Relativism - Moral and Cultural

Interesting thoughts. I don't know if, where you ask the question "Are Muslims not humans?, you have concluded that 'yes they are' or 'no they aren't'. I think you conclude that yes, they are. As for living by the Ten Commandments, one could argue, actually, that this is also the culture of the Muslims, even the radical ones, since their God is the same God as the Christians and the Jews. They just interpret things differently. Oh, and by the way, scholars of Hebrew and other ancient languages in which the bible was written more often than not interpret the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill" to mean "Thou Shalt Not Murder". Thus, killing enemy combatants in war is not a violation of the commandment. Killing civilans who are not engaged in the fight would be murder, and hence a violation, and hence in need of forgiveness in our culture. Asking forgiveness for killing enemy combatants, though, is still a requirement for serious Christian and Christian-leaning people because we really abhor killing human beings regardless their ilk. As in 'I have to kill you to keep you from killing me but I hate that you make me have to do this and ask God's forgiveness for doing so'. As for the radical Islamic interpretation of the commandment, seems to me they regard members of western culture as enemy combatants whether or not we are actually engaged in combat with them; hence, by their interpretation, killing us is not a violation of the commandment. I, of course, do not agree with them but....that's their position.

Yes, when I asked "Are Muslims not humans?" I meant that I consider them to be humans.

I'll have to think a bit more about non-Muslims being considered being enemy combatants (but still human). I guess that could be the root of "the convert or die" approach their extremists take to relations with non-Muslims.

Interesting thoughts to consider. You've given us something with more grist than most. Thanks. Some days I feel like there are nothing but fly-weight people out there, absorbed only in their own lives.

And all before breakfast! Wow, you're good.

Linda M.

I think we're in agreement....but I may not have made myself clear. Based on your last paragraph, you say something to the effect of "we should not spread our Faith by the Sword, but that we should certainly defend ourselves with the Sword."

I think that's part of what I was trying to say...though you said it more succintly.