Home

 Articles

 Op-ed

 Authors

 FAQ

 Leaving Islam
 Library
 Gallery
 Comments
 Debates
 Forum

 

 

Comments 207

  1.  2.  3.  4.  5.  6.  78.  9.  10111213.  141516. 17181920.  21  22  23

 

31 Jul 2002

Just a short - Thank you.!

- for beeing who you are, and for doing what you do. 

I truly enjoy reading from your site, and also quoting from it. 

This world is so full of hate, and by enlighting some lost souls, I belive you make it a little better place. 

Take care my friends, and may peace be with you :-)

D. Rozokov

 

 

28 Jul 2002

Hey,

Great site!  Fundamentalism in any form scares me.  From Christians bombing abortion clinics to Hindus trying to create a "Hindu only" India.  I live in the U.S.A. and sometimes fear what would happen if the religious violence of N. Ireland, India and Indonesia were to happen here.  Islamic fundamentalists scare me the most because of their views that non-believers of Islam need to be converted or killed.  With the media stories I've read about Islam being the fastest growing religion in the world, one wonders why new converts to Islam would read the passages in the Koran telling Muslims to kill non-Muslims, even though some of those "infidels" could be family members, and still convert.  And even though there are terrorist groups from every part of the globe, it seems as though there are more "Islamic" terrorist groups than not (or is this just the Western Media's bias). 

 

Just some thoughts.  What do you think the impact of the U.N. report detailing the plight of Arabs will be?  Is this the beginning of the Islamic Reformation?  Have there been any cheers or jeers from the Arab people or the Islamic religious leaders?

 

--- Jason R

 

 

 

26 Jul 2002

DR SINA 

I REALL LIKED YOUR WEBSITE. YOUR RESPONSES ARE REALLY EXCELLENT. but i found criticism of islam from hindu point of view more deep. i have read about swami vivekananda's book. he criticises islam from yogic point of view. the name of the book is rajyoga and this criticism is in the chapter on "samadhi" and dhyana. you will really like to read it. your criticism is from totally secular point of view. but swamiji criticises from point of view of consciousness. he points out how attaining higher psychological powers is dangerous without solid background in yoga. you would like to read some criticism of islam from hindu point of view on www.voi.org they have online books section and there are several books, the book i particularly liked was "psychology of prophetism-secular look at the bible". it's beautiful, read it. 

rahul

 

23 Jul 2002

Dear Ali, 

    I strongly support your excellent work in pointing out issues/problems with islam/religion.  This is very valuable.  I also realize that many people are attached to their religion, and it can be very stressful for a person to lose their faith.  You seem to do an excellent job in providing psychological support and meaning towards a person's life, so that a person can deal with the loss of his/her religion. 

    However, when you start discussing the Single principle, and what the true religion is, I tend to have a different view.  It is clear that Islam is not a God-given religion, and while your view might be off on some minor details, an honest reader will realize that Islam is not from God, and therefore the exact meaning of Qoran and Hadeet is not relevant to living a meaningful life.  Given that you are very knowledgable about Islam, your general conclusion is correct, and the little details do not matter, I support your work.  I agree with your psychological support as losing one's religion can be traumatic. 

  But when it comes to this Single Principle: 1. I disagree that it is true or at best I feel it is speculative. 2. It gets into an area that requires a certain level of philosphical expertise.  3.  It is a distraction from the main issue of the problems with religion/islam.  4.  I feel like you have certain values such as love, compassion, ethics, etc.  Whether a reader follows these values while believing that God is the single principle or whether a reader follows these values while being an atheist, probably has no practical difference.  

    As always, you are certainly free to write what you wish, my edits are merely suggestions. I just wanted to openly articulate my views, in case you were unaware of some of the issues involved.  Attached is a further edit of the article where I also try to be critical of the single principle. 

Best wishes, 

Marc

Dear Marc

You are right. My views on Single Principle are purely philosophical (speculative). They mar not belong to an anti Islam site and I may eventually separate them into another page. However they provide a glimpse into my thoughts about God, afterlife and spirituality. 

But as I have emphasized often they are my views and are given only to stimulate critical thinking. 

