THE NEO-ATHEISTS and their “innocent” quest for religious knowledge

The neo-atheist which is a new “religion” is a form of “militant atheism” which is against all the religions. There questions to you on this forum are not as innocent and they seem to be. They come here with a mission to create doubts about all religions may it be Islam, Christianity or Judaism.

Before you answer their questions about your religion is it not befitting to have the introduction of the person i.e. what he himself believes in. Internet do not mean you hide a dagger to attack other religions while you hide yourself.

Atheism is a rejection of all religion, or at least of all theistic religion, and since Islam is usually considered a theistic religion, atheism is in principle opposed to it. However, as a phenomenon with its roots in Europe, atheism has concentrated its opposition to religion on Christianity. The new atheism, by contrast, emphasizes Islam as a particularly virulent form of religion that must be opposed. Often, the new atheists claim that because of the events of 9/11, they feel compelled to take a strong stand against religion in general and Islam in particular. Because of this, atheists who focus primarily on Islam, such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali, may also be considered to be a part of, or at least allied with, the neo-atheists.

Atheists do not have anything new to offer. The neo atheists tend to show no interest in professional philosophy, religion, or theology and target the mass market. The arguments against the existence of God are generally versions of scientism, the view that all of life's problems may be solved by appeal to the natural sciences, and the moral argument against religion, that religion brings out the worst in people. They hide under humanism and pretend to be kinder species. There aim is just to confuse those who have faith in God and religion.

Marc-Edward,
To my question you write the following drivel;
"Probably not, same way a Jew nor a Protestant can recieve communion in church."
Actually they can, sometimes even Muslims have received communion in Church... with dispensation of course. Please research more before spewing crap.

More of your ignorance;
"How would they know if a person was a Jew or a Christian were there, unless the person announced it? Why would they go there? Just to be disrespectful?"

What if they did announce it?
The fact that it's clear to all that Mecca is only for Muslims is enough, the road to Mecca forks for havens sake. There may be un-invited curious folks who risk venturing just to witness for themselves 3~4 million people performing a stupid ancient pagan ritual. Then to see them kissing a giant vagina shaped rock.

It is far more disrespectful to bar people from your places of worship. In mohammeds last sermon he made it clear to his followers to rid the peninsular of all Jews and Christians. Witness the first ethnic cleansing? The truth is muslims consider people of other faith inferior and filthy to enter the once pagan Kaaba.

Part 1

Negative comments are so many on this forum but what is the message of Hajj no one mentioned that very important aspect.

Here is Prophet Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon:

After praising, and thanking God he said:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds.

God has forbidden you to take interest, therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. God has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to (Prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived...

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

READERS: Don’t believe twisted cut/pastes about Islam. Read the Holy Book Quran your self.

Part 2

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God, say your five daily prayers , fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth tax. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.

Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before God and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, my examples and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people".

READERS: Don’t believe twisted cut/pastes about Islam. Read the Holy Book Quran your self.

I'm not Christian or Muslim or Jewish or Hindi or Buddhist or anything else. However this does not proclude me from having faith and believing in God. I deeply appreciate the profound experience a pilgrim might enjoy during the hajj. We should all go on a hajj to our spiritual center, the great outdoors for me. Merry Christmas (I'm bond to the traditions of my family. My Christmas tree looks really nice this year).

Asizk:
This Hajj or Pilgrimage to Mecca is a relic from pagan days. The cubical structure around which the pilgrims ambulate was where the idols of the pagans were stored. Lending an Islamic character on the ritual as well as on the monument and place was the major compromise that the founder of the Muslim religion made with the pagans of Mecca. They accused the Mohammad and his teachings of ruining their livelihood by delegitamizing the festival that drew tribesmen from around the Arabian peninsula. Most of the Meccans relied on the pilgrims for trade, commerce as well as many made a living by providing the pilgrims with the necessary tourist services.
Abraham never ventured south of Ber Sheva in the Sinai desert. Many Greek and Roman geographers visited that part of Arabia and mentioned names of tiny hamlets around where Mecca is today but never mentioned Mecca before the 4th Century AD. Abraham lived almost 24 hundred years before that town was ever mentioned.

