It was not a “few” Muslims. Today the mainstream believes in the “Rightly Guided Islam” rather than the “Mohammedan/Quranic Islam”. For an average globe dweller Islam means war, terrorism, oppression of women, ignorance, backwardness.

I agree with you that nothing happened to Islam, but as George Bernard Shaw once told his heckler, what you and I can do against all this crowd telling the truth?

Wassalam

Yes, this Muslim from India was saved by Jinnah. Do you mind? India has peace, but we have freedom, and we are willing to pay the price of freedom that is peace. Good luck to you.

Yes, the Shia and the Sunni have differences that are socio-economic. Not too long ago in Europe the Catholic Axis powers and the Protestant and Orthodox Allies killed each other to the tune of 1 in 4 (120,000,000 dead in 31 years 1914-45), but today they doing ok. Your attempts to fan fire with oil and used these difference for nefarious ends will fail. Nice try though.

Among others, Karen Armstrong has written on “god” and the development of the concept through history.

God represents the ideal for man, something higher up. The God-fearing have a desire to evolve to something higher and better – by travel and migration, improve of immune system through race mixing, trade, technology, industry.

Godless societies are static as are godless ideologies and religions. The people are static, one-race, and want to remain so. They stress survival, not growth and evolution. The Yehud have homo-morped their god where Jacob could defeat him in wrestling, so they are not growing in number or evolving. Somewhat true for the Chinese too.

Religions are the time tested optimal strategies and tactics that help us survive, grow, and evolve. Efficient religions succeed. Today, agrarian based religion Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, are longer optimal, useful. Of the only two city based religions of relevance in today’s trading world, Hellenism (the West) and Islam, the latter is efficient and frugal, the former wasteful and profligate. Prof. Jean Ensminger of San Diego U. has demonstrated that Tribes in Kenya are converting to Islam to reduce their transaction costs. Islam is good for your pocket, besides for your salvation (Meraj, or Evolution to a higher man).

You are right in a way – 2 to 6 are linked to 1. But the devil is in the detail.

Atheism is a system. So is religion.

Many thanks for your thoughtful response. Wassalam