[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On Jan 28, 5:50*pm, ScottW wrote:
On Jan 28, 3:25*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"

From what I did read it seemed to me exactly like any other religious
book, including the christian bible, reads: lots of "we're the only
true religion" and the lord is going to smite down those who didn't
think so.

*One difference....the Quran doesn't say wait for the lord.

Neither does the bible.

It strikes me that gods in most religions in the west smite
down lots of people too.

Since you've apparently read it, and I have admitted that I couldn't
wade through it, why don't you tell me? How much hatred is in the
Qu'ran? What passages did you personally find the most bothersome?

9:5. Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months
of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun
{unbelievers} wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege
them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent
and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat {the Islamic ritual prayers}),
and give Zakat {alms}, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful.

So we could anticipate that these 'true believers' would not kill
during the months which correspond to whatever months these are in our
calendar. If they're going to follow their religion, they should
follow it. It strikes me that many aren't, just as many don't follow
the bible of whatever religion they belong to. Most people can't keep
new year's resolutions, so that isn't surprising.

How is it that many, if not most, Muslims generally live peaceably,
while others blow themselves up? Is it possibly an issue with
interpretation?

So they say....but how to interpret 9:5 in an
acceptable way?

I guess the same way that I'd interpret Joshua 23.