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And so they say!
With such a wide array of Religions all claiming a grand status in today's world. We feel we have to write something about just how many gods there have been considered to be actual real gods in every sense of the word, throughout History! We know most of what we write will seem offensive to many, in our opinion, if easily offended about learning World History then we really do not know how to write about it without offending anyone! Facts are facts.
In the beginning there was Man.
And he said onto other Men/Women/Children he knew a guy who is considered to be a god of the Universe and is responsible for Everything you see/hear/feel/touch/dream/ and will grant you access to a totally wonderful magic place if you just have faith.
But if you do not have faith then you will go onto a far more hot & Dangerous place where there you will be tortured for all eternity in the most horrible place you could ever imagine. And so this has been told by several non-witnesses and it is done.
We pray for all those who are dammed but they chose not to believe in the guy who was considered to be a god of the Universe and everything you see/hear/feel/touch/dream. "Oh say the crowd" "I want some of that! I will kneel down before you and offer to be your slave for life until i can go onto a totally wonderful magical made up place." Written by Evolution's Prime
And he said onto other Men/Women/Children he knew a guy who is considered to be a god of the Universe and is responsible for Everything you see/hear/feel/touch/dream/ and will grant you access to a totally wonderful magic place if you just have faith.
But if you do not have faith then you will go onto a far more hot & Dangerous place where there you will be tortured for all eternity in the most horrible place you could ever imagine. And so this has been told by several non-witnesses and it is done.
We pray for all those who are dammed but they chose not to believe in the guy who was considered to be a god of the Universe and everything you see/hear/feel/touch/dream. "Oh say the crowd" "I want some of that! I will kneel down before you and offer to be your slave for life until i can go onto a totally wonderful magical made up place." Written by Evolution's Prime
Early Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia We can only speculate about early religion. When the ancient cave painters drew animals on the walls of their caves, this may have been part of a belief in the magic of animism. http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/neareast/ss/052909Mesopotamia.htm
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Sargon the Great ruled Sumer c. 2334-2279 B.C. (accession dates from 2334-2200, according to Zettler). Legend says he ruled the whole world, but Sargon and sons conquered cities only from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf. While the world is a stretch, they can fairly be called rulers of the whole of Mesopotamia.Public Domain. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AkkadianHead.jpg] Courtesy of Wikipedia
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Below is a list of some of the gods/goddesses & there are many more. Believing in one god & not believing in any of these gods below would make you an atheist whether you want to be labeled that or not! Aztec Huitzilopochtli Huitzilopochtli was the Aztec god of the obsidian knife who sprang forth from his mother's belly to kill his siblings. Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec creator god and god of the wind who was depicted as a bearded old man. Tezcatlipoca Tezcatlipoca - The Mirror That Smokes Anxiety and trouble follow in his wake. He is also known as Titlacahuan, "He Whose Slaves We Are." He was the warrior god of the north and the god of sin and misery with an obsidian knife. In Toltec mythology he was the adversary of his brother Quetzalcoatl. Camaxtli Also known as Mixcoatl-Camaxtli One of the four creator gods, Camaxtli is a god of war and hunting. Chalchiuhtlicue Jade Skirt Goddess of lakes and streams and personification of youthful beauty. She caused the great flood. Chalchiuhtlicue is married to the god of rain, Tlaloc. Tlaloc Tlaloc - He who makes things grow Known to the Olmec as "Epcoatl", meaning Seashell Serpent; to the Maya as Chac; to