a bit, looking at his more recent posts compared to his earlier ones...the more current ones are easier to understand and less offensive (to me).
I WASN'T trying to argue that Islam or any religion should be "ammended" to suit one's tastes. When I said that religion should be flexible I meant that back when it all began there weren't all the things and issues we have to deal with today; there was no internet or airplanes or IVF treatments and DNA testing or human rights documents...
So I like to think that religion can adapt and still be applied to today, in that it takes into account the changing face of contemporary life and the new issues that have been raised.
That's all.
And I am glad to hear you acknowledge that the Middle East and Arab world DO have the same problems that we have in the west. It's just that we're a bit more open about that and actually keep statistics on that sort of thing.
Funny anecdote (a little off topic, but I just reminded myself): a few years ago a teaching colleague was doing a unit with his high school science class on HIV and AIDS. The class was looking at the most recent worldwide statistics on the rates of infection. Nearly all the GCC countries had listed "0" cases. The students all assumed that meant that there was no HIV/AIDS here, and they said as much. Their homework was to think about it a bit more, and figure out another reason why the rates ALL around the GCC might be so strangely, abnormally low. Finally one kid figured it out: the governments here just refused to keep official track of it (or share that information publicly) because it made them look bad.
a bit, looking at his more recent posts compared to his earlier ones...the more current ones are easier to understand and less offensive (to me).
I WASN'T trying to argue that Islam or any religion should be "ammended" to suit one's tastes. When I said that religion should be flexible I meant that back when it all began there weren't all the things and issues we have to deal with today; there was no internet or airplanes or IVF treatments and DNA testing or human rights documents...
So I like to think that religion can adapt and still be applied to today, in that it takes into account the changing face of contemporary life and the new issues that have been raised.
That's all.
And I am glad to hear you acknowledge that the Middle East and Arab world DO have the same problems that we have in the west. It's just that we're a bit more open about that and actually keep statistics on that sort of thing.
Funny anecdote (a little off topic, but I just reminded myself): a few years ago a teaching colleague was doing a unit with his high school science class on HIV and AIDS. The class was looking at the most recent worldwide statistics on the rates of infection. Nearly all the GCC countries had listed "0" cases. The students all assumed that meant that there was no HIV/AIDS here, and they said as much. Their homework was to think about it a bit more, and figure out another reason why the rates ALL around the GCC might be so strangely, abnormally low. Finally one kid figured it out: the governments here just refused to keep official track of it (or share that information publicly) because it made them look bad.