# Isn't Islam a wonderful religion? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2026, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240 "2026-01-31T19:36:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/161 "2026-02-01T20:02:01Z")
“This is why Jews get a bum rap” Can I use that as my sig line? Anyway, the last time you righteously flounced out of a thread because someone insulted your religious beliefs, it lasted about five minutes. Hopefully it will take this time. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/162 "2026-02-01T20:12:56Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Just reading a religion’s holy texts in translation, without the context provided by informed historical and theological commentary, is worse than useless if your goal is to understand how that religion actually works in the real world. Slight sidetrack but I don’t think thats true. At least for the Abrahamic religions I think, and definitely not Christianity, it’s not what the adherents of those religion think. If you ask a Christian what the best way to understand how Christianity works is, they would absolutely say read the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/163 "2026-02-01T20:13:55Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Okay, buddy, now you’re the one being a jerk. I’m dipping out of this thread now that I’ve de-escalated the situation. never mind ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/164 "2026-02-01T20:17:48Z")
Bitch, I am BIPOLAR 1. What’s _your_ excuse? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/165 "2026-02-01T20:19:18Z")
Well, it’s _certainly_ how it works with Judaism, and with all respect I find it hard to imagine that it can’t really work that way with any religion. I suspect that if you asked a Christian that, his very _first_ response might be to tell you to read the Bible, probably directing you to some inspiring passages from the Gospels. But if you continued the conversation, at some point you would be invited to some sort of church service, at which you’d encounter all sorts of liturgy and rituals which aren’t explicitly described in the Gospels. The next week you might go to another service with entirely different liturgy and rituals, and just reading the Bible would in no way help you figure out what the difference is. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/166 "2026-02-01T20:22:12Z")
Sorry, that was uncalled for. (Welcome back, by the way!) I shouldn’t make light of your serious medical condition which sometimes seriously impairs your judgment, and I would never have brought it up if you hadn’t already done so repeatedly in this thread. I’m going to stop antagonizing you, but I would suggest you consider the possibility that your judgment at this particular moment may not be at its best. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/167 "2026-02-01T20:23:17Z")
Oh no you don’t! I already reported your trying to ruin my entire reputation! Apologize, or you and I are going to have a very real problem! ETA: You apologized. I’ll forgive you. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/168 "2026-02-01T20:28:23Z")
But yeah. Read the thread again dispassionately. Slowly, line by line if you have to. You’re a smart person. You’re a Doper! It’s like Lethal Weapon or Rush Hour how we turn around. It’s so trippy! ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/169 "2026-02-01T20:30:57Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Just reading a religion’s holy texts in translation, without the context provided by informed historical and theological commentary, is worse than useless if your goal is to understand how that religion actually works in the real worl Very true of course, since there have been so many ‘interpretations, Though I wouldn;t call it useless: it is good to be familiar with the ‘canonical’ text; if there is one, so you can ask: how does this fit with what was actually said in the book? And if you are taking a scholarly approach: how accurate is the translation from the original language? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/170 "2026-02-01T20:34:09Z")
OMG, now you’re going to be all reasonable too? This thread sucks, I’m going to watch the football. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/171 "2026-02-01T20:35:25Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Just reading a religion’s holy texts in translation, without the context provided by informed historical and theological commentary, is worse than useless if your goal is to understand how that religion actually works in the real world. Oh yeah, for sure. There is SOOOO MUCH RAPE AND MURDER IN THE OT, oh my God. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/172 "2026-02-01T20:37:30Z")
C’mon man, even _I_ know you’re not desperate enough to watch the _Pro Bowl._ I’d rather stick my dick in a jar of peanut butter. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/173 "2026-02-01T20:37:33Z")
Islam has a well known borders problem, but @Wesley_Clark’s argument is 20 gijillion miles from the bigoted OP. But since we’re discussing anecdotes, let’s consider the mild mannered and wholly badass Mohammad Muzahir, profiled recently in the Wired article: [He Leaked the Secrets of a Southeast Asian Scam Compound. Then He Had to Get Out Alive: A source trapped inside an industrial-scale scamming operation contacted me, determined to expose his captors’ crimes—and then escape. This is his story.](https://www.wired.com/story/he-leaked-the-secrets-southeast-asian-scam-compound-then-had-to-get-out-alive/) After his ordeal was finally over and he made his way back to India (only to work in construction and as a waiter as he tried to manage his trauma and trust issues), he reported that his story really doesn’t have a happy ending. But he had no regrets: “If there’s a God, I hope he sees what I’m doing. If there isn’t, then at least I’ll know I stayed human in a place that tries to turn people into monsters.” So that’s my anecdote. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/174 "2026-02-01T20:39:10Z")
LOL no – English football (on tape delay) ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/175 "2026-02-01T20:40:09Z")
NOTE TO THE MODS: Earlier when we were butting heads, I requested the thread be closed. **Don’t do it! We’re having a good time now!** ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/176 "2026-02-01T20:40:12Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > There is SOOOO MUCH RAPE AND MURDER IN THE OT, oh my God. Oh yes: the smiting! With a jawbone of an ass! Those were the days! Take THAT, Goliath! ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/177 "2026-02-01T20:41:18Z")
Slicing off TWICE as many foreskins as asked for! “He’s hardcore! He’s hardcore!” ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/178 "2026-02-01T20:41:30Z")
Grabs popcorn.🍿 ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/179 "2026-02-01T20:43:36Z")
Noah refusing to render bed bugs extinct. “YOU JUST MADE THE LIST!” ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2026, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240/180 "2026-02-01T20:50:29Z")
But yeah. Seriously, parts of the OT are really, _really_ weird but I love Jesus’ style, you know? Let’s say for the sake of arguing that he didn’t even exist and never performed miracles and never even was executed. That’s still placing him at Atticus Finch level as a literature protagonist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-islam-a-wonderful-religion/1027240.md?page=10)