Islam Is Not Only a Peaceful Religion, but a Reasonable Religion

Additionally, my opponent critizes me for suggesting that an advocacy website may not be entirely trustworthy. (I know, how dare I suggest). This is akin to saying that you should get information about whether to vote for a politician by asking them, or figuring out whether ISIS is good by asking Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. (1)But this is irrelevant, so let's get started. Now, of course, I could discuss the rampant violence and cruel acts of Islamic-extremist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, or the terrorists sponsored by almost every Muslim nation who otherwise pretend to oppose them. (2) But that would be avoiding the true question, that being the root cause of all the barbarism. Is it just that all these groups are coming together, happening to practice the same religion? (What a coincidence) Or is there something more inherent. In this round and in this debate, I will be arguing that not only is there something more embedded, but it is perpetuated by the Qur'an itself, and by the Muslim leaders not just of the present, but of the past, right down to the faith's very founder. Mohammed and the FoundersTo understand the present, we must view a proper context of the Qur'an, and how Islam is practice, which requires a look into the past. Indeed, the warlord-turned-prophet and his early followers were not exactly peace-lovers, nor did they possess even a basic understanding of what a peaceful religion would look like. Here are a brief list of charges against Mohammed: 1. In 632, Mohammed ordered a series of violent raids (11-ish) against Meccan trade caravans, claiming it was not make up for possession left in Mecca and of course that God gave him permission. (3) The raids were brutal and often bloody.2. Later, Mohammed granted permission for Muslims to kill Christians and Jews as they saw fit. The only exception was if the "People of the Book" paid hefty tributes for immunity from slaughter. (4)3. The concepts of both Jihad and Islamic Martyrdom were borne from this time. (5) However, I will note that at the time, the Muslim community was in constant mortal danger.4. Mohammed sponsored what is known as a "dead poet's society", when he ordered the targeted killings of dozens of satirical and skeptical poets and writers. (6)5. Perhaps most grievous of all, Mohammed and his followers are responsible for the massacre of the Jewish tribe Banu Qurayza. After winning a battle against the tribe and its allies, Mohammed attacked the home of the tribe and is responsible for the killing of all the men of the tribe, approximately 900. (7) I tremble to imagine the fate of the women. I would expand the list many times its current length. The point is, a serial killer would be proud to compile a fifth of the body count that the prophet of the touted "Religion of Peace" was able to amass. I fully understand that the early Muslims had to fight to survive, but these acts are completely unjustified, and not worthy of a hardened criminal, much less God's chosen one. Modern Day ClericsIslam does not have a Pope. This I can appreciate, but it also means there is no head authority on what Islam is and isn't; it is up to the eternal quarreling of various Imams. And this leads to eternal trouble. It is these self-appointed prophets who order the fatwas against, for example, all of Denmark over a short cartoon satirizing Mohammed. (8) These radical Imams, existing throughout the west (9) and taking their inspiration from the Qur'an and its prophets, pose a great threat in the recruitment and success of radical groups. What is it About Islam? This question, why has Islam both historically and in modern day seen such violent members and orginazation arise from it, I hope to offer some insight on. Given the historical basis above, the answers can be found not just in the founders of Islam, but in its holy-book. The biggest concern about the practice of Islam is the totality in which it is proposed. Islam promises to handle everything, to be a complete and, I use this phrase cautiously, a total solution. I imagine all of you have heard it: Islam is the solution. It claims to handle all in life: faith, diet, sex, politics, etc. .. This dangerous ideal is reinforced by passages that say "Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. .. " The chief issue here is the supremacy and the utter inescapeability of the claims that Islam makes for itself. It is, after all, the solution. While this overlying belief is a more subtle call for violence, plenty of much more immediate and direct commands can be found just a few verses later. "Allah has set a seal upon their (disbelievers) hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment. " Vague is all I have to say. The first interpretation is that those who fail to subscribe to Allah will go to hell, which is questionable in itself. However, why should this not be interpreted as a command for bloodshed? Regardless of what it is intended to mean, who will say that this does not inspire hate and almost inevitably violence? "Indeed, those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah will have a severe punishment, and Allah is exalted in Might, the Owner of Retribution. " The mindset of terrorists is not hard to determine from these passages. Allah is vengeful, capricious, and brutal, why shouldn't his followers be? Remember, readers, these quotes are lifted from the "official" translation, which ignore certain sections, like the ones condoning wife-beating. (I am not citing them as they are from the agreed upon source. ) This is what so-called moderate Muslims are willing to say is in their holy-book. Here we are again: "And it is they (disbelievers) who are fuel for the Fire. " Need I say more? All the quotes I have taken so far are from the first three short chapters. I would do more research, except clearly I have plenty of material to work with already. My arguments write themselves. Here are a few more, all from the first five chapters, to think on:"Say to those who disbelieve, "You will be overcome and gathered together to Hell, and wretched is the resting place. ""They denied Our signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in penalty. ""And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits - He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment. "In conclusion, it is easy to discern why so many members of the solution, of the Religion of Peace, kill for their God. The order is there, in the book, in the teachings, and in the very martyrs and heroes of the faith of Islam. Let yourself not be fooled. People are good, and Islam, like many religions, does what it can to corrupt this. And praise be to those brave followers who resist. (1) . http://en.wikipedia.org...(2) . http://www.terrorism-research.com...(3) (4) . http://en.wikipedia.org...(5) . http://www.pbs.org...(6) . http://www.americanthinker.com...(7) . http://en.wikipedia.org...(8) . http://www.spiegel.de...(9) . http://books.google.com...