From: hartigan@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Why I am not a Muslim [was re: Why I am an atheist/Christian...]
Date: 25 Aug 92 12:47:32 -0300
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada


In article <l9jcc3INN3hm@pollux.usc.edu>, aabdalla@pollux.usc.edu (Ahmed Abd-Allah) writes:
> In article <1992Aug24.175015.7114@ac.dal.ca> hartigan@ac.dal.ca writes:
>>
>>Re: Why I am an atheist
>>
>  
>  [stuff deleted]
>  
>>but here are some general observations:
>  
>>- their research is not as good as atheists (with notable exceptions - the 
>>  truly sophisticated Christians. Mr. Hendrick, et.al)
>  
>>- They are more emotional, at least in their net.writing (again, with
>>  notable exceptions
>  
>>- they are more dogmatic (disclaimer...) ie. closed-minded
>  
>>- they are often extremely sincere, not hypocrites
>  
>>- they have little understanding of atheism, or why people are atheists
>  
>>- you see more Christians who are obvious idiots then you do adherents of
>>other beliefs, at least on this net. (This is NOT a slur on Christians, some
>>of whom are among the most intelligent people I know or have read. This is
>>just an unscientific observation)
>   
>>Let the games continue! :)
>  
>>Sean Hartigan
>  
> I am deeply saddened by your letter....  It seems you are not objective
> enough to even mention Islam in your observations...  Why?  

Sorry! It just didn't occur to me. I swim in a sea of Christianity, for 
better or for worse. Islam is not a strong ideological force in most of
North America...yet!

> 
> Hasn't it occured to the disillusioned Christians yet that there is a
> reason for their disillusionment?  Think!  God sent a messenger to one of the
> lowliest groups of people (the desert Arabs of that time), and YET the 
> message is applicable to everyone.  Funny, I'm informing you of a way to
> the Truth through your mind and heart, but most of you turn away in silence,
> wanting to wallow in the unfounded 'emotionality' of Christianity.

Apologies! Most N.A. atheists are "recovering" Christians. In the process of
this recovery, many do look into other religions.  I find Islam very
philosophically attractive, but..I don't know, it just seems pretty obvious
that it's a mythology. This, I think, is an example of cultural programming.
I've been told since infancy that Islam is false/satanic, and that Christianity
is true/good.  Makes me think that one can really only believe with a whole
heart in the religion of one's childhood. "As the twig is bent, so grows the
tree."  


> Read the Qur'an.  It supersedes the Bible.  It can't hurt you.
> 
 I've read bits of the Qur'an (in translation) and find it very beautiful 
poetry, very different in style from the KJV (which is the benchmark for
poetry in English) but still beautiful.  Alas - it seems pretty likely that
is a work of human poetry. A masterpiece, but still human. 

Besides on this net alone, I can find you

a Mormon
a fundamentalist
a Muslim (you! :) )
an atheist
a Buddhist

..who can all prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their religion is the One
True Faith. What's a guy to do? 


> Ahmed Abd-Allah
> 

Sean Hartigan
hartigan@ac.dal.ca