The arrogance of these believers who think they can divine the supernatural is astounding,and borders on delusional thinking.
That arrogance is only exceeded by those few who assert that from amongst billions of possible candidates,they alone have been selected,and are able to carry on conversations with spirits only they can name and identify. Nice gig.

abhab,
Your ignorance is appaling: Islam comes from the Arabic root verb Aslama and Salam, respectively meaning submitted and peace. Islam means the total submission of a human being to the One and Only God there is, in Arabic Allah,the God of Abraham,Moses,Jesus and Muhammad. In such submission there is freedom from every thing else...material..and all. And in such mission there is inner Peace as well as Peace and Harmony with one's self and the world.

Abraham originated in southern Iraq,moved to Palestine and finally with his elder son,Ishamel,to Mecca, where the two built the most ancient house of worship of the one God in Mecca,pure Monothiesm.

Hajj is the zenith of worship in Islam because it combines all five pillars of Islam at once-and is a univesral and divine celebration of the equality of the human race-absloutely color-blind where all races,cultures,ranks unite in worshipping of the One and Only God.

Muslims,those who know and those who don't know Arabic, fully understand what Islam means.The greatness of Islam is in its simlicity and transperency:One God,many messengers and prophets,with Muhammad being the seal of all Prophets,Prayers,Charity,Fasting and Hajj once in life time for those who are able physcically and financially.

"sparrow4, there are correct anwers and WRONG answers. Im not sure if you know what's the difference.

Everything to you seems to be CORRECT except the one which is correct. Amazing."
Oh, of course. And you are the judge of "correct."
-----------------------
"Try to visit a mental institute and talk to these guys. Maybe you would learn what Im talking about"

You mean because the guys in the mental institution are the ones who know what you are talking about. Um...ok.
---------------------
"Similar attacks like that in Mumbai will continue unless the Muslim world don't realize the STUPIDITY of their religion.

Attending this Hajj means SUPPORTING SUPRESSION of freedom of conscience. Those terrorists are just doing what they've been taught in Islam that there's no other religion but Islam. IDIOTS."

and we're supposed to take this particularly well thought out, well written comment seriously? This passes for intelligent social commentary in your neck of the woods?

What Im saying is ALL religions (Islam, Catholicism, evolution, etc ) which supports conversion thru coersion is a WRONG religion. History proves that these said religions practice forced conversion.

Waht is it in that statement that you don't understand?

mental institution, sorry.

sparrow4, there are correct anwers and WRONG answers. Im not sure if you know what's the difference.

Everything to you seems to be CORRECT except the one which is correct. Amazing.

Try to visit a mental institute and talk to these guys. Maybe you would learn what Im talking about.

spidey, I fear it is you who never learns. You assume Christianity is the one true religion while condemning others for believing the same about Islam. You condemn Catholicism and virtually everyone who doesn't agree with your idea of faith.

Everyone but you is stupid, or morons, or ignorant. You really don't get it. You are about as much a true Christian as Caligula.

Mr. Pasha pontificates from Mecca:
“An Islam that lives up to the meaning of its name. Peace.”
Apparently you do not speak the Arabic language. Islam means submission and not peace. Salam means peace but that is a totally different word.

You further claim:
“the Holy Kaaba, the temple built by Abraham.”

Abraham was never within 500 miles of Mecca. Besides Mecca was built in the Fourth Century AD; over 3500 years after Abraham’s death.

jamil, jamil, jamil,

Reiteration is an important part of education.

True Christianity supports freedom of conscience. True Chritianity's salvation doctrine is thru the work of the Holy Spirit and not thru COERSION. Catholicism is not true Christianity coz its history showed that forced conversion is its method just as what it has done in its conconquered colonies.

Sparrow, when will you learn?

You mean, spidey, just like Christians are taught there is no other religion but Christianity?