the Totonacs as Tajin; to the Mixtecs as Tzahui; to the Zapotecs as Cocijo. A water god and probably among the oldest gods. Benevolent, he would release floods and lightning when angered. Xipe Totec Xipe Totec - Our Lord of the Flayed One God of suffering and diseases and goldsmiths. His worship required the flaying of a slave and the wearing of his skin. Xochiquetzal Flower Quetzal-or Plumage Patroness of erotic love, maize, vegetation, artistry, and prostitutes. She is said to have been taken to the Underworld by Xolotl and to have eaten forbidden fruit. Xochipilli Flower Prince (also known as Macuilxochitl, five flowers) The twin of Xochiquetzal, Xochipilli is a god of flowers, maize, love, games, song, and dance. The Mesopotamia boundaries were from the Gulf of IRAQ, to the Mediterranean Sea, to the Aegean Sea, the Red Sea. English corruption of Latin word "Mesa" = flatlands with steep edges, People in modern times find it easier to target one country at a time. But IRAQ and SYRIA were both Mesopotamian, and at one point or another part of Babylonian Cultural Empire & History. Babylonian Anshar The Babylonian god Anshar is the son of Tiamat and Apsu, brother and husband of Kishar. The son of Anshar and Kishar. He is the chief god of the Great Triad, with Ea and Enlil. In Sumerian mythology, he was the god of sky, husband of Nintu (Ki), and the father and ruler of all gods. One of four Sumerian creating gods. Apsu The Babylonian god Apsu is Tiamat's husband, the ruler of gods and underworld oceans. Father of Lahmu, Lahamu, Anshar and Kishar. Ea killed him. Damkina Damkina is the Babylonian earth mother goddess, the wife of Ea and mother of Marduk. Ea The Babylonian god Ea is the son of Anu and husband of Damkina, father of Marduk, god of wisdom, arts and crafts. Ea is the ruler of all gods after Apsu. In the Great Triad, Ea is the third with Anu and Enlil. In the Sumerian pantheon, Ea is the son of Nintu. Enlil Enlil is the Babylonian god of the air between earth and sky. In Sumerian mythology he was the son of An and Nintu, the god of air and agriculture, and eventually co-ruler of the gods along with Anu. One of four Sumerian creating gods. Ishtar (Inanna) Inanna is a great goddess, the goddess of love and war. She descended to the Underworld to try to regain her lover. Kingu (Qingu) Kingu is a dragon commander of Tiamat's forces against Marduk. Kingu is the counterpart of the sky god Anu on the side of darkness. He may have been Tiamat's second husband. Ea fashioned humans from his blood when Kingu was ordered to be sacrificed. Kishar The Babylonian goddess Kishar is the daughter of Tiamat and Apsu, sister and wife of Anshar. Marduk Mummu (Mommu) The Babylonian god Mummu is the son of Tiamat and Anu or their chamberlain/intermediary. He is the god of mist and a craftsman god. Nintu (Ki) A great Sumerian goddess, wife of Anu and mother of all gods, she created humans from clay. One of four Sumerian creating gods. Nintu is a goddess of childbirth (Lady of Birth). Shamash Son of Sin, god of the sun who protects the poor and travelers. Sin Moon god and the father of Shamash; counterpart of the Sumerian Nanna. Tiamat Tiamat is the Babylonian Great Goddess, counterpart of Sumerian Nintu. Primeval chaos. Destroyed by her children to create the world. Canaanite Anat Athirat Athtart Baal El Mot Shapsu Yam Yarikh Celtic Alator The Celtic god Alator was associated with Mars, the Roman war god. His name is said to mean "he who nourishes the people". Albiorix The Celtic god Albiorix was associated with Mars as Mars Albiorix. Albiorix is the "king of the world." Belenus Belenus is a Celtic god of healing worshiped from Italy to Britain. The worship of Belenus was linked with the healing aspect of Apollo. The etymology of Beltaine may be connected with Belenus. Belenus is also written: Bel, Belenos, Belinos, Belinu, Bellinus, and Belus. Borvo Borvo (Bormanus, Bormo) was a Gallic god of healing springs whom the Romans associated with Apollo. He is depicted with helmet and shield. Bres Bres was a Celtic fertility god, the son of the Fomorian prince Elatha and the goddess Eriu. Bres married the goddess Brigid. Bres was a tyrannical ruler, which proved his undoing. In exchange for his life, Bres taught agriculture and made Ireland fertile. Brigantia British goddess connected with river and water cults, equated