Wipe Israel from map, says Iran’s president

[Melchisedec]

[quote name='Lounge Daddy' date='Oct 31 2005, 07:47 PM']ok - supposing a terrorist leader of a country calls out to radical Islamic all peoples to burn Israel to the ground --- and people would say "hey, i thought Islam was founded on peace, not convert-or-die tactics... these people dont speak for Islam"
oh wait - Islam WAS founded on a "convert-by-the-sword" thought... so

Catch [i]my[/i] drift?
i guess these guys are not contradicting thier Islamic foundations ... and maybe they do speak for Islam..     
after all ---- we have yet to hear a loud out-cry from all the other "leaders of Islam" against killing so-called "infidels"
[right][snapback]775332[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]


Can someone explain to me the difference between a heretic and an infidel. Because I remember a conversation on these phorums were the church felt it was absolutely justified in the killings of so called heretics. I see a parallel between that and Islams infidel battelcry. Am I mistaken here?

[Era Might]

[quote name='Lounge Daddy' date='Oct 31 2005, 08:47 PM']ok - supposing a terrorist leader of a country calls out to radical Islamic all peoples to burn Israel to the ground --- and people would say "hey, i thought Islam was founded on peace, not convert-or-die tactics... these people dont speak for Islam"
oh wait - Islam WAS founded on a "convert-by-the-sword" thought... so

Catch [i]my[/i] drift?
i guess these guys are not contradicting thier Islamic foundations ... and maybe they do speak for Islam..      
after all ---- we have yet to hear a loud out-cry from all the other "leaders of Islam" against killing so-called "infidels"
[right][snapback]775332[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

There is no Islamic leader, as there is in Catholicism (ie, the Pope). Islam is a religion with a diverse understanding and appreciation of itself. The Iranian government does not speak for Islam. It speaks for itself. There are plenty of Muslims who see their religion differently. The Church is not at war with Islam. Like everything else, the Church affirms and encourages what is good and true and noble, and seeks to purify all the rest through dialogue.

My bottom line point is that it does nothing to advance dialogue to take one group and throw it in the other's face. You say Islam is not peaceful. There are Muslims who would argue to the contrary. Address their concerns and yours with the religion at hand, and not with the views of Muslims who, although entitled to their opinion, do not speak for Islam or the Islamic world.

If Islam is peaceful or not, it's not because the Iranian government does or does not call for the elimination of Israel. It will be because the recognized sources of faith in the religion tend toward one reality or the other.

Edited November 1, 2005 by Era Might