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Debate Info

310
315
Religion of Violence Religion of Peace
Debate Score:625
Arguments:366
Total Votes:757
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 Religion of Violence (129)
 
 Religion of Peace (160)

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Is Islam a religion of violence or a religion of peace?

Muslims all over the world insist that Islam is a religion that espouses peace and understanding. Yet everyday we read or watch news of violence made by their fanatics. What's your say on this?

Religion of Violence

Side Score: 310
VS.

Religion of Peace

Side Score: 315
17 points

According to the Koran a Muslim who renounces Islam should be put to death. Once you are in you can't get out. I don't know exactly what the questioner means by 'religion of violence' but I think a religion that kills adherents for wanting to get out ought to be considered violent.

Side: Religion of Violence
altarion(1955) Disputed
9 points

So Christianity in the Middle Ages was a religion of violence then?

Side: Religion of Violence
ModusPonem(40) Disputed
8 points

Christianity TODAY is a religion of violence

Side: Religion of Violence
karimcsf(49) Disputed
4 points

Yes Christianity in the middle ages was a religion of violence but contrary to Islam Jesus didn't commend to kill the one who changes his faith

Side: Religion of Violence
Freed0m(95) Disputed
3 points

Christianity in and of itself was never a religion of violence, however the people who followed the religion were violent in the middle ages and a very very small percent today are also.

Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

well yes and no it taught peace as it always has but it was often used as an excuse to go to war but Christians don't do that in large numbers any more (you're always going to have nut jobs who take things to far) whereas in Islam the extremists are actually in the majority

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

Absolutely it was and far worse than Islam. Christianity, for such a short-lived religion, has had its share of violence.

Side: Religion of Peace
HighFalutin(3402) Clarified
1 point

We're talking about the here and now, not hundreds of years ago.

Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

That is not true...lies....the prophet forgave those who converted and did nothing to them.

Side: Religion of Peace
Probama123(44) Disputed
2 points

"Any man who lays with a man as though he were a woman is an abomination, and should be put to death"

Christianity demands we kill all the gays. All the books were written in a different time, and therefore should not be taken too literally. If we do then lots of religions are violent. I mean what book demands we go around and put gays to death?

Side: Religion of Peace
Republican2(349) Disputed
5 points

Actually, what you just mentioned was a Levitical Law, which was done away with after the crucifixion of Jesus (according to Christians). There are many laws found in the old testament of the bible such as this that are similar to the violent laws found in the Koran. The difference though is that Christians believe the old law was done away with after Jesus was crucified. Muslims (the majority of them) still believe that their violent laws still apply today, and that they need to annihilate all the infidels in order to accomplish the will of Allah.

Side: Religion of Violence
Freed0m(95) Disputed
4 points

This was the old testament, not Christianity, although Christianity uses the old testament for guidelines and rules, Jesus is how we can now wipe away all sins, including having gay sex. The old testament was a far more violent book that taught many things that modern day Christians do not follow to the letter. You will not find anything like that in the new testament.

Side: Religion of Violence
karimcsf(49) Disputed
1 point

Christianity demands we kill all the gays.In Islam they kill Gays.So having no religion is the best.

Side: Religion of Violence
manuchekhr(1) Disputed
2 points

hey....have you ever read anything Holy Qur'an...it is said that if you will even make something bad not, killing at all, it is very big sin... I can't stand people like you...You don't even know what Islam is, but you try to describe it. Moreover you don;t know what Qur'an says, but you try to judge it... it shows your stupidity

Side: Religion of Peace
uncadeau(26) Disputed
1 point

That is a very small aspect to base your argument upon, and it is to emphasise the seriosness of renouncing your religion

Side: Religion of Peace
ZaidTheBoss(94) Disputed
1 point

if a non muslim commits a crime he is a criminal but a muslim who does the same crime becomes a terrorist what logic is that please answer

Side: Religion of Peace
femaleshady(4) Disputed
1 point

@Freed0m - It doesn't matter if those atrocious quotes were from the New Testament. The Bible, from a Christian's point of few, is a perfect book written by a perfect deity. So why is that even there in the first place? Why does Jesus have to come along and correct his dad? When, in fact, Jesus stated he wasn't here to abolish the old law, rather to FULFILL the law.

Side: Religion of Peace
elizashimmer(3) Disputed
1 point

There isn't anything in the Quran even vaguely suggesting that an apostate of Islam should be killed.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

Quran 4:89: "They wish that you should disbelieve as they disbelieve, and then you would be equal; therefore take not to yourselves friends of them, until they emigrate in the way of God; then, if they turn their backs, take them, and slay them wherever you find them; take not to yourselves any one of them as friend or helper."

Then from the Hadith...

Burkhari 52:260: "...The Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.' "

Burkhari 83:37 "Allah's Apostle never killed anyone except in one of the following three situations: (1) A person who killed somebody unjustly, was killed (in Qisas,) (2) a married person who committed illegal sexual intercourse and (3) a man who fought against Allah and His Apostle and deserted Islam and became an apostate.""

I could go on. Mind you there are similar sorts of things to be found in Judaic and Christian texts.

Side: Religion of Violence
HaseebT(17) Disputed
1 point

The thing is though that the punishment for leaving Islam is administered and determined by different COUNTRIES not necessarily from Islam. Also, if you're thinking about Sharia, it can be interpreted differently.

Side: Religion of Peace
A-Dota90(4) Disputed
1 point

It is important to note that the statement presented is a misinterpretation of the text from the Quran. The Quran does not prescribe death for apostasy (renouncing Islam) as a general rule, but instead, it emphasizes the importance of freedom of choice in matters of faith.

In fact, there is no mention of any punishment for apostasy in the Quran itself. The verse often cited in this context is Surah al-Baqarah, verse 2:217, which says: "And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever – for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally."

This verse refers to those who reject the faith after having accepted it, and it does not prescribe any punishment for apostasy. It merely states that such individuals will have to face the consequences of their choice in the afterlife.

Moreover, the Quran also emphasizes that there is no compulsion in matters of faith. Surah al-Baqarah, verse 2:256, states: "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion." This verse highlights the importance of individual choice and free will in religious matters.

Therefore, it is incorrect to claim that the Quran prescribes death for apostasy.

In addition, it is important to distinguish between authentic Islamic teachings and cultural practices that may have been wrongly attributed to the religion.

Side: Religion of Peace
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
0 points

Get your facts right if you wish to attack Islam. You are basing your argument on a false proposition. The Quran says no such thing. It says that renouncing Islam means your good deeds are null and void, meaning you will end up in hell. However no punishment is recommended NOR allowed as "there is no compulsion in religion".

Side: Religion of Peace
Redinferno(10) Disputed
0 points

Many authentic Hadiths have been reported in this regard. Ibn `Abbas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever changes his religion, you kill him."

Read more: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503547222&pagename;=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaEAskTheScholar#ixzz0d5K9h6i0

Side: Religion of Peace
Redinferno(10) Disputed
-2 points
Spoonerism(831) Disputed
6 points

If he makes it public in a Muslim country he is given three days to repent. If he refuses to do so then he should be killed. That is to protect others from having their faith weakened. It doesn't make Islam violent.

Um...hello? Um..hi? Seriously?! What you're saying is, if a Muslim makes public his change of heart in a Muslim country, they will kill him (Or threaten him that if he fails to change back in 3 days, he will be killed). AND you go on to say that this doesn't prove it's a violent religion?

I'm confuzzled.

Side: Religion of Violence
karimcsf(49) Disputed
4 points

What brain washing technique they used on you ????????????

killing somebody is not violent seriously !!!!!!!!!!!!! so how about genocide rape torture WHAT IS VIOLENT TO YOU ?

Side: Religion of Violence
Dremorius(861) Disputed
4 points

Are you like 13?

You really have a lot to learn...

Side: Religion of Violence
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
3 points

This my friend is NOT Islam. Islam is what the Quran proposes and God says in the Quran that He has PERFECTED our religion. What ever has been added after that, like Ahadith, Siras, Fatwas etc. is therefore null and void as God Alone is the Giver of religion, Not men.

Side: Religion of Violence
8 points

let me tell you something, if you say your a follower of Islam, and say its peaceful or act peaceful, your not really Islamic at all. your a sub-division believer who has chosen to follow some preacher who speaks of Islam is his own version, of course i would rather have some fake peaceful Islamic religion then the other kind, but thats irrelevant to the question. Muhammad was a war lord, if you do not believe me, read his bibliography, but not the liberal version of course. when he started off "peaceful" you could say, the merchants in Mecca got worried his ideology would ruin their business. so they kicked Muhammad out of Mecca. he goes to a nearby town and uses his religion as a recruiting tool to take back Mecca. when hes ready, he has about, o, just around ten thousand men only. so a big battle happens, Muhammad wins, they raid Mecca and conquerer it. after that new rules and rituals are added to the religion, such as the most unpeacful one invented which is, if a person who is captured, dose not turn to the Islamic faith, he is a slave, he must pay a slave tax such as giving up a daughter or money etc, if he refuses to be a slave, you then decapitate them. when the Ottoman empire pushed into Europe, instead of giving slaves their two options when captured, they were enlisted into the military life the second they were captured, they became janissaries, elite soldiers who were used to be European christens, who then get brainwashed with the Islamic religion. and now adays, the whole idea of a suicidal bomber killing innocents is praised and deemed the most highest form of martyr possible in the Islam religion. so if you still think the Islamic religion is peaceful, read some educating books like " guide to the Islam religion" and things like that. they will show you the true Islamic religion in its bloodbath cult.

Side: Religion of Violence
beaty(52) Disputed
1 point

First of all the Nation of Islam is not the original Islamics, The Assyrians (Greeks) and Babylonians (Libya), Idumaeans (Edomites, today known as Italians they are jews, their children of Esau, Jacobs twin brother), As well as other Africans and Indians. They captured Israel and exiled the original jews to many different locations around the world.(II Kings 17:23). You can find it in your history books too. I'm reading a book about it now called ROME and JERUSALEM the CLASH of ANCIENT CIVILIZATION; Author: Martin Goodman. If you watch that documentary with Bill Maher called "RELIGULOUS". You'll see that all the religious governments say that it is all about politics. Allah is not in the Equation.

Side: Religion of Peace
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
1 point

You have a completely errant view of Islam. I gather you have spent too much time on lying, Islam-bashing sites.

Muhammad, being the prophet of Islam, could not have disobeyed God. Therefore he did not start any war, as God forbids Muslims to aggress.

Those who chose not to become Muslims were, by no means forced, or enslaved. However Non-muslims were exempted from serving in the Muslim army and exempt from giving charity.

Instead a form of poll tax, the Jaziya, was extracted. This was equivalent to, or lower than what Muslims were expected to pay to the poor.

Suicide killings are in direct contradiction of the Quran, which forbids suicide and oppression and suicide killings are both.

Side: Religion of Peace
mudkipz2(360) Disputed
3 points

Muhammad did start wars, he would raid mecca caravans because they were infidels, what happened? tribes around mecca attacked Muhammad's tribe. he also attacked a Jewish tribe he allied with because they were vincible. and they decapitated all of the infidels in the tribe, Muhammad took part in the slaughter.

Side: Religion of Violence
sayyad99(773) Disputed
1 point

Did some of the prophets in Christianity who are also respected as some of the prophets in Islam not engaged in war to free their people?

Side: Religion of Peace
mudkipz2(360) Disputed
4 points

yes they did, you must be referring to the Judges of the Hebrews who would rise up and slay Israel's enemies. however the difference is. while the Koran calls for the conversion, segregation or slaughter of all infidels regardless of ethnicity, culture, or time period. the Judges were brought up as warriors to liberate Israel from oppression, slavery, immorality. so the Judges were noble, admirable, the caliphs or followers of Muhammad, hostile, cruel, oppressors.

Side: Religion of Violence
uncadeau(26) Disputed
1 point

Important correction, suicide is not acceptable in Islam and is strongly forbidden, perhaps it is praised among those groups directly involved in these suicide bombings but you say it as if its among all muslims.

Again you look only at the extremists and twist the story to make it seem corrupted, but there are many details you leave out

Side: Religion of Peace
6 points

Terrorists or freedom fighters. Depends on your point of view. From my point of view a lot of muslims are violent in the name of islam. The so called moderate ones remain quiet. The sharia law can be quite unforgiving. In the past laws in christian countries were not much different, but christians have grown beyond that and appear more humane now.

Since the beginning of islam, it has been opposing other religions agressively and it does not seem this will end anytime soon.

Muslims want one world-wide base religion only; Islam. Non muslims are lesser beings in their view, fit to do away with, at best tolerated if useful.

To islam, not believing is unthinkable. Eradication of undesirables, reason and inconvenient science justifiable. Their message of peace includes putting nay sayers to the sword.

You could say that the other mainstream religion has not been that much different in the past, and you would be right. But dealing with the here and now, islam is violent.

Side: Religion of Violence
8 points

I really wish the "peaceful" Muslims would do something about the non-peaceful ones, because it's making them all look bad.

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

I agree with you entirely. I cannot say that I am a Muslim. I'm not, but I know that I would truly hate it if a group of Christians were to use their "religion" as reason for violence.

