Xerxes - these are the same dramatic leaps that Christians make with predictions in the Bible. If you have faith, then they appear obvious. If you don't have the faith, then they appear to be an extreme case of wishful thinking. As usual, it is the faith, rather than the fact, that sustains them.1) "and it is We who have constructed the heaven with might and verily. It is We who are steadily expanding it" (Qur'an, 51:47). Until the early twentieth century, science had no idea the universe was expanding. This does not say that the universe is expanding, but I can concede that it could be read that way. Heaven and the universe are, however, not the same thing, at all. 2) "By the sky, full of orbits and paths" (Qur'an, 51:7) Who knew that planets were in orbits around the sun and the moon around the Earth? If we did not know about orbits, then where did this word come from? Orbit did not, at that time, refer to anything on this planet. There is no mention here that the planets are orbiting the sun, rather than everything orbiting the Earth, as was common knowledge for quite a long time.3) "He created the heavens and the earth for Truth He ended the night today and ends day into night." (Quran 39:5). A long and complex explination indicated that this means that the earth is round. It doesn't indicate this at all - night turns into day, and day turns into night. There is no claim here that the earth is round, only that days follow nights and nights follow days.4) "Glory be to Him who created all in pairs. From what the earth produces, from themselves and from things unknown to them" (Quran 36:36). Matter and anti-matter. More likely referring to the fact that in almost all things natural, apart from some things that can reproduce without a partner, a male and a female are always required - a pair.5) "No, really, if not stop, we will seize him by the forelock, a lying sinful forelock" (Qur'an, 96: 15-16). In the West they thought the liver or the heart controlled emotions whereas it was revelaed here correctly to be the front of the brain. A forelock is not the front of the brain. It's a tuft of hair. This has nothing to do with the front of the brain. 6) Allah splits the seed and kernel. He brings forth the living from the dead, and produces the dead out of the living. (Qur'an, 6:95) Splitting the atom to create power or bombs. When a seed sprouts, the seed/kernel is split to allow the plant to come out. This has nothing to do with splitting the atom, since that has nothing to do with bringing forth the living from the dead.7) the moon when it is full, you will mount up stage by stage! Qur'an, 84:18-20) Staged spacecraft to the moon. You must admit this is a very, very long leap.8) "Their skins will bear witness against them as to what they have been doing" (41:21) Fingerprints. Again, a very long leap. You could as easily claim that it shows an awareness of STDs, since many of them produce a rash on the skin.9) "Corruption has spread on land and sea because of what men’s hands have wrought" (30:42) Environmental pollution by man. Pollution has been known about for a long time - and this doesn't refer to pollution, but corruption, which could mean either environmental OR moral/human corruption.10) "And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and of whatever living creatures He has spread forth in both. And He has the power to gather them together whenever He pleases." (42:30) Life on other planets. It says "both". Nothing to do with other planets. Other planets are not mentioned at all.The fact is that none of these "facts" make sense when read in plain language, without the backing of faith.
1) "and it is We who have constructed the heaven with might and verily. It is We who are steadily expanding it" (Qur'an, 51:47). Until the early twentieth century, science had no idea the universe was expanding. This does not say that the universe is expanding, but I can concede that it could be read that way. Heaven and the universe are, however, not the same thing, at all. 2) "By the sky, full of orbits and paths" (Qur'an, 51:7) Who knew that planets were in orbits around the sun and the moon around the Earth? If we did not know about orbits, then where did this word come from? Orbit did not, at that time, refer to anything on this planet. There is no mention here that the planets are orbiting the sun, rather than everything orbiting the Earth, as was common knowledge for quite a long time.3) "He created the heavens and the earth for Truth He ended the night today and ends day into night." (Quran 39:5). A long and complex explination indicated that this means that the earth is round. It doesn't indicate this at all - night turns into day, and day turns into night. There is no claim here that the earth is round, only that days follow nights and nights follow days.4) "Glory be to Him who created all in pairs. From what the earth produces, from themselves and from things unknown to them" (Quran 36:36). Matter and anti-matter. More likely referring to the fact that in almost all things natural, apart from some things that can reproduce without a partner, a male and a female are always required - a pair.5) "No, really, if not stop, we will seize him by the forelock, a lying sinful forelock" (Qur'an, 96: 15-16). In the West they thought the liver or the heart controlled emotions whereas it was revelaed here correctly to be the front of the brain. A forelock is not the front of the brain. It's a tuft of hair. This has nothing to do with the front of the brain. 6) Allah splits the seed and kernel. He brings forth the living from the dead, and produces the dead out of the living. (Qur'an, 6:95) Splitting the atom to create power or bombs. When a seed sprouts, the seed/kernel is split to allow the plant to come out. This has nothing to do with splitting the atom, since that has nothing to do with bringing forth the living from the dead.7) the moon when it is full, you will mount up stage by stage! Qur'an, 84:18-20) Staged spacecraft to the moon. You must admit this is a very, very long leap.8) "Their skins will bear witness against them as to what they have been doing" (41:21) Fingerprints. Again, a very long leap. You could as easily claim that it shows an awareness of STDs, since many of them produce a rash on the skin.9) "Corruption has spread on land and sea because of what men’s hands have wrought" (30:42) Environmental pollution by man. Pollution has been known about for a long time - and this doesn't refer to pollution, but corruption, which could mean either environmental OR moral/human corruption.10) "And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and of whatever living creatures He has spread forth in both. And He has the power to gather them together whenever He pleases." (42:30) Life on other planets. It says "both". Nothing to do with other planets. Other planets are not mentioned at all.
Should wanting-to-be parents have a license before they can have children?
Sorry I can't agree with that, religion also has had a hand in many of the wars we've experienced and currently battling through to this day. I don't believe that religion is the answer to all our questions and the way to happiness. Most religions whether its western or eastern tend to shun & disrespect other relgions and to me that is enough for me to think that some people who say they are religeous are just hypocrites. So I'd also like to believe we are in the matrix :)jw
Sorry I can't agree with that, religion also has had a hand in many of the wars we've experienced and currently battling through to this day. I don't believe that religion is the answer to all our questions and the way to happiness. Most religions whether its western or eastern tend to shun & disrespect other relgions and to me that is enough for me to think that some people who say they are religeous are just hypocrites. So I'd also like to believe we are in the matrixjwHey mate,I understand that religion has had a hand in many wars, but so has science. Guns, nuclear weapons, all products of science that man has used for evil. In the same way religion has been used for evil by people. Religion is no more to blame than science is.I don't think religion is the answer to all our questions either, but there can be no doubt that it answers some questions, and even if religion was completely false, the fact that it makes people happy warrants its existence. Ignorance is bliss after all.But yes being in the matrix would be cool
Sorry I can't agree with that, religion also has had a hand in many of the wars we've experienced and currently battling through to this day. I don't believe that religion is the answer to all our questions and the way to happiness. Most religions whether its western or eastern tend to shun & disrespect other relgions and to me that is enough for me to think that some people who say they are religeous are just hypocrites. So I'd also like to believe we are in the matrixjw
The article was mainly about schools (but also about food) so did they have a picture of a kindly and wise Muslim teacher, a small schoolgirl with a veil, some enthusiastic students studying their books? No instead is was a scary Muslim man with a knife holding a bone and surrounded by slaughtered animals.