 

 

 

 07/22/02

 

Dear Faith Freedom,  

I just wanted to commend you on your site and some of the thought provoking articles you have posted.  Please continue to maintain this site, as it is highly informative.  I wish to recommend an article to you to help in balancing the material on this site.  If you would agree, I believe this article would be an excellent addition to Faith Freedom.  It is by Robert Wright who contributed to the Slate opinion column on MSNBC arguing about Muslims and modernity.  While it is true that contemporary Islam is mired in a Medieval mindset, it may not be always so.  Wright argues that Christianity exhibited similar tendencies until the Reformation and Industrial Revolution.  What today's Islamic societies need is a more open, tolerant and cosmopolitan perspective that will prevent them from becoming isolated from other societies.  

Wright also mentions that "mining the Qu'ran for incendiary quotes is essentially pointless."  I agree with his assertion that religions could evolve and morph from their ambiguous beginnings in any number of directions, violent or peaceful.  The key is to recognize that Islam can still evolve into a more peaceful religion -- it is not necessarily doomed to fall into Islamists' hands.  As a global community, we must continue to promote freedom of _expression around the world and show that tolerance is the best method to ensure any religion's survival and acceptance.  

Wright's article can be found http://www.nonzero.org/slatemuslims.htm.  

Sincerely,  

 

J Hegholz

 

Thank you for your email. 

I am very busy at the moment but will read the article you sent me and will answer it as soon as I get some free time. I do not agree with the thesis that Islam is deformable and I believe it is a mistake to compare it with Christianity. Islam does not have any place in the our future, but please allow me a few weeks and I will address it in detail 

Please join our forum. You’ll find many intelligent and educated people to exchange your thought with. 

Regards 

Ali Sina   

 

 07/21/02

Although you may not know the exact answers to these questions, please give me an estimated guess.

 

1)       About what percentage of modern day Farsi has Arabic words ? 

About 70%

 

2)       Was Arabic script really invented by Iranians ? 

No. the very early Quran and the pre Islamic poetry show that this arabic scripture existed prior to Islam. But Iranians men of letter improved not only the calligraphy but also the Arabic grammar.

 

3)       How could we have lost to the stupid, savage, moron Arabs in 640 when we out numbered them about 5 to 1 and had better technology? 

We were disorganized and disunited, just as we are now vis-à-vis a bunch of criminal Mullahs. See how a handful of them are ruling so brutally over our entire nation? Also you should remember that these Muslim invaders were seasoned warriors. Iranians were farmers and civilians. So it is possible that just a few armed men take for hostage hundreds of people. This also happened during the Mughul invasion of Iran.

 

4)       About how many Arabs eventually settled in Iran after 640 ? 

Not very many! Abu Muslim Khorasani killed many of them.

 

5)       Why didn't we drop Islam, like the Armenians did, after the Arabs left? 

That is a good question! Why don’t we dump Islam today? Listen to the apologists of Islam who despite fighting against the Mullah regime stop short of blaming Islam.  

 

 

07/20/02

Dear Ali:

This is Pedram. I want to ask you if you think Islam will be destroyed first or the "infidel". It is said that Islam is the fastest growing religion but you and I both know that that is baloney as they have the highest birthrates. Nevertheless they are growing and in fifty years at this rate they will be the majority of the worlds populations. The real problem is not that they will be the worlds majority because if they don't immigrate to other countries then nothing will happen. The problem is that they are. They are flooding Europe, United Staes, Canada, Australia. Usually people who issue warnings about huge dangers are to minute to even be ignored. Remember Hitler. Compare the number of people who were against the Nazis before the Holocaust and after. –  

 

  Dear Pedros; 

Yes we know that thanks to their high birth rate Muslims are the fastest growing population today. But the future is pregnant with many variables. 

Because Muslims believe in violence and they are unable to integrate and assimilate the other cultures there is a growing resentment against them in the West.  This will be worsened as the number of Muslim immigrants increase. Eventually immigration will become tightened and in some cases I fear there will be massive expulsion of Muslims.    

