Bill Maher: Islam is inherently worse than other religions.

[C0ckney]

i find this debate a little strange. if we accept that both muslims and christians have justified violence based on their faith (and of course we might say that more muslims do so today, but we can still see examples of christians doing the same), then we can say both faiths can be used to justify violence. a debate about whether there is textual justification for such violence seems beside the point.

[The Mad Monk]

Disagree. The written texts, in this case, represent the highest authority for each religion; the constitution, if you will.

[Donegeal]

I don't see Islam any more evil or violent than Christianity was at the same age.

[C0ckney]

Disagree. The written texts, in this case, represent the highest authority for each religion; the constitution, if you will.

the argument being put forward here is that islam is worse than other religions (and considering the context, we can take christianity as the most relevant other religion), because of what is written in the koran, and how it compares unfavourably to the new testament. my point is that considering the violence that has been committed in the name of both religions, the textual debate seems meaningless, or at least irrelevant.

or to put it another way, if violence is committed in the name of god/allah, does it matter what textual support there is for said violence?

[AAAAAAAAH!]

Given how young Scientology is I'm surprised they aren't blowing up buildings or anything.

[The Mad Monk]

Yeah. The Young Religion argument appears to require a cultural vacuum.

[Dinner]

Disagree. The written texts, in this case, represent the highest authority for each religion; the constitution, if you will.

Yep. When someone uses violence despite their religion teaching it is wrong then you can truthfully say they're not following their religion. If their religion teaches violence, saying it is not only ok but that god demands you do violence, then that is an entirely different (and incurable) problem.

[The Mad Monk]

Given how young Scientology is I'm surprised they aren't blowing up buildings or anything.

A better example might be the Baha'i Faith.

[ricketyclik]

Half the Christians I know are real Old Testament types. An eye for an eye, all that BS.

[Elok]

Given how young Scientology is I'm surprised they aren't blowing up buildings or anything.

Well, they have infiltrated the FBI, framed opponents for terrorism, and been implicated in child labor, general labor violations, false imprisonment, forced abortions, abuse and neglect of minors, and sundry financial shadiness and harassment. There's just not much money in blowing **** up, unless your name is Lockheed Martin or something and you have a government contract.

EDIT: Forgot lots and lots of practicing medicine without a license. That'n's big, arguably all there is to Scientology.

[C0ckney]

Yep. When someone uses violence despite their religion teaching it is wrong then you can truthfully say they're not following their religion. If their religion teaches violence, saying it is not only ok but that god demands you do violence, then that is an entirely different (and incurable) problem.

but why does that matter? the problem is the violence and if the violence is being committed in the name of religion, then the textual support, or lack thereof, matters not.

[Felch]

but why does that matter? the problem is the violence and if the violence is being committed in the name of religion, then the textual support, or lack thereof, matters not.

Is it conceivable that the textual support would sway people who would otherwise not commit acts of violence?

[Fake Boris]

The "textual support" for peace in the new testament has not prevented Christian nations from committing the worst atrocities in the past ~500 years.

[C0ckney]

Is it conceivable that the textual support would sway people who would otherwise not commit acts of violence?

i suppose it's conceivable; i doubt it's true though.

[Kidlicious]

i suppose it's conceivable; i doubt it's true though.

Explain suicide bomber then.