Side: Religion of Violence
Probama123(44) Disputed
6 points

Christianity is pretty bad too. This kid in my school got beaten up really bad and ended up breaking his legs, because he was muslim and all the christians hated him. I have to keep explaining to kids that im Hindu, not Muslim, when people call me terrorist, and American hater. It's annoying, but i deal with it. Christians look down upon others too, I've had a christian walk up to me in the mall slip me a brochure and say, if you don't convert to christianity you will burn in hell forever you sinner. They look down on me, but oh well. After saying that i still do not think Christianity is a religion of violence, there are just some nutcases, like there are in Islam. Most Muslims arent violent just the crazies, as with christianity.

Side: Religion of Peace
Uspwns101(444) Disputed
1 point

Once again these kids aren't Christians, it is said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

"The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' "The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (NAS, Mark 12:28-31)

The main difference between most people who claim to be Christians and those who are is this. Although we can all stumble or screw up from time to time, no truly repentant Christian would do this.

Side: Religion of Peace
Redinferno(10) Disputed
3 points

Terrorists or freedom fighters. Depends on your point of view. From my point of view a lot of muslims are violent in the name of islam.

A small portion of Muslims fight in the name of Islam. Most are peaceful.

The sharia law can be quite unforgiving.

The Shariah Law sets punishments for serious crimes such as murder. Should we forgive people who steal, murder or rape? They are given severe punishment that they deserve.

Since the beginning of islam, it has been opposing other religions agressively and it does not seem this will end anytime soon.

Opposing how? It allows people to have whatever Religion they want. It doesn't force people to Islam. How does it aggressively oppose them.

Muslims want one world-wide base religion only; Islam. Non muslims are lesser beings in their view, fit to do away with, at best tolerated if useful.

As I said it allows other people to have whatever Religion they want. No Muslims is allowed to force anyone else to Islam. In the Quran. Muslims are ordered to treat non-Muslims who don't fight against them kindly and justly.

To islam, not believing is unthinkable. Eradication of undesirables, reason and inconvenient science justifiable. Their message of peace includes putting nay sayers to the sword.

Completely untrue. Islam allows people to have whatever Religion they want. It doesn't have non-Muslims killed.

Side: Religion of Peace
mudkipz2(360) Disputed
4 points

own religion if they agree to be second class citizens, give up all liberties and show no public display of their truth, and they don't agree with them, then the Muslims are to kill them. yeah ur own faith is allowed. and Muslims do to want world domination. Muhammad was a war lord who said god told him to conquer all of Arabia and to kill infidels which are non Muslims, you have your info completely wrong are are receiving false teachings about Islam.

Side: Religion of Violence
karimcsf(49) Disputed
2 points

The Shariah Law sets punishments for serious crimes such as murder. Should we forgive people who steal, murder or rape? They are given severe punishment that they deserve.

The shariah law punish witchcraft by death (they still do it in Saudi Arabia )

The shariah law also had rules detailing how you are allowed to rape slaves.

Side: Religion of Violence
smilnjan(116) Disputed
2 points

So saying, you can definitely use this argument for any organized religion. How many wars were fought in the name of Christianity? I believe religion is being used as a springboard for certain people to force their views on others or to get power or stay in power. If one feels that others that do not believe in what they believe is a 'lesser being' and chooses to go to war or be active in terrorism, that isn't necessarily the religion itself, but the persons interpreting said religion. Many people believe that those active in the Church of Satan are violent people, but the ones I've met, and I've met a few, are very peaceful people.

Supporting Evidence: Official Church of Satan website (www.churchofsatan.com)
Side: Religion of Peace
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
1 point

True some Mulims are violent in THE NAME of Islam. But actually they are doing so in disobedience of Islam, as aggression and oppression both are strictly forbidden to Muslims.

Islam has certainly NOT been aggressively opposing other religions. If it had other religions would soon have become extinct in Muslim ruled countries, which they did not.

In fact Islam advocates "no compulsion in religion" and views Christians and Jews and others as 'People of the book', a sort of co-religionists afforded special privileges in Muslim countries.

The meaning of Islam is manyfold, but any believer in one god, who submits his will to the will of God is, in a sense, "Muslim" and will go to Paradise. Therefore the idea of one religion only does not mean what non-muslims understand as Islam.

Putting nay-sayers to the sword is, perhaps a Christian, or Jewish idea, but absolutely NOT an Islamic one as again "there is no compulsion in religion" (Quran).

Side: Religion of Peace
5 points

Any Religion that promisses you 72 virgins if you die bombing someone else is a religion of violence. Just like Christianity was a religion of violence in the middle ages when the pope said that any Crussader who was killed in battle would go to heaven. Both are really one and the same.

Side: Religion of Violence
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
3 points

No religion promises you a reward for bombing. Certainly not Islam. What it does promise is hell for those who commit suicide, or murder people, as the killing of one person is like killing all humanity.

Side: Religion of Peace
Uspwns101(444) Disputed
1 point

No Christianity is not Catholicism, Christianity can only truly be known by the teachings of the Bible, anyone can call themselves Christians, just like anyone can call themselves Muslims this does not make them so. In fact Christianity does not condone violence, neither does Islam it is the people who either pervert teachings or simply ignore them for their political/economic power struggles that wars start.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam does not say you will go to heaven for killing innocents.

Side: Religion of Peace
5 points

Islam means peace. The religion divides the world into two zones: the house of peace (Islam), and the house of war. If you're not in the house of Islam, then you're in the house of War. Gee, I wonder what that means...

Side: Religion of Violence
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
1 point

In Dar as Salaam (Realm of Peace) peace will reign and oppression is banned. In Dar al Harb (Realm of War) people oppress each other and aggress against each other, which leads to violence and war. This is what it means.

Side: Religion of Peace
4 points
Side: Religion of Violence
4 points

Kill, enslave or convert all non-muslims, as it says quite a few times in Quran and proven more than enough in southeast europe does not sound like a peaceful religion. Even the beginning of the Islamic movement (6th cent.) was started with war...and one of the first victims of those who did not wish to join Mohammed were Jews living in the areas of Mecca & Medina.

Side: Religion of Violence
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
2 points

@ gdelfman

You are referring to the so called "Sword Verses", which in fact refer to the war, at the time of the revelation, between the believers of Medina and the unbelievers of Mecca.

It is by no means a license to kill non-believers, outside of a war where Muslims were under attack. This is made very clear in other verses of the Quran.

The war you are talking about was in fact a war of defence, as the new Muslim community had repeatedly been attacked by the Meccans.

The Jews of Medina had agreed a concord with the Muslims, by which they were bound. However they betrayed the Medinans and were in collusion with the Meccans.

Treason is a capital offense even in modern wars and, by any sixth century standards, putting traitors to death was standard practice. 6th century acts must reasonably be judged by 6th century standards right?

Side: Religion of Peace
3 points

"In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie." - Qur'an 2:10

Supporting Evidence: Qur'an 2:10 (quran.com)
Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

"Or thinkest thou that most of them listen or understand? They are only like cattle; - nay, they are worse astray in Path." - Qur'an 25:44

Supporting Evidence: Qur'an 25:44 (quran.com)
Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

"Verily those who believe not, among those who have received the scriptures, and among the idolaters, [shall be cast] into the fire of hell, to remain therein [for ever]. These are the worst of creatures." - Qur'an 98:6

Supporting Evidence: Qur'an 98:6 (quran.com)
Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." - Qur'an 9:29

Supporting Evidence: Qur'an 9:29 (quran.com)
Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

"Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him." - Sahih Bukhari 4:52:177, See Also Sahih Bukhari 4:52:176, Sahih Bukhari 4:56:791.

Supporting Evidence: Sahih Bukhari (en.wikipedia.org)
Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Although many muslims may not be violent, the actual teaching of Islam (as seen above) has aspects of violence. Therefore the religion is violent.

A lot of people are debating whether the people are violent and in truth a very generous portion of them are not violent, but this debate was about the RELIGION of Islam, not the people.

Religion- Details of belief as taught or discussed

Side: Religion of Violence

They hate us, a large group of them at least. Here is how muslims problems work,

1-5% muslim: mostly Peaceful and teach kindness.

6-10&#xmu;slim: mostly peaceful and teach Islam.

11-15&#xmu;slim: somewhatpeaceful and teach Islam.

16-25&#xmu;slim: Deversity against the other religions begin.

26-35&#xmu;slim: Violents is somewhat active, radicals apear.

36-45&#xmu;slim: Larger violents and hevy radiaclism apears.

46-55&#xmu;slim: Powerful muslims take the center governemnt.

56-65&#xmu;slim: Muslim Law takes place, most muslims will be hostal to other religions.

66-100&#xmu;slim: Extream hostility and violents to other religions, the nation becomes a hub to extreamists.

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

Well it depends all on one thing.How you interpret the Koran,if you interpret it telling you to go around blowing people up that aren't of the Muslim religion then yes it is violent,if you follow the rules you see in the Koran and don't interpret it that way then peaceful. People see a Arabic scarf on a woman's head called a hajab and they think oh shes a terrorist or they see an Arabic man and go oh hes a terrorist.Not all people who practice Islam are bad but there are people that practice Islam and are bad and ruin it for the rest of the good ones.You can not judge a religion or a person on other peoples actions,and words you must know the person or religion,to be able to understand it.

Side: it depends on your view
2 points

I bet that if the question was, "Is Christianity a religion of violence or a religion of peace?" Loads of people would have said it was a religion of violence..

Side: Religion of Violence
ameendebater(14) Disputed
1 point

SO IS IT. COME INSIDE ISLAM TO KNOW ABOUT IT U WILL GET HEAVEN.INSHALLAH.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

Check out this satirical article about Islam being a religion of peace and love - http://thedailysatire.com/world-news/peace-and-love-say-muslim-brotherhood/ - or see the link in the supporting evidence about how muslim immigrants are making war on their host country's people and culture

Supporting Evidence: Islam In The West: Tactics Of Islamisization (hubpages.com)
Side: Religion of Violence

All religion leads to pain, not just Islam. They should all be made illegal on the basis of public security.

Side: Religion of Peace
Freed0m(95) Disputed
1 point

Your argument has no basis, EVERYTHING leads to pain, but most everything can also lead to joy or relief of pain. Christianity, although it had the crusades, nowadays helps thousands upon thousands of those in need. Our country was based on the concept of freedom, primarily that of religion, so save your comments that do nothing to further this debate off of this website.

Side: Religion of Peace
3 points

"Christianity, although it had the crusades, nowadays helps thousands upon thousands of those in need"

Islam does the same for thousands in Africa who have more or less nothing else to turn too.

"Our country was based on the concept of freedom, primarily that of religion, so save your comments that do nothing to further this debate off of this website."

I am aware of what we were founded on, and freedom of opinion is one of them. And by the way, never preach about freedom to a Libertarian.

Side: Religion of Violence
Ignoramis(381) Disputed
1 point

Christianity is very public about it, however, what you don't realize is that Seek, Muslim and Hindu temples give free food during their ceremonies to anyone that needs it. Steve Jobs used to go to the temple and get a free meal when he was poor. That consistency and wide spread offer to help people is not paralleled in Christianity. It is just that Christians have big mouths and lack humbleness.

Side: Religion of Violence
Uspwns101(444) Disputed
1 point

It seems to me that a libertarian shouldn't believe in the banning of any practice.

Side: Religion of Peace
3 points

Except for something coming as a barrier to the freedom i hold dear to my views. Religion encourages discrimination of gays, didn't discourage slavery at one point, ect.

Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

Except for something coming as a barrier to the freedom i hold dear to my views. Religion encourages discrimination of gays, didn't discourage slavery at one point, ect.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

any one who honestly believes Islam is a religion of peace is a total lefty nut case it says in the Koran that infidels (non-Muslims) are evil seeds of the devil and should be killed fuck Islam

Side: Religion of Violence
uncadeau(26) Disputed
1 point

What a narrow view you pose, it is to highlight the importance of the belief in one God and the Prophet Muhammad pbuh, and the importance of not straying from this path.

Read the biography of the prophet, which is an indication of how we should conduct our lives, he has lived peacefully with non-muslims in the past and has drawn up treaties to keep the peace and has honoured these agreements

Side: Religion of Peace
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

Read the biography of the prophet, which is an indication of how we should conduct our lives

he was psychopathic mass murder and pedophile... is he your "the man" :D

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

They are peaceful religion...if you don't believe, they will kill you

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

The Quran contains at least 109 verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule.

Unlike nearly all of the Old Testament verses of violence, the verses of violence in the Quran are mostly open-ended, meaning that they are not restrained by the historical context of the surrounding text. They are part of the eternal, unchanging word of Allah, and just as relevant or subjective as anything else in the Quran.

Quran (2:191-193) - "And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah [disbelief] is worse than killing...

but if they desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah] and worship is for Allah alone. But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)"

The historical context of this passage is not defensive warfare, since Muhammad and his Muslims had just relocated to Medina and were not under attack by their Meccan adversaries.

Quran (2:244) - "Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things."

Quran (2:216) - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."

Not only does this verse establish that violence can be virtuous, but it also contradicts the myth that fighting is intended only in self-defense, since the audience was obviously not under attack at the time. From the Hadith, we know that this verse was narrated at a time that Muhammad was actually trying to motivate his people into raiding merchant caravans for loot.

Quran (3:56) - "As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help."

Quran (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority".

This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be 'joining companions to Allah').

Quran (4:74) - "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward."

The martyrs of Islam are unlike the early Christians, led meekly to the slaughter. These Muslims are killed in battle, as they attempt to inflict death and destruction for the cause of Allah. Here is the theological basis for today's suicide bombers.

