Until the advent of materialism and 19th c. dogma, Western Civilisation was superior to anything Islam had developed. Islam has not aided in the development of the modern world; in fact civilisation has only been created in spite of Islam. Proof of this resides in the 'modern' world and the unending political-economic and spiritual poverty of Muslim states and regions. Squatting on richer civilisations is not 'progress'. Islam is pagan, totalitarian, and irrational.
Running totals from Sura 2 to 25:
Total number of verses from Sura 2 to 25: 2925
Total number of verses in 2-25, which preach violence against non-Moslems: 627
Violent verses as a % of total from Sura 2 to 25: 21.4 %
Sura 2 to 25 as a % of the Koran in pages: 56%
Sura 2 to 25 as a % of the 6346 verses in the Koran: 45%
[meaning still lots more violence to go....]
The purpose of 'Criterion' is to explain how Islam will conquer the world:
“This chapter serves a few purposes. First it justifies the divine connection between Mohammed and the male moon deity Ali-ilah or Allah. Second it reiterates the reasons how Muslims can achieve superiority and why they should believe in the Arabian moon cult. The devout humble Muslim, prostrating himself before the moon deity must observe the criterion around submission. If enough Muslims do this and undertake jihad and war to spread the message, than Islam will be triumphant. No ethical program needed.
The politician and war leader Mohammed must be obeyed – without any questions: “And they say: 'What sort of a Messenger is this, who eats food, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him?'” [25:7] In other words, if the illiterate Mohammed who is erecting a political system is chosen by 'God' to be the messenger on earth, why is there is no divine shows of approbation and approval ? The answer is simple there is no need for such displays of supernatural approbation– just shut up and accept that Mohammed is the divinely anointed prophet: “Soon will they know, when they see the Penalty, who it is that is most misled in Path!” [25:42] Disbelieving Mohammed's credentials means death.”
Cults usually ignore rationality, free-will and inquiry. Instead they prey on their members by demanding obedience to the dogma forwarded by the 'great man' who founded the cult, usually inspired by some divine intercession and approbation. Rejecting the 'great man' means offending the Gods or God – in this case the 'one' or 'ilah' who was in the time of Muhammad, Hub'Al the moon deity. For untutored minds, Islam which is a pre-Iron age theology and cult, might be impressed with this dialectical theme. If I obey Muhammad [who sounds the same as Allah in the Koran], then I have divine approval, and no matter how miserable my life is, I will be assured of better times and climes in this life and the next. Islamic dialecticism. Islam is the last 'stage' of man's journey. Simply join the cult and follow its mandate to obtain your salvation.
This chapter engages in violence of course [this is the Koran after all], and the adjuration of being intolerant to Unbelievers. For example the linked verses of 4, 9 and 11 which discuss the 'Misbelievers', links their refusal to submit to Muhammad, with damnation and Hellfire. Anyone who dares question the 'fact' that Muhammad is divinely inspired, and the enabler of Allah's Quranic professions which are especially focused on a Day of Resurrection, in which good humans [Moslems] are rewarded, is doomed:
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Those who disbelieve say: "This (the Qur'an) is nothing but a lie that he (Muhammad SAW) has invented, and others have helped him at it, so that they have produced an unjust wrong (thing) and a lie." |
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See how they coin similitudes for you, so they have gone astray, and they cannot find a (Right) Path. |
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Nay, they deny the Hour (the Day of Resurrection), and for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire (i.e. Hell). |
The violence becomes more strenuous and exacting as the chapter proceeds. My personal favorite of the 23 verses of gross intolerance [out of 77 or 30%], is 25:52:
“So obey not the disbelievers, but strive against them (by preaching) with the utmost endeavour, with it (the Qur'an).”
In other words, use the Allah-created, un-created work of totalitarianism called 'Recital' [Koran]as the basis of your 'striving' with the Unbelievers. And if the Unbeliever will not submit to 'Recital? Allah will of course destroy them:
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Nay, they deny the Hour (the Day of Resurrection), and for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire (i.e. Hell). |
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Thus they (false gods all deities other than Allah) will give you (polytheists) the lie regarding what you say (that they are gods besides Allah), then you can neither avert (the punishment), nor get help. And whoever among you does wrong (i.e. sets up rivals to Allah), We shall make him taste a great torment. |
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The sovereignty on that Day will be the true (sovereignty), belonging to the Most Beneficent (Allah), and it will be a hard Day for the disbelievers (those who disbelieve in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism). |
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Those who will be gathered to Hell (prone) on their faces, such will be in an evil state, and most astray from the (Straight) Path. |
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Say (O Muhammad SAW to the disbelievers): "My Lord pays attention to you only because of your invocation to Him. But now you have indeed denied (Him). So the torment will be yours for ever (inseparable permanent punishment)." |
Nice. So if I don't believe that Muhammad is a prophet; and if I don't believe that the Koran is the only 'law' I need to follow; and if I don't believe that this thing Allah is a 'god'; then off to hell I go, face down, prone, tormented and then destroyed.
So where again is the ethical program, free will, faith through reason and intelligence and tolerance?