Quote Originally Posted by Moonraker View Post
A lengthy post so, much as I would like to, I cannot comment on all points. Just 2 comments (for now):

Like most holy books and indeed, many modern law books, a lot is left open to interpretation. The term fundamentalist is used to describe those who choose to apply the strictest interpretation. You mention the burqa and other poster agrees mentioning the veil. The Quran states:

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to..."

So we are left to interpret what guarding modesty and displaying beauty means. I would suggest that anything that can arouse a man is displaying beauty, and I don't know about you but a pretty face certainly arouses me.

Regarding the various points you made concerning war (terrorism) strictly speaking you may bee correct. But you do not take into account the "merit" system in Islam. I cannot quote you offhand the details of the scoring system but basically at the pearly gates your good and bad deed scores are totalled up to determine your rewards in paradise. I understand that one of the 911 bombers rented porno tapes the night before the event. He probably calculated that the minus points for porn and suicide were minimal compared to the massive bonus points he would get as a martyr dieing to defend the faith. (My apologies to any muslim reader for this oversimplification and perhaps bad analagy). But I think you all get my point. The good deeds outweigh the bad. And are we so far off that principle when dropping atom bombs.

The bottom line is, that's why we call it religion or faith. It depends on belief and what is in your heart, not simply following a clear and precise rule book.
That's as bogus an approach to living as the Catholics who believe a lifetime of evil can be negated by a deathbed confession and the absolution of a priest.