Quran (4:76) - "Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah…"

Quran (4:89) - "They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks."

Quran (4:95) - "Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) Hath Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward,-" This passage criticizes "peaceful" Muslims who do not join in the violence, letting them know that they are less worthy in Allah's eyes. It also demolishes the modern myth that "Jihad" doesn't mean holy war in the Quran, but rather a spiritual struggle. Not only is the Arabic word used in this passage, but it is clearly not referring to anything spiritual, since the physically disabled are given exemption. (The Hadith reveals the context of the passage to be in response to a blind man's protest that he is unable to engage in Jihad and this is reflected in other translations of the verse).

Quran (4:104) - "And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain..." Is pursuing an injured and retreating enemy really an act of self-defense?

Quran (5:33) - "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement"

Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.

Quran (8:15) - "O ye who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them. (16)Whoso on that day turneth his back to them, unless maneuvering for battle or intent to join a company, he truly hath incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey's end."

Quran (8:39) - "And fight with them until there is no more fitna (disorder, unbelief) and religion should be only for Allah"

Some translations interpret "fitna" as "persecution", but the traditional understanding of this word is not supported by the historical context (See notes for 2:293, also). The Meccans were simply refusing Muhammad access to their city during Haj. Other Muslims were allowed to travel there - just not as an armed group, since Muhammad had declared war on Mecca prior to his eviction. The Meccans were also acting in defense of their religion, since it was Muhammad's intention to destroy their idols and establish Islam by force (which he later did). Hence the critical part of this verse is to fight until "religion is only for Allah", meaning that the true justification of violence was the unbelief of the opposition. According to the Sira (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 324) Muhammad further explains that "Allah must have no rivals."

Quran (8:57) - "If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember."

Quran (8:59-60) - "And let not those who disbelieve suppose that they can outstrip (Allah's Purpose). Lo! they cannot escape. Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy."

Quran (8:65) - "O Prophet, exhort the believers to fight..."

Quran (9:5) - "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them." According to this verse, the best way of staying safe from Muslim violence is to convert to Islam (prayer (salat) and the poor tax (zakat) are among the religion's Five Pillars). This popular claim that the Quran only inspires violence within the context of self-defense is seriously challenged by this passage as well, since the Muslims to whom it was written were obviously not under attack. Had they been, then there would have been no waiting period (earlier verses make it a duty for Muslims to fight in self-defense, even during the sacred months). The historical context is Mecca after the idolaters were subjugated by Muhammad and posed no threat. Once the Muslims had the power, they violently evicted those unbelievers who would not convert.

Quran (9:14) - "Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace..."

Quran (9:20) - "Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant."

The Arabic word interpreted as "striving" in this verse is the same root as "Jihad". The context is obviously holy war.

Quran (9:29) - "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."

"People of the Book" refers to Christians and Jews. According to this verse, they are to be violently subjugated, with the sole justification being their religious status. This was one of the final "revelations" from Allah and it set in motion the tenacious military expansion, in which Muhammad's companions managed to conquer two-thirds of the Christian world in the next 100 years. Islam is intended to dominate all other people and faiths.

Quran (9:30) - "And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!"

Quran (9:38-39) - "O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place."

This is a warning to those who refuse to fight, that they will be punished with Hell.

Quran (9:41) - "Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew." See also the verse that follows (9:42) - "If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them" This contradicts the myth that Muslims are to fight only in self-defense, since the wording implies that battle will be waged a long distance from home (in another country and on Christian soil, in this case, according to the historians).

Quran (9:73) - "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination."

Dehumanizing those who reject Islam, by reminding Muslims that they are merely firewood for Hell, makes it easier to justify slaughter. It also explains why today's devout Muslims have little regard for those outside the faith.

Quran (9:88) - "But the Messenger, and those who believe with him, strive and fight with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper."

Quran (9:111) - "Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Quran: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."

Quran (9:123) - "O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness."

Quran (17:16) - "And when We wish to destroy a town, We send Our commandment to the people of it who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction."

Note that the crime is moral transgression, and the punishment is "utter destruction."

(Before ordering the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden first issued Americans an invitation to Islam).

Quran (18:65-81) - This parable lays the theological groundwork for honor killings, in which a family member is murdered because they brought shame to the family, either through apostasy or perceived moral indiscretion. The story (which is not found in any Jewish or Christian source) tells of Moses encountering a man with "special knowledge" who does things which don't seem to make sense on the surface, but are then justified according to later explanation. One such action is to murder a youth for no apparent reason (74). However, the wise man later explains that it was feared that the boy would "grieve" his parents by "disobedience and ingratitude." He was killed so that Allah could provide them a 'better' son. (Note: This is one reason why honor killing is sanctioned by Sharia. Reliance of the Traveler (Umdat al-Saliq) says that punishment for murder is not applicable when a parent or grandparent kills their offspring (o.1.1-2).)

Quran (21:44) - "We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?"

Quran (25:52) - "Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them with the utmost strenuousness..."

"Strive against" is Jihad - obviously not in the personal context. It's also significant to point out that this is a Meccan verse.

Quran (33:60-62) - "If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and the alarmists in the city do not cease, We verily shall urge thee on against them, then they will be your neighbors in it but a little while. Accursed, they will be seized wherever found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter."

This passage sanctions the slaughter (rendered "merciless" and "horrible murder" in other translations) against three groups: Hypocrites (Muslims who refuse to "fight in the way of Allah" (3:167) and hence don't act as Muslims should), those with "diseased hearts" (which include Jews and Christians 5:51-52), and "alarmists" or "agitators who include those who merely speak out against Islam, according to Muhammad's biographers. It is worth noting that the victims are to be sought out by Muslims, which is what today's terrorists do. If this passage is meant merely to apply to the city of Medina, then it is unclear why it is included in Allah's eternal word to Muslim generations.

Quran (47:3-4) - "Those who reject Allah follow vanities, while those who believe follow the truth from their lord. Thus does Allah set forth form men their lessons by similitude. Therefore when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners,"

Those who reject Allah are to be subdued in battle. The verse goes on to say the only reason Allah doesn't do the dirty work himself is in order to to test the faithfulness of Muslims. Those who kill pass the test. "But if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost."

Quran (47:35) - "Be not weary and faint-hearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost (Shakir: "have the upper hand") for Allah is with you,"

Quran (48:17) - "There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom."

Contemporary apologists sometimes claim that Jihad means 'spiritual struggle.' Is so, then why are the blind, lame and sick exempted? This verse also says that those who do not fight will suffer torment in hell.

Quran (48:29) - "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves"

Islam is not about treating everyone equally. There are two very distinct standards that are applied based on religious status. Also the word used for 'hard' or 'ruthless' in this verse shares the same root as the word translated as 'painful' or severe' in verse 16.

Quran (61:4) - "Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way"

Religion of Peace, indeed! The verse explicitly refers to "battle array" meaning that it is speaking of physical conflict. This is followed by (61:9): "He it is who has sent His Messenger (Mohammed) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam) to make it victorious over all religions even though the infidels may resist." (See next verse, below). Infidels who resist Islamic rule are to be fought.

Quran (61:10-12) - "O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment. That you believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad ), and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know! (If you do so) He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwelling in Gardens of 'Adn - Eternity ['Adn (Edn) Paradise], that is indeed the great success."

This verse refers to physical battle in order to make Islam victorious over other religions (see above). It uses the Arabic word, Jihad.

Quran (66:9) - "O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. Hell will be their home, a hapless journey's end."

The root word of "Jihad" is used again here. The context is clearly holy war, and the scope of violence is broadened to include "hypocrites" - those who call themselves Muslims but do not act as such.

Side: Religion of Violence

Thank you for all the examples.

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

Today, Islam is the old "Christian" religion. Everyone wants to look at Islam, but no one acknowledges what the white Christians did to the so called "Blacks" also know as Yahshraelites (Israelites). Christianity was created by the Romans, i.e. descendants of Esau (the so called white man). The whites terrorized the Blacks, slaughtered them, hung them, burn them, beat them, etc... Now all of a sudden, Christians want to act like they are all about peace and they always have been, that's a lie. Islam and Christianity are the same, there both man-made religions with a gruesome past. "Blacks" are still in slavery today; we are always at the bottom of the list and get the left overs of everything. We are constantly being targeted.

Side: Religion of Violence
GenericName(3430) Clarified
1 point

Just realized who you are:

Real Hebrew.

Nice try, but you've been discovered.

Side: Religion of Violence
Yahshraela(79) Clarified
1 point

Yes, I am. Unfortunately I forgot my email and password to my other account.

Side: Religion of Violence
HaseebT(17) Disputed
1 point

Did you know that the first to call to prayer in Islam was black, Bilal. Also, one of Muhammad (peace be upon him)'s last words were to respect all creeds. Don't believe me, search it up.

Side: Religion of Peace

after seeing the news about 911 i will have to agree on this topic

Supporting Evidence: Austin mobile mechanic (www.moonlightingautomotive.com)
Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

As a Muslim born in Canada, I do believe Islam is a religion that leads to peace, now why do the Against side are blaming Islam? To start of read the Quran for yourself, there are no harmful verses even translated. Now there are ways to "textualize"l texts for example in the Quran you must read the whole chapter for it to make sense. When Islam came, persecution began asap with the pagans. These pagans were evil, they did the most sinful things I can't even mention in this site. So when they were persecuted they ran away to Abyssinia or modern day Ethiopia and the they went back to Medina which became the city of the Prophet, when they went in these two expeditions they went unarmed, actually Medina was given to Muhammad as a gift from the people of Medina who were once corrupted too like the Pagan Meccans. Now the concept of Jihad was brought up during the time Muhammad was receiving the revelations of the Holy Quran (parts of the Quran). the concept of Jihad does NOT mean Holy War against Unbelievers, that is to simplified of a definition which doesn't make sense for the reason that Islam and Judaism and Christianity have much in common and the religions don't promote war without cause. Now there are many different types of Jihad but in general two Jihads, the Lesser Jihad and the Bigger Jihad. The Lesser Jihad is the Jihad against the Unbelievers for persecution in God's Cause. Now AL-Qaeda members believe they actually do it for God, but really some of them don't even no they do it serve their political ideologies of nationalism under the label Islam. You can't blame Muslims until you are one and you know the right teachings of Muhammad sent by God. Then the wrong teaches sent by Osama Bin Laden or to be honest I hate to blame but the Christian Missionaries who didn't want to fight the Caliphate but transform it to self-destruct by teaching more materialized and political ideas when the Muslims were at peace. Now Jihad is something really we should all do to be honest, but we should do the True Jihad, or the Bigger Jihad which is to fight the evil out of you first. God does not let retaliation happen until the you can change yourself, thats why it took long for till the Muslims could fight the Meccan Pagans because they had to fight their evils first by letting go of their anger and not continuing fights after a surrender. Now if you could look at many al Qaeda fights and compare it Muhammad's (peace be upon him) battle there are differences, actually a great example for respect was after the Battle of Badr with a Muslim victory, the Muslims gathered many prisoners but than cut the loose and shared their food and if they wanted they walked beside them, if they taught 10 Muslims to leave they would go free/ Why did those pagans from Mecca become Muslim? Because they read the quran which makes sense if you open your heart. Islam is the simple submission to God, not some political ideology which needs constitutions to be changed every two seconds, Islam does recognized the Ten Commandments but with more explanation in the Quran to full understand the concept. Islam is a religion that leads to peace. Thank You.

Side: Religion of Violence
trumpet_guy(503) Clarified
2 points

Because Islam started by military conquest.

http://www.hebroots.org/hebrootsarchive/ 0111/0111r.html

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

The only time Islam will be a religion of peace is when the whole world is Islamatized.

Until then the Muslims will be at war with us infidels.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Religion, all religions, can be taken to extremes. One extreme is strict adherence to God's laws/ commandments. We need the law. Without the law we fall into lawlessness and chaos. We also need a just God because without that there is no strength in the law.

Muslims say they believe in God. If you believe in God let me ask you, do you believe only God is perfect? Christians believe that only God is perfect. Because people are not perfect they cannot hope to live up to the perfection of religions that require strict adherence to law. Like Islam, Christianity has the law, but it also has forgiveness in the person of Jesus.

Christians are told not to judge. Because only God is perfect, when we judge ourselves righteous and condemn another for being sinful we have become self righteous. How can people ever be righteous if they are not perfect? If people are not perfect then it would follow that we must all be sinners. Interestingly enough this makes us all equal in the eyes of God. When we condemn another for their sinful behavior we agree with the law that says sinners are deserving of condemnation, but at the same time aren't we are also condemning ourselves because we, like them, are not perfect and therefore also sinners? When we do something wrong that is deserving of punishment don't we hope for leniency and mercy for ourselves? Knowing that, should we not then show this same love and forgiveness toward others that we wish for ourselves? When we claim we are righteous then pass judgement on others aren't we setting ourselves up on the throne of judgement, a seat reserved only for God?

The end result of christianity is love. The bible gives us two commandments. That we love God and that we love our neighbors as ourselves. Even if we don't know or understand the law as presented to us in the commandments most everyone can understand what it means to be loved. We also have the person of Christ who is our perfect example and embodies these two commandments in all that he does.

