Looks like most of the people posted here don't know a thing about Islam! You really shouldn't talk about anything which you don't have a clue of!
I live in Europe (UK), not the US. And I know several guys who have married muslim girls, and some muslim guys who have married white girls. Yes, there are some (mainly Pakistani) families who are really strict, but these tend to be people from poorer backgrounds.
I give you personal experience that refutes your position, and all you can come back with is general denial. You're talking utter bollocks based on ignorant prejudice.
All we need to do in life while we are still in this world is to learn, grow and love
Various humans, none of them Christ, wrote various things during different time periods. And then later on some other people decided to combine those into something they decided to call the Bible. Christ walking around in the middle of that doesn't mean he agrees with all the selected writings.
Jesus supposedly indicated that the infallible God changed his mind (???). Why did God hate gays so much before, but now loves everyone?
Because Religion and our conception of God (the universe, whatever) is ever evolving... and Jesus came to point us in a new direction of understanding and conceptualizing God and ourselves. Because the old ways were no longer fulfilling their necessary function. New times call for new breakthroughs in human thought.
There are ways to look at and appreciate christianity that see it as part of the evolution of our understanding of the world, and the psycho/spiritual evolution of human beings. The awakening of humanity... Science and Reason is another such step and movement... But nothing is forever, just like a single human life our understanding and perceptions change, deepen, etc. Things are forever changing, we wont' view science and reason the same way in a hundred years as we do now... and it is the urge to hold on to, crystalize, or systematize an important teaching or movement that really ends up being such a pain/nuisance, we end up locking ourselves in rather than continuing to move forward.
The God of the Old Testament doesn't exist. Get over it. It's so obvious... When you continue to argue that he doesn't exist it just makes you look silly... You're an athiest? YOu don't believe in God? Wow... thats cool bro. But GOD is a pretty fucking far out there word that means a lot of shit to a lot of people. You don't believe in the old testament god? wow... you just passed kindergarden. CONGRATS!
regardless... the caravan moves forward...
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Let me say it loud and clear "THEY ARE ALL MADE UP STORIES BY PEOPLE TRYING TO MANIPULATE OTHERS".
Sometimes maybe yes... but mostly no...
That's like saying that the shamans in tribal groupings are trying to manipulate their tribe and that is the only purpose behind their myths, stories, rituals, and beliefs...
Although yes i agree that in our modern world the original intention and function of religion and our ancient stories has degenerated partially into exactly what you describe.
But to say they were made up to manipulate people... I'd have to disagree...
Why do you have to disagree? Are you sure you don't mean "I want to disagree"?
Actually yes that would have been more accurate!
Well in that case I want the moon to be made of cheese. Doesn't make it any more likely to be so.
My point is that just because you believe something to be true, without credible proof it doesn't make it valid just because you believe it to be so. With that thinking then anything that is made up is just as valid as anything else.