re: #9 5string

Gus, In the comment I am referring to those who overtly try to use Islam to justify terrorist acts. Deception and homicide are both well ingrained in human nature. I don’t single out Arabs individually - either for their identity or their religion in that regard.

However, I believe the most important value of a life-affirming civilization - the value that largely makes life worth living - is the renunciation of aggressive violence that’s not in self defense - through the rule of law and moral codes - as applied both to the government and the citizens of a society.

The Quran is full of violations of this principle and its replacement by the permission and encouragement of the use of violent aggression - not in defense against violence - but to maintain the honor of the nation or the person. This is not just a central theme in Islam but is central to Arab culture itself and predates Islam by centuries.

It is silly to imagine that some respected imam’s interpretation of a Quranic stricture against (some kinds) of deception (in some situations) would prevent a Muslim from using deception to attack and kill someone who has dishonored him. That’s the elephant in the room. Without acknowledging that, the talk about what taquiyah is - and is not - comes close to casting a veneer of respectability and serious moral concern over deadly immoral acts encouraged by Islamic doctrine in which deception is the primary means of success.

Bottom line, you have lost your mind in your fear. Seriously