Is Islam a Religion of Peace?

Just a simple question . ?
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Allow me to give a simple answer then..YES

Now let's see if we can develop a more reasoned debate here as I can see you have been letting off a bit of steam on this theme in different threads

First and foremost a few things about me to set the context...I am Indian and Scottish and have read various bits and pieces over the years including a large portion of the Qu'ran.

I am no fan of Islam and there are aspects, which you have already highlighted elsewhere, that I find down right unpalatable

So I am not going to deny those elements exist

Am I going to condemn an entire religion and all it's followers on the basis of some dodgy scripture and the actions of a minority element???

No I am not

So there's my initial volley.....over to you mate!
rangesingh:

I am right behind LionSingh.

and islam is Not a religion of peace.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/islam/33158-is-islam-a-religion-of-peace.html

most of the english translations you will find on the quran especially ones dealing with jihad, killing are actually sugar coated down and changed so non-muslims will never fully understand that islam is a religion of war againt the non-muslims, aka kaffir.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33158


I have researched islam for years and can tell you. That if you really want to understand islam you need to understand the term Taqiyya
Which is lying for islam to make it sound good, to disguise the nasty stuff in islam and lie and deceive non-muslims.

Please view this video

This is all im posting for now, not sure what the admins are like here. But we should be allowed to form our opinion. After all in a democratic country we are allowed free speech.
Now i wounder how much free speech you will get in an islamic country like saudia arabia hmmm. I wounder when their will be a church or gurdwara in that country ....

admin does not have a problem when a member posts a negative opinion as long as two things are true:
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33158

1. The opinion is informed
2. The opinion is not expressed with insulting or abusive language

Your post is fine. There are no problems with it. And I encourage you to be a positive model for others who wish to present a critical perspective.

Okay..so what is it that you/LionSingh Ji want to achieve here?

Do yo want all SPN'ers to say yes Islam is a religion of War? Yes all Muslims are jihadist extremist terrorists? Will you then consider you have achieved something? Is that the sort of thing Sikhism would encourage?

I don't know the answers which is why I am asking you

What do you do when you see a Muslim in the street.
Do you think.,..yeah you're just a good for nothing trouble-maker with zero contribution to society?

I am also assuming that as a matter of choice you have zero Muslim acquaintances either socially or at work....would that be correct?

And incidentally I disagree with your view that it is not a religion of peace....but that's the great thing about this forum and being able to have a reasoned debate... there are few religions where the followers haven't taken up arms (rightly or wrongly) in the name of their religion

Personally, I go with a each to their own philosophy....as long as they follow it properly and don't bother me or others, then it's fine. When they force it on me or others, then it's wrong for them to do so. And I have already said in my first post what I think about it as a whole. I will also agree that at this moment in time, there appears to be more terrorist activity on their part than any other movement which is just wrong and socially unacceptable and something needs to be done about it.

But I would suggest that the majority of Muslims are not like that at all. Or maybe they are just generally more affable in Scotland than other parts of the World?? And i do have Muslim acquaintances at work who do not fit the stereotype you and LionSingh are painting here. So I will still not condemn the entire religioin on the basis of some dodgy scripture and a minority extremeist element.

That's the great thing about this forum...being able to air opposing views in a reasoned way

Never said I was aginst Muslims, but reading the Koran , I find it nothing to do with peace. As for dodgy scripture, if we were to give any critique, the penalty would be death.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33158

As for the terrorist part and activity...where does it come from.

Then may I suggest you read it again?

I just took my copy and opened it on different pages at random and did this 5 times and did not come across any lines inciting violence at all. Not even one.

As for where the terrorist part comes from...it's from a minority element latching on to the "dodgy bits" you and I have already agreed exist.

But as I am now saying a third time, I will not condemn the entire religion on the basis of a minority. What does that mean? Well according to Wikipedia:

A comprehensive 2009 demographic study of 232 countries and territories reported that 23% of the global population or 1.57 billion people are Muslims.

This is what Wikipedia has to say:

"Taqiyya is the

Islamic

Islam

practice of precautionary dissimulation whereby believers may conceal their

Muslim

Muslim

faith when under threat,

persecution

Persecution_of_Muslims

or compulsion.[1] The term taqiyya (تقیه) (pronounced as tagiyeh by speakers of

Iranian

Iran

Persian

Persian_language

; alternate spelling taqiya) is derived from the

Arabic

Arabic

triliteral root

Triliteral_root

waw-qaf-ya, denoting "piety, devotion, uprightness, and godliness, and it means the brightest star"


Having read it, I would have to conclude that the way you have described it is not how it is described on Wikipedia

Ek OnKaar Sat Naam


Seeker9 ji quoted from "Wikipedia"

"A comprehensive 2009 demographic study of 232 countries and territories reported that 23% of the global population or 1.57 billion people are Muslims."

Seeker9 ji:

Does the encylopedia also explain how these numbers grew to these levels - by gentle persuasion alone ?

Even if a religion is intended by its founder/s to be peaceful and tolerant, if its subsequent followers conduct their actions under the name of the religion, then many outsiders will view the religion as hostile, or intolerant.


Then to Lionsingh ji:

Why ask the question only about Islam? The same sort of question can be asked if radical muslims, sikhs, hindus, christians, jews or whatever become pre-eminent, and take the lead in presentation to the world. They can make it seem like much of the adherents are of like mind.We need only look back to 1970s and 80s in Punjab, as it didn't look to outsiders that Sikhs were all nice, humble, compassionate peace loving people, whilst they sported AK47s.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33158

These sort of questions don't lead anywhere quickly, and asking them can cause problems.
There is an english saying:

"People who live in glass houses should not throw stones"

Most, if not all religions have some dark aspects and some bad history, and many still have some adherents who claim to be ideal, almost God-like humans. They see themselves as well above others, and use quite derogatory language against others. This includes Sikhism., which despite claiming it has no caste distiction, has the same in effect not only between people on occupation basis, but also on whether they keep a certain appearance or not. Most adherents are treated as second rate citizens and aren't afforded the same level of respect or treatment or benefits as so called "gursikhs" are. All Sikhs are not at all tolerant, eg of people who claim to be sikh but don't keep rehat, or of other sects. Some can and do get quite abusive and even violent, but it doesn't then mean all sikhs are hostile. The problem is with the leaders who don't condemn these people, but sometimes even commend them or award them sant status. This then suggests to the outside world that the whole faith is made up of people to be wary of.

One should do the best one can do, and live up to the standards one would like others to live by.

People cannot be relied upon to be either peaceful or hostile simply because they claim adherence to any faith. One should judge on actual actions, and of individuals, if one really must judge at all.

Don't overly attach yourself emotionally to any faith and its leaders or organisers. The faiths are all created by humans, all subject to human failings, and the leaders do not have to be anything like the founders at all. They have huge vested interests, that they can ill afford to lose. Greed of power and/or money is a mighty draw to most humans.

Read Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at least once, understand the bani, and above all keep faith in God, the master of destiny, the architect of all these worldly dramas. It is His sport, and only He really knows why there is any conflict caused by religions, whether it be inter-faith or intra-faith. If all people who all claim faith in a God based religion, shifted to worship of God alone, and abandoned all the paraphernalia of their religions to date, we would have much higher chance of achieving "Raj karega Khalsa". If the so-called "khalsa" itself cannot do this it will remain nothing but a pipe-dream. Ego is one big thing to get over, irrespective of faith.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33158

Sat Sri Akal