with Minerva, by the Romans and possibly linked with the goddess Brigit. Brigit Brigit is the Celtic goddess of fire, healing, fertility, poetry, cattle, and patroness of smiths. Brigit is also known as Brighid or Brigantia and in Christianity is known as St. Brigit or Brigid. She is compared with the Roman goddesses Minerva and Vesta. Ceridwen Ceridwen is a Celtic shape-shifting goddess of poetic inspiration. She keeps a cauldron of wisdom. She is the mother of Taliesin. Cernunnos Cernunnos is a horned god associated with fertility, nature, fruit, grain, the underworld, and wealth, and especially associated with horned animals like the bull, stag, and a ram-headed serpent. Cernunnos is born at the winter solstice and dies at the summer solstice. Julius Caesar associated Cernunnos with the Roman Underworld god Dis Pater. Source: "Cernunnos" A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. James McKillop. Oxford University Press, 1998. Epona Epona is a Celtic horse goddess associated with fertility, a cornucopia, horses, asses, mules, and oxen who accompanied the soul on its final journey. Uniquely for the Celtic goddesses, the Romans adopted her and erected a temple to her in Rome. Chinese Bixia Yuanjin Bixia Yuanjin is a Chinese Taoist goddess of childbirth, the dawn, and destiny. Guanyin The Bodhisattva Guanyin is a Chinese comforting and mother goddess, although sometimes she is a he. Heng-O The Chinese moon goddess, Heng-O was the mother of the 12 moons and 10 suns. Mu Gong Yang counterpart of Yin goddess Si-wang-mu, creator god Mu Gong was the Lord of the East. Nügua Nügua is a Chinese creator goddess who made man from area mud. Pangu Pangu was the Chinese creator god who emerged from the cosmic egg. Shangdi Shangdi was the supreme deity during the Shang dynasty and creator god before Pangu. Si-wang-mu Si-wang-mu, who lived eternally in the Jade Mountains, was a Chinese mother goddess or Mother Queen of the West. Tianhou Also known as Mazu Tianhou is a Buddhist and Taoist goddess of sailors. She is a patron of the sea and those in distress. Yen-lo-wang Yen-lo-wang is the ruler of the 5th Court of the Chinese Hell, Feng-Du. Yu-huang Yu-huang is the the Jade Emperor who created the universe and is ruler of heaven and earth. Egyptian Anubis was a funerary god. His task came to be holding the scales on which the heart was weighed. If the heart was lighter than a feather, the dead would be led by Anubis to Osiris. If heavier, the soul would be destroyed. Bast is usually show with a feline head or ears on a woman's body or as a (usually, non-domestic) cat. The cat was her sacred animal. She was a daughter of Ra and was a protective goddess. Tour Egypt says another name for Bast is Ailuros and says she was originally a sun goddess who came to be associated with the moon after contact with the Greek goddess Artemis. Bes or Bisu Bes may have been an imported Egyptian god, possibly of Nubian origin. Bes is depicted as a dwarf sticking out his tongue, in full frontal view instead of the profile view of most of the other Egyptian gods. Bes was a protector god who helped in childbirth and promoted fertility. He was a guardian against snakes and misfortune. Geb or Keb Geb, god of the earth, was an Egyptian fertility god who laid the egg from which the sun was hatched. He was known as the Great Cackler because of his association with geese. The goose was Geb's sacred animal. He was worshiped in Lower Egypt, where he was depicted as bearded with a goose on his head or a white crown. His laughter was thought to cause earthquakes. Geb married his sister Nut, the sky goddess. Set(h) and Nephthys were children of Geb and Nut. Geb is often shown witnessing the weighing of the heart during the judgment of the dead in the afterlife. Tour Egypt says Geb was associated with the Greek god Kronos. Hathor was an Egyptian cow-goddess and personification of the Milky Way. She was the wife or daughter of Ra and mother of Horus in some traditions. Horus was normally considered the son of Osiris and Isis. He was the pharaoh's protector and also patron of young men. Tour Egypt lists these other names for him: Heru Hor Harendotes/Har-nedj-itef (Horus the Avenger) Har-Pa-Neb-Taui (Horus Lord of the Two Lands) Horus' different names are associated with specific aspects of Horus so that Horus Behudety is associated