# Islam, the religion of peace **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 15, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894 "2010-09-15T21:52:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/41 "2010-09-16T18:36:40Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@scamartistry](#): > > > > In the media, Islam is sometimes referred as the “religion of peace”. > > > > Not well versed in neither the Koran or the Hadith, but Muhammad himself was not exactly a pacifist from what I could gather. What is the rationale for claiming that this religion/ideology would be particularly peaceful? > > The same reason people make the identical claim about Christianity; it sounds good. Damn warmongering Quakers. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/42 "2010-09-16T18:39:17Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > [QUOTE=Yumblie] > Why am I not dead? Give it time. It’s like the Dim Mak from The Men Who Stare at Goats… [QUOTE=ghardester] So those “Visualize Whirled Peas” bumper stickers are correct, Islam plans to take over the whirl. [/QUOTE] Exactly! Bastards want to take over the whirl! They want to swirl Islam (via the board) across the entire whirl, and we just sit back and watch… -XT [/QUOTE] Dammit, you guys. Now I want some hummus. ---
**Author:** ![heatmiserfl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@heatmiserfl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heatmiserfl)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/43 "2010-09-16T19:17:17Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > > [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > > > A quick Google search > > > > [Islamic Web Directory and Articles About Islam – Al-Islami.Com](http://www.al-islami.com/islam/religion_of_peace.php) > > See that’s just it though > > > [@](#): > > > > “And if ye do punish them, punish them no worse than they punished you: but if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient.” (Surah 16, Verse 126). > > When claiming an eye for an eye everyone always says they were injured first, then the Quran practically _commands_ you to hit back. > > I’m not saying it’s any more violent than any other religion, but thats a long way from peaceful. I read this very different than you. To me those passages tell people to not be the aggressors and patience is the best way. However, if you do defend yourself, don’t punish them worse than they have punished you. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/44 "2010-09-17T03:03:19Z")
There are often contradictions in a religious tradition, a lot of them derive from the deep divide between spiritual religion and law religion. The Song of Solomon is spiritual, Leviticus is law. The Sermon on the Mount is spiritual, St. Paul’s misogynistic killjoy sermons are law. Evangelicals are spiritual, fundamentalists, law. Snake handling Pentecostals are spiritual, Scientologists are law. OK, scratch that last one. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/45 "2010-09-17T03:21:01Z")
Cruel and aggressive people can twist any religion into justification for their thoughts and deeds. It is not new. Any religion will do. People of peace can justify their actions with religion, but they don’t need to. They are actually acting religious. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/46 "2010-09-17T08:10:24Z")
> [@razncain](#): > > With one billion Muslims plus, obviously, not all are extremists or else we would have a bigger mess on our hands. How many there are, I do not know, but it is too damn many. > > Some have zero sense of humor about their religion whatsoever. Geeze, draw a picture of Mohammad, and it is on! > [http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/](http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/) Thanks for the link, that lead me to Jeff Dunham’s video of Achmed the dead terrorist on YouTube. 10 of the funniest minutes I’ve had recently. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/47 "2010-09-17T09:11:30Z")
Why do these threads always bring up Google ads for Muslim dating sites? ---
**Author:** ![Baboonanza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f475e1/32.png) [@Baboonanza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baboonanza)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/48 "2010-09-17T09:30:20Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > In the media, Islam is sometimes referred as the “religion of peace”. > > Not well versed in neither the Koran or the Hadith, but Muhammad himself was not exactly a pacifist from what I could gather. What is the rationale for claiming that this religion/ideology would be particularly peaceful? Rationale? It a bunch of made up shit, people just say whatever they like about it because they can. It’s not as if everyone follows what it says in their holy books anyway, they just make it up as they go along or more commonly do what they want and then find justification for it later. Whether you see a religion as peaceful or violent is entirely in the eye of the beholder. Do the Christians who attack abortion clinics make Christianity a violent religion? Do you think the Taliban (those that aren’t mercenaries) regard Islam as peaceful? Countelss examples exist of violence and peace on all sides. There are violent people and there are peaceful people, and while religion has occassionally turned one into the other it is rarely the primary cause. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/49 "2010-09-17T15:58:29Z")
I find it amusing that Islam calls itself a “religion of peace”. > [@](#): > > The Quran contains at least 109 verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding. Muslims who do not join the fight are called ‘hypocrites’ and warned that Allah will send them to Hell if they do not join the slaughter. [http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/023-violence.htm](http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/023-violence.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/50 "2010-09-17T16:35:14Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Why do these threads always bring up Google ads for Muslim dating sites? So you can get a peace. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894/51 "2010-09-17T16:48:27Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > > [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > > > No one is arguing for abolishing the Koran. > > On review, I suppose you’re right. > > But still this thread seems to be based upon throwing stones at the glass house of Islam’s (imagined?) claim of being a “turn the other cheek” religion. Which makes one want to check where the stones are being thrown _from_ - when someone throws stones from inside their _own_ glass house, there tends to be collateral damage. Why must you do this? I essence you’re saying that no religion can be analyzed or criticized without simultaneously analyzing or criticizing one’s own religion, or all religions. How about an atheist, can he criticize a particular religion? Or must he always simultaneously analyze all religions? And how about atheism itself? All you’re really doing is attempting to stop the discussion. Which may be your goal. It is fair to scrutinize any religion. You don’t see a lot of scorn heaped upon Quakers or Mennonites. And why do you think that might be? It’s because, people aren’t looking to pick a fight with any religion, they’re picking a fight with violence, in the form of terrorism. Quakers don’t fit into the picture much. and no other religion overlaps with terrorism as much as Islam. Why not call a spade a spade. I’m sure the religion has some good aspects to it. Then let the religion be judged in totality. Also, religion or not, ANY GROUP that thinks that drawing a cartoon of their leader or burning their “holy” book somehow justifies the killing of innocent people is a violent, ignorant, barbaric murderous group that the sane world should point at with scorn and ridicule. If you don’t do that, you are complicit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894.md?page=2)