What swayed your opinion regarding Islam

I'm trying find out how people's opinions changed regarding Islam, evidently Most Westerners didn't care much about Islam, nor Muslims before 9/11, but now the subject has become incredibly popular.

So there are couple of things I want to find out.

1. When did you first learn about the goods and bads of Islam/Muslims.
2. What was the source of your first encounter, regarding Islam/Muslims.
3. What is your opinion of Islam/Muslims now, hasn't changed since your first encounter?
4. What source do you use to gain information now, regarding Islam/Muslims?

I have noticed lately that many people use websites such as JihadWatch, TheReligionofPeace, AnsweringIslam... as a medium to explain Islam/Muslims, which has prompted me to see where people get their information regarding Islam/Muslims.

I would appreciate if some people give their honest answers, as I'm really interested i knowing this.

I'm Muslim, grew up in a Muslim family therefore got all my information regarding Islam through the family, for example childhood stories of Jesus, Mohammad, Moses... from the Quran. I also studied the Quran, and partially the Hadith (history), to give me a better perspective and understand.

Advanced thanks to all those who participate.

For me it is not just Islam.

Religion in general, is the problem.

It is interesting how 9/11 brought Islam into mainstream Western thought. My first 'encounter' with Islam was in an Islamic history course in college (a few years prior to 9/11). I took the course for the simple reason that I knew nothing of Islam or it's practices.

Your thread has me thinking now of when 9/11 became associated with Islam. It certainly wasn't right away, at least not for me or anyone near me. As time went on after the attacks, people wanted answers and this, little understood in the West, religion got in the solution mix somewhere along the line.

As for the good and bad of Islam, it's as anything, subjective. There is no cut-and-dry good and bad stickers we can use to label this or any other religion.

Originally posted by liejunkie01
For me it is not just Islam.

Religion in general, is the problem.

Still, I don't mind if you revere all religion, but it would be great if you could tell us when did you learn about Islam, when did you encounter Islam, from what source etc.

Islam was shoved in America's face on 9/11, so it makes sense that it would be when interest/awareness really piqued. The general presence of Islam that Americans are exposed to is negative -- Muslims screaming for our heads to roll on YouTube and whatnot, murder as relation for things they don't like (Mohammed drawings, Koran burning, etc.) -- so it would make sense that many Americans at least have a guarded, apprehensive view of Islam.

Personally, I know two Muslims and have met more and they've all been kind individuals. I've also read the Koran back to back, read other Islam-related writing, and that is where my dislike of Islam started. I have nothing against Muslims as individuals, I have nothing against someone practicing Islam (as long as they don't go down the wacko radical route), but I disagree with Islam, I don't like Mohammed based on what I've read, and I think the entire religion is a farce.

Sorry if that sounds harsh. I'm just being truthful.

Flying the planes into the towers and murdering over 3,000 people . Teaching children to strap high explosives on themselves to kill . Watching the mullahs on Arabic tv with an audience of 80 million and all they preach is martyderdom , murder , bomb , kill and rid the world of every infidel starting with Jews and then Christians . The horrible suffering and treatment of women . The selling of 10 year old daughters into arranged marriages . The hypocracy of rape . Mutilation of female children . Videotaped terrorisim as they have a big thing for putting victims down and cutting their throats . Blind obedience and submission to allah and the mullahs . A cult of death . Slavery to this day . Migration to western countries and demand that the western countries change , not them . Teaching kids to hate , strip AK-47's and throw grenades in school . Punishment for petty crime like cutting a kids hand off for pinching a loaf of bread because he is starving . Killing homosexuals just because they are gay . Before 9/11 i had no opinion of muslims but i bought a Qur'an and study guide and have read it at least 5 times and they haven't evolved out of the dark ages . The only evolution has been weaponry so now they can mass murder people like never before . 6 months ago the ink printer cartridges loaded with explosives on 4 different planes . What's the point in murdering all of those innocent people ? Good they were found or 800 innocent people on 4 different planes would have been blown out of the sky . Sure , it's all of our fault . Every senseless act of barbaric terrorist murder of the innocent is always our fault . According to BBC and CNN polls these people who want freedom and democracy in Egypt , really don't . The polls say 82% want an islamic theoacracy with sharia law and the right to stone women to death if they get mouthy . My opinion is the moon cult of death and murder isn't very high , but it's all our fault .

reply to post by Celcius


No problem.

Just wondering, when did you come in to contact with Islam, and through what source? A honest answer will be appreciated, I'm not here to judge anyone, just here to gain some insight.

I know you said you have contact with two Muslims, when did you come in contact with them. When did you open the Quran, what source did you use before you read the Quran and other Islamic readings?

reply to post by bandito


When did you first come in to contact with Islam? I understand you have seen a lot, but when was the first time? and what was the media (I can assume it was TV) from what I read. Correct me if I'm wrong, and please do answer the question if you don't mind.

Here's my favorite bumber sticker of all time.

SCIENCE ALLOWS YOU TO FLY TO THE MOON
RELIGION ALLOWS YOU TO FLY INTO BUILDINGS

Good post. I have worked with and have had friends who are of the Muslim faith. In many discussions, we have found more common ground than what you read in the press would let you believe. There are many aspects of the human experience that are universal. I am a Catholic and have always found mutual respect from my Muslim friends / acquaintances.

If we could all just learn to live our lives in a way where we don't infringe upon or try to force our beliefs on others, this world will improve. The "my God beat up your God mentality," as I like to call it. I watched a documentary where Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims met together and decided to put down their arms and start addressing issues collaboratively. In doing so, it was amazing how they were able to find just how much they had in common.