Religious extremists often demand strict adherence to the law. The law does not allow for forgiveness. Religions that only have the law use their religious laws to justify their right to condemn another and because people are not perfect a reason can always be found to judge others as less righteous and therefore worthy of punishment under the law. Those who are condemned may very well be guilty of having broken the law -in large part because people are not perfect. Those who follow the law may seek to prove themselves righteous, yet being imperfect and therefore also falling short of the perfection the law demands; they can never find righteousness through the law. They are then apt to seek self righteousness by pointing out the faults of others and meting out punishment. They are always looking for faults in others to condemn so they can feel righteous. In Christianity Jesus is the forgiveness for an imperfect world. Born of God and not of man he was perfect/righteous. He died. He did not deserve to die under the law. He died in our place to fulfill what was required of the law that we might live not under the law, but under grace, God's love and forgiveness.

Yesterday I was listening to the news that was coming out of Syria where many people are being killed by muslim extremists. One of the attackers had scribbled on the wall the saying, Kneel or Die. Just who do they think people should kneel to? God or themselves? Extremists will hold a gun to the head of others demanding that others believe or die. Knowing that you are going to die may make believers out of some, but I doubt God wants those kinds of believers. Which do you believe God would value more: Praises offered to him that have been forced by threats and coercions, praises that make a big show of piety and offerings in order to prove how righteous a person is, or praises offered from a humble heart full of love and respect for God?

Was it religious self righteousness that drove Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to kill an eight year old boy, three young college girls and a security guard with their homemade bomb?

Here is wikipedia's definition of jihad: Jihad: an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihad translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Within the context of Islam it refers to struggle against those who do not believe in Islamic God (Allah).

Jihad is commonly misunderstood as "Holy War", Jihad means "to struggle in the way of Allah"... Jihad is an important religious duty for Muslims...There are two commonly accepted meanings of jihad: an inner spiritual struggle and an outer physical struggle. The "greater jihad" is the inner struggle by a believer to fulfill his religious duties. This non-violent meaning is stressed by both Muslim and non-Muslim authors.

The "lesser jihad" is the physical struggle against the enemies of Islam. This physical struggle can take a violent form or a non-violent form. The proponents of the violent form translate jihad as "holy war", although some Islamic studies scholars disagree. The Dictionary of Islam and British-American orientalist Bernard Lewis both argue jihad has a military meaning in the large majority of cases. Some scholars maintain non-violent ways to struggle against the enemies of Islam. An example of this is written debate, often characterized as "jihad of the pen".

According to the BBC, a third meaning of jihad is the struggle to build a good society."

It would seem to me that jihad is extremist muslims' excuse for justifying their constant warring and exacting punishment on believers and nonbelievers. I fear for them that they are setting themselves up on God's seat of judgement.

Religious extremists, in their zeal to obtain righteousness for themselves under the law, can exact their punishment for misdeeds at any time. People are not perfect, only God is perfect. There can be no sense of peace only a fear that religious extremists may turn their judgement on you next.

http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/

You can find religious extremists in all religions. I follow Jesus. He is my peace. I find it truly amazing the way God, through his son, has set up his plan of forgiveness, love and peace.

The recent arrest of Crawford and Feight, who wanted to kill muslims with radiation, shows just another example of self righteousness. As you can see you can find extremists in followers of all beliefs. It is interesting what U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian said about the incident, "This case demonstrates how we must remain vigilant to detect and stop potential terrorists, who so often harbor hatred toward people they deem undesirable." Regardless of their beliefs there will be people who will judge others as undesirable, and worthy of punishment and/or death.

Islam, especially jihad, seems to me to promote this violent behavior. I believe islam to be a violent religion. That is just my opinion.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Islam came unashamedly with sword in hand with the message, death to all infidels, ( non Muslims) whereas Christianity professes a peace which it has never achieved.

Side: Religion of Violence
Cuaroc(8829) Disputed
2 points

ah yes because the inquisition and the crusades where so peaceful.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

The religion is founded off of violence. You see, most Muslims are never exposed to the atrocities found in the Quran and instead are taught the minority of the loving aspects, because Muslims aren't allowed to question their religion.

Quran (2:244) - "Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things." (This verse in the Quran clearly commands Muslims to fight in the name of Allah. ISIS and many other Muslim terrorists in history would be inspired by this.)

Quran (2:216) - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not." (This verse establishes that violence can be virtuous.)

Quran (3:56) - "As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help." (Condemns people of different faiths and threatens eternal suffering.)

The list could go on but you see my point. Islam, much like the Bible, preaches love and tolerance in one part and hate in the other. This manipulative love-hate tactic is used to draw people in until they are incapable of critical thought. They're hypnotized at this point. A lot of abusers use this tactic on their victims as well; first they do many acts of kindness to ''woo'' their victims, and once they've officially lured them in, they're trapped and can't get out.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Read the Koran. Then compare this to the events in spots with some muslim population.

Side: Religion of Violence
flewk(1193) Disputed
1 point

Read the Bible. Then compare it to the events in spots with Christian population (throughout history).

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

Thanks for supporting my point. Assuming you are talking about the Catholic Church you give a beautiful example of what happens when deviating from Christian values.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

List of Islamic Terror Attacks For One Recent Week in July 2015

Date Country City Killed Injured Description

2015.07.17 Algeria Tifran 11 0 Eleven security personnel are ambushed and murdered by al-Qaeda.

2015.07.17 Pakistan Quetta 1 0 A suicide bomber detonates at a women's universtiy, killing a guard.

2015.07.17 Afghanistan Sholgar 3 14 Strict Islamic law activists set off a bomb outside a rival mosque that kills three worshippers leaving after prayer.

2015.07.17 Iraq Kahn Bani Saad 120 170 Children are among over one-hundred innocents cut down by Mujahid bombers while celebrating Ramadan.

2015.07.17 Nigeria Damaturu 15 18 A 10-year-old girl and elderly woman are strapped with suicide vests and sent onto a rival prayer ground.

2015.07.16 USA Chattanooga 5 2 A 'devout Muslim' stages a suicide attack on a recruiting center at a strip mall and a naval center which leaves five dead.

2015.07.16 Afghanistan Mihtarlam 8 0 Two children are among eight people massacred during a Taliban ambush on their van.

2015.07.15 Niger Bosso 16 4 Islamic radicals fire on a group of unarmed villagers, killing sixteen.

2015.07.15 Nigeria Baga 8 0 Eight civilians are summarily shot in the back of the head by Sharia activists along a highway.

2015.07.15 Syria Deir Ezzor 8 0 Eight civilians are crucified by the caliph for breaking Ramadan fasting rules.

2015.07.14 Chad Tetewa 6 0 Islamists reach an island community and massacre six children.

2015.07.13 Afghanistan Maidan Wardak 2 2 A father and son are aerated by Religion of Peace ball bearings.

2015.07.13 Nigeria Maiduguri 4 5 A Shahid suicide bomber hits a checkpoint screening civilians, killing four.

2015.07.12 Lybia Benghazi 5 17 Suspected Islamists fire a rocket into a residential district, killing five elderly men.

2015.07.12 Iraq Mosul 1 0 A group of female Sharia police beat a woman to death for lifting her veil in a store to read a label.

2015.07.12 Iraq Mosul 10 0 Ten Iraqis are lined up and mowed down by ISIS machine-guns.

2015.07.12 Libya Benghazi 19 80 Nineteen people are killed during an ISIS assault.

2015.07.12 Niger Diffa 1 2 One guard is left dead when Boko Haram attack a prison.

2015.07.12 Iraq Khazimiyah 8 23 A Fedayeen suicide bomber murders eight people at a square outside a Shiite mosque.

2015.07.12 Iraq Baghdad 4 11 Sunnis time a car bomb to explode just as Shias are breaking their Ramadan fast, killing four.

2015.07.12 Iraq Baghdad 2 7 An ISIS bomb at a commercial district leaves two dead.

2015.07.12 Afghanistan Tatarkhil 10 4 Ten civlians are easily exterminated by a Taliban bomb blast.

2015.07.12 Iraq Sharqat 1 0 Caliphate members booby-trap and set fire to a baby for demonstration purposes.

2015.07.12 Iraq Shaab 19 25 Nineteen lives are snuffed out when a suicide bomber drives into a crowded market and explodes.

2015.07.12 Iraq Bunouk 9 15 A car bomb in a commercial district leaves nine dead.

2015.07.12 Cameroon Fotokol 11 17 Two suicide bombers murder eleven people breaking their Ramadan fast.

2015.07.12 Afghanistan Khost 33 11 Over two dozen innocents are blown to bits by suicide car bombers.

2015.07.12 Afghanistan Kunduz 2 6 Religious hardliners plant a bomb that claims the lives of two civilians.

2015.07.11 Thailand Narathiwat 3 8 Three lose their lives when Muslims set fire to a night-club district.

2015.07.11 Egypt Cairo 1 4 A bystander is killed when Islamic radicals set off a car bomb outside the Italian consulate.

2015.07.11 Chad N'Djamena 15 80 Fifteen people at a market are blown to bits by a suicide bomber in a burqa.

2015.07.11 Yemen Dhalea 1 0 A Shiite shell claims the life of a child.

2015.07.11 Afghanistan Kandahar 3 6 Three children are disassembled by Taliban bombers.

2015.07.11 Nigeria Monguno 43 0 Islamists attack three small towns and shoot or slit the throats over over forty people.

2015.07.11 Iraq Youssifiya 2 0 A Jihadi bomb blast brings down two patrons at a market.

2015.07.11 Iraq Baghdad 4 9 A roadside blast takes care of four Iraqis.

2015.07.11 Iraq Rashidiya 3 5 A fruit and vegetable market is the scene of much blood after Mujahid set off a bomb.

2015.07.11 Egypt Rafah 1 3 A civilian is killed by an Islamist mortar shell.

2015.07.11 Thailand Narathiwat 1 0 A 35-year-old is shot to death by Muslim 'separatists'.

2015.07.11 Nigeria Maiduguri 4 3 A suicide bomber on a tricycle pedals to paradise, taking four civilians with him.

2015.07.10 Thailand Songkhla 1 13 Two bombings by suspected 'insurgents' leave one woman dead outside a bank.

2015.07.10 Somalia Mogadishu 12 18 A dozen others are reported killed when Islamists attack a hotel, first with a suicide blast and then gunfire.

2015.07.10 Nigeria Gamboru 8 0 Three women are among eight civilians casually picked off by Boko Haram gunmen.

2015.07.10 Iraq Anbar 10 0 At least ten defenders are killed when ISIS attempt to take over a town.

2015.07.10 Afghanistan Mamand 3 0 Three tribal elders are assassinated by ISIS.

2015.07.10 Iraq Baghdad 6 22 An Islamic State car bomb sends six Iraqis to their death.

2015.07.10 Nigeria Ngamdu 11 0 Eleven villagers are cut down during a raid by Boko Haram.

2015.07.10 Nigeria Sambisi 1 0 A man is shot and beheaded on video by militants chanting slogans to Allah.

2015.07.10 Iraq Mosul 11 0 Caliphate members execute eleven Iraqis by running over their prone bodies with a bulldozer.

Side: Religion of Violence

This is pretty obvious. If it were truly a religion of peace i dont think so many muslims would be getting it wrong and treating women and others like shit. Its a political ideology based on spreading the religion as far and wide as possible and killing anyone who doesnt convert. It is bronze age nonsense and has no place in a modern world.

Side: Religion of Violence

When I speak about violence, I am referring to Sharia Law that calls for the execution of homosexuals.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

What Osama Bin Laden did was not extremism. It was what the quran says to do. The quran says they should kill the unbelievers and slash the necks of polytheists.

People often say: Not all Muslims are terrorists (this is true), Only like 1% are (not true).

If by terrorist you mean people who actually commit the act of terror than maybe it is just 1%.

But if by terrorist you mean people who believe that what the terrorists are doing is good, than it is way more than 1%, it's probably more than 50%.

I'm not saying that all Muslims are terrorists, there are plenty of wonderful, well rounded Muslims in this world. However, it happens to be that these Muslims tend to be less religious.

Side: Religion of Violence
GenericName(3430) Clarified
1 point

Do you have any statistical evidence of your claims?

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

It is almost fundamental for Islam to be militant in its execution of practice and its law in order to exist. Having said that, It is also necessary (defenses) for every religion to practice violence in order to protect and secure. The religious battles in history have been more about protection by/ of identity rather than mere communal tensions. The greatest disaster religion has caused is to create the pledge or even bond of identity that constitutes a religious person's course. Islam by all means is inherently a religion that advocates violent measures to attain religious goals.

Side: Religion of Violence
GenericName(3430) Clarified
1 point

It is almost fundamental for Islam to be militant in its execution of practice and its law in order to exist.

So why are many of the large Islamic countries not militant?

Side: Religion of Violence
92nida(1411) Clarified
1 point

I'd say, because in many of those parts they have achieved their goals and accomplished the policies they desire to be established. And the truth is that indoctrination, the sole tool of all religion, eases the task.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Talk about tolerance, freedom of speech, and religious freedom. Disagree with their views of same sex marriage and your church will be shut down.

Religious freedom, are you willing to let them take that away from your parents, and grandparents, and from you if ever you chose it matters to you?

The key is, should you ever be left without a choice regarding your American given freedom to exercise ehat you believe?

What if you were an animal activist, and I was a butcher? Should you have a right to not stock meat on the shelves of your store. And shouldnt I have a right to be a butcher and provide people who like and want steak, in other grocery stores?

Or should the animal rights person be able to trample my rights? Or miine theirs?

Wouldnt you want to be remain in full control of your own religious freedom?

Why let them take that?