Eboo wrote "As news of the shocking terrorist attack in Mumbai rocks the world, acts committed by those who claim to share my faith, I pray that the Islam that I experienced here in Mecca will one day become the vision of Islam in the eyes of mankind"

The Hajj is performed in Saudi Arabia, a nation which strictly forbids religious freedom. THIS IS A VERY STUPID ARTICLE. Similar attacks like that in Mumbai will continue unless the Muslim world don't realize the STUPIDITY of their religion.

Attending this Hajj means SUPPORTING SUPRESSION of freedom of conscience. Those terrorists are just doing what they've been taught in Islam that there's no other religion but Islam. IDIOTS.

CCNL Arif and clan

I hope a time a will come when you will realise how filthy and stinking you sound by copy/pasting slur on the forum.

Pasha is talking nice things but you just began to smell as usual

I'm a little amazed that so many people logged in just to trash Islam; one assumes that, if similar comments were left on an article about a Christian pilgrimage, they'd be deeply insulted.

I'm a Christian myself, and I appreciate this article about one American's hajj. I just wish it had been longer, with more detail about the journey.

Qamran,
What an uplifiting and beautiful narrative.That is the true spirit of Islam.

God bless u for taking your mother to Hajj-I envy u because my mother died before I could take her to Hajj so I have to perform it on her behalf.

Instaed of seeing this piece for what it is-the usual dogs are barking loud in an attempt to distract from its message:PEACE.

Arif2 writes
'Can a Jew, Christian, Hindu or Kafir accompany a Muslim to Mecca?'

Probably not, same way a Jew nor a Protestant can recieve communion in church.

'What would happen to a Jew or a Christian if he/she were caught in your grand mosque?'

How would they know if a person was a Jew or a Christian were there, unless the person announced it? Why would they go there? Just to be disrespectful?

Dotherightthing writes
'On another note, I must say, humbly, that I have read my history. I know it to be a fact of history that the Crusades (though in many instances miserably implemented) were Christian Europe's response to Muslim brutality in Palestine and other Christian lands occupied by Islam '

Oh horse manure. It was the Pope calling Europeans to 'liberate' Jeruselem, which they did via putting the population to the sword, be they Jews or Muslims (and no doubt they killed a lot of non-European Christians as well). If you 'read your history' you'd know that unlike Christian Europe, the Muslims tolorated Jews and Christians in their lands.

'History also shows us that the Spanish Inquisition was carried out by the government of Spain against office-holders in government who had falsely sworn they were Christian'

Uhh...no.

Can a Jew, Christian, Hindu or Kafir accompany a Muslim to Mecca? What would happen to a Jew or a Christian if he/she were caught in your grand mosque? Also, is the punishment (I'm assuming there is one) the same for all, are Hindus or idol worshipers going to die (loose head now) if cought in Mecca?

Seriously I would like to know.
Thanks,
Arif

There is a body count in everyone's past:

For the believers in Jewish scriptures/OT/bible, there are these atrocities:

Exodus 32: 3,000 Israelites killed by Moses for worshipping the golden calf.

Numbers 31: After killing all men, boys and married women among the Midianites, 32,000 virgins remain as booty for the Israelites. (If unmarried girls are a quarter of the population, then 96,000 people were killed.)

Joshua:

Joshua 8: 12,000 men and women, all the people of Ai, killed.

Joshua 10: Joshua completely destroys Gibeon ("larger than Ai"), Makeddah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, Debir. "He left no survivors."

Joshua 11: Hazor destroyed. [Paul Johnson, A History of the Jews (1987), estimates the population of Hazor at ?> 50,000]

TOTAL: if Ai is average, 12,000 x 9 = 108,000 killed.

Judges 1: 10,000 Canaanites k. at Battle of Bezek. Jerusalem and Zephath destroyed.

Judges 3: ca. 10,000 Moabites k. at Jordan River.

Judges 8: 120,000 Midianite soldiers k. by Gideon

Judges 20: Benjamin attacked by other tribes. 25,000 killed.