The Islamic countries are growing poorer and poorer. According to a report written by Inayatullah entitled "The Arab failure",  Published by Jang of Pakistan even with the oil "the GDP of all the 22 Arab countries combined is $ 531 billion, less than that of just one European country. Spain's GDP is $595 billion.  The annual increase in per capita income of Arab countries is a mere 0.5% -- lower then anywhere else in the world except sub-Saharan Africa. They have the largest proportion of young people in the world with almost 40% below the age of 14. About 15% of the labour force numbering more than 12 million is unemployed. Not a single worthwhile think tank exists in the Arab world (Economist). Only 0.6% use the Internet and a mere 1.2% have personal computers. 65 million adults are illiterate of whom 2/3rd are women. 10 million children have had no schooling at all." 

Eventually the oil will dry out and Muslims will be forced into abject poverty. In Islamic countries the per capita income is actually decreasing. 24 years ago the per capita income in Iran was about $4500 dollars. Now, even though the price of the crude oil has increased, the average Iranian makes $1000 dollars per year. In the same period the number of Iranians have gone from 35 million to 70 million. At the same time  millions are unemployed. Only one out of ten applicants can get into universities, suicide is on the rise and the number of young people dying with drug abuse and Aids is astronomical. The situation in other Islamic countries is no better. Pakistan is much worse now than it was 20 years ago, The same can be said about Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey and virtually every other Islamic country.  

Soon the over breading and the lack of productivity will make Muslims so poor that they will die by millions in starvation and Western borders will be closed to them.  

This idea that Muslims will become a dominant force by over breading is a foolish hope. China had the largest population and yet it was one of the poorest countries not until long time ago. This is true also in the case of India. These two countries are turning the page and coming out of poverty by adapting themselves to the changing world and trying to put a halt on the growth of their population. Muslims on the other hand are growing poorer. Over population will only aggravate the situation and they will die in starvation by millions. Since they will not be able to confront the West they will fight amongst each other which will precipitate their demise. Surely the West cannot cope with feeding over a billion famine-stricken Muslims. The behavior of Muslims in the West will also contribute to apathy and loss of love of the Westerners. The Islamic countries will implode from within and their number will drastically decrease. This of course will be the case if they do not try to destroy the West with their "Islamic" atomic and biological bombs. In that case however, their destruction will be much quicker and much more painful. 

The only hope that the Muslims have is to abandon Islam, see themselves as part and parcel of humanity and try to advance technologically and control their population. This site is encouraging Muslims to take this second alternative. 

Take care 

 

Ali Sina

 

 

Dear Sir,

Do you have a web side? would you please inform me if you have, because I really liked  your opinion about religions that I read in faith freedom.com.

Thank you very much.

 

Dear K S

www.faithfreedom.org

 is our website 

Faithfreedom.com was created by some Muslims to counter our site. But it is quite understandable why they have stopped placing any link to our site. Despite this immense fear they are promoting our anti Islamic organization through their name.

Faith Freedom International is the name of our organization.   

 

 

July 14, 2002

I visited your website and enjoyed reading a lot of the commentary.  However, there is one mistake.  You say that the United States ‘allows’ Iranian officials into the country to go to the UN.  This is not true.  The United States is required by United Nations rules to allow any UN accredited diplomats/support people into the United States .  The United States kick them out if they are found to be engaged in illegal behavior, but generally has little say in who may visit the UN on official business of a foreign government.

As for Iranian students, I don’t know that the US government would trust them enough to let them into the country.  My guess is that Iranian officials would not let out ‘students’ unless they were totally indoctrinated into Islam and were good little soldiers who could be counted on to support the Iranian dictatorship.    

Andrew Whitehead

Virginia Beach VA US

 

 

