I am curious about what your thoughts on Sharia law are?
I often found it similar to the ridiculous content in the old testament in which God commits genocide for one person being gay. And it annoys me to no end when people think they can attack Sharia law but not admit the faults of their own holy book.
Nevertheless I still feel like both set of the teachings I refer to are quite reprehensible from a modern moral sense and am curious how you reconcile the teachings of Sharia law within your own personal beliefs?
And thanks for putting the thread up! I could use some more first hand knowledge on this religion which most definitely has so many beautiful aspects to it and I have a close Muslim friend of mine who I never have the nerve to talk to about his religion.
Hey Darthrush! Before I get started–Many people make the mistake of thinking that Sharia law is all from the Quran. Some of it is based in that, but in fact it was all built up over the years throughout history. So, some of it is based on precedent, and not on actual teachings.
Realizing that fact, I think that where Sharia law has become messed up in many Muslim communities is that they use it in a reactionary way in relation to the depraved ways of the outside world. In other words, they feel like because the rest of the world is so materialistic/immoral, they need to double down and make sure their world becomes nothing like the outside world. In that way, they are letting the world control them-- just not in the way they think.
So anyway, a couple of my thoughts:
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Some people say that Muslim law is oppressive. To Western values, I suppose it is. But who says western values are the best values? Properly applied, muslim law protects. Specifically, it protects our religion, human life, intellect, sanctity, lineage, and wealth.
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Sharia law is for Muslims. It is not for non-Muslims! If you do not want to follow it, do not become a Muslim.
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This is something that many of the wacko-Muslims in the middle east have forgotten. Back when we were the conquerors, we treated societies we conquered kindly. We let them live their own ways. Perhaps, because we often feel conquered (western influences in Middle East), we feel like we need to go around forcing Sharia law on everything. It’s like we feel that if we don’t do this, we’ll just collapse. I think this shows a huge lack of faith in God and in the beauty of our religion. Which leads me to my next point…
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An ideal worldwide would be one that is a theocracy (and ruled by sharia law). However, we know that this is not going to happen until the end times. So, until then we are commanded to spread the faith by Jihad (holy war). “Holy war” does not necessarily mean violent acts. It could also mean what is called by Christians “missionary work”.
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The Islamist extremists (like al-qaeda) claim that they are waging Jihad against the USA and the West. This is just dumb. The USA had never tried to kill Muslims. The west had tried to interfere in our politics in order to protect the UK’s oil interests. While this is bad, this is also the basis of the extremists’ beef with the west. Who’s the real materialist? It would appear to be al-qaeda.
Anyway, sorry, I think I’ve kind of gone off on some tangents. Your question was more about me personally.
I believe that the laws prescribed for us in the Quran are the way to happiness. However, I do struggle with the punishments the Quran sometimes prescribes for those who might fall short. But then, What does it really mean? How strict are we to read it? Scripture can always be so ambiguous. I think we need to realize that just because one community interprets it one way, that does not need to be the way everywhere does it. It isn’t an issue of literalism vs. being lax, it’s an issue of applying the scripture to yourself. I think I am lucky to live in a place where Muslims are in the minority, and strict Sharia cannot be implemented among the government. Faith is a matter of personal choice.