Arent they taking it from all of us, including all of you, except Muslims?

Gone are the days of pluralism. This is what tyranny looks like.

This should come as no surprise, as it reflects the vile militancy the LGBT movement is known for. Just as they unleashed threats of violence and arson against a tiny pizzeria in Indiana when they dared to express a very mild opinion against gay marriage, so they want to punish Christians who dare to preach, well, Christianity.

Notice who he did not mention: "mosques." Gays never criticize Islam, even though it is only Muslims(not Christians, who are commiting hate crimes against gays. And bullying is not a Christian adgenda against gays, its individuals) Muslims are hanging gays from cranes and throwing them from buildings every single week.

So why attack Christians?

The baker who was respectful to that gay couple, had a religious belief she exercised according to her concience. They destroyed her business! Good? Fair? In the same area, a guy went as a gay and requ Muslim bakers, he went to several Muslim owned bakeries for a wedding cake, each said no!

So, do you think gays, arent aware that many Muslim bakeries would also say no? Or, do you think they are hatefully discriminating against Christians, and targeting specific people and groups?

Wake up they are not giving you anything, they are taking everything away from you, on purpose! Why does it matter what we think or believe? Isnt that personal till we decide its safe for us to share with another?

The point is, Gay, Transgender, thats their buisiness to have gender preference.

And its the Christian baker's business to believe or not to believe however she likes!

Whatever happened to live and let live?

These laws arent live and let live!

They are 1 group gets to live, and the other doesnt get to live!

Gays were bullied, and so were many people.

But as a whole, society had balance. Live and let live.

The movement mellenials are embracing is Cruel! Heartless! and Selfish!

Their generation doesnt understand boundaries of others.

LGBT does all this to society because they want to be moral dictators. No one had rights or freedoms to disagree or have a moral standard that disagrees with them.

But why not? Why by forceon everyone, as unconstitutuonal as you can ever get!

What does it have to do with anything?

Isnt it better to let everyone have a right to their own moral standard?

And a freedom to believe how they want to?

Why cant we be individuals respecting each others boundaries?

So if there are 30 specialty bakeries, Why do they have to take the one that disagrees and kill her? Isnt that targeted discrimination?

Are they Terrorists or Islam Radicals, if you dont believe their way, you will loose your head, or your business?

Bow down, and compromise your stand for something you believe in with all your heart, or commit business suicide?

What does that sound like to you?

Millennials cant see that? Really?LGBT are a useless group. They are festering selfishness in our young adults.

Lets all turn our backs and ingnore LGBT

They are faceless and selfish.

Lets ignore their faces like they ignored all ours! Push them back to the hell they belong in. And lets be nice to all people including gays, instead of "especially gays"

Lets get this going by tweet and everywhere, and invalidate this group! They are not good for us or for our gay friends and family!

Speak the truth. They are nothing but selfish and cruel! Remove their hate and there is nothing left.

Tweet and post to invalidate LGBT !

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

LGBT is like radical Muslims. Very hateful!

They are bullies

Discrimination against Christians.

Very evil group. They dont care about people. Its sad that they have such a strong grip on mellenials. Look how mean and callus they have become.

politically motivated out-of-state activists are distributing target lists indiscriminately, and annoying small businesses until they give up the advertising deals that help them grow, or risk being unable to conduct business at all. It’s not even activism… it’s blackmail

these activists are not and never would have been customers… their only role is to harass small businesses in an attempt to interfere with their operations

Side: Religion of Violence

It is a violent, bigoted and myopic philosophy that has no tolerance for freedom of speech/expression; freedom of/from religion; empowerment of women; lifestyle choice and just about everything else that is not Sharia compliant.

Side: Religion of Violence

Really, there is no comparison. They are more violent than any other religion.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Video discussing Islam from an ex-Jihadist Terrorist

https://youtu.be/df1OzG0bDcU

It is antichrist!

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

According to quran Islam is very beautiful and peacfull religion but most of Muslims forgotten the real meaning of peace and religion....their religious activities involve violent acts..in India most of them are forcing non Islamic people to wear Islamic religion...they become blind when it comes to follow orders from their religious leader....most of them have have 7-8 kids just becoz they want their own population in majority of nation...

Most of terrorists are islam followers...they state killing people and raping women correct when it comes to people....if someone says that only bunch of people are using islamic terrorism for their politics but the fund and common manpower is coming from islam following persons only..

It all points towards most of lslamic peole are tend to violence

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

I was begening to read all of the posts here and it did not take me long to find someone who posted eXactly what I was going to say..

The Poster beaty " Said it well. Saying and pointing out the fact that the violence was mainly due to political reasons.

And i will also add that religion is used as a tool.

People do not want to study the Original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts and see what the teXts of the Bible really say.

.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Judiasism islam and christianity are all religions of violence towards all other religions none so much in doctrine but most definitly in failures of following of doctrine!

Side: Religion of Violence
8 points

Islam is a peaceful religion. I believe it is the activities of terrorists that has cast doubts in the minds of many. It is the people that has to be blamed, not the religion. Do you think that the Quran instructed terrorists to bomb and kill innocent people? These people do it because they feel it is the right thing to do and they do it not on behalf of their religion but on behalf of politics and international affairs. Even to the laws of this country define terrorism as a politically motivated act of violence and not a religious motivated act of violence and i think that people are getting these two definitions confused by applying terrorism to be as part of the religion of Islam. When it comes to punishment, every religion has punishment for its people when they have committed an act of wrong in as much as every society has rules and regulations to punish those who violate those very laws and rules.

Side: Religion of Peace
LamboRrari Disputed
2 points

On the other hand, even the founder of Islam supported (at least in his actions) violence. He stoned an adulteress with his followers, and tells us in Sura 24:2 to whip them a hundred times. How can a violent self-imposed "prophet" and his violent followers create a religion of peace? Have you seen all the verses that the Qur'an has about being violent to non-believers? Jesus never told us that we will go to heaven if we kill non-Christians, and Buddha never told us that we should cut off the fingers/hands of thieves. They preached peace. Mohammed didn't.

Side: Religion of Violence
abubakar3100(17) Disputed
1 point

A wipping for a sinner is not violence, it is just, just like any other punishment of law

Side: Religion of Peace
doctor13(16) Disputed
1 point

First of all, he was not the founder of islam. prophet mohammed pbuh was the propogator of islam. islam's main view is that god is one.. and that is the concept that existed way before he was born.

secondly... when a criminal is sentenced, the main view is to punish the guilty but also to send a message that no crime goes unpunished. when one woman was punished for her crime, how many more will refrain from it. if it goes unpunished, many might adopt the way of adultery, where is the loyalty and trust in a marriage? imagine the disputes and problems that could be avoided.

next point- there is no verse about being violent towards non believers. the context you are talking about is the one where non believers were oppressive towards the believers, driving them into corners. then and only then was the concept of retaliation approved and that to only against those who have been oppressive towards the believers and not towards innocent. imagine someone constantly trying to throw you out of your house, what would you do? simply leave or fight back?

next point, quran doesn't tell us that we will go to heaven if we kill non believers. this again is out of context, the true context being, it is praise worthy to fight for your religion when, only when you are being oppressed solely for your beliefs and only in a state of war when they take up arms against the believers first. the truth is, if you kill a non believer, just because of his faith, you end up in hell.

lastly, as for the cutting of hands is concerned, this again is in line with the argument of adultery. if you steal unnecessarily then your are punished so that other may take a lesson from you and refrain from stealing. imagine if so many people stopped stealing fearing the punishment, its your belongings that will be safe.

Still think mohammed pbuh didn't preach peace?

there is always a context behind every verse of quran, find that out first before accusing solely on literal basis.

Side: Religion of Peace
Grugore(856) Disputed
0 points

Why do people like you insist on commenting on something about which you know absolutely nothing? Those terrorists you mentioned are the ones who practice Islam the way it was meant to be practiced. Islam is all about making Islam dominant over everyone by any means possible. There is no room for compromise. You become a Muslim or you die. That is the foundation of Islam.

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

Why do people like you insist on commenting on something about which you know absolutely nothing?

Does any part of you even register that you are the ignorant one?

Islam is all about making Islam dominant over everyone by any means possible.

Oh look. Another unholy Christian hypocrite who apparently has never read the Old Testament.

There is no room for compromise. You become a Muslim or you die.

The Old Testament says exactly the same thing you literally absurd hypocrite. How can you actually sit there and attack Islam for something your own religion is equally, if not more guilty of? Are you even aware of the suffering caused by Christians throughout history?

No room for compromise? What a fucking joke. YOU are unable to compromise your own zealotry, and that is why religion must be stopped.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

Islam is all about making Islam dominant over everyone by any means possible. There is no room for compromise. You become a Muslim or you die. That is the foundation of Islam.

I'm a former Muslim who has read Al Qur'an 3 times. You are stupid. When you look at alt-right websites that take Qur'an verses out of context it can certainly seem that what you say is true. In reality the Qur'an tells you to spread Islam peacefully as well as through violence if you are at war. But the Qur'an also tells you not to start wars and only use violence as a last resort.

Side: Religion of Peace
6 points

I suppose it is much like the Mormons, it depends on the sect. not all Mormons are polygamists, but they all call themselves Mormon. So, for the most part, I believe that the "main stream" religion is peaceful, but it is the 'stray' sects that we most remember as violent.

Side: Religion of Peace
6 points

Welcome to the third world, where tribal ties are still in play and violence is considered an acceptable means of societal control. The acts of Muslims extremists are pretty much the same as rebels in Africa, Islam just gives an effective point of focus, regardless of its doctrines - this is the same for any other religion. I seriously doubt that if Islam and Christianity's positions were switched - if Islam were popular in the West and Christianity were popular in the Middle East - we'd see an appreciable difference in how the world is today.

Side: Religion of Peace
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
3 points

You know anyone can call himself a Muslim. Only his actions will tell, whether or not he is telling the truth. So if his actions are in accordance with the injunctions of the Quran he is in fact a Muslim, if not he is an impostor and a liar.

Side: Religion of Violence
urtin3(6) Disputed
3 points

Typical non-muslim response. Always end it with at least one insult to Quran.

Side: Religion of Peace
5 points

I think most religions were started as peaceful religions and they are still based on peace. The only reason any religion has violent history or followers is because there are always individuals who are too ignorant to follow their own beliefs and treat others with peace. They see the rule of "treat others peaceful" as "treat your own kind peaceful only."

Side: Religion of Peace
karimcsf(49) Disputed
9 points

Not Islam didn't start as a peaceful religion Mohamed (the founder of Islam) started 10 wars with other tribes (Saudi Arabia was formed of tribes at the time) in the first ten years of Islam.

c. 618 Medinan Civil War

622 Emigrates to Medina (Hijra)

624 Battle of Badr: Muslims defeat Makkahs

624 Expulsion of Banu Qaynuqa

625 Battle of Uhud: Makkahs defeat Muslims

625 Expulsion of Banu Nadir

627 Battle of the Trench

627 Invasion of Banu Qurayza

628 Treaty of Hudaybiyyah

c. 628 Gains access to Makkah shrine Kaaba

628 Conquest of the Khaybar oasis

629 First hajj pilgrimage

629 Attack on Byzantine Empire fails: Battle of Mu'tah

630 Bloodless conquest of Mecca

c. 630 Battle of Hunayn

c. 630 Siege of Ta'if

c. 632 Attacks the Ghassanids: Tabuk

And you should be thankful that most Muslims are too ignorant to follow their own beliefs because Qur'an is all about the call for war

Side: Religion of Violence
MKIced(2511) Disputed
4 points

Look at the history of the Jews and Christians as well. The Jews might have a slightly negative view in the world, what with their endless war against Palestine, but most of the world (which is already Christian) views Christianity as a peaceful religion. And yet, the religion has been riddled with a past that includes Holy Wars, Crusades, the Inquisition, and Missionaries. And the beginning of the Bible is filled with wars between the Jews and various peoples. So yes, every religion has some negative. But in the whole scheme of things, I believe most religions are religions of peace.

Side: Religion of Peace
Samrin(3) Disputed
2 points

oh dear you yourself have mentioned in the above......... "BLOODLESS"conquest of mecca and going according to historic sources most of the above are not battles the emigration to madina is not a battle it was done to AVOID the battle....The treaties,gaining access to mecca are not battles and above all the first pilgrimage to Haj is definitely not a battle......and can u give one authentic proof in the Qur'an which calls for war?????? u can't as there's none!!!!!Qur'an is a way of peaceful life and also the books which have been revealed earlier.

Side: Religion of Peace
youlares(4) Clarified
2 points

Actually the first 12 are part of the same war to take back mecca. Did you really wish for a war without battles. And the way islam treats pows is by demanding they teach 10 people how to read and write. then they are freed. Although it is not practiced by many muslims, it is in the qu'ran. ISLAM IS PEACEFUL. TINY MINORITY OF MUSLIMS ARE NOT. just a handful, lik 10,000, who have the power to defame 1.3 billion

Side: Religion of Violence
1justiceking(11) Disputed
1 point

Islam traditionally dated from the mid-7th century to the mid-13th century. The Muslim world was the intellectual centre for science, philosophy, medicine and education. In Baghdad they established the “House of Wisdom“, where scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, would gather and translate the world’s knowledge into Arabic in the Translation Movement. Now the Islamic people of today do not understand this. They would not have been allowed to be a Muslim if their brain could not comprehend the philosophy's. Islam did start out peaceful. One love.