Dear Andrew Whitehead

Yes you are right as for those coming to America for UN business. That was not what I was referring to however. It appeared that not until long ago US like most of European countries used to see a distinction between the so-called hardliners and the reformers of the Islamic Republic of Iran. However the truth is that is an old Persian ploy and in reality they are all part of the same gang. You probably have few Persian carpet shops in your town. Sometimes you find three or four shops in one street very close to each other each with a different name. You think they are competing with each other. But in reality (in most of the cases) they belong to the same guy. So you go to one shop and find out about the price of a carpet, but you don’t buy because you want to make sure the price is right. You visit the other shop to compare. But what you don’t know is that the employee in the first shop already has called the other shops telling them you are coming, what you are interested in and what prices you were given. After visiting the third or even the fourth shop you become absolutely convinced that you are getting a fair deal. Actually this is very old selling tactic. Believe it or not we even have a name for that. It is called Jangeh zargari (Jewelers’ fight). This selling strategy was originally invented by jewelers. You as the customer visit a Jewelry shop and after choosing a merchandize you bargain for the price. One of the shopkeepers says 1000 Rial and you say oh no that is too much I can pay only 100. After half and hour of bargaining and you leaving the shop and they calling you back you agree to pay 400  Rials. One of the Partners quietly whispers: “look I can give it to you for 500 Rials because you come from the same town my wife comes and I like the color of your shirt but please keep it hush hush, I don’t want my partner know about it or he will not let me sell it so cheap. But at this very moment the other partner overhears the conversation and starts shouting at the first one for giving away the merchandize. A fight breaks between the two partners. You stand watching and thinking to yourself may be I am getting a bargain. Finally you agree to pay 500 Rials, get your Jewel and walk happily home.  You are happy because of the great bargain that you found, the shopkeepers are happy for selling you 500 Rials what was worth only 300 and thus every body is happy.   

This is precisely what is happening in Today’s Iran. A bunch of thieves in the cloth of men of God have set up shops and are stealing the country big time. One group appears as the hardliners while other group who are only their friends and comrades pretend to be reformers. In public they fight with each other while in private they share the booty together. In other words they play “good cop, bad cop” but in reality they are all together. 

These masters of deceit fooled Iranians for few years until everyone realized that they have been duped. But apparently the Western media still talk about hardliners and reformers as if they are two different things. The recent uprising of the students in Iran show clearly that Iranians are fed up of the religious rule and they want a true democracy. They are sick and tired of Mullahs and their games. These thugs are not trustworthy and the Iranians just do not want them anymore. 

Looks like the President Bush has finally saw this fact and now he is making a distinction between the people of Iran and the repressive government ruling over them. Iranians are not anti Americans. They are not terrorists. Can you believe it that some Iranians celebrated the 4th of July in Iran with fireworks just as they celebrate their most nationalistic festivity of char shanbeh soori? Clearly with this gesture they wanted to thumb their nose at the Islamic regime that up to this moment calls America the “Great Satan”. 

Iranians are very happy of the moral support that they receive from the Bush Administration. That is all they need. They do not want America start an Afghanistan like operation in Iran. There is no need for that. Iranians can overthrow their despotic regime and get America and the world rid of one of the major hobs of terrorism only if they receive moral support from America. 

49 years ago America committed a huge mistake by financing an unlawful cope d’etat against the democratic government of Dr. Mossadegh and instated the puppet regime of the weak and inept Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who as time passed drove more and more distant from the people, isolated himself and became a paranoid despot. His repressive regime made people angry and in a bloody revolution Iranians overthrow him in the hope of starting a new era of democracy in their beloved country. But this despot Shah had kept people in ignorance. He banned books, public discussions and punished severely those who dared to criticize him. People of Iran supported Khomeini because they did not know better and the culprit is the late Shah and of course the USA for imposing that dictator on them. 

Yes my dear American friend. America is responsible for Islamic Revolution in Iran. If America wouldn’t have intervened, Iran probably was a democratic country today. 

Watching how religion can be used to overthrow governments, made the eyes of Bin Laden sparkle and hence he started his carrier of terrorism using Islam as the vehicle for his megalomania and narcissistic dreams. 

Yes the seed of what happened in Sep 11 in America was planted 48 years before in the Summer of 1953 when America, under the instigation of the great exploiter of humanity the Great Britain, poured millions of dollars in Iran to pay a bunch of hooligans to pillage Dr. Mossadeq’s house, overthrow his government and bring the Shah to power: all this because Mossadeq had angered the Brits for nationalizing Iranian oil and not letting them take what belonged to the people of Iran for free. America's unethical and inhumane action in 1953 resulted in a dictatorship in Iran that ended in an Islamic revolution that gave rise to a worldwide Islamic fundamentalism that gave birth to Bin Laden terrorist network that killed 3000 innocent Americans in September of 2001.    