Peace begins when you start to see your "enemy" as a human being. Peace is a concept which is universal amongst all religious texts (including the Quran). The aforementioned websites fail to do this and demonize a very large segment of the human population.

In closing, I encourage people to get out and talk to those from a segment of the population before you write them off. Also, don't believe everything you read on the internet!

reply to post by P3ACE0WAR


Every thread of yours is some sort of pro-Muslim/Muslim apologist agenda."Religion of Peace"? Show me videos of Muslims on September 12 protesting saying "This isn't us..", We don't condone this.." etc etc
No what we saw was videos of people (including children) literally dancing in the streets with joy at the slaughter of 3,000 innocent people..........

Originally posted by kro32
Here's my favorite bumber sticker of all time.

SCIENCE ALLOWS YOU TO FLY TO THE MOON
RELIGION ALLOWS YOU TO FLY INTO BUILDINGS

Did the bumper sticker swayed your opinion regarding Islam? That can't be true, because in order for you to understand the pumper sticker you must have come in contact with Islam prior to it.

When did you first encountered Islam and through what source?

Originally posted by Skippy1138
reply to post by P3ACE0WAR

 

Every thread of yours is some sort of pro-Muslim/Muslim apologist agenda."Religion of Peace"? Show me videos of Muslims on September 12 protesting saying "This isn't us..", We don't condone this.." etc etc
No what we saw was videos of people (including children) literally dancing in the streets with joy at the slaughter of 3,000 innocent people..........

Does that mean you encountered Islam in September 12, the source being the MSM, which swayed your opinion towards Islam and Muslims.

Thanks for the straight forward answer, as many have not been able to give.

If I'm wrong in my assumption, please correct me.

reply to post by redstripe1229


From your post I see that you encountered Islam through Muslim friends, may I ask when did you become friends with them?

Thanks.

I first learned about Islam on my tour in Iraq. I saw things from first hand experience that I still vividly have in my head and unfortunately always will. I saw a boy under 12 get decapitated by a piece of metal that came off a car when it blew up. I have seen multiple children murdered in car bombs. I have witnessed muslim men drive cars toward civilians as well as troops trying to kill anyone. I have seen all their disregard for life. That's my experience and its not from the msm.

Why is this even important. My view of Islam has never swayed as my views from other religions haven't. Your assuming people are against Islam and there was a specific turning point but that's not necessarily true.

Your placing far too more importance on Islam than most people do.

Islam is guilty of the answers you seek, we are forced to see all the horrors they are capable of and then relish in delighting themselves in great evil. What kind of sick mind calls out to God while spilling a mans life blood whilst removing his head?

There is no excuse and surely you have to understand we have eyes that see, and are capable of forming our own conclusions as to what is right and wrong. Did you think your brothers could cry out for the blood of all christians jews and all non believers, and that we would not hear?

I agree with the question posed above, why is it we do not hear protests from muslims opposed to this behavior?
Im sure its because they would soon too be Judged by Islam and be put to death for it. Surely we have seen this very behavior transpire, even when the accused was found innocent.

When I see Muslims cast aside the wish for death of thier fellow man and beg for peace, maybe I could begin to change how I feel about Islam.

So in answer to your question the first time I would have been too young to truthfully claim. But it was the blood of Innocent victims which cried out as thier stories were told, that gave me my first taste of Islam.

I remember seeing stories about the Iranian embassy hostage crises on television as well as the Munich massacre where the Islamic members of Black September murdered the Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic games. The Olympic games was probably the first story that I can REMEMBER where it was believers of the religion of Islam committing terrorist attacks. They both happened before I was born so I THINK it was stories that discussed it after there was some Islamic plane hijacking or plane blown up in the 1980's.

I use Wikipedia whenever I can to garner information.

That is not what swayed my opinion. What did it for me the most was reading about how amazing the Arab and Persian societies used to be before Islam got it's claws into it. The contributions to every field of Science that came from these people Pre-Islam is so vast that it is nearly unimaginable. Islam put the Arabs and the Persians into a dark age that still exists to this day. I think that without Islam the Arabs and Persians would have gone on to dominate and lead the entire planet through Science and technology. Now they seem to want to do it through Islam and procreating/breeding.

You probably know very little about the religion of Jainism. Not because it isn't a popular religion, but because mostly what you see in the news is when bad things happen. If a Jainist committed a suicide bombing in the name of Jainism you would see the talking heads throwing up information about what Jainism is, why a terrorist act was committed in the name of Jainism, can we expect this in the future, how to protect your children from Jainism, which politicians are Jainists, etc. etc.

1. Koran writings of killing non-believers "kill all the infidels."

2. When they work themselves up into a killing frenzies over words against Islam, writings, cartoons, and Quran burnings.

3. When they justify "honor killings" and kill their own wives and daughters.

4. When they rejoiced at the tragedy of 9/11 and their wasn't an outcry by the majority of the Islamic population.

5. The demeaning of women & abusive way they treat women.

6. The barbaric nature of Sharia law.

7. Killing in the name of "Allah" or your God. (It's justifying killing his own creations).

8. Ridiculous beliefs in martyrdom and how they believe they will receive 70 virgins.

I think that about sums up what swayed my opinion regarding Islam.

Originally posted by kro32
Why is this even important. My view of Islam has never swayed as my views from other religions haven't. Your assuming people are against Islam and there was a specific turning point but that's not necessarily true.

Your placing far too more importance on Islam than most people do.

edit on 17-4-2011 by kro32 because: added more

I don't think I have made any assumptions, I merely want to know when you encountered Islam first through which source. If your opinion hasn't changed then that is the answer, but still it would be good to know when you first encountered Islam, and through which source.