Side: Religion of Peace
Ignoramis(381) Disputed
1 point

Clearly you haven't read the old testament closely enough. An eye for an eye?

Side: Religion of Peace
Ignoramis(381) Disputed
1 point

Muslims in the past were heavily persecuted and hunted. The religion had to get violent in order for them to survive. It was a chaotic era when their religion came to be.

Side: Religion of Peace
5 points

The Quran says:

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error ( 2:256 )

This verse makes it clear that Muslims are not allowed to force others to accept Islam.

The Quran also says:

1. Say : O ye that reject Faith!

2. I worship not that which ye worship,

3. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.

4. And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship,

5. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.

6. To you be your Way, and to me mine.

( 109:1-6 )

It says that others can have their Religion and we will have ours. Islam allows freedom of Religion. So then where do all the arguments that Muslims want to make Islam the only Religion on the earth come from?

People look at Muslim Terrorist and say that Islam is a Religion of violence. Why look at them. Why not look at the majority of Muslims or look at the Prophet Muhammed ( SAW ). When the Prophet Muhammed ( SAW ) conquered Makkah with his army of 10000 Muslims all the Makkans thought that He would have them killed for oppressing him and the Muslims but instead the Prophet Muhammed forgave them all and said they could keep their Religions.

Islam not only allows freedom of Religion but it also says the we Muslims must deal justly and kindly with non-muslims:

8. Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just. ( 60:8 )

Side: Religion of Peace
karimcsf(49) Disputed
4 points

Islam is not tolerant was never tolerant with Jews(witch is a religion) you can't take your pick on witch religion to be tolerant with. But i can agree with you that not all Muslim are terrorist but tolerant with other religions?????? do you know how hard to build a church in Egypt :p . And please tell me that you know that Muslims still kill people who change their religion from Islam so can you really convince anybody 1.8 billion Muslim choose it by will ohhhh i did forget those who did try to change their religion are dead

.

"Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."Sahih al-Bukhari, 9:83:17

.

"Whoever changed his (Islamic) religion, then kill him" Sahih al-Bukhari, 9:84:57

.

Those are Quote from Mohamed

Side: Religion of Violence
Freed0m(95) Disputed
3 points

So the Qu'ran directly contradicts itself, you will find both teachings of peace and violence.

Side: Religion of Violence
LamboRrari Disputed
1 point

The Qur'an also says:

Strike terror into the hearts of the disbelievers. Cut off their heads and

cut off all their fingers.

This verse makes it clear that Muslims ARE allowed to kill unbelievers.

Unless you are saying that ISIS, which literally "cut[s] off [unbelievers'] heads", is peaceful, you can't say that Islam is peaceful either. Why? Look in your own HOLY QUR'AN!

Side: Religion of Violence
-2 points
mudkipz2(360) Disputed
4 points

no religious wars?! open minded?!? Muhammad commanded the death of Jews and called them filthy swine on many occasions. Muhammad also demands that infidels that choose not to turn to the Muslim faith are to be second class citizens that have to pay a tax, and if they denie that then they are to be killed. and on many occasions Muhammad denied peace to his victims, such as hes home tribe that kicked him out for saying he was not a prophet and killed them. also that if one does not partake in a jihad against infidels he is sining to god. Muhammad also comments that infidels in battle are to have their heads and hands cut off. also that Jews have perverted the bible and that Christians are ignorant and dumb. how is Islam peaceful?

Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

this is a true fact as Islam doesn't force anybody to come to Islam

Side: Religion of Peace
Uspwns101(444) Disputed
2 points

America's wars are wars of liberation from dictators and such. Or is our claim not as valid as the Muslim claim? Religious wars do not exist, there is only wars for power, or to defend oneself from the attempts of someone's attempt to gain power.

Side: Religion of Peace
5 points

islam is a religion of peace as it comes from the word ''SALAM'' means 'Peace'.there is a wrong concept in the minds of many people eg NonMuslims who say islam is the religion of voilence,which is wrong as islam the only religion on earth which gives 1st preferance to peace not voilence as our "Allah loves peace".

Side: Religion of Peace
4 points

I am Muslim and I don't think any of this non-sense is true. I have read the Quarn many times. Islam is the meaning of peace. There are some people that make bad choices when there not so pose to be doing that. Youngsters that are Muslim all over the world think that its okay to go outside and go shout someone down. Just because of 9/11. People discriminate me so many times, just because I'm Muslim. Can you believe that?

Side: Religion of Peace
Freed0m(95) Disputed
4 points

In todays day and age who is more statistically likely to be a terrorist in America? Muslims. So is it right? No. But is it understandable? Yes. Either way the Qu'ran has several sections that talk about violence as the way to deal with people who don't follow the religion.

Side: Religion of Violence
youlares(4) Disputed
2 points

actually it all depends on interpretation. Islam is a very practical religion, and the qu'ran is a very practical book. But with every book of god comes those who misinterpret everything and give the religion a bad name. There is no muslim country today that successfully represets islam. Also, the islamic empires were the most tolerant in the world. At a time when jews were persecuted in Spain and protestants killed in France, the islamic empire acted as a safe haven where everyone could practice their religion by paying a tax. Although i disagree with the tax, since it should've been free, it is better than nothing, which is what people would rather take than persecuted in Europe.

Side: Religion of Peace
4 points

This question could be discriminating against all Islam. Its like stating all African Americans are gangster, all Hispanics are illegal, and so on. Everybody is raise with a belief a peaceful belief

Supporting Evidence: Scented Rocks (www.scentaroom.com)
Side: Religion of Peace
Freed0m(95) Disputed
3 points

It is a discussion on the religion that is taught, not the people who follow it, how is that discriminatory?

Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

I think that at it's root, Islam is a religion of peace. However, extremists who have an agenda to push brainwash millions of young Muslims in to thinking that their purpose on this Earth is to kill anyone who's not a Muslim. This is not the teachings of the Koran, yet these people make others believe that it is.

Side: Religion of Peace
karimcsf(49) Disputed
5 points

But why is the Qur'an doing such a good job of making terrorists if it's all peace !!!!!!

Side: Religion of Violence
4 points

WOW! You judge Islam by the minority of Muslims? That seems totally fair. After all, let us not forget the KKK and how christian they are.

Side: Religion of Peace
ameendebater(14) Disputed
3 points

IT ISN'T OK!! COME INTO ISLAM AND SEE THE TRUTH YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING IT.SO RESEARCH AND FIND YOURSELF THE Truth.

Side: Religion of Peace
ZaidTheBoss(94) Disputed
1 point

quran is innocent the people who have a sticker on their foreheads are fake muslims and there fore quran is innocent

Side: Religion of Peace
Freed0m(95) Disputed
4 points

The Qu'ran DOES teach violence, read the posts made by Myclob on the other side of this debate.

Side: Religion of Violence
3 points

Islam is a religion of peace. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Our prophet(peace be upon him) was ranked no 1 in the world by a christian guy.Nobody have to fear islam.The only time people will fight in islam is to protect the religion if there is people that wants to attack islam.the wars in the past was not started by islam.it was always the other religions that attacked.like the christians believe in Jesus but dont defend him if they use him in a cartoon.But when our prophet(peace be upon him) was mocked islam right over the world defended him.Where is the other religions structure?

Side: Religion of Peace
karimcsf(49) Disputed
3 points

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world because they tend to bread way more then every body else.

Also as you say Muslim almost fought a war over a carton in a newspaper and man the crusades were 700 hundred years ago get over it and at the time Muslims were occupying Spain so it hardly a unprovoked war.

Side: Religion of Violence
Freed0m(95) Disputed
2 points

Islam is not a religion of peace. The Qu'ran teaches violence. Muhammed is down in history as a man of violence, he used his religion to recruit armies to suppress the Jews. Islam was the religion followed by men who killed over 3,000 PEOPLE on 9/11! How can you even say that the only time people in Islam fight is to defend their religion! Explain to me how flying a plane into a building thousands of miles away from the center of Islam was an act of DEFENSE.

Side: Religion of Violence
Sahba(62) Disputed
1 point

Don't compare Islam with 9/11, understood?????Have you ever read Quran deeply? There were muslims who were also killed in the 9/11........The terrorist attack even the mosques of Pakistan....then how can you co-relate Islam with 9/11 or terrorism. If we say something about your religion. you would be angry, same here........

Side: Religion of Peace
3 points

Less Than 2 Percent Of Terrorist Attacks In The E.U. Are Religiously Motivated

Source: http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/01/08/3609796/islamist-terrorism-europe/

The murdering spree by two gunmen on the offices of a French satirical magazine have incited horror across the world. That’s completely justified. But what’s been lost in the mass outpourings of solidarity and condemnations of barbarity is the fact that so few of the terrorist attacks carried out in European Union countries are related to Islamist militancy. In fact, in the last five year, less than 2 percent of all terrorist attacks in the E.U. have been “religiously motivated.”

In 2013, there were 152 terrorist attacks in the EU. Two of them were “religiously motivated.” In 2012, there were 219 terrorist attacks in EU countries, six of them were “religiously motivated.”

In 2011, not one of the 174 terrorist attacks in EU countries in 2011 were “affiliated or inspired” by terrorist organizations. 2010, 249 terrorist attacks, three of them were considered by Europol to be “Islamist.” In 2009, of 294 terrorist attacks, only one was related to Islamist militancy – though Europol added the caveat, “Islamist terrorists still aim to cause mass casualties.”

The vast majority of terrorist attacks in E.U. countries have for years been perpetrated by separatist organizations.

Of 152 terrorist attacks in 2013, 84 of were motivated by ethno-nationalist or separatist beliefs. That’s more than 55 percent. That’s down from 76 percent the year before. While the report notes this decline, it also states that a number of separatist groups are showing “greater sophistication, incremental learning and lethal intent.”

Religious motivations makes up just a slightly larger portion of terrorist attacks in the U.S.

Islamist militants lag far behind other groups when it comes to carrying out terrorist attacks in the U.S. too. According to FBI data compiled by the Princeton University’s Loon Watch, Islamist extremists were responsible for just 6 percent of terrorist attacks between 1980 and 2005 — falling behind Latino groups, Extreme left-wing groups, and Jewish extremists.

Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina, has called Muslim Americans “a minuscule threat to public safety.”

In his most recent report tracking Islamist militancy in America, he included this startling figure. “The United States suffered approximately 14,000 murders in 2013. Since 9/11, Muslim-American terrorism has claimed 37 lives in the United States, out of more than 190,000 murders during this period.”

Despite the low frequency of Islamist militant attacks, fears around them are continually stokes by politicians, law enforcement officials, and even the media which tends to highlight religiously-motivated attacks over political or environmental ones.

“These incidents get much more attention because of the rhetoric of Islamist extremism that’s used,” Ken Sofer, Associate Director for National Security and International Policy at Center for American Progress told ThinkProgress in a phone interview.

“People have a desire to explain [these incidents] as some sort of connected phenomenon,” he says, “but what caused an individual to [commit acts of terrorism] is so different in each scenario.”

Sofer adds that by conflating different incidents in different countries, the threat of Islamist violence seem larger than it is.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

We shouldnt be attacking each others religion.Islam teaches us that we need to respect one another and respect there religion and practices.Islam is our religion and the prophet is our example.If everyone can just work on the respect part then we wont have war and fighting over religion.its an individual choice of he's beliefs.A person can tell another person about the religion but still it depends on that individual.the fighting in this world is not about wiping out people but more about owning worldly things,to be in control.If only people can realise that everything on this galaxy only have limited time in this world.Have you ever seen somebody comes back from he's or her grave?We have much more better things to worry about.the people that want to attack other people is people that have no commen sense.what do they gain out of killing people.in the end they are just losers.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

Islam is definitely a religion of peace. Why is it that every time something violent happens we check and see whether the person was Muslim or not. would it have made a difference if the person was a Christian or Jewish. the answer is yes. it would make a difference because of all of the stereotypes the Muslims are associated with. You cant believe what the media tells you. its all propaganda.

Side: Religion of Peace
jaste(2) Disputed
1 point

You can't live in denial for ever..a lot of the Muslim nations are having problems within themselves or with their neighbours..you can't keep blaming other countries or the US..bomb blasts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan..revolts in Egypt, Libys, Syria..you have to admit there is some flaw in the Islamic scriptures if they can be mis-interpreted to justify killings.

