Understanding the middle-east

[Lycanthrop]

I'm trying to understand what it is about Islam that seems to cause such fevor in it's adherents. It is, by far, the fastest spreading relegion in the world so there must be something. I'm looking for a logical answer as opposed to relegious reteroic -- but since this is a query about relegion, I expect reteroic is what i will get.

[Andy Boz]

Fever/ fervour? Adherents, or do you mean abhorants?

There is nothing particularly good about Islam, and nothing particularly bad. Similarly Sihkism, Hinduism, Christianity, Jehovahs Witnesses, Jewish, or Buddhist.
I'll forget Scientologists, they're just wacky.

What is wrong is when people of any one faith start ramming down the throats of others, or become fanatical about it.
The road to a god should be a personal thing, not a crusade of faith.

[youngmafbog]

Where do you get the figures about it spreading, or do you just mean spreading around the Globe.
There is nothing wrong or right with Islam any more than other religions. You have a minority of fanatics wanting to impose their will on the majority.
Bit like the trendy lefties in this country really.

[johnlambert]

I've read the koran and belive me, there is loads wrong with islam, it's a medieval, repressive, agressive and thoroughly disgusting religion (in my humble opinion).
I think it may be the fastest growing religion because of the high birth rate in muslim families, IE when a man can have numerous wives it encourages procreation

[NH]

So you don't think a grudging and limited acceptance of female clergy, a hostile attitude to homosexuality and a willingness to blow up abortion clinics can in any way be construed as "medieval, repressive, agressive and thoroughly disgusting religion"? If you have ever seen televangelism, johnlambert, you would retch all the colours of the rainbow over the sheer abuse of the Bible.

To answer the question:- it's not necessarily that all Muslims are more fanatical than Hindus, or Jews, or even Christians, it's just that in the current post-9/11 climate, the fanatical Muslims are ones that get the airtime. It's not a good news story to have a Muslim on camera saying, "well, actually, I think respect, serving the community and showing compassion and tolerance is the best way to serve Allah." No drama, see. No story to it.

[mj2000uk]

I don't know what is so good about The Muslim religion. All I know, from personal experience, is that when I was at Beauty College, in Manchester in 1982, there was a muslim girl in our class. Firstly, she never, ever associated with anyone apart from the one other muslim girl in the college. Secondly, she fainted on more than one occasion during Ramadam, whilst performing massage and thirdly, she reeked of stale, unwashed, rank, spices, which would not be nice in a salon environment. She was also a first class snob at 19 yrs old!!
You may ask what all this has to do with religion..... well in the first instance, she was told by her parents not to associate with the 'whites' secondly, she was starving and dehydrated due to the confines of Ramadam and thirdly, she wore those silky modesty trousers under her uniform, in the summer heat....yuk!!!

[prattler]

i think your statement about the 'fastest-spreading religion' is incorrect.I would say rather that Islam as the 'most-despised' religion is growing at an alarming rate.You provide us with the 'statistics' to back up your claim and we we might try not to give you 'religious rhetoric'.I live in the UK , a predominantly Christian country by far and I cant identify with your statement.