islam on the spot to avoid being killed by a Muslim soldier. That's where all those stories come from.
2) Some Jews may have been members of the Persian army that attacked the newborn Islamic state, and so may have been killed by Muslim soldiers under Mohammed's command as a matter of self-defense. I think you will allow that self-defense is acceptable, even if it is a Muslim who is defending himself.
3) Mohammed is not worshipped. Only Allah. To wit: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is His Prophet." For Mohammed to demand worship of himself by anyone would have been idolatry.
And now we come back to the representational art issue and its connection to the Biblical stricture against making graven images, whence the cartoon issue has its theological roots.
Golden calf, anyone?
Current Events » in reply to re: Thanks for the information oh most Knowledgable One.
You're welcome. It comes courtesy of a Hungarian refugee who served in the Hungarian foreign service in Turkey.
The whole thread (73 posts)
- Making sense of the Muslim outrage over the cartoons.
- They do not understand "Freedom of the Press".
- The more I think about it.
- One Muslim's view:
- "Jesus in a gay bar, with a "Jesus is a fag" caption. I would imagine that fundamental Christians would be outraged."
- re: Da Vinci's Last Supper
- While it was in poor taste, Freedom of the Press permits it.
- I find this hilarious....
- No religion is truthful, and therefore should never trump freedom of expression
- I think they were offensive to Christians.
- Your ignorance of the story of Mohammed is astounding.
- re: Thanks for the information oh most Knowledgable One.
- In reply to the post by the smearer of Catholics, below:
- oh, so you're actually denying the massacre at Medina are you?
- there is some debate about Muhammed yes...but most sources agree he owned slaves, made war, ordered assasinations, and killed jews.
- quite correct
- You're welcome. It comes courtesy of a Hungarian refugee who served in the Hungarian foreign service in Turkey.
- In reply to the post by the smearer of Catholics, below:
- re: Thanks for the information oh most Knowledgable One.
- Your ignorance of the story of Mohammed is astounding.
- Thoughtul post, thanks