RE: An infidel reading the Quran #3
Hey @nime thanks for your comment. My example was not about a non muslim committing murder. It was someone who in all accounts lived a "perfect life" in the eyes of the Quran unknowingly, but without belief. How is that more evil, than a believer who murders, rapes or tortures? Cause you said it yourself, the biggest sin is disbelief in Allah, which in turn means the worst muslim, is still better than the best "non-muslim". To me, that is nuts. It's not logical.. And i must say, the whole idea of sending people to burn for eternity is not an act I deem justifiable in any way, no matter the crime committed, and i'm pretty sure a lot of others agree with me on that one. Wich in fact makes us more merciful. In that logic, Allah can not send non believers, murderers or rapers to burn for eternity, cause he is most merciful, or "more merciful" than all of us.. Would that not make the limits Allah set, (and the punishment) a fiction of imagination to put fear in the hearts of humans who without the guidance of the Quran would commit many evil acts?
And just to quote Surah 2 Verse 178:
Surah 2 Al-BAQARAH THE HEIFER
178: O ye who belive! The law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: The free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude; This is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty
Do you think it's justice that i get to kill your sister, if you have killed mine? I don't believe it is, I believe it is in all accounts.. murder.
@epsicktick I understand you are slowing progressing in this reading Quran, so you will find that Allah has mentioned his mercy empowers his anger.
Please don't mind but I think you are interpreting this verse Surah 2, Verse 178 wrong, this verse in context say that suppose if i have killed your brother, then your family can demand my death(killer only).
@epsicktick regarding your opinion about belief and good character. I know you are a great critical thinker and you would agree that everyone person has the ability to differentiate between good & bad deeds, similarly right & wrong path. Even if someone was living in jungle alone for his whole life and leading good life with his family, he would also someday realize that what is the purpose of all this creation, how everything came into order, so by being logically following your mind, i think everyone eventually stumbles upon the truth. So belief concept starts very later. First you have to find the ultimate truth by exploring things deeper
By the way why you always call yourself infidel?
I highly doubt that a raper can be at the same time a believer. Of course in his own eyes he can be one, but you are not a Muslim just by saying you're a Muslim. Dying in the state of Islam, while being a Muslim is not easy. There are rules to follow. You can't just write Muslim on your forehead and run around doing crazy stuff. So you can't compare a rapist to the worst Muslim. And I highly doubt that someone can live a perfect life according the Quran and remain a disbeliever. Let's take for example a son that ignores his mother for no reason, like she never existed, but he is good to other random people. Can this person be good? He is unjust to someone who gave him birth and raised him. What are his good deeds worth after all. So, when you believe in God, you also believe that He is Creator of everything. Every single cell in your body. You can see, hear, feel, think, enjoy and all because of Him. Do you feel how unjust one is by disbelieving in Him?
@needofhour Yes, maybe I do interpret it wrong, cause to me it seems if i kill a woman, the woman's family can demand the killing of a woman in my family to punish me. Even though i'm the killer, i'm a man, hence not a woman for a woman / man for a man. A man living in the jungle would live a pretty neutral life in my opinion, not necessarily good. For me the purpose of life is pretty simple actually. Evolution threw reproduction. This is the only thing that accounts for all life on earth, either you survive long enough to reproduce (therefor being a part of the future evolution). Or you die before, still in a way doing your part. This gives all life meaning, and gives me a lot of freedom to choose what I want my life and legacy to be about. Of course this was a short version, I want to make a post on the meaning of life eventually. But tell me, what is the ultimate truth to you?
Yeah, maybe his mercy empowers his anger. But that does not make it justifiable, that makes it closer to revenge. Which again makes Allah less merciful than let's say Scandinavian states who does not practise death penalty or torture (which eternal fire is), and focus on rehabilitation instead. Which in my thinking can only mean he is less merciful and many good people and I will go to hell, or he is most merciful and we will go to paradise regardless.
I do wonder though, do animals go to paradise? Is it a sin for muslims to kill animals unnecessarily?
Infidel: "a person who has no religion or whose religion is not that of the majority"
I do not have a religion, I don't believe in god. I believe we created god(s) in our image, not the other way around. I believe religion has served a purpose, to create order and unity among groups of people which in turn has made it easier/or possible for societies and civilizations to evolve.
Other than that, i find the title catchy :)
@nime I do not doubt that at all.
You have probably heard about the amount of child molestures among priests in the catholic church. It does not make them unbelievers. It just means they have committed a sin. And I understand you doubt someone living perfectly without faith, but in theory what if someone did?
No, to be quite frank. I don't find it that unjust. Sure it's nice to be appreciated for your deeds, but to me, it's not a contract. If i help someone, they don't have an obligation to return it and I won't hold it against them. Put in perspective: Allah made everything that I am, but that does not mean i'm obligated to believe and submit to him. And it would not be justifiable for Allah to punish me for it. And I certainly don't see how it can be the greatest sin of all.
@epsicktick The picture you gave of life is pretty obvious, that is too mechanical life according to me, Like you grow up, study, do job, pay bills, have relationships and die. This cycle has been going on for very long time. Yes, you can lead a good in this minimized scenario too but it’s too limited and normal. I believe there should be something special in everyone’s life.
Yes, unjust killing of animals is prohibited.
I think Darwin’s theory is flawed logically and it is still a theory but I like you analysis of this religious book and I think your first question should be why it is said that Quran is a word of God?
You should kindly read about scientific facts and signs in this book, like big bang theory, black hole etc. Non-religious historians confirm that this book predates back 1400. So 1400 years back there was no major scientific evolution like today, so how can there be verified scientific facts mentioned in this book and how?
And yes your catchy title attracted me towards your post :)
To me its not mechanical at all, and has nothing to do with how you live either :) It is in some ways simple, but it aswell gives us alot of freedom. I find evolution very fluid in every way. not just technological or biological, but in other subjects such as religion, politics and ideologies aswell. Not to mention that by that by this meaning everyhting you do that brings the world forward in a sense, is a good act. I will look into what you said about black holes, but you can find other unaswered questions in other religions and cultures aswell. For example stonehenge, egyptain pyramids, mayan buildings/and understanding of the universe. I am pretty sure the mayans had drawings of black wholes, and we have no clue how they managed to build with such perfection. And the mayans build it long before the Quran was ever written.
You said his mercy empowers his anger. Not that he has more mercy than anger.
@epsicktick Empower His anger means he is more merciful than being angry.
Yes, there are unexplained things mentioned in many old civilizations but only some remains true or justifiable. Like you would have witness that in 2012 there was common misconception that world is going to end on 2012 according to Mayan calendar.
So till now, i have only find this thing in Islam, that whenever its talks of something in terms of physical world, it has not been proven wrong.
No it does not. It means his mercy "power up" his anger. So thats why I got confused. But anyways.
When it comes to the end of the world.. The mayans calender ended.. Why it became a "thing" that the world would end i dont know. If you go to Yuacatan, and are lucky enough to visit chitzen itza and tulum, you would understand what im talking about. As my guide told me "We have no clue how they managed to build it, absolutely no clue. We would not be able to do it today". I dont know what you mean with "true or justifiable", but if you have only found it in Islam, then maybe you have to expand your search ;).
Im gonna end the conversation on this post now, thanks alot for your comments, gave me some interesting perspective! I hope I see you in the comment section on my next post on chapter 4 in a couple of days :)
You are always welcome and looking forward to all your posts :)