Today the United Kingdom along with her European allies continue their dishonest policy of signing lucrative deals with the enemies of the Iranians ruling over them with iron fist and terror. These countries completely disregard the reports of human rights abuses coming from Iran by credible organizations such as Amnesty International. How foolish, how short sighted these Europeans must be for not seeing that though they are enriching themselves by continuing trade with IRI, the IRI uses part of their earned money to finance terrorism that will eventually destroy their country. The immediate profit has blinded Tony Blair and his European colleagues. They cannot see that they are sleeping with the enemy. IRI is the greatest sponsor of International terrorism. This terrorism does not only target Israel and America; every country in Europe is a target. But these greedy governments of European Union cannot see beyond their nose. If they do not care about the human rights in Iran, they better care about themselves. What you sow is what you reap. 

I hope that America has learned this ancient lesson now. I urge the American people to demand from their government to amend the mistakes of the past. At this time they must help the people inside Iran to get rid of their terrorist regime and establish democracy. But the Mullahs have imported mercenaries from Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and other Arab countries to subdue any uprising of the Iranians. It looks that they do not trust their own Revolutionary Guards because they are Iranians and may not want to kill their own people. But a Palestinian terrorist is trained to kill. He will rap his own toddler in dynamites instead of nappy and blow him up if necessary. Killing an Iranian for him is a piece of cake. The Iranians need help to stand against this brutal regime. They need help, both morally and militarily. America owes that to Iranians. But don’t do it because you owe it to us. Do it for yourselves. Help us to get rid of these terrorist goons so you too can live in peace. 

God bless America and God bless my ruined country that I vaguely remember but cannot forget even after so many year of separation.

 

 

July 14 2002

Dear Ali Sina,

 

I'm an American writer and philosopher.  Recently I've come across your Faith Freedom International website.  I was struck by the integrity and candor of your writings, and I thought I might send a private note of support to you.  Also I saw some parallels between your philosophical approach and my own, and so I thought I should provide a reference to my work, in case it should interest you.

But first of all, I'd like to wish you good fortune in your effort to promote knowledge and other godly virtues throughout the Muslim community.  I can well appreciate your noble motive, and I have confidence in the ultimate victory of your cause, which is a cause in which all virtuous persons share.  Also, I must say I fear a little for you, and for the many other brave Muslim citizens who've placed themselves at risk by speaking their minds in public.  I do hope that you have taken all necessary precautions to reduce any risk to yourself; and, being incapable myself of offering any particular assistance, I offer a prayer for God for His.

-----

In your F.A.Q. document, you've talked about great Muslim thinkers like Razi and ibn Sina, and their contribution to Islam's Golden Age.  Sadly, you are right in pointing out that these men prospered under rulers more secular and tolerant than rulers in power today.  That Golden Age is an era few westerners comprehend, owing to lapses in our education.  In my work I fill in a few gaps for the western reader.  I highlight some contributions of al-Farabi, ibn al-Haitham and other Golden Age thinkers, and I link their historical concepts to scientific and philosophical concepts more familiar to westerners today.  So far as I can tell, most of my readers like the historical material, and I take some satisfaction from this modest pedagogic success. 

The greater objective of my work is to incorporate (and re-purpose) some Golden Age philosophy within a modern metaphysical thesis.   The historical material serves as a precedent to my thesis, wherein I do my best to reconcile the natural sciences to metaphysical philosophy.  And in this greater objective I've also enjoyed some success.  Secular philosophers have voiced support, as at Encyclopaedia Britannica and the MIT Press, where my work is cited as an authority.  Also, some Christian philosophers have found the work to be acceptable; indeed, by the High Pontiff's published Catholic standard, my work is effectively "consonant with the word of God" -- an approval I find especially gratifying, as a Christian.

So my thoughts are finding a home among secular and Christian philosophers.  And given that I venerate Muslim authorities in my work, I'm hopeful that my thoughts will find a home among modern Muslim philosophers as well.  Possibly you, or your colleagues, might find value in the thesis.  Of particular interest would be the chapters which focus upon Muslim precedent and its relation to the modern venture -- Chapters 1, 2, 10 and 12.

The thesis is online, at:

You might try those particular chapters, to see if they hold interest for you.  If they do, I'd suggest trying the greater thesis in order to glean the meaning of those chapters in context.

---

 

I hope my work does honor to the great men whose philosophical spirit I've chosen to revive.  Please feel free to drop a critical note, if you like. 

"Goftare nik, kerdare nik, pendare nik."

