The many sects of Islam, so, which will dominate eventually?

[carepov]

Quit while you're behind.

Why are you here on MLW discussing with me and with others?

I am not "behind". My only objectives for being here are to express myself and therefore clarify and hone my opinions, and I appreciate the ideas and knowledge gained by thoughtful posters. Your article from Psychology Today was very interesting. As written in the article, the data is evidence that "religion has little to do with ethical conduct" - I appreciate knowing about this study and it will sway my opinions. Unlike what you say however, the data does refute (i.e. disprove) my claim. Your earlier article was informative too, thanks for sharing your views and encouraging me to learn more about the topic and re-assess my opinions.

Edited July 11, 2013 by carepov

[-TSS-]

I wonder is this wiki-article just too good to be true:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Azerbaijan

Namely:

Quote:

"

Azerbaijan is a secular state, in article 48 of its Constitution ensures the liberty of worship to everyone. Everyone has a right to choose any faith, to adopt any religion or to not practice any religion, to express one's view on the religion and to spread it. According to paragraphs 1-3 of Article 18 of the Constitution the religion acts separately from the government, each religion is equal before the law and the propaganda of religions, abating human personality and contradicting to the principles of humanism is prohibited. At the same time the state system of education is also secular.

According to a recent Gallup Poll Azerbaijan is one of the most irreligious countries in the Muslim world, with about 53% of respondents indicating the importance of religion in their life as little or none.^[6] The same poll indicates that only 20% of the respondents has attended on religious services."

Restores my faith in that muslims also can be sensible human-beings who don't take some sky fairies too seriously.

[jbg]

I wonder is this wiki-article just too good to be true..

From my talks about 10 or so years ago with a Jewish barber who hails from Azerbaijan it actually was true as of the 1990's. I suspect that for a long time Islam in the "border areas" such as Indonesian, the Soviet "stans", Pakistan, Morocco, and Turkey was more relaxed and less virulent than in the "core" nations of Saudi Arabia and, post-1979, Iran.

That may still be true to some extent, However, Saudi and Iranian influence, I believe, has trended certain of those countries, certainly Pakistan for example, in the wrong direction.

[Guest]

Or Brunei, even. But it's due to "special guidance" from God, so it's probably okay.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/bruneis-sultan-announces-strict-islamic-penalties-20642242

And "Let us not just look at the hand-cutting or the stoning or the caning per se, but let us also look at the conditions governing them," Awang said. "It is not indiscriminate cutting or stoning or caning. There are conditions and there are methods that are just and fair."

Well that's definitely okay, then.

[jbg]

Or Brunei, even. But it's due to "special guidance" from God, so it's probably okay.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/bruneis-sultan-announces-strict-islamic-penalties-20642242

And "Let us not just look at the hand-cutting or the stoning or the caning per se, but let us also look at the conditions governing them," Awang said. "It is not indiscriminate cutting or stoning or caning. There are conditions and there are methods that are just and fair."

Well that's definitely okay, then.

I happen to agree with him. There are detailed provisions on throwing offenders off of cliffs as well. Those societies have some extremely advanced and civilized aspects.

These are subtly obeyed in the just and fair way Assad gassed his opponents.

[GostHacked]

I happen to agree with him. There are detailed provisions on throwing offenders off of cliffs as well. Those societies have some extremely advanced and civilized aspects.

These are subtly obeyed in the just and fair way Assad gassed his opponents.

Allegedly gassed his opponents.

[jbg]

Allegedly gassed his opponents.

I was paying Assad a compliment. He gave them all fair trials.