From: Steve Davies (steve365@btinternet.com)
Date: Tue Oct 15 2002 - 12:28:03 MDT
----- Original Message -----
> FutureQ <futureq@attbi.com> wrote:
>
> > The Quran says infidels cannot be allowed to live. Either change to
muslim or
> > die. No other choice allowed.
>
Christian wrote
> Actually, I seem to recall that there are different classes of
> infidels. Christians are to be tolerated, Jews and heathens are
> to be killed.
>
Not quite right. Idolaters are to be given the choice of death or
conversion - so bad luck for Hindus!. There's a different status for "People
of the Book" who are tolerated but not allowed to proselytise. The Quran
says these are Jews, Christians and Sabaens. Nobody even at the time knew
who the last category were (the scholars think it referred to the Mandeans,
a sect who claim to be the disciples of John the Baptist) so it was used to
include people like Zoroastrians who had a written scripture. Because Islam
is the "final, complete revelation" you can't have a new religion of the
book, hence the hard time given to Bahais, and heterodox groups like
Ahmadhis. Steve D.
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