al salam alykom
can i have the email to Dr:khaled aldakhil thanks , i m professor in sociologie ,lebanese university

It is a shame that we are still in Iraq. We should have left when MISSION ACCOMPLISHED was declared or when Ayatollah al Sistani suggested we could after Sadaam was toppled and no WMDs were found. Vice President Dick Cheney has said that we should not have tried to set up a government in Iraq but have left that to the Iraquis themselves.

Pope John Paul II was against our invasion of Iraq but indicated that some wars were justified when we went into Afghanistan to drive the terrorists into retreat. We had virtually turned "the other cheek" when the Cole and some of our embassies abroad were attacked, but then hell was knocked out of us with the completely unprovoked attack upon he Twin Towers and the Pentagon.

Everyone should pray that General Musharraf and Mrs. Bhutto will reach an understanding and unite againt the unrest in Pakistan. Attacking the terrorists in the mountainous Northwestern part
of Pakistan and Northeastern part of Afghanistan is necessary.

It is sad that there is a division between some Christians and Muslims on a religious basis. HORIZONS magazine quoted the Prophet Muhammad (please excuse my spelling) as saying that Christians are Islamists' friends and Christians should be protected.

Can those of us who consider ourselves Christian honorably believe that we have the only one true religion?? Isn't it possible that Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc., who are moderates (and are not radical or extremists who pervert their own religions into thinking that they are directed to kill others who do not have the same religion) -- and maybe even atheists --may well be pleasing in the sight of Allah-Jehovah-God the Father?? I believe that many moderate Muslims, Jews, non-churched Christians --even some atheists -- act more consistently with the teachings of Jesus Christ than do many professing "Christians," who are so sanctimonious that they actually (and, thus, perforce arrogantly) believe others who do not agree with them entirely are damned.

Noteworthy is St. Matthew 22:14 where Jesus says, "...many are called, but few are chosen." And, while Christ is quoted in St. John 14:6 as saying, "[N]o one comes to the Father but by" Jesus, nevertheless, Christ says in St. John 6:44: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him;" see too St. John 6:65 where Jesus says: "...no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father [the Father must also be Jehovah or Allah]." The Synoptic Gospels are rife with Jesus' indication that "all things are possible with God." St. Matthew 19:26; St. Mark 10:27; St. Luke 1:37; and St. Luke 18:27. Christ even says it is not for Him to grant who will sit at His right hand or his left, "but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." St. Matthew 20:23.

So the One Father-Allah-Jehovah-God can "draw" anyone He "chooses" "by" Christ to Himself (or Herself). That must mean a lot of us who smugly think we're "right with God" are NOT and that many we think are "NOT right with God" actually are. And since I may possibly violate at least one of the Ten Commandments each day consciously or subconsciously, I tremble to think that I might ultimately find myself "on the outside looking in" where others of different religions may be welcomed (into the "bosom of Abraham" who was not only the earthly father of Isaac but also the older son, Ishmael, who is regarded as the sire of many Islamists).

It is a horrible shame that we are still in Iraq.
We do nolt see ourselves as "occupiers," but clearly most citizens of Iraq now do so. As
Vice President Cheney has indicated, we should have never tried to make way for a new government in Iraq but given the country back to the Iraq people as soon as Sadaam was toppled and no WMDs were found. The Iraqui people themselves should have governed themselves after that moment was over.

On the other hand, Afghanistan was a situation to which we had to respond after our ship was attacked in Yemen, our embassies blown up in Africa, etc., the Twin Towers, and the Pentagon.
We had "turned the other cheek" after the attacks
upon us abroad and had the living hell knocked out of us by the terrorists with the Twin Towers and Pentagon attacked. We went into Afghanistan
to go against the terrorists, i.e., bin Laden, al Zawari and those protecting them (Taliban). Even
Pope John Paul II indicated when we went into Afganistan, that some wars are justified. And we had the terrorists on the run, and the peopl seemed better off in Afghanistan with the Taliban compromised. It would be truly a tragedy if
we were viewed as "occupiers" there. May God grant that General Musharraf (spelling?) and
Ms. Bhutto will reach understanding and join together to calm the rising violence and unrest in Pakistan and allow us to help them rid their country and the world of the al Qaeda terrorists
in the mountainous Northwest region of Pakistan and Northeast region of Afghanistan.

I wish that there could be circulated to all the Muslim world an inset that was in HORIZONS magazine last year that the Prophet Muhammad
stated that Christians were the Muslims' friends and were to be protected.

The attitude of certain devout Muslims toward Christians, however, is cause for weeping. Surely we must come together. There are even a few so-called Christians who view all Muslims as enemies. MAY ALLAH-GOD HELP US ALL TO JOIN TOGETHER.

Can those of us who consider ourselves Christian honorably believe that we have the only one true religion?? Isn't it possible that Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc., who are moderates (and are not radical or extremists who pervert their own religions into thinking that they are directed to kill others who do not have the same religion) -- and maybe even atheists --may well be pleasing in the sight of Allah-Jehovah-God the Father?? I believe that many moderate Muslims, Jews, non-churched Christians --even some atheists -- act more consistently with the teachings of Jesus Christ than do many professing "Christians," who are so sanctimonious that they actually (and, thus, perforce arrogantly) believe others who do not agree with them entirely are damned.

