<p>dude, don't take just one sentence of my entire post and base your entire argument on it. </p>
<p>in fact, the sentence that you picked is the least important sentence in the entire post.</p>
<p>it was counter your entire arguement.</p>
<p>you take religion as a concept, whereas every religion follows a Book, not some standard. You know Christianity better than other religions, obviously, and so you base your judgement of other religions on that.</p>
<p>Sorry, some are just different.</p>
<p>"You know Christianity better than other religions, obviously, and so you base your judgement of other religions on that."</p>
<p>I'm from the Sudan, I speak Arabic, and I've read the Qu'ran...</p>
<p>Call it a competence test. Can you figure out what I'm implying based on the clues I've given you?</p>
<p>OK. fine. I find religious debates useless anyway - men are usually stubborn in their views (I am, too) and it is hard to change them.</p>
<p>I take my words back in a way. You have grown up in a society (and forgive me if I am not exactly right here) that does not tolerate other religions, being a strictly Muslim community. Obviously, the Qu'ran in such a society will be interpreted as much in favor of anti-Christianity as possible and the verses who speak in favor of the religion will probably not be as "advertised".</p>
<p>What is learnt by most people in the U.S. is the opposite of that. This is the religion that I learnt and the religion that attracts me.</p>
<p>I also base my knowledge on the history of the religion, such as the Muslim occupation of Spain, etc, where the Muslims treated Jews and Christians much more tolerably than the Christians have ever treated the Muslims.</p>
<p>Sorry if I offended you by judging too early. However, do you agree that it is a slightly different perspective?</p>
<p>"You have grown up in a society (and forgive me if I am not exactly right here) that does not tolerate other religions, being a strictly Muslim community."</p>
<p>Ummm, the last 8 years of my life have been spent in non-muslim countries. </p>
<p>Well, this isn't really a debate about a specific religion per se as much as it is a debate about whether two groups of people can hold different religious beliefs and still work together. </p>
<p>The fact of the matter is that a Catholic or a Protestant believes that a non-Catholic or non-Protestant can't go to heaven. Believe it or not, I'm fine with that. And - as amazing as this may sound - they're okay with Muslims believing that they're not going to heaven too.</p>
<p>"The fact of the matter is that a Catholic or a Protestant believes that a non-Catholic or non-Protestant can't go to heaven. Believe it or not, I'm fine with that. And - as amazing as this may sound - they're okay with Muslims believing that they're not going to heaven too."</p>
<p>Right, and I would never care what the other religion said. However, being non-affiliated with any religion and trying to choose one, I hold it important to see how other religions treat each other. Seems like what I learnt/read/heard differs VERY much from what you have said. You probably know more, so I will not argue and will just simply read more.</p>
<p>Hey, this is why I'm doing Islamic studies in college, right?</p>
<p>Not to offend anyone, but I find it insulting that money is donated to preach Islam by someone who isnt a good Muslim and is a hypocrite. Instead of helping the poor people at Saudi Arabi, this dude lives in extravagance. How dare he donate money for Islamic education? Sorry, money is important, but I would prefer it coming from a good role model and not a hypocrite. Maybe the prince should help his Muslim people in his country as well as in Palestine. Or does he feel above these people?</p>
<p>Of all the awesome things he couldve done with the money to help Muslims, he gives it to the most prestigious university in the world so that the priveleged can learn more about Islam? Wow, forget Saudi, lets keep donating to Harvard! How hypocritical!</p>
<p>I have learned one thing from Saudi princes. They'd rather pay for their palaces decorated and nails polished (LOL) than aid their fellow Muslims in the streets or in Africa. And Saudi is the most holy Muslim country right? These people are poor representatives of that nation.</p>
<p>He is doing Allah's work by spreading knowledge about this beautiful religion to help eradicate the incorrect views that seem to be common in the US. In support of Karabas, I am from Indonesia, the nation with the msot Muslims, and I have learned the same things as he. If eyezonharvard has read Al Qur'an, it seems that he misinterpreted it gravely.</p>
<p>Not to defend him or anything, but giving money to a college in the US might end up getting more rich American ppl helping out the Middle East in the end.</p>
<p>and thanks, stevezilla :)</p>
