Apologetics and Objections

Fascinating post Here.

The author is often quite critical of Islam (I am as well, though I think our styles are quite different). He has listed what he considers to be the most common objections to his criticism. I think the list is very enlightening. Much of our work here consists of whitttling down the list so I can gain a hearing. Once a Muslim realizes that you know Arabic, and know the Quran, and know the ahadiith (pl. of hadiith), and that you are a religious person (which unlike the West, is a good quality here), then you have earned, maybe, a chance to speak and be listened to.

Here is his list:

1. He's taking verses out of context
2. He's an Islamophobe/racist/bigot
3. He doesn't know Arabic, and you can't understand the Qur'an unless it's in Arabic
4. He's not an expert on Islam/he has no credentials
5. The Qur'an, the mind of Muhammad, and Islam in general are too complex and mysterious for infidels to understand
6. What about the Crusades (and other violent Christian actions of the past)?
7. What about the violent verses in the Bible?
8. Those Muslims are not “real” Muslims
9. Only Muslims can address the tough topics

Good summation. I can add from the Young Muslims site:

10. He's lying

11. If you prove him wrong from Qur'an and Hadith, you just get ridiculed

And another I've seen now and again:

12. He has been refuted hundreds of times, and thoroughly discredited

Well, read it all at his blog and see what you think about his responses.

Apologetics for Muslims is difficult because the Middle Eastern mind does not operate alongg the lines of logic that folks in the West are used to. For example: two opposite things can not be true at the same time. This seems clear to us. But not to the Muslim mind. Thus Islam can and is a peaceful religion while being a violent religion. Just one example, but read his article and judge for yourself.