[Assam] “WE WILL REMOVE THIS SITE IF PROVEN WRONG”: Series of logical articles from THE site posted here to prepare for the challenge, as some people in Assam even using loud speakers to spread their message without a challenge. Article 5:Cult or Religion?

[Bartta Bistar]

* *

*http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/cultorreligion.htm*

*Religion or Cult ?  *



Islam is known as the second largest religion. The very fact that
1.2billion people call themselves Muslims vests Islam with the mantel
of
legitimacy and confirms the claim that it is a religion. But is it?  In the
previous chapters we saw the similarity of Islam with other cults. In this
chapter we study this subject more in dept.

Can one billion people be wrong? Well, "*argumentum ad numerum*" is a
logical fallacy and yes millions and even billions of people can be wrong.
Truth cannot be established by the consensus of the majority. In fact many
arguments have been debunked, even though everyone in the world once
accepted them as true. For example, not until a few centuries ago everyone
believed that the Earth was flat and was at the centre of the universe.
Despite that common belief both geocentricity and the idea of the flat Earth
were false. A false belief does not become true even if everyone thinks they
are true.

Therefore, not only one billion people, but the entire mankind can be wrong.
As Bertrand Russell said: *"The fact that an opinion has been widely held is
no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the
silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to
be foolish than sensible."  * [
http://www.geocities.com/gabrudos/quotesrussell.htm']

After shattering the myth of *argumentum ad numerum*, let us put Islam under
scrutiny and see whether it is a religion or a cult. The word cult has been
much used and abused to the extent that people of one religion call other
religions that they don't like, cult. But cults have very definite
characteristics.

In his best-selling book Combating Cult Mind Control, Steven Hasson, a
former Moonie himself, describes the characteristics of cults and how they
control minds. Once we analyze his description of Moonie cult and compare it
with Islam we see a great deal of similarity, a similarity that is shared by
virtually all cults. Let us compare point by point Hasson's description of
cult with what we know of Islam:

*Steven Hasson's description of cult*

*Islam's characteristics *

The Moonies do a very thorough job of convincing people that former members
are satanic and that even being in their presence could be dangerous. [p.3]

Apostasy in Islam is the greatest sin. Apostates are to be shunned,
ostracized and even killed
4:89<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/004.qmt.html#004.089>,
9:66 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/009.qmt.html#009.066>,

Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the
right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed
except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits
illegal sexual intercourse *and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate)
and leaves the Muslims*." [Bukhari
9,83,17]<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/083.sbt.html#009.083.017>

Ali burnt some people [hypocrites] and this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, who
said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet
said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would
have killed them, for the Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his
religion, kill him.' "  [Bukhari
9,84,57<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/084.sbt.html#009.084.057>
]

 It is ironic that whereas Moon's stated goal is to unify the world, many of
his strategies foster jealousy and spite among leaders, virtually insuring a
lack of unity. [p.23]

Soon after the death of Muhammad, the fight over power started and tens of
thousands of Muslims were killed due to infighting among the leaders and
close relatives of Muhammad by fellow Muslims.

The more people opposed us, the more committed we felt. [p.24]

Often Muslims claim that after reading my articles their faith in Islam has
grown. This is not entirely bluff. Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "The mind of
a bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the
more it will contract". Although Muslims may not regard themselves as
observing Muslims, once Islam is criticized they feel their identity is
under attack and tenaciously try to hold unto it even though they can't
explain why.

   It was as if we were God's army in the middle of a spiritual war--the
only ones who could go to the front lines and fight Satan each day. [p.24]


   Muslims believe Islam is the only true religion and they are the only
people who do God's work.

 The Moonies wanted to keep me from pursuing some disturbing questions. I
had discovered some glaring inconsistencies. It was dangerous for someone in
my position in the organization to ask questions that couldn't be answered.
[p.25]

Muslims are not allowed to ask certain questions that go to the core of
Muhammad's claim. Questions such as how do we know that Muhammad was telling
the truth are taboo. In Islam you are allowed to ask question about modality
for example "please tell us about Islam" but you can't ask questions about
the validity of Islam. Muslims are very sensitive about this issue and
threat and violence may ensue.

Indeed, it was my ideals and my