 

Wayne S

 

 

July 13, 2002

I wish to thank Mr. Ali Sina and Faith Freedom International for providing news about Iran in the past week.  I am one of five Iranian born employees where I work in the United States.  I forwarded a few news stories from your web site to an Iranian fellow employee at work. He was very grateful to me, but he really should have thanked Mr. Sina and Faith Freedom International.  I will forward your web address to him.  Without your site we would never have received news about Iran as early as we did.

Thank You

James  

 

Actually it it Ms. Susan Stephan, our dedicated member and coworker who should be thanked for her selfless (and payless) work to go through piles of the news from around the world to find the relevant news about Islam and email them to me for publication. I would also like to thank other friends who also help me in this department. This news section is an important part of our site and we will surely work on it to improve it further. 

Thank you for your interest and encouragement 

Ali Sina   

 

 

                  Singapore,  July 12, 2002

 

 Dear Ali,

  I have known your site since few months ago.  I have read most of the articles and commnents within.  I regard your opinions about human life, about the falseness of many religions, about your love towards humanity .  Well, there's just a few humans who can think in such deep feeling like you, though you are descendant of a wicked man. I myself actually have no religion to follow, but just like you, I also gave my credits to The Buddha.  I am symphatetic to His followers also.  Perhaps you think highly of Him, because He said, "Doubt everything and find your own light."  So do I. 

  In your debate with George, you said: 

  Why are we divided in so many religions, sects and cults?  Why so much estrangement? Why we have built tall walls of distrust between ourselves?  

  Ali, you have an assumption that differences in faith always lead people to distrusts, hates, hostilities, or even wars. Is it based on your own expeiences? We, the Easterners originally never imagine those things can be happened.  Remember, whatever your opinion, most of these people regard Buddhism as faith.  You can see that in China, in Japan, in South East Asia (except  in Malaysia and Indonesia which are predominated by Muslims).  There, sincretism is a common thing.  You see, it's common for Japanese people to celebrate their children birth in Shintoism rite, their marriage in Westerner's way (in churches), and to conduct the burial of their relatives in Buddhis ceremony.  If you go to Japan and ask the people what religion they follow, they usually will get confused.  It's a proof that differences won't always lead people to distrusts, hates, hostilities, or even wars. Aum Shinrikyo is an exception and it appeared recently.  It is mostly the Middle-East religions that introduce these unwholesome things, mainly Islam.

  Of course there were competitions in East Religions, but they were FAR JUSTER and  FAR MORE HUMANE compare with what the Middle-East religions did.  If  I said so, it's not because I intend to boast my culture.  No, at all, Ali.  But it is the fact.  I have read good article from your Indian Hindu friend - Tolerance in Polytheism - talking about it.  Buddhism itself was divided into many sects, most of them have mixed with local traditions. Yet, have you heard a sects make war against others for claiming superiority and purity?  If you are interested in Buddhism, perhaps you can begin by click this site: 

     www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/snapshot01.htm 

  Of course you have not to believe anything you read in that site, for it depends on the advance of your states of mind.  Furthermore, you said that you have no intention to become "champion of truth".  For me that's all right.  Every deed has its own fruit.  Bad deeds lead to suffering, good deeds lead to happiness.  You never get bananas from an apple tree, and vice versa.  If you decide to step closer to the truth, you can be rebirth as a wiser person.  If your heart were filled with love, you have no reason to afraid of, because you will be rebirth in a pleasant realm (or dimension), which common people call it as heaven.  The same law is applied to every living being in whole universe, including you, me and everyone, also Muhammad, regardless what they believe.  So, don't be afraid of Mother Theresa and Gandhi.

  According to Buddhis teaching, the next life is very dependent on what the people think, talk, and do during their present lifes (please remember: not depend on their RELIGIONS) and the last thought before their death (which often also depend on the first factor).  Do you remember the anguish Muhammad suffer before he died?  Above all, the cause-and-effect law is a natural law.  No gods (or God) who will judge you, as described in Revelation.  Of course, you don't have to take it for granted, but why there is people (not always Buddhists) who can remember their past lifes?

