You're saying there really isn't any "leadership" in their religion? Tell that to the Iranians. There may be factions within their religion, but there are certainly leaders of the factions. I am close friends with a helluva lot of Catholics, and those relationships have no influence over my feelings about some of the stuff that comes out of the Vatican. I just don't see a parallel there.
Tell that to the Iranians? hate to break it to you, they may follow Shi'a division of the religion but there are difference ideas of that sect within the borders of Iran. There are different leaders of those differences as there are with Christian churches.
You do know that there are more Jews and Christians in Iran than in Iraq?
Islamic doctrine maybe?
Islamic Doctrine (aqidah), Muslim World, Islam is the only Solution to World's Problem, World of Islam
The above link is quote informative. If you scroll down to
Belief in Prophethood you'll also find the following quote:
"Islamic doctrine leans on the belief of the prophethood of Muhammad supported by the miracles. One of these miracles is the everlasting and unchangeable Qur'an, which cannot be challenged nor changed..."
Yes it does but I have a Christian study book from 1932 which has pretty much the same thing in it - almost word for word. In it, there are some pretty good things but also pretty bad. The point is that all three religions we are talking about base their entire religion on the same exact thing.
And from this holy book which "cannot be challenged nor changed", we get:
"O believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Those of you who make them his friends is one of them. God does not guide an unjust people." - 5:54
"Make war on them until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme" - 8:39
"When the sacred months are over, slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them." - 9:5
"Muslims are harsh against the unbelievers, merciful to one another." - 48:25
AND?
The bible has been adulterated to fit society in both form and function, even in the most recent versions, neutering it. This has happened time and time again and as it was explained to me in a non-offensive manner by a number of Muslims, the Quran did not follow the same path as either the bible or torah has but remain as it was transcribed.
Maybe it would behoove you to actually know the history of that area, the idolity that is in the book and what the Muslims were fighting.
The acceptance of both the Jews and the Christians were not something that was taken lightly, but it was done. Even today, there is a lot more history we tend to discount and many only look at verses in a book as to evidence of the excuse to kill. Isn't this just the same excuses as the Catholics and other Christian sects made?
Of course there are also plenty of verses about love, peace and harmony; also those regarding the subjugation or conversion of non-believers; it's easy to find on the web. You're right that it's good for everyone to educate themselves about this religion, in addition to others. It's especially enlightening to be familiar with the philosophy that guides leaders like Imam Rauf.
BUT I think you missed the point, an Imam may be a leader but he is a limited leader. He is limited to his Mosque as a priest is limited to his Church.
I just don't see that happening. However, "taking over the country" shouldn't be confused with a large percentage of the population wanting to see our cultural values return to the Judeo-Christian principles upon which the nation was founded. That would include allowing the freedom of religion to which the Muslims are entitled.
You don't see it because you are used to it. It isn't that they want to return to "Judeo-Christian" values, it is that they are defining those values to fit their political needs and wants. Falwell, Robertson, and the black liberation church all have that same thing in common and this is what I am driving at. The fringe "kill the abortion doctor" groups out there are the far right, they are the problem because they don't see acceptance of others as any way to go. As the same with the three I mentioned, falwell, robertson and black liberation church.
Right now the Imam Rauf and his backers have strayed away from that principle and turned this issue into a PR nightmare. It's perceived as a contest of wills - an inflexibility on his part instead of a willingness to work with the community. And people wonder why the people's attitude toward Islam rates so poorly in the polls.
Well I can't make this clear enough - I don't give a crap about him or his followers, that is not the issue for me. The PR nightmare hasn't been perpetrated by him or his followers but by those who have to gain ratings and rally their followers while. I tend to agree with the Beck/Rush/et al. critics that these are the group fanning the flames with a play on ignorance - not the Mosque supporters. The latest BS from Beck is he thinks that we need to
reclaim the civil rights movement for some reason, and this may also include the same type of rhetoric over religious rights we heard before.