Noteworthy is St. Matthew 22:14 where Jesus says, "...many are called, but few are chosen." And, while Christ is quoted in St. John 14:6 as saying, "[N]o one comes to the Father but by" Jesus, nevertheless, Christ says in St. John 6:44: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him;" see too St. John 6:65 where Jesus says: "...no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father [the Father must also be Jehovah or Allah]." The Synoptic Gospels are rife with Jesus' indication that "all things are possible with God." St. Matthew 19:26; St. Mark 10:27; St. Luke 1:37; and St. Luke 18:27. Christ even says it is not for Him to grant who will sit at His right hand or his left, "but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." St. Matthew 20:23.

So the One Father-Allah-Jehovah-God can "draw" anyone He "chooses" "by" Christ to Himself (or Herself). That must mean a lot of us who smugly think we're "right with God" are NOT and that many we think are "NOT right with God" actually are. And since I may possibly violate at least one of the Ten Commandments each day consciously or subconsciously, I tremble to think that I might ultimately find myself "on the outside looking in" where others of different religions may be welcomed (into the "bosom of Abraham" who was not only the earthly father of Isaac but also the older son, Ishmael, who is regarded as the sire of many Islamists).

I am grateful for and impressed how finely the concept of jihad is "sliced and diced" in the article. However, from the practical point of view, the only part that concerns the non-muslim are the views of the "fringe groups." While the rabid fundamuntalists are only a small percentage of the whole, the math yields a large number of potential bombers and hijackers. In addition, their beliefs call for the imposition of a religious state (sharia)everywhere while they rail against the "crusaders." Dhimmitude (second class status for non-muslims) and world conquest (see statements re the re-taking of Spain just after the train bombing there) are sought after goals. Western nations do not impose non-western culture as law for muslims. Dhimmitude is not the norm in Detroit but don't try to wear a cross in Saudi Arabia. These individuals (and some nations) do not accept the concept of tolerance. Reminds me of how John F. Kennedy described the attitude of the Russians. He said they believed that "What is ours is ours and what is yours is negotiable."

I have read all the articles in this series, and this is what I have come away with. ALL writers point to Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance of other religions, and must never be used to condone violence, suicide bombings, etc... YET - nearly all writers, for example, Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah, at the same time promote the views: "Muslim thought" is under assault from the West, the need for "Muslim thought" to remain pure, to be on guard against corrupting influences, the absolute distinction of Islam vs. other religions (us vs. them), and of course, that Muslim lands are being infringed upon by non-Muslims. Isn't this a great contradiction? After you have given 3 corners, especially to a devout young person, how can you expect him not to create the 4th corner?

As another point - westerners must realize: Religion is given life in Culture. The scriptures of religion are always pure, so look to the culture in which it exists

This blog gives a very interesting and direct perspective. Thank You very much for posting sir.

"There is no way to avoid the fact that the US, with its Western allies, is occupying Iraq and Afghanistan. Israel is occupying the Palestinian territories in Gaza and the West Bank. So, there is a truth in how the militant groups put the issue here."

While there are Western forces in these countries, to say that they are the driving force of extremism would require that extremists did not exist before these events occurred. Let us not forgot that Osama Bin Laden masterminded the twin towers attack before these invasions, so the chronology does not support this thesis. Also remember that even during the Clinton years there were smaller scale attacks on US embassies, the USS Cole, and the twin towers in the early 90s. No one ever claimed Bill Clinton was an "occupier" that instigated these attacks.

There are currently ~15 conflicts all over the world, and almost every one of them involves the extremists (Philippines, Kashmir, etc.) The US has nothing to do with these. So such a simplistic explanation is insufficient and does not account for these other conflicts that have been going on for decades.

Again we have a bred, born and brainwashed Muslim not addressing the real issue of Islamic violence i.e. the militaristic and anti-feminine passages of the koran. One could recommend that these passages be deleted. Also to be deleted would be the Gabriel-Mohammed "communications" since Gabe was a fictional character as all "pretty flying wingie talking thingies" are. The passages plagiarized from the ancient religions to include Judaism and Christianity would also be deleted.

And what is left, nothing!!!!!!

Not a whole lot left to the OT, NT and the Book of Mormon either if you follow the same reasoning i.e.
1. Abraham founder/father of three major religions was probably a mythical character. If he was real, he was at best a combination of at least three men. 1.5 million Conservative Jews and their rabbis have relegated Abraham to the myth pile along with most if not all the OT.
From http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/ConservativeTorah.htm

2. Jesus, the illiterate Jewish peasant/carpenter possibly suffering from hallucinations, has been characterized anywhere from the Messiah from Nazareth to a mythical character from mythical Nazareth. Analyses of his life by many contemporary NT scholars (e.g. Professors Crossan, Borg and Fredriksen, On Faith panelists)via the NT and related documents have concluded that only about 30% of Jesus' sayings and ways noted in the NT were authentic. The rest being embellishments (e.g. miracles)/hallucinations made/had by the NT authors to impress various Christian sects.
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

3. Luther, Calvin, Smith, Henry VIII, Wesley et al, founders of Christian-based religions, also suffered from the belief in/hallucinations of "pretty wingy thingie" visits and "prophecies" for profits analogous to the myths of Catholicism (resurrections, apparitions, ascensions and immaculate conceptions).