with the noon sun. Horus was the falcon god, although the sun god Re, with whom Horus is sometimes associated, also appeared in falcon form. Neith (Nit (Net, Neit) is a predynastic Egyptian goddess who is compared with the Greek goddess Athena. She is mentioned in Plato's Timaeus as coming from the Egyptian district of Sais. Neith is depicted as a weaver, like Athena, and also like Athena as a weapon-bearing war goddess. She is also shown wearing a red crown for Lower Egypt. Neith is another mortuary god connected with the woven bandages of the mummy. Isis was the great Egyptian goddess, wife of Osiris, mother of Horus, sister of Osiris, Set, and Nephthys, and daughter of Geb and Nut, who was worshiped all over Egypt and elsewhere. She searched for her husband's body, retrieved and reassembled Osiris, taking on the role of goddess of the dead. She then impregnated herself from Osiris' body and gave birth to Horus whom she raised in secrecy to keep him safe from Osiris' killer, Seth. She was associated with life, the winds, the heavens, beer, abundance, magic, and more. Isis is shown as a beautiful woman wearing a sun disk. Nephthys (Nebet-het, Nebt-het) is the head of the household of the gods, and was the daughter of Seb and Nut, sister of Osiris, Isis, and Set, wife of Set, mother of Anubis, either by Osiris or Set. Nephthys is sometimes depicted as a falcon or as a woman with falcon wings. Nephthys was a death goddess as well as being a goddess of women and the house and a companion of Isis. Nut (Nuit, Newet, and Neuth) is the Egyptian sky goddess depicted supporting the sky with her back, her body blue and covered with stars. Nut is the daughter of Shu and Tefnut, the wife of Geb, and mother of Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nepthys. Greek Aphrodite Hermes Hephaestus Artemis Apollo Demeter Hades Dionysus Athena Ares Hera Poseidon Hestia Zeus Hephaestus Hermes Aphrodite Hera Ares Hindu Brahma Ganesha Gauri Hanuman Kartikeya Krishna Lakshmi Parvati Rama Sarasvati Shiva Surya Vishnu Japan Amateras Amateras (Amaterasu) was born from the left eye of the primeval being Izanagi. She is the greatest of the Japanese gods, the sun goddess, ruler of the Plain of Heaven. Hoderi Hoderi, the son of Ninigi (first ruler of the Japanese islands) and Ko-no-Hana (daughter of the mountain god Oho-Yama and the brother of Hoori, is the divine ancestor of the immigrants coming from the south over the sea to Japan. Hotei Hotei is one of the 7 Japanese Shinto gods of luck (Shichi Fukujin), depicted with a great belly. He is the god of happiness, laughter, and the wisdom of contentment. Hoori Son of Ninigi and Ko-no-Hana, and brother of Hoderi, Hoori is the divine ancestor of the emperor. Izanami and Izanagi In Japanese Shinto mythology, Izanami is a primordial goddess and personification of the Earth and darkness. Izanagi and Izanami were the first parents. They created the world and produced Amaterasu (sun goddess), Tsukiyomi no Mikoto (moon god), Susanowo (sea god), and Kaga-Tsuchi (fire god), as their offspring. Izanagi went to the Underworld to find his wife who had been killed giving birth to Amaterasu. Unfortunately, Izanami had already eaten and so could not return to the land of the living, but became queen of the Underworld. ["Izanagi and Izanami" Kagutsuchi Japanese god of fire who burned his mother, Izanami, to death when she gave birth. Kagutsuchi's father is Izanagi. Okuninushi A son of Susanowo, he was a spirit type called a kami. He ruled Izumo until the coming of Ninigi. Susanoh Also spelled Susanowo, he ruled the oceans and was god of rain, thunder, and lightning. He was banished from heaven for bad behavior while drunk. He became an underworld god Susanoh is a brother of Amaterasu. Tsukiyomi no Mikoto The Shinto moon god and another brother of Amaterasu, who was born from the right eye of Izanagi. Ukemochi (Ogetsu-no-hime) Food goddess killed by Tsukiyomi. Uzume Also Ama no Uzume, she is the Shinto goddess of joy and happiness, and good health. Uzume brought Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu back from her cave. Maya Ah Puch Ah Puch is the god of death. His depiction is skeletal, with corpses and skulls. He may be shown with black spots. He is also known as Yum Kimil and the A god. Ah Puch's day is Cimi. Chac is a benevolent fertility god. He is god of