1 Samuel 4: 4,000 Isrealites killed at 1st Battle of Ebenezer/Aphek. 30,000 Isr. k. at 2nd battle.

David:

2 Samuel 8: 22,000 Arameans of Damascus and 18,000 Edomites killed in 2 battles.

2 Samuel 10: 40,000 Aramean footsoldiers and 7,000 charioteers killed at Helam.

2 Samuel 18: 20,000 Israelites under Absalom killed at Ephraim.

1 Kings 20: 100,000 Arameans killed by Israelites at Battle of Aphek. Another 27,000 killed by collapsing wall.

2 Chron 13: Judah beat Israel and inflicted 500,000 casualties.

2 Chron 25: Amaziah, king of Judah, k. 10,000 from Seir in battle and executed 10,000 POWs. Discharged Judean soldiers pillaged and killed 3,000.

2 Chron 28: Pekah, king of Israel, slew 120,000 Judeans

TOTAL: That comes to about 1,283,000 mass killings specifically enumerated in the Bible. The battle of 2_Chron_13 is so much larger than all the others that we probably should doubt it."

The irony is that Islamic terrorists get their guidance from the Worst Book Ever Written aka the koran which was written by scribes who plagiarized from a number of sources to include
the Jewish scriptures/OT/bible.

Nice of your Jewish boss to let you travel to Mecca....If it was the other way around, I believe the Jew would have been given the luxary of paying an extra tax and not having the right to own any property...How is the Jewish population doing in Saudi Arabia right now anyway? Did you you bring a Hebrews friend to Mecca to enjoy the festivities?

As for your mother and her trip, did she enjoy watching the men do their worship circle-jerk, where all were equal except half the population?

All evidence shows that followers of Islam are doing a great job of destroying world peace....my suggestion to the author is to follow the words of Christ, only then shall he know eternal peace? Maybe a Muslim follower can answer this question, if 27 virgins await a male Muslim upon his death, what awaits the women?

Actually, revisionists try to rewrite history. History is usually taught as a series of events, with causes but from the perspective of hindsight. We very often forget, or don't know what life was really like in ancient times, or medieval times. We can only know from artifacts and writings. which for most of recorded history was done by the educated few, and much of it by monks, for instance in the Dark Ages. There was no internet so communication was much slower. We have a wealth of information at our fingertips via the web- it was vastly different then. Historians today try to integrate more information and understanding into our understanding of history. All warfare was, is barbaric. the Christians were no different than the Muslims in that respect. The Inquisition was not a response to lying office holders. It was the eradication of Jews, Moors and other non-believers in Catholic Spain. In fact, even converts to Christianity were all looked on with suspicion. In terms of the Americas, there were many who tried to protect the native populations, but the overall attitude of the churches was convert or get rid of. That was policy- they had land, we wanted it- simple and as brutal as that.

However, regarding the Holocaust and the Allies- your explanation seems plausible. Not everyone takes that point of view, but history is never as black and white as we want it to be.

I thank FormulaChamp for embarking on an issues-based discussion. The revisionist historians whom FormulaChamp seems to regard as "true historians" trace the roots of their academic discipline all the way back to the mid-twentieth century (unless one chooses to acknowledge the discipline's ultimate ancestry in Soviet Communist propaganda documents). Revisionists try to explain all things historical in economic and socio-political terms, which explains his belief that the crusades were financial and political in origin, as much as (or more than?) religious. Apparently as an aside, he points out the undisputed and regrettable fact that large numbers of Jerusalem's inhabitants were killed by the crusaders when they first took the city. He fails to point out that such was the method of warfare at that time, and that comparable acts and worse (deemed rightly today as atrocities) were the mainstay of Muslim warfare at the time as well. It should be noted that the Crusades, though sometimes called for by the Pope (for the relief of Christians suffering at the hand of the Muslim governors of their long-occupied lands) were, once launched, not under the Pope's control and direction. With respect to the Spanish subjugation of South America, historians have well-documented that the Catholic Church opposed European mistreatment of the natives of the Americas. Lastly, with respect to the Allies turning a blind eye to the Nazi attempt to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe, an historic understanding of the death struggle between the Allies and Axis powers that was World War 2 would go a long way to clarifying why the Allies, with resources stretched to the breaking point, did not go on an excellent adventure across Europe in 1943-4 searching for tangible signs of a reality behind the rumors of an unthinkable racist extermination campaign by the Germans. To the Allies, such a bestially-unthinkable, unnecessary, and resource-wasteful campaign was inconceivable, the same as the bestial 9/11 conspiracy was to our generation of security experts. By the way, the Allies hadn't read the book or seen the movie on how World War 2 would turn out, so they had no assurances of victory prior to its attainment.