<p>Well the fallacy in your arguments is that certain religions believe that people from others will go to hell. Thats is in correct, however. In general, christian denominations believe that even though someone has a different faith than them, they can still gain redemption when they are judged by God. Therefore, "converting" to the true faith, and entering heaven.</p>
<p>Islam, however, teaches that if an individual knows about Islam, and does not seek it out and converts, then that individual will burn in hell. They only hold people that didnt know of the existance of Islam as exempt from this rule. For example, I have knowledge of the religon of Islam, and even though I will live my life as a good person, when I die I will still burn in hell because I was supposively given the opportunity to convert and didnt do so. Other religions would have me die, be judged by God, accept his grace, and enter heaven.</p>
<p>Muslims believe that people who die with knowledge of Islam will go to hell regardless of their character. Albeit, true evil doers will suffer a greater "pain".</p>
<p>"US might end up getting more rich American ppl helping out the Middle East in the end."</p>
<p>Oh yea? So then more of them become influenced with "American Imperialism" and decide to blow themselves up?</p>
<p>DHA_3000, you are amusing :)</p>
<p>Steve, you are needed in Iraq.</p>
<p>Well, first off I am not even Muslim. I just don't believe in people misrepresenting the religion. And when I said "He is doing Allah's work by spreading knowledge about this beautiful religion to help eradicate the incorrect views that seem to be common in the US" that is his point of view. I am not justifying it. And also, talking about people blowing themselves up is hardly amusing.</p>
<p>I love how there are 100's of religions out there and each one claims to be the only true path to heaven. It seems to me that the most extreme believers of any religion are the ones who are causing most of the problems. Kind of funny, religion seems counter-productive by this measure.</p>
<p>"I mean, what the hell is the point of being a muslim if you can get into heaven without it??!@#"</p>
<p>islam isn't all about getting into heaven, religion doubles as a set of moral guidelines and values to do exactly what the word says, to "guide" people along a better path, which in this case leads to Allah.</p>
<p>and yah the saudi prince is a hypocrite</p>
<p>A story on the donation from today's Crimson can be found at this link:</p>
<p>It includes an interesting recounting of the $10 million donation that Rudy Giuliani rejected from the prince four years ago. Here's an excerpt:</p>
<p>Alwaleed, who is the nephew of the late King Fahd, became the center of controversy shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks, when he pledged $10 million to the Twin Towers Fund. The mayor of New York City at the time, Rudolph W. Giuliani, rejected the donation because of the politically-charged pro-Palestinian message that Alwaleed attached to his gift.</p>
<p>In that statement, Alwaleed called for the United States to re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stand toward the Palestinian cause, CNN reported.</p>
<p>While the U.N. passed clear resolutions numbered 242 and 338 calling for the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip decades ago, our Palestinian brethren continue to be slaughtered at the hands of Israelis while the world turns the other cheek, the prince said in his statement, according to CNN.</p>
<p>DHA, that was probably one of the stupidest and most insulting posts I've seen on this thread so far. Not cool.</p>
<p>Lets just stop, cuz we got waaaay off-topic.</p>
<p>The prince is sketchy. But $20 mil is good.</p>
<p>Another interesting story from the Crimson. This story says that the Islamic studies program will likely focus on South Asia, not the Middle East:</p>
<p>Here's an excerpt:</p>
<p>Professors and administrators said yesterday that the Islamic studies program newly endowed by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud will likely focus on South Asia, rather than the Middle East. </p>
<p>As more information emerges about the possible uses of the $20 million gift, some students and faculty have expressed concerns about the potential direction and tone of the studies paid for by the grant. </p>
<p>The money will fund four senior professorships in Islamic studies, graduate student research, the digitization of Islamic texts, and an Islamic studies program to coordinate related work across departments. </p>
<p>The new program will host workshops and conferences but will not grant degrees.</p>
<p>Whaaat? I doubt that's what the Prince wanted...</p>
<p>Well the prince is following what is in the Quran "to spread knowledge" which is a kind of Jihad, (Jihad belrai), and to spread Islam to the most remote regions. I guess thats why its not going to be used to give degrees</p>