Side: Religion of Violence
2 points

no religion is a religion of violence. today most of the terrorists are Muslims but not all Muslims terrorists. one cannot say anything against any religion. and no religion would want itself or others called bad. Islam is fighting to make the people understand that they are no different from others while there are some who don't want this religion to come up.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

The word Islam means peace. In Quran, the holy book of Islam, God says if any one kills a human being for no reason it's as if he has killed the entire humanity; and if somebody saves a life it's as if he has saved the entire humanity.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

I think Islam is a religion of peace, I mean the violence that those so called "Muslims" commit are tragic, but let's face it during the 19Th or 20Th century weren't the KKK, Christians believers and look what they did. So my point is every single religion would always have a group of people that would ruin the name of that religion.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

It's not the religion's fault. It's just the person. A Christian can be more violent than Islam. Only that Islam is more organized than Christian. Sorry if this sounds like attacking Christian. Just making my point that religion doesn't do anything directly to any violence.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

As a Muslim born in Canada, I do believe Islam is a religion that leads to peace, now why do the Against side are blaming Islam? To start of read the Quran for yourself, there are no harmful verses even translated. Now there are ways to "textualize"l texts for example in the Quran you must read the whole chapter for it to make sense. When Islam came, persecution began asap with the pagans. These pagans were evil, they did the most sinful things I can't even mention in this site. So when they were persecuted they ran away to Abyssinia or modern day Ethiopia and the they went back to Medina which became the city of the Prophet, when they went in these two expeditions they went unarmed, actually Medina was given to Muhammad as a gift from the people of Medina who were once corrupted too like the Pagan Meccans. Now the concept of Jihad was brought up during the time Muhammad was receiving the revelations of the Holy Quran (parts of the Quran). the concept of Jihad does NOT mean Holy War against Unbelievers, that is to simplified of a definition which doesn't make sense for the reason that Islam and Judaism and Christianity have much in common and the religions don't promote war without cause. Now there are many different types of Jihad but in general two Jihads, the Lesser Jihad and the Bigger Jihad. The Lesser Jihad is the Jihad against the Unbelievers for persecution in God's Cause. Now AL-Qaeda members believe they actually do it for God, but really some of them don't even no they do it serve their political ideologies of nationalism under the label Islam. You can't blame Muslims until you are one and you know the right teachings of Muhammad sent by God. Then the wrong teaches sent by Osama Bin Laden or to be honest I hate to blame but the Christian Missionaries who didn't want to fight the Caliphate but transform it to self-destruct by teaching more materialized and political ideas when the Muslims were at peace. Now Jihad is something really we should all do to be honest, but we should do the True Jihad, or the Bigger Jihad which is to fight the evil out of you first. God does not let retaliation happen until the you can change yourself, thats why it took long for till the Muslims could fight the Meccan Pagans because they had to fight their evils first by letting go of their anger and not continuing fights after a surrender. Now if you could look at many al Qaeda fights and compare it Muhammad's (peace be upon him) battle there are differences, actually a great example for respect was after the Battle of Badr with a Muslim victory, the Muslims gathered many prisoners but than cut the loose and shared their food and if they wanted they walked beside them, if they taught 10 Muslims to leave they would go free/ Why did those pagans from Mecca become Muslim? Because they read the Quran which makes sense if you open your heart. Islam is the simple submission to God, not some political ideology which needs constitutions to be changed every two seconds, Islam does recognized the Ten Commandments but with more explanation in the Quran to full understand the concept. Islam is a religion that leads to peace. In general we must have a Renaissance in Islam and you people who are against should not be talking against Islam when you are not even aware of the situation for most of you. Thank You.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

Islam does not force people to join it but it is the people of other culture who spread some rumors

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

Islam does not force people to join it but it is the people of other culture who spread some rumors

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

For people whom say Islam is a religion of violence, please read the following article :

This study obliterates the myth that Muslims are more violent By Zack Beauchamp on January 30, 2015. Vox site

source : http://www.vox.com/2015/1/30/7951309/islam-violence

Whenever the subject of Islamist terrorism comes up, the national conversation almost always circles back to a somewhat bigoted question: are Muslims more violent than other kinds of people because of their religion?

What these conversations usually lack is data; that is, evidence that Muslim societies are actually more violent than other ones. And it turns out, according to UC-Berkeley Professor M. Steven Fish, that judging by murder rates, people in Muslim-majority countries actually tend to be significantly less violent (bolding is mine):

Predominantly, Muslim countries average 2.4 murders per annum per 100,000 people, compared to 7.5 in non-Muslim countries. The percentage of the society that is made up of Muslims is an extraordinarily good predictor of a country's murder rate. More authoritarianism in Muslim countries does not account for the difference. I have found that controlling for political regime in statistical analysis does not change the findings. More Muslims, less homicide.

Fish further fleshed out these findings, for example by re-running the numbers to exclude non-Muslim-majority states with extraordinarily high murder rates (Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Lesotho, South Africa, and Venezuela). Countries with lots of Muslims were still less murder prone by a pretty large margin. You can read more details on Fish's findings in his book, titled Are Muslims Distinctive?

If Islam itself were in fact the key cause of Islamist terrorism, you'd expect ordinary Muslims to be more violent than ordinary non-Muslims. There are over a billion believing Muslims globally; if their religion were intrinsically prone to violence, the data would bear that out. In fact, it does nothing of the sort.

Still, there's no denying that Islamist extremist terrorism is a real phenomenon and real problem the rightly receives widespread study. (Fish offers his own argument, that Islamist terrorism is best understood as a reaction to Western foreign policy, but his case is exceedingly unpersuasive.)

That's not to say you can absolve the West completely. Foreign invasions of Muslim countries clearly played a role in fueling the growth of violent Islamist movements. The US-led invasion of Iraq, for example, created widespread chaos and violence, and that chaos and violence gave way to extremism. But the West is only one among a variety of factors at play in the broader 20th and 21st-century trend of Islamist extremism. Other factors have included the prevalence of dictatorship in the Muslim world, Sunni-Shia sectarianism, and, yes, theological doctrines developed by modern Islamists such as Muhammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Sayyid Qutb.

In that sense, though, Islam is like almost any other religion: its core tenets can be read both to prohibit and to justify political violence, depending on who's doing the interpreting. That doesn't mean Islam is intrinsically violent. It just means Muslims are people like everyone else. This data should be an important reminder of that distinction.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

A new Gallup poll shows that they are more likely than Christians or Jews to object to the targeting and killing of civilians

Source : http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/08/a-fascinating-look-at-the-political-views-of-muslim-americans/242975/

Am I alone in being horrified by the percentage of Americans who are sometimes okay with efforts to "target and kill" civilians?

Other fascinating findings abound.

Are Muslims in this country sympathetic to Al Qaeda? 92 percent of Muslims say no, along with 75 percent of the nonreligious, 70 percent of Jews, 63 percent of Catholics, and 56 percent of Protestants.

Side: Religion of Peace
2 points

I think that Islam itself is a religion of peace, but the extremists make it seem otherwise

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

extremists are not part of islam, those who commit violence are seperate.

Side: Religion of Peace
karimcsf(49) Disputed
3 points

Why Muslims don't really try to stop extremist and not just the terrorists the ones with the abuse of women rights like Saudi Arabia (Women have to hide their faces,can't go outside their homes without a male escort,not allowed to drive cars .....) there is no Muslims promoting against such abuse .Don;t take my words for it just google it.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Most muslims are peaceful, then they get some crazies wrecking everything.

Side: Peaceful

Violent peace but peace just the same ;)

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Here is an easy game. You name me one Muslim terrorist, and I name you one Muslim who is very peace-loving. While your list stretches to the thousands at most, I can guarantee you my list can stretch to hundreds of millions.

Not all of us are extremists. Some of us suffer from this war. While the people outside of the third world do not comprehend this, it is easy for a fourteen year old. And to all those Christians out there who think we hate Noah, Jacob, Isaac, Solomon, Joseph, David, Moses, Abraham and Jesus,

Think again.

Side: Religion of Peace
eratosthenes(6) Disputed
1 point

You name me one Muslim terrorist and I name you one Muslim who is very peace-loving.

Yet the peace-loving Islamist agrees with what the Islamist terrorists do because it is in the Koran.

Slay the idolaters wherever you find them koran 9:5

Side: Religion of Violence
Ignoramis(381) Disputed
1 point

I'll give you the name of a Christian terrorist. Hitler.

Now I'll give you the name of a Christian gang: the KKK

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

The Qu'ran is written and should not be adjusted to fit anyones opinion or beliefs, what is written is what should stay, and we should analyze our own convictions and align it with what the Qu'ran says, trying our best to live righteously and at peace with our fellow man. The world is loaded with hypocrites and sinners, can we follow the Qu'ran totally? I seriously doubt it.

Side: Religion of Peace
SimpleTruth(11) Disputed
3 points

@beaty

You know, all God asks of us is that we strive to become righteous people. We will try and we will fail, and beg God's forgiveness, and keep trying throughout life. Never stop striving and praying for goodness and you will have succeeded in the eyes of God.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Islam instructs its followers never to kill any one, but for just reasons, i.e. after a death sentence or in self defense, as unjustly killing a person is like killing all humanity.

Islam teaches us that oppression is even worse than killing and we are forbidden to commit suicide as well. Also there is no compulsion in religion so we are forbidden to forcibly convert anyone to Islam.

We know how many wars have been instigated by other religions fired with the will to convert people at all cost.

Side: Religion of Peace
Freed0m(95) Disputed
2 points

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." - Qur'an 9:29

So people who do not follow their religion are justly deserving of death?

Side: Religion of Violence
ameendebater(14) Disputed
1 point

THIS IS FOLLOWED VERSE WHICH MEANS THAT TAKE & SEE THE VERSE BEFORE IT.

Side: Religion of Peace
Uspwns101(444) Disputed
1 point

So your religion is based on what other religions have done wrong? Not on what your God and prophets teach? Interesting.

Side: Religion of Peace
mudkipz2(360) Disputed
0 points

thats funny, no suicide. Muhammad also committed suicide when he got his first "Revelation" from god, he thought he was possessed. and that Islam says not to kill others. thats why Muhammad asked his followers to assassinate people who made fun of his religion. get ur info right.

Side: Religion of Violence
Redinferno(10) Disputed
2 points

The Prophet committed suicide after his first revelation? No, that never happened. Get your facts right.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

In my personal opinion you cannot call main stream Islam peaceful, well I ain't calling it violent, but Sufism is truly a religion or way of peace, Sufism in my opinion has a universal appeal compared to mainstream Islam.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Obviously it's a religion of peace !

that's so clear .......

Side: Religion of Peace
Freed0m(95) Disputed
1 point

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." - Qur'an 9:29

So this is a teaching of peace? How is it clear that a religion is peaceful when a teaching taken straight from their book calls for violence against those who do not believe in their religion.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

no that verse is talking about the non Muslims who would kill Muslims.They tortured Muslims. If a non Muslim is friendly and does not want to kill you for following Islam then it is not a sin. Here all it is saying is don't let them attack you, defend yourself and your religion. It is only a sin if you KNOW that Islam is right but you refuse it, but you don't get killed. There are different environments in the Koran. The prophet was merciful. It was a sin to torture and kill prisoners of war.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

i don't believe any religion to be a religion of violence. all religions are good and equally great. had any religion been bad and follower of violence, it wouldn't have had so many followers. it is wrong of anyone to name Islam a religion of violence.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Why point out the religion. Point out the person. If another person from another religion does something wrong why do those people not target the religion? This is biasness. The religion is not based on what the people do or say but what the religion wants to teach them

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam does as a general rule teach peace, in fact the earliest Muslims were far more tolerant than Catholic peoples of the time, though not as tolerant as the very first Christians.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam is a religion of peace. It's exception that some people take it as a religion of violence. In every religion, there is some reason behind every thought or idea. It might have happened that when the holy book of Muslims, that is, kuran was written, there might be such situation for which a statement in it would have been made which is understood by some people incorrectly,that is, in connection to violence.

Therefore, according to me, whether Islam, or any other religion is a religion of peace and humanity.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam is the religion which keeps its followers out of acting in the wrong way. It learns us to be honest, to respect one's elders, to follow the brightest path. Therefore, Islam is the religion of Peace. It's the religion which can not be described by written words. I love my religion and proud to be a muslim.

It can't judged due to terrorists, therefore before blaming, those who think that it is the religion of violence, please study it well. Right after then, I'm sure you'll understand the greatness of Islam.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Its a religion of peace... those 'terrorists' don't represent Islam, they misuse and disrespect the word Jihad, don't judge a community by the knowledgeable minority. In the Quran it teaches peace and love not hate and violence

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.QURAN 5:32

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQIL0xwnBdI&list;=UUHGAqdQBKTVON_FUCIYCh3Q&feature;=player_detailpage

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

It's not Islam it's Muslims. I am a Muslim man and i am ashamed of other Muslims today. You need to understand that violent people need to justify their violence somehow. And most of them chose Islam. Like killings and suicides. They are by done by Muslims in the name of Islam and God. But what you need to do is not hate the game but hate the players. The fact is no Muslim man has the right to do anything on behalf or in the name of god. Only the messengers or prophets could. All of these men killing in the name of god will perish in hell and not heaven like they have been told.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

it is a religion of peace. It says in the bible that if a man or woman commits adultery that they should be killed. that is saying the same thing as the Koran but for a different reason.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

and Allah says in the Qur’an:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلاَ يُسْرِفْ فِي الْقَتْلِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنصُورًا

“Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, We have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the law)” (al-Isra’ 17:33)

According to the Qur’an, killing any person without a just cause is as big a sin as killing the whole humanity and saving the life of one person is as good deed as saving the whole humanity. (See al-Ma’idah 5:32)

However, your question is valid then how come the Qur’an says:

“kill them wherever you find them…”as it is mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah 2:191 and Surah al-Nisa’ 4:89. The answer is simple and that is you should read these verses in their textual and historical context. You should read the whole verse and it is better that you read few verses before and few after. Read the full text and see what is said:

وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنْ الْقَتْلِ وَلاَ تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِنْ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ كَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ فَإِنْ انتَهَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ لِلَّهِ فَإِنْ انتَهَوْا فَلاَ عُدْوَانَ إِلاَّ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَاتُ قِصَاصٌ فَمَنْ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُوا عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors. And kill them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, kill them. Such is the reward of those who reject faith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression. The prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things prohibited, there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.” (al-Baqarah 2:190-194)

Side: Religion of Peace

Of course it the religion of peace

and what you hear about Terrorism has nothing to do with Islam

"ALLAH IS THE GREATEST"

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

if a non muslim commits a crime he is a criminal but a muslim who does the same crime becomes a terrorist what logic is that please answer

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Welcome to the third world, where tribal ties are still in play and violence is considered an acceptable means of societal control. The acts of Muslims extremists are pretty much the same as rebels in Africa, Islam just gives an effective point of focus, regardless of its doctrines - this is the same for any other religion. I seriously doubt that if Islam and Christianity's positions were switched - if Islam were popular in the West and Christianity were popular in the Middle East - we'd see an appreciable difference in how the world is today.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

first of all this motion: wether islam a religion of peace or not did not be a problem untill the 09\11 its all about terorism you judge islam from the wrong side let me remember u this bombing in the 09\11 was just a reaction of what America did in sudan and afranistan when it killed innocent people women and children . it wasn'T About religion its all about politic . go and read te Qura'an allah never puch us to kill or force someone to be a muslim . its writen in it that islam is a religion of peace and forgivness

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam is a religion of peace that has been mutilated beyond belief by crazy terrorists that don't understand the meaning of life and love. they twist true what the Korran was really trying to say to justify the evil acts they are doing. It's just wrong. But I'm not a religious person so perhaps I'm not the best person to judge. I'll stick to evolution.