FYI, formula1champ said:
"The real reason for crusades was financial, religious and political. Please stop distorting history. Anyways, when the crusaders first walked in Jerusalem, they killed both, Muslims and Jews in large numbers including women and children.

What about the massacre of ethnic South Americans by the Spanish in the name of Christ? And convert to Christianity or die theme for Spain’s Muslims and Jews populations by Queen Isabella in the name of Christ? What about the holocaust which is a perfect example of religious hatred towards Jews? If the allied powers had good enough intelligence to know about German codes, weapons programs, etc then I really doubt that they didn’t know about the Holocaust. They just turned a blind eye."

"History also shows us that the Spanish Inquisition was carried out by the government of Spain against office-holders in government who had falsely sworn they were Christian (a well-known requirement for holding public office in 15th-century Spain.)"

Oh, yeah-I suppose that makes it all OK then. (Of course this isn't history, but your particular fantasy of history.)

Hey moosemeat- I'm really sorry your parents were brother and sister and that your uncle married your grandmother. That's the only reason I can think of for your statement. All that inbreeding in the dreary little rural hamlet you inhabit. tsk tsk.

I said I wished for all religions to stand for peace. You have a problem with that? Do I mention talking donkeys (although obviously I am talking to an a$$) or snaky sticks? Go stand in the corner with your friend, dotherightthing- his "knowledge" of the crusades and the inquisition re only matched by the extremely low level of your intellectual competence.

mposey2 WRITES
'where are the voices of Islamic leaders, especially influential religious leaders, to condemn the orgy of violence done in the name of Islam'

I hear this refrain a lot, and clearly the folks asking aren't really looking very hard. I'd suggest going by the CAIR website where they condemn every act of violence carried out in the name of Islam.

Until the koran is historically corrected by removing all the myths and putting asterisks by all the passages stolen from other books, Muslims will continue to follow the warmongering, "death to all infidels", and oppression of women passages found in this Worst Book Ever Written.

Considering the current fractured state of Islam (e.g. the Sunni-Shiite divide and 24/7 blood letting), this historic correction will be almost impossible to achieve in the short term.

Dear Kamran Pasha,

I wish you well with your journey with your mom. I know GOD delights in those who honor their parents. When you mentioned peace, it reminded me about my encounter. As a Hindu I travelled to the United States on Job. During my stay I established a very true loving friendship with Jesus Christ and found peace which I lacked in my home country.

GOD’s richest blessings on you your home and other pilgrimage to find the true peace and truth.

Sincerely,
Naren Kumar

The real reason for crusades was financial, religious and political. Please stop distorting history. Anyways, when the crusaders first walked in Jerusalem, they killed both, Muslims and Jews in large numbers including women and children.

What about the massacre of ethnic South Americans by the Spanish in the name of Christ? And convert to Christianity or die theme for Spain’s Muslims and Jews populations by Queen Isabella in the name of Christ? What about the holocaust which is a perfect example of religious hatred towards Jews? If the allied powers had good enough intelligence to know about German codes, weapons programs, etc then I really doubt that they didn’t know about the Holocaust. They just turned a blind eye.

