Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!snorkelwacker!think!husc6!m2c!wpi!gwydion@tavi.rice.edu From: gwydion@tavi.rice.edu (Basalat Ali Raja) Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam Subject: Re: Muhamad's prophethood Message-ID: <9201@wpi.wpi.edu> Date: 27 Feb 90 20:07:54 GMT References: <4426@accuvax.nwu.edu> Sender: shari@wpi.wpi.edu Reply-To: gwydion@tavi.rice.edu (Basalat Ali Raja) Lines: 53 Approved: shari@wpi.wpi.edu In article <4426@accuvax.nwu.edu> "T.S. Reddy" writes: > Again, you feel that the Koran is a *fact* (which, I presume, means >that you take it to be the literal truth, that it was passed down to a >mortal by God). You start from a premise which is questionable (in the >minds of people of other religions or with no religion). This is an old >argument of mine which has not been disproven. I fail to see the necessity of disproving it within the context of my exposition. My whole point was that you and I have quite different world views. Your own premise, which is almost the logical negation of mine is just as questionable in my eyes as mine is in yours. For social and historical reasons, it might be even more questionable. > Be that as it may, the Bible, Gita or the Torah contain beliefs which >are also in the Koran. This is a subset that you have left out. Why >is it a mistake for a Christian to be following the same tenet that a >Muslim is, in the mind of a Muslim? A non-sequitor. I do not understand how you can reach the conclusion that I feel that it is mistaken. If there is any doubt in your mind, I assure you that I do not feel so. But I am interested at how you could arrive at a conclusion that it is possible for me to do so. > You don't HAVE to reach the conclusion or acceptance that a person >is correct/incorrect in following a particular path. If, by following a >religion, a person is spiritually satisfied then so be it. He has >found the path that leads to his happiness. For example, there is >nothing wrong in a Muslim finding happiness by praying 5 times a day >in the direction of Mecca and a Christian visiting Church on Sunday >and finding the same spiritual happiness. Again, you speak from your own personal viewpoint. I have another world view, which contains a heaven and a hell. Within the context of this earth and this life, I will agree with you - a law-abiding citizen may be just as happy, no matter what the religion. Yet, I will not follow the paths of Christians, for example, because I believe that such a paty is incorrect. You seem to be assuming that since I disagree with someone, I find it necessary to pass judegement on them, possibly moral judgement. Such is not the case. To me, happiness is not the ultimate goal in life. Survival, in this life, and the next is more important. > If you take the essence of any religion, it distills to the same >ideals: lead a honest, righteous life, love/help thy neighbor and do good >in general. People of other religious faiths also take their religion >very seriously. This is something that has to be respected. Very true. No argument with that.