agriculture, rain and lightning. He may be represented as an old man with reptilian features. He is connected with the Aztec god Tlaloc. Chac may be god B. God B is associated with life and never death. The day associated with god B may be Ik. Kinich Ahau Kinich Ahau is a Maya sun god. He sounds like God D, whose day is Ahau, which is equivalent of "king". God D is shown as a toothless old man, or with one tooth in his lower jaw. He never appears with symbols of death. Other suggestions for god D are Kukulcan and Itzamna. Kukulcan The Aztec knew Kukulcan as Quetzalcoatl ("feathered snake"). A serpent and hero-god, he taught the Maya about civilization and was associated with rain. He was also associated with the four elements, the colors yellow, red, black, and white, and good and evil. Worship of Quetzalcoatl included human sacrifices. Kukulcan is probably god B, although Chac is another possibility. The day associated with god B may be Ik. God B has a black body, large nose and tongue hanging out to the side. God B is associated with life and never death. Ix Chel Ix Chel is a rainbow, earth, and moon goddess of the Maya. Ix is a feminine prefix. Ixtab Ixtab is the Maya goddess of the hanged and suicide. She is depicted with a rope around her neck. Norse The Norse gods are divided into two major groups, the Aesir and Vanir, in addition to the giants who came first. Some believe the Vanir gods represent an older pantheon of the indigenous people whom the invading Indo-Europeans encountered. In the end, the Aesir, the newcomers, overcame and assimilated the Vanir. Andvari In Norse mythology, Andvari (Alberich) guards treasures, including Tarnkappe, a cape of invisibility, and gives Loki the magic ring of the Aesir, which is called Draupnir. Balder is an Aesir god and a son of Odin and Frigg. Balder was the husband of Nanna, father of Forseti. He was killed with mistletoe thrown by his blind brother Hod. According to Saxo Grammaticus, Hod (Hother) did it on his own; others blame Loki. Forseti Forseti is the Norse god of justice. He is the son of Balder and Nanna. Freya is a Vanir goddess of sex, fertility, war, and wealth, daughter of Njord. She was taken in by the Aesir, perhaps as hostage. Freyr is a Norse god of weather and fertility; brother of Freya. The dwarves build Freyr a ship, Skidbladnir, that can hold all the gods or fit in his pocket. Freyr goes as a hostage to the Aesir, along with Njord and Freya. He courts the giantess Gerd through his servant Skirnir. Frigg Frigg is a Norse goddess of love and fertility. In some accounts she is Odin's wife, making her foremost among the Aesir goddesses. She is the mother of Balder. Friday is named for her. Hod Hod is a son of Odin. Hod is the blind god of winter who kills his brother Balder and is in turn killed by his brother Vali. Loki is a giant in Norse mythology. He is also a trickster, the god of thieves, possibly responsible for Balder's death. Adopted brother of Odin, Loki is bound to a rock until Ragnarok. Mimir Mimir is the wise one and Odin's uncle. He guards the well of wisdom under Yggdrasil. Once he is decapitated, Odin gets wisdom from the severed head. Nanna In Norse mythology, Nanna is the daughter of Nef and Balder's wife. Nanna dies of grief at the death of Balder and is burnt with him on his funeral pyre. Nanna is the mother of Forseti. Njord Njord is a Vanir god of wind and sea. He is the father of Freya and Frey. Njord's wife is the giantess Skadi who selects him on the basis of his feet, which she thought belonged to Balder. Norns The Norns are the fates in Norse mythology. The Norns may once have guarded the fountain at the base of Yggdrasil. Odin is the head of the Aesir gods. Odin is the Norse god of war, poetry, wisdom, and death. He gathers his portion of the slain warriors in Valhalla. Odin has a spear, Grungir, that never misses. He makes sacrifices, including his eye, for the sake of knowledge. Thor is the Norse thunder god, the main enemy of the giants, and the son of Odin. The common man calls upon Thor in preference to his father, Odin. Tyr is the Norse god of war. He put his hand in the mouth of the Fenris wolf. Thereafter, Tyr is left-handed. Can you please explain why a certain god is more worthy of belief than any mentioned above? |
Bust of ZeusBust of Zeus, Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican).
Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. It was a part of the religion in ancient Greece and is part of religion in modern Greece and around the world, known as Hellenismos. Modern scholars refer to and study the myths in an attempt to throw light on the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization, and to gain understanding of the nature of myth-making itself. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1 Sources
1.1 Literary sources
1.2 Archaeological sources
2 Survey of mythic history
2.1 Era of mythology gods
2.1.1 Cosmogony and cosmology
2.1.2 Greek pantheon
2.2 Age of gods and mortals
2.3 Heroic age
2.3.1 Heracles and the Heracleidae
2.3.2 Argonauts
2.3.3 House of Atreus and Theban Cycle
2.3.4 Trojan War and aftermath
3 Greek and Roman conceptions of myth
3.1 Philosophy and myth
3.2 Hellenistic and Roman rationalism
3.3 Syncretizing trends
4 Modern interpretations
4.1 Comparative and psychoanalytic approaches
4.2 Origin theories
5 Motifs in Western art and literature
6 References
6.1 Primary sources (Greek and Roman)
6.2 Secondary sources
7 Further reading
8 External links
1 Immortals
1.1 Primordial deities
1.2 Titans
1.3 Gigantes (giants)
1.4 Personified concepts
1.5 Chthonic deities
1.6 Sea deities
1.7 Sky deities
1.8 Rustic deities
1.9 Agricultural deities
1.10 Deified mortals
1.11 Health deities
1.12 Other deities
2 Mortals
2.1 Heroes
2.2 Notable women
2.3 Kings
2.4 Seers
2.5 Amazons
2.6 Inmates of Tartarus
2.7 Minor figures
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reason before Faith please. Is still baffled as to why small businesses with a tangible service can’t get support from governments. Yet religious institutions offer 1:Faith 2: Belief & 3: Everlasting life after death, whilst being openly Racist, Bigoted and Prejudiced against certain groups of the public. And of course still get taken seriously & receive all the benefits they apply for.Yes its astounding when its written in black & white. But hey, Evolution’s Prime guesses faith, belief, & everlasting life after death are more important than having no faith in imaginary beings in the sky, a belief that no one can question because the imaginary being in the sky told them so & of course an everlasting life after death is way more important than a lifetime of employment or unemployment in the long scheme of things.
Starting up a small business is hard enough when you have a tangible service, but its really easy if you believe in sky daddies, belief in sky daddies is more important than the real world around you & living forever as a dead person partying with the ghosts of myths from the past, then having all these combined, hey you can get anything from the governments, like free buildings, tax breaks & we could go on but we really think it should stop at the application process. And should really have went something like this, ” You believe all that and you are still free to walk around in public??? ok give me one moment please will be right back,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Security” While its still possible to be a great start up business, finding it hard to get real and actual support for your business, well if you believe in strange things then you will qualify for government grants, have at it. Evolution,s Prime will do things the hard way, we will have to say we created the big bang and everyone owes us their existence, donate to paypal to be redeemed. All donations accepted & signed by The CREATOR’s creator’s messenger boy’s cousin sandy of the Andromeda galaxy, just of the Milkyway galaxy highway, the 72nd Universe. just above the clouds from your house. We do take things seriously at Evolution’s Prime sometimes its just funny to write things the way they are. Evolution’s Prime Below is some passages from the Religion of Peace Islam!Quran (4:34) orders a man to beat his wife if she doesn't obey him?
Quran 4:34: Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in their sleeping places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great. Peace before Islam!Now look carefully, do you see anything that could be related to a peaceful Religion in this picture? Are other non- violent Muslims failing their own religion by not speaking out against this hatred of anyone that thinks their stories are worth special praise & status? Nor do we, as with all gods. Islams claims are just as ridiculous & nonsensical! Striking fear into its followers seems to be the main reason Islams holds sway over its many many slaves!
The Myth:
Lesser educated Muslims sometimes claim that the root word of Islam is “al-Salaam,” which is “peace” in Arabic. The Truth: An Arabic word only has one root. The root word for Islam is “al-Silm,” which means “submission” or “surrender.” There is no disagreement about this among Islamic scholars. al-Silm (submission) does not mean the same thing as al-Salaam (peace), otherwise they would be the same word. Submission and peace can be very different concepts, even if a form of peace is often brought about through forcing others into submission. As the modern-day Islamic scholar, Ibrahim Sulaiman, puts it, "Jihad is not inhumane, despite its necessary violence and bloodshed, its ultimate desire is peace which is protected and enhanced by the rule of law." In truth, the Quran not only calls Muslims to submit to Allah, it also commands them to subdue people of other religions until they are in a full state of submission to Islamic rule. This has inspired the aggressive history of Islam and its success in conquering other cultures. |