DoTheRightThing :
In response to "FormulaChamp", I say that his command that I either "read history his way or go back to my hole" gives precisely the example of what "Islam means Peace" really means to him. Thank you, FormulaChamp, for your clarification for all to see. To be exact, Formula1champ commanded me, "Read some history “DoTheRightThing” or go back to your hole!"
If true, it is good that:
-6000 Muslim Clerics/Scholars last May in India issued a Fatwa against terrorist acts and said people killing innocents in the name of religion will burn in hell
-Muslims in India after Mumbai attacks came out in a rally and condemned the terrorists.
-Muslims in Mumbai refused to bury the Mumbai terrorists in Muslim graveyards
It is sad that, "Out of 190 people killed in Mumbai, 50 were Muslims which is a higher percentage then their actual % population numbers (15%)", though I doubt they were killed because they were known by the Islamic terrorists to be Muslim. In fact, one hostage identified himself as being a Muslim and was promptly released.
What would be truly uplifting and inspiring would be to hear any of the worldly-powerful Muslims publicly state (at the risk of their lives) opposition to showing ANY disrespect by ANY Muslim (from insults to killing) of any non-Muslim in the name of Islam.
On another note, I must say, humbly, that I have read my history. I know it to be a fact of history that the Crusades (though in many instances miserably implemented) were Christian Europe's response to Muslim brutality in Palestine and other Christian lands occupied by Islam over the previous three centuries. History also shows us that the Spanish Inquisition was carried out by the government of Spain against office-holders in government who had falsely sworn they were Christian (a well-known requirement for holding public office in 15th-century Spain.)
I look forward to FormulaChamp's next comment being much more

Well, Sharia laws were not written by the founders of Islam. A bunch of Mullah’s over 300-400 (between late 7th and 12th AD) years created laws based purely on their interpretations. I do agree that their laws are antiquated but again Islam does not prescribe or created Sharia law!

Indian Mullahs do not allow honor killings, etc and do not follow Sharia law. Honor killings, lashing, etc are more of a tribal Pakistan/Afghanistan thing and some of these laws are practiced by Christian minorities in those parts (read Nickolas Kristof’s article in NYT few weeks back).

“All you have to do is look at Sharia law. These same 6000 Islamic clerics voting against terrorists are also closing a blind eye to honor killings, lashings, cutting off people's body parts, executions of the victims of crimes to save face, all in the name of 'law'.”

--------------------------------------------------
strangeseraph :
All you have to do is look at Sharia law. These same 6000 Islamic clerics voting against terrorists are also closing a blind eye to honor killings, lashings, cutting off people's body parts, executions of the victims of crimes to save face, all in the name of 'law'.

One only has to look at the humans rights abuses of places like Iran and other countries that support Sharia to show that Islam has some serious problems.

If Islam wants to be seen as a Religion of peace then they should drop Sharia, and take another good long look at their holy book. It was written a long long time in the past. Its time for all religions to look at Koran/Bible/Torah in this MODERN setting and re-write it, revitalize it to fit with the modern setting we live in.

"As news of the shocking terrorist attack in Mumbai rocks the world, acts committed by those who claim to share my faith"

**********************************************

They do share your faith. Have you ever read the Koran?

All you have to do is look at Sharia law. These same 6000 Islamic clerics voting against terrorists are also closing a blind eye to honor killings, lashings, cutting off people's body parts, executions of the victims of crimes to save face, all in the name of 'law'.

One only has to look at the humans rights abuses of places like Iran and other countries that support Sharia to show that Islam has some serious problems.

If Islam wants to be seen as a Religion of peace then they should drop Sharia, and take another good long look at their holy book. It was written a long long time in the past. Its time for all religions to look at Koran/Bible/Torah in this MODERN setting and re-write it, revitalize it to fit with the modern setting we live in.

What a beautiful and positive story.

Sometimes we are caught up in the glitz and glamor of our societies, but when one has such a moving experience it puts everything into perspective.

Its also good to hear that his Jewish boss was supportive of his pilgrimage. This shows that there are people still left who welcome diversity and and are tolerant of it.

Hey -- Sparrow baby, "Islam" does NOT mean "Peace".
What a load of crap. Translated from Arabic, Islam means "to submit", as in, "to submit to the will of God, and his one and only true prophet, Mohammed". Perhaps Pasha doesn't speak Arabic. If he doesnt, he should, before unloading this childlike commentary on the public. You must excuse me now... I have to go back and read some more about talking donkeys and sticks being turned into snakes in God's ONLY TRUE book, the Bible, and then I must sacrifice the family goat. Must remember to get charcoal at the market on the way home.