  And compare this with Islam, Buddha never claims Himself as a prophet or a god.  He never claim Himself as the LAST and the first.  Before Him, myriad Buddhas had appeared in this universe and myriad Ones will appear throughout the cosmos.  Who said this world is only inhabited planet?  Of course, every culture has its own way to name the Buddha (those who has attain enlightment).  For example, the Chinese people call Him

'Fo' and the Japanese call Him 'Butsu'.  So there is no attachment to certain language or culture.  Every nation has freedom to make Buddhism fit to their culture.  I think, in this case, it is just similar to .....Linux.

  Viewed from the vastness and 'ageless' (it lasts for a loooong time) of the universe, that a man dare to claim himself as the last 'bless' for the universe, it is really a big nonsense.

  Once again, I just explain what I know for you.  Really, I never feel I am smarter or superior than you; all I have just come from my readings, meditations and (personal and others) experiences.  As a friend, I give you what I have.  If you accept it or not, it is depend on you.  Earth always remains round though all of its inhabitant think (and always try to prove) that its shape is flat.  At this point I agree with you that Islamists should not impose their view, if they really sure that they posses Al Haqq (the truth).

  It is time to end this ordinary letter.  But before it let me say that I appreciate and support things you have done for this site, for the benefits to humanity, and let me write down what a Buddhist write as they end their writings: 

MAY ALL BEINGS BEEEEE HAPPYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! 

(You too, Ali, say cheeseeee!!!!) 

 

Your friend, 

Gwie L

 

Yes Qwie. 

I know Buddhism is not a religion of hate. Eastern Philosophies are different. Although as a rationalist I do not believe in reincarnation but I share many of Buddha's thoughts 

Thank you for writing 

Ali Sina 

 

 

 07.01/02

 Dear Mr. Sina,

     I hope that this e-mail letter will find you well.

     I am writing to you to tell you about something that might make you laugh.

     On Friday I was watching a news interview show. The topic of the discussion was Jose Padilla, the American member of Al-Quaeda, who was hoping to set off a "dirty" bomb here in the United States.  The discussion was between a lady anchorperson and a Muslim gentleman from Pakistan who helped Jose become a Muslim.  In the course of the discussion the Pakistani man explained that Jose Padilla had become interested in Islam while in prison.  Upon leaving prison he got a job at Taco Bell (A fast food restaurant that serves Mexican food similar to McDonald's or Burger King) where the man from Pakistan was his boss.  The gentleman from Pakistan was explaining to the audience that he had no idea how Jose could have become a terrorist since Islam is a religion of "peace, tolerance, love, compassion, etc., etc., etc.".  Finally at one point in the interview, the anchor person asked the Muslim gentleman what he thought Jose was going to do when he heard he had gone to Afghanistan.  At this point the Pakistani Muslim gentleman replied that he thought Jose had gone there to set up a Taco Bell franchise...(Was he kidding? What would they have called it?  "Taco Taliban"????)

     Perhaps it is just me and my bizarre sense of humor but I found this interview extremely funny.  I cannot understand how that man could have said something so ridiculous with a straight face on national television.  Hopefully this antidote will bring a smile to your face as well. 

Most sincerely yours,

Matthew J.

 

 

 

 07.01/02

Ali,  

I read your debate with Steve where you discuss the concept of the chosen poeple and I too have thought about this and do have a legitimate, rational response that I would like to hear your response to.   

In Judaism the concept of the chosen people is that the Jews were to spread Monotheism to the world.  The literal translation is that it is the job of the descendents of Abraham to spread the concept of monotheism to the World.    You refute this claim by saying that the Christians and Muslims did a much better job of this than the Jews.  My answer is that Jesus was a Jew, a descendent of Abraham.  The Muslims are descendents of Ishmael, also the son of Abraham.  The concept of the chosen people, to spread the word to the world was given to Abraham and from there it expanded.  So in effect the Jews did spread the word initially and later down the line, it was expanded more by other descendents of Abraham, who began as Jews and evolved into their own religions that all branched off Judaism in one respect or another.  From the root of the Jews, monotheism was spread to the world.  

I would like to note, if it was really the job of the Jews to continue this tradition to make everyone into Jews, then the Jews would have much less strict guidelines on conversion.  Instead, Jews have many obstacles before one may convert to Judaism.  I cannot believe it was the job of the Jews to make everyone into Jews, instead it was the spreading of the word through the descendants of Abraham that was the real meaning.