Side: Religion of Peace
Amarel(5669) Disputed
1 point

Shi'ites and Sunnis have been killing each other since nearly the beginning

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

Yes because if it was violent, why would Islam be a religion? But I mostly support Humanism. If I had a religion, it would be Christianity.

Side: Religion of Peace
Ignoramis(381) Disputed
1 point

All religions are ridiculous. No religion is better than another except the religion of science. Because proof supports it.

Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

It's not any more violent than the Christianity that's for sure.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

The overall idea is peaceful and those who correctly follow it or any religion for that matter are peaceful. However, because of the imperfections of the human race"violence" and "religion" are almost synonymous. Uneducated, ignorant people associate Islam with terrorism which is not correct. a majority of terrorists are Muslim today yes, but they are extremists. people who interpret instructions or holy writings to excessive proportions. Most are merely brainwashed people who legitimately believe what they are doing is right. so, while all the terrorists may be Muslim, not all Muslims are terrorists. Also, Islam is not the first religion to have extremists. Lets not forget the crusades which consisted of christian extremists. So i conclude Islam itself is a religion of peace but as with any region, ideology, or belief, evil, ignorant people turn it into something it wasn't meant to be.

Side: Religion of Peace

A religion is what people make it. Whatever the followers believe, that's what the religion is.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

badass german theologian hans kung effectively explains the situation with islam

(in english) . . . . .

hans kung on ISLAM
Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Okay keep an open mind and pay attention

1. The quote that many people like to quote from the Quran to say Islam is not a religion of peace is this, "but when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is oft-forgiving, Most merciful." The Holy Quran, Chapter 9, Verse 5

Although, context is always important and the context here is that the pagan Arabs went to war with the Muslims and killed many. They also yelled curses at Muhammad(peace be upon him) and his followers. Even then, Muhammad (peace be upon him) always acted peacefully and would never act violently towards them. This refers to the peace treaty that was made and God instructs the Muslims to fight them well for what they have done such as the pagan Arabs kicking them out of their homes and killing many if they would not renounce Islam. Even then, Allah says to treat them kindly if they accept Islam and establish charity.

2. Let us examine the rules of war in Islam that Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated.

1. “Do not kill any child, any woman, or any elder or sick person.” (Sunan Abu Dawud)

2. “Do not practice treachery or mutilation.(Al-Muwatta)

3. Do not uproot or burn palms or cut down fruitful trees.(Al-Muwatta)

4. Do not slaughter a sheep or a cow or a camel, except for food.” (Al-Muwatta)

5. “If one fights his brother, [he must] avoid striking the face, for God created him in the image of Adam.” (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

6. “Do not kill the monks in monasteries, and do not kill those sitting in places of worship. (Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)

7. “Do not destroy the villages and towns, do not spoil the cultivated fields and gardens, and do not slaughter the cattle.” (Sahih Bukhari; Sunan Abu Dawud)

8. “Do not wish for an encounter with the enemy; pray to God to grant you security; but when you [are forced to] encounter them, exercise patience.” (Sahih Muslim)

9. “No one may punish with fire except the Lord of Fire.” (Sunan Abu Dawud).

10. “Accustom yourselves to do good if people do good, and to not do wrong even if they commit evil.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

Does this sound like a religion of violence?

3. I leave you with a story, When Muhammad, (peace be upon) went out of his house, an old woman always threw trash at his head from above the street. She also yelled fowl words at him. This went on for a long time until one day there was no trash thrown at him at Muhammad (peace be upon him), wondering why, went in to see. Upon finding that the old lady was sick and dying, he prayed for her and hoped for her to get better and the lady, moved by this, accepted Islam.

Don't believe all that the media says and read the Quran.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

from the bible

They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man........Now kill all the boys [innocent kids]. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man. (Numbers 31:7,17-18)"

tell me more about Islam's violence.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam is not a religion of violence rather a religion of peace.I have reviewed the teachings of both the Quran and the Bible and I have studied that if you change religions ,one must have a strong reason for the change of religion.Even in Christianity, if you change your religion to the religion of the Jews or Islam, you will be asked by many people to give a very reasonable reason for the conversion.Some stories have been told about the killing of Christians for their conversions to other religions

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam is not a religion of violence rather a religion of peace.I have reviewed the teachings of both the Quran and the Bible and I have studied that if you change religions ,one must have a strong reason for the change of religion.Even in Christianity, if you change your religion to the religion of the Jews or Islam, you will be asked by many people to give a very reasonable reason for the conversion.Some stories have been told about the killing of Christians for their conversions to other religions

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Islam is neither a religion of peace nor violence, Islam means voluntary submission/surrender to God

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

Is Christianity? Religion is a tool, its teachings are deciphered by the people who use it. Many use it to bring people together, others use it to drive people apart and it all depends on who that person is as to how it's used.

Side: Religion of Peace
1 point

what really happened. if someone reads the history and studies - they can find out ?

Side: Religion of Peace
0 points

Islamic religion is not a religion of violence. it does not mean that because we are Christian or pagans that we should hate the Islam or muslim religion. if we hate muslim religion, it means that we do not see anything good in islam religin and that is called religious farnatism. so we should learn how to embrace their religion so that they shall also embrace our religions

Side: Religion of Peace
zijedudaky(6) Clarified
1 point

Islamic religion is not a religion of violence. it does not mean that because we are Christian or pagans that we should hate the Islam or muslim religion. if we hate muslim religion, it means that we do not see anything good in islam religin and that is called religious farnatism. so we should learn how to embrace their religion so that they shall also embrace our religions

Side: Religion of Violence
0 points

I think all religions have brutality in them, but it's the extremist groups that are messed up and need to stop

Side: Religion of Peace
-3 points
ModusPonem(40) Disputed
1 point

no there are many ways. I have attached a list.

Supporting Evidence: A short list of some of the world's "ways" (www.religioustolerance.org)
Side: Religion of Violence
1 point

I am not a Muslim. But why ?

I do not believe that The God of Abraham had established a covenant with Ishmael and his seed.

Also, I do not believe that Mohammad was a descendant of Ishmael or that there were any descendants of Ishmael alive and living at the time when Mohammad lived - or even alive today.

I believe that Islam is entirely based upon faith with no evidence. Mohammad's entire message, claims and faith was all nothing more than " revelation " - " prophecy " and Spiritual Claims, based on the messages that he received from an unseen force of a spiritual force.

As the Muslims treated and behaved toward the entire Pre - Islamic Pagan World just exactly as they did with the Torah and The Gospels. In other words they treated both the holy Scriptures and also the Pre Islamic Pagan World - in exactly in the same manner. The Muslims destroyed and simply did not preserve any of the Torah and Gospels and also - did not preserve any Pre Islamic data of the world of pagan traditions, faiths, Pagan deities and Pagan.

Islam treated the entire Pre Islamic world - just exactly as they treated - the entire Gospels and the entire Torah. - that have all been destroyed and have not been preserved in Islam. It was non Islamic sources, civilizations and communities outside of Islam that has given us details of the Pre Islamic world and that has preserved and made copies of the Torah and Gospels.

The Prophet Muhammad created an army of forty male followers who acted as an army or military who manipulated and organized against others around them and when it turned violent Mohammad attacked His fellow Arabian people by destroying 360 idols that were kept inside the Kaaba in Mecca. Mohammad violently smashed every single last Idol that they had and destroyed their livelihood and entrepreneurship and completely broke their economy and hit them with the most devastating blow that He possibly could.

He destroyed their lives, property and destroyed their reputation, HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS and temple gods and He wrecked their entire business system, throwing the entire region into a heated violent and savage conflict of a bloodbath. From there onward the Arabians who tried to disband and break apart His terrorist activities were met with death and were murdered by the thousands for trying to gain back all that they had lost. Their entire lives and business and livelihood and entrepreneurship and way of making a living were completely destroyed - yet Muslims insist that Mohammad was defending himself the whole time and that He was the one who was being attacked firstly.

I just look to very single claim made by Muslims and I see no evidence or truth in these claims.

There is no comparison to the claims of Islam and the Quran and even to Mohammad. Mohammad simply has no genealogies that trace him back to Ishmael and Abraham. Everything Mohammad claims is based on the claims of Prophecy, Revelation and Spiritual Inspiration.

We can look to the Hadith and see more about exactly what Mohammud was attempting to do in Mecca. Mohammud's problems began when he goes about promising specific Meccaans " A POSITION of RULERSHIP " over the other people in Mecca.

Here, Mohammud is attempting to take over and use bribery and promises of power and control to individuals he wishes to join him and his new companions.

Muhammad also threatens them with punishment if they refuse to accept Islam.

Ibn Humayd- Salamah- Muhammad b. Ishaq- Yazid b. Ziyad- Muhammad b. Ka‘b al-Qurazi:

They gathered against him, and among them was Abu Jahl b. Hisham, who said, while they were waiting at his door, "Muhammad claims that if you follow him in his religion, you shall be the kings of the Arabs and the non-Arabs, that after your death you shall be brought back to life and your lot shall then be gardens like the gardens of Jordan. He also claims that if you do not do this, you shall meet with slaughter after him, and that after death you shall be brought back to life, and your lot shall then be a fire, in which you shall burn."…

(Al-Tabari, pp. 142-143;

Also as Mohammud is going around threatening people with VIOLENCE - slaughter and hellfire and PUNISHMENTS,

Also a violent attack was committed against Abu Jahl - by Mohammmuds Muslim uncle Hamzah.

Hamzah felt that Abu Jahl deserved to be hit in the head and the blow split his forehead open.

It is true that Abu Jahl had insulted Mohammud and played a joke on him by placing a handful of camel guts on Mohammuds shoulders while Mohammud was kneeling and praying.

Ishaq:131

Hamzah came with his bow slung over his shoulder. He was a great hunter, the strongest man of the Quraysh. A woman rose up and said, ‘If only you had seen what your nephew Muhammad had to endure just now before you came. Abu Jahl spoke to him offensively. Hamzah was carried away by a fury, as it was Allah's will to honor him this way.

He { Hamzah } went off quickly, not stopping to speak to anyone. Instead of circumambulating the Ka'aba, he was ready to attack Abu Jahl when he saw him. When he entered the mosque, he saw him sitting among the people. Hamzah raised his bow and gave Abu Jahl a blow which split his head open in an ugly way. He said, ‘Do you insult him when I am a member of his religion? Hit me back if you can.'

It is true The Meccans were verbally insulting and pushing the Muslims around and doing insulting acts against them because of the fact that Mohammud had been threatening them with threats of SLAUGHTER, punishments, and suffering. Mohammud also was going around trying to recruit men in Mecca to join him and telling them that if they follow him in his religion, they shall be the kings of the Arabs.

Afterwards, the Meccan's did insult the Muslims and did push them around and force them away from the Kaaba. But the Muslims began to attack and physically assault the Meccans.

Mohamad was attempting to disrupt the business in Mecca.

Mohammud was attempting to recruit men in Mecca to join him and telling them that if they follow him in his religion, they shall be the kings of the Arabs.

Mohammud was threatening the Meccan's with SLAUGHTER and punishment and threatening them that they would burn in HELL FIRE. And threatening that if they did not join him, the result would be VIOLENCE and bloodshed.

So, it is very clear why the Meccan's forced him out.

The Meccan's were defending themselves. However, Mohammud always turned to violence and cruelty and acted out the threats he made against the Meccan's for not joining him in his religion.

A raiding party led by Zaid b. Harithah set out against Umm Qirfah in the month of Ramadan.

During it, Umm Qirfah (Fatimah bt. Rabi‘ah b. Badr) suffered a cruel death. He tied her legs with rope and then tied her between two camels until they split her in two. She was a very old woman.

This is the Islam that conquered a city called Mecca that were simply defending themselves.

This is exactly why they kicked him out, - because he was trying to destroy their business and threatening slaughter, violence and warfare - with an afterlife that he threatened them that they would be punished with torture and burning in fire.

The Meccan's expressed panic and alarm - that Mohammud threatened - that if you do not JOIN HIM , you shall meet with slaughter

This was exactly why they drove him out.

Side: Religion of Violence