In response to "FormulaChamp", I say that his command that I either "read history his way or go back to my hole" gives precisely the example of what "Islam means Peace" really means to him. Thank you, FormulaChamp, for your clarification for all to see. To be exact, Formula1champ commanded me, "Read some history “DoTheRightThing” or go back to your hole!"
If true, it is good that:
-6000 Muslim Clerics/Scholars last May in India issued a Fatwa against terrorist acts and said people killing innocents in the name of religion will burn in hell
-Muslims in India after Mumbai attacks came out in a rally and condemned the terrorists.
-Muslims in Mumbai refused to bury the Mumbai terrorists in Muslim graveyards
It is sad that, "Out of 190 people killed in Mumbai, 50 were Muslims which is a higher percentage then their actual % population numbers (15%)", though I doubt they were killed because they were known by the Islamic terrorists to be Muslim. In fact, one hostage identified himself as being a Muslim and was promptly released.
What would be truly uplifting and inspiring would be to hear any of the worldly-powerful Muslims publicly state (at the risk of their lives) opposition to showing ANY disrespect by ANY Muslim (from insults to killing) of any non-Muslim in the name of Islam.
On another note, I must say, humbly, that I have read my history. I know it to be a fact of history that the Crusades (though in many instances miserably implemented) were Christian Europe's response to Muslim brutality in Palestine and other Christian lands occupied by Islam over the previous three centuries. History also shows us that the Spanish Inquisition was carried out by the government of Spain against office-holders in government who had falsely sworn they were Christian (a well-known requirement for holding public office in 15th-century Spain.)
I look forward to FormulaChamp's next comment being much more measured and less belligerant.

"I pray that the Islam that I experienced here in Mecca will one day become the vision of Islam in the eyes of mankind"

So you'd like to see a vision of hordes of brainwashed people circling around a meteor?

What Kamran's parents failed to tell their son:

Mohammed was an illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering, hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/hallucinating/ plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" and flying chariots to the koran but also a militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands of non-believers.

This agenda continues as shown by the massacre at Mumbai, the assassinations of Bhutto and Theo Van Gogh, the conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists, the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering, Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.

Current crises:

The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11 wives), hallucinating founder.

-6000 Muslim Clerics/Scholars last May in India issued a Fatwa against terrorist acts and said people killing innocents in the name of religion will burn in hell.
-Muslims in India after Mumbai attacks came out in a rally and condemned the terrorists.
-Muslims in Mumbai refused to bury the Mumbai terrorists in Muslim graveyards
-Out of 190 people killed in Mumbai, 50 were Muslims which is a higher percentage then their actual % population numbers (15%).
-Remember that the crusades and inquisitions were started in the name of Christ!

Read some history “DoTheRightThing” or go back to your hole!

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Without a concrete definition or specific example for what Pasha means by Islamic "Peace", I cannot share his hope that Islam live up to the meaning of its name. Hopefully, in a future posting he can point out the hundreds of millions of lives improved by this Peace, as well as the ignorance it removes, and the love for all human beings it instills. Then I will have something positive to consider.

You state at the end of your comments "I pray that the Islam that I experienced here in Mecca will one day become the vision of Islam in the eyes of mankind". That is a nice sentiment but I fear it will not be the "vision of Islam in the eyes of mankind" until the adherents to Islam take steps to make it so. Most Muslim countries seem to be stauncly exclusionary while non-Muslim countries are villified for not accommodating and embracing Muslims. And where are the voices of Islamic leaders, especially influential religious leaders, to condemn the orgy of violence done in the name of Islam. The loudest Islamic voices we hear promote, defend or encourage the madness. If Islam means peace, then it is for Muslims to make it so.

Without a concrete definition or specific example for what Pasha means by Islamic "Peace", I cannot share his hope that Islam live up to the meaning of its name. Hopefully, in a future posting he can point out the hundreds of millions of lives improved by this Peace, as well as the ignorance it removes, and the love for all human beings it instills. Then I will have something positive to consider.

A beautiful story. Would that all the world's religion stand for peace.

(A good son listens to his mother!) :-)

What a positive, life-affirming story.