David

 

Dear David,

First of all monotheism is neither good nor it is true. I have spoken of the fallacy of the existence of a god as a being. The whole concept of this god of Abraham is an absurdity. Please read the articles on God in this site.

Secondly monotheism introduced hate among the people. This Jehovah of the Jews is the first god that is intolerant of other gods. He is a paranoid, ruthless, narcissist god who also discriminates among the people. This wicked spirit of Jehovah depicted in the Torah is also reflected in Allah the imaginary god of Muhammad. Muhammad who himself was suffering from narcissism found your intolerant demanding Jehovah much to his liking.  Prior to monotheism and still in today’s polytheistic societies religious hate and religious wars were unknown to men. Polytheistic religions are tolerant of each other. Monotheistic religions are not. Therefore if anything the Jews must apologize to the world for introducing this hate-laden concept of one single god.  I believe you are completely wrong in priding yourselves as Jews for giving the world the most ominous theory of god. This god of yours now personified in Christianity, Islam and other monotheistic religions was a curse to humanity. Why should the world thank you for this evil philosophy? 

However, despite this I see no reason why you Jews could claim credit for infesting the minds of a great majority of humanity with this erroneous concept of god. You people handed Jesus to be crucified by the Romans soldiers and do not believe in Muhammad. You never preached monotheism to other nations. This erroneous belief was spread through religions that you do not agree with.

Therefore I do not understand in what ways and under what premises you consider yourselves to be “chosen people”.

Regards

Ali Sina 

 

 

 

 Dear Ali, 

I visited your site and this is the first time I see a Muslim intellectual who is ready to leave Islam to find solutions. I respect you. You will be next Gandhi for Muslims. Why for Muslims only? You are a philosopher for the world. 

I am from India a Hindu by birth. 

In fact you have fulfilled a much-awaited need of the Muslim world of having a good philosopher who can think beyond Islam. I discussed this need with my American friends but I never new you are there in this world just like us. I thought the world has to live with Islamic gangrene which ultimately one day will finish this beautiful world. 

I discussed the situation in India with some of my friends and ultimately I wrote an article about the present crisis in India. I know this will not get published in Secular India. I take liberty in sending it to you. the name of the file is "Tolerance in Polytheism" 

Regards, 

Discuss with Ali

 

 

Hello 

i would just like to say hello and well done to your site. After being shown it by a cousin, i read much of your arguments and debates and found,  for the first time a person who was willing to confront the falseness of islam. I agree with all of your messages and arguments about Islam, and would very much like to congratulate you on your well carried out researched well presented arguments. I think it is impossible for anyone to prove you wrong. 

i think it is very interesting that muslims are easy and quick to critise and damn other religion, but when any mere form of critisism is directed at their own religion, they get very offended. I also findit interesting that while they belief strongly in thier religion and claim it is 'peacefull' that they go out of their way to 'promote' it asif it is some type of product, should they not be happy to be following allah on thier own, and not be hell bent on trying to convert the rest of the world to thier faith with much violence and aggression. 

I am not being horrible to muslims, as i am very openminded and have many friends of the islamic faith. i do not 'hate' them, but i must say that i disagree strongly with thier ignorant religion. 

I myself am only a 15 year old, a member of the Sikh faith.While i am not actually sure about the belief in god, i do believe in other aspects of my religion, and am proud of it as it promotes equalness, and is not offensive against other relgions (well, i dont think it is anyway...!) i hav not actually read the religious text of my religion (guru granth sahib) but was wondering if you have read it, or any other religious texts apart from the quaran. i am interested to know what you think about other religions and thier texts, as i very much admire your opinion and think that you are a very logical intelligent person, and i look up to you, and i think you are very couragous. 

yours sincerly 

  

Thank you my young friend for all the nice compliments. Although non of the compliments you made are deserved but I am very pleased about them because I hardly receive deserved compliments J

As for my opinion of other religions you may like to read this article or check out the FAQ page.

Best wishes,

Ali Sina  

 

 

 

Articles Op-ed Authors Debates Leaving Islam FAQ
Comments Library Gallery Video Clips Books Sina's Challenge
 

  ©  copyright You may translate and publish the articles posted in this site ONLY if you provide a link to the original page and if it is not for financial gain.