Amin;

"I am not sure where else to go with this... we are all just really restating our own opinions at this point... since it is a philosophical argument..."

I agree, I think we have each stated our respective positions more than once.

It's probably time to move on unless someone else has a point to make.

May 24, 2010 -- 3:09PM, Jasr wrote:

Jstan...I would not like the thread to die out without giving you and Amin recognition for being gracious and respectful.

Thanks, Jasr.  I also appreciate your contribution to this discussion.  It definitely helped broaden and deepen the discussion.

Best regards, Jim

and I appreciate that...

I have no issues discussing problems of the world and how they exist and are manifest in the Muslim world... that is a specific discussion...

as long as it is aknowledged incorrectly that they are limited to the Muslim world... which mostly is not the case.

I take issue trying to label Islam as the central problem... for a couple reasons... sometimes it is easier to change these problems using religion and new or different interpretations as a tool... take for example FGM in Egypt...

Religion can be used for good or ill... and since some want to dinegrate an entire religion... it makes it difficult more the Muslim community to work on itself internally without looking like an "outsider agent" trying to "inflict" change from the outside.  Talk like that makes it more difficult for Muslims on the inside to work with outside organizations and still have credibility.