They say Islam is a very violent and intolerant religion and it is. But it wasn't always. Actually, it was unusually open-minded and tolerant for its time. It gave its women rights and privileges most European Christian women didn't get till the late 19th Century. Including equal rights with males to inheritance, property, marriage, divorce and even participation in government. The only reason why Islam is still stuck in the 7th century is because it is written down so carefully. Every rule is carefully spelled out, and its punishment. Really, maybe Christians don't know this. But the penalties for crimes in Christianity are basically all the same. Capital punishment including punishments like stoning, burning, decapitation, and strangulation, for crimes like blasphemy, idolatry, Sabbath-breaking and fortune telling. Like my atheist teacher told us in 2000, the punishment for adultery is still stoning. Why would you think it has changed? The point is, you can believe what you want. But we must all live by the golden rule, which is found in the Koran too. And the way you enforce and live the golden rule does change with the times, and things like technology. And you must never resort to harm or violence, or think you're above the laws of the country you live in. We all must do all of that.
Nonsense! You might inform your atheist teacher that Christians have been living under a new covenant since Jesus' death. Jesus taught us a new way of dealing with adultery. John 8:1-11. And most of those other punishments you mention present 8th amendment problems.
For me finding Islam has been rewarding. I opened a drawer in my hotel, and it has the direction to Mecca in a clever little design. =-) There are hard parts and scary parts. I decided early on to reject extremism. That's the important thing; that's the main thing. Allah loves us and Muhammad guides me not to kill but to lend peace. I follow him. Islam is really rewarding for me because it has an active presence. I pray lots of times and that helps me feel like I'm positive and optimistic.
There is a strength of morality with that, but to my liberal-ish educated side it always sounds intolerant. I had stolen in my teens and really badly; I'm not sure how it ended up that bad but it was... The punishment in my now faith is significant and stealing is completely and strictly forbidden. I don't live that way now and I am not that person. And I excuse myself like an alcoholic whose fourth step only works by seeking introspective atonement since someone is unforgiving. Atonement isn't totally available for me. And I've asked police if there is a way to invoke civil remedy. But what I've found is there is a general consensus about this; you are not excused. I live with that even if I probably don't deserve it. Life is unfair to other people in insidious ways too, but it's awful to be grateful that others are limited and have to live their lives in some kind of unfairness.
I hope that teacher was not a teacher of religion, history or philosophy AFAIK the relationship between the old testament and Jewish faith has been contested from very early times. Some considered Christianity to be just a subset of Judaism and were strict in keeping Jewish religious traditions (like local churches in Jerusalem), but expanding westwards to non-Jewish populations it was relegated to a more historical than active religious importance. That starts with Apostles, so the very beginning of Christianity and therefore referencing the OT as binding for Christian is a bit bullshity. Though there are some protestant churches that give a bit more weight to the OT i believe?
More than 24.1% of the world's population is Muslim, with an estimated total of approximately 1.9 billion people. You should thank your lucky stars that you're full of shit, because if what you said was was even remotely true, we'd be at perpetual war and you'd probably be dead right now. If you want to learn about "Islam Today", make an appointment to meet with your friendly neighborhood imam, not some random islamophobe on the Internet.
You're right. Christians have been somewhat selective in what they took from Judaism and what they left behind. Peter got rid of the dietary laws and Paul ditched circumcision for Gentiles. Without those moves, Christianity would be a fringe sect of Judaism, if it survived at all. Yet on the matter of homosexuality, Christian "fundamentalists" are full monty Leviticus. The idea seems to be that circumcision and the dietary laws are conventional requirements imposed specifically on Jews by God's covenant with Moses, while sexual practices and sabbath observance are more fundamental and applicable to everybody.
Not too surprising as homosexuality was seen negatively across cultures, and having days dedicated to worship is always useful for the religion, so it did not harm their goals of spreading the new faith amongst gentiles.
Living in Michigan, you may be able to form first-hand- opinions of local Islamic peoples. Tons of immigrants all over this land, looking to fit in mostways. Always interesting to work with diferent immigrants.
Of course the penalty for adultery is still stoning. That's how we... Wait... what...? But we... No, I wasn't part of any stoning... No that never happened. We know better. They just... They are on vacation!
Islam has given new meaning to religion in my life; I was initially of a different religion. It's the times I can find my way that remind me of accomplishment. How do we evaluate accomplishment? When we feel accomplished, life is more grounded in reality. "That's adulthood!" our inner child exclaims! And we feel for the first time accomplished! and then the second and third time come. I have decided to use Maslow's hierarchy in my life to convey my thoughts and it works since people who have studied it remember the pyramid. At the top of that pyramid, we find "actualization". When we use our adult accomplishments to communicate with other adults, we actualize! I love my wife. I love my children. And so do my friends. I'm good at my job. I'm accomplished at my job. I have enough. And the things at the bottom levels of the pyramid fade into the background! Islam for me is at the top of the list! If I pray, my thoughts return me to the top there.
As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, I ask myself how I can be more spiritual. The answer is fasting dawn to sunset. The celebration notes the night Jibril offered the prophet Muhammad the first verses of the Quran. It's important! It makes me very happy and as a new convert I welcome myself, even as the various majorities in American culture distract from my intentions. I set aside my frustrations for this! Perhaps I will each morning serve myself dates and tea before dawn!