I've avoided making a lot of critical threads about what I consider the depravity of the Islamic religion and the harmful effects I believe in has on individuals for one reason - a lot of racist xenophobes, "class of cultures" people, "nativists" ("native" being defined as "European-American" in the US for some strange, strange reason rather than Aboriginal), and neoconservative hawks as well as the Pro-Israeli militarism lobby all like to emphasize this theme in ways I disapprove of. I don't think Muslim immigrants will inherently destroy the West anymore than I think Christianity entails its destruction. Rather, I see both religions as something we'd be better off without overall (even subtracting the charitable giving, positive illusions, and social networks they generate). Islam is much more militaristically in its initial theology; while Christianity is pacifistic in its initial theology, but both memeplexes' own inherent intellectual chauvinism has led to many deaths over the years (Christianity decelerating, of course, after the Enlightenment-era liberalism civilized it to a degree). Nevertheless, there is one odd facet of Islam that I consider heinous in the modern world: the odd and haphazard rules with regard to Muslims marrying NonMuslims.
I don't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Qu'ran (indeed, I lack the ability to read Arabic, so couldn't read it in is "truest" form - then again, many Muslims can't either). But this site goes through the convoluted, scriptural reasoning:
Understanding Islam wrote:
The case of a Muslim woman marrying a non-Muslim man – besides that of prohibiting polytheist men for them – has not been directly covered in the Qur’an. One may hold the opinion that by permitting marriage between Muslim men and Jewish and Christian women, the Qur’an has also permitted marriage between Muslim women and Jewish and Christian men. While on the other hand, one may hold the opinion that by specifically mentioning the permission of marriage between Muslim men and Jewish and Christian women, the Qur’an has expressed its dislike for marriage between Christian or Jewish men with a Muslim woman.
As the above explanation would clearly show the issue could have various answers. A person should consider the reasoning of the parties holding these different opinions and follow the particular opinion that in his understanding is the strongest and closest to the directives of the Qur’an.
http://www.understanding-islam.com/rs/s-053.htm
Now, I don't really know what the official "dogma" is - indeed, few Muslims are really that versed in the Qu'ran (unlike ideal Protestants are with the Bible) or told what to think from a worldwide centralized authority (as the Roman Catholics are). So actually existing Islam, in that sense, is a bit more idiosyncratic than Christianity - not really based on literate scriptural knowledge
or a centralized authority, but rather the varying
local authorities of various Imams and religious communities.
Nevertheless, there seems to be a pretty substantial subset of Muslims that believe romance and marriage with people outside their religion is prohibited. And it's had an effect on two people I know
of that seems pretty perplexing to me: it has motivated them to convert to Islam.
Both are women who wanted to date Muslim men. One woman was the person who bought my family's old home and who I know next to nothing about, the other is a distant relative. I really don't get how someone can change faiths over attraction. Granted, I'm a man whose only romantic relationship has been with my hand, but I still don't see how one can compromise on intellectual principles and adopt a series of beliefs solely due to romantic desires. One woman was raised as a Roman Catholic, the other was (before her conversion, I take it) religiously apathetic, by the way.
I'm wondering - is this a widespread occurrence? Does it seem intellectually disingenuous and hence repugnant to you?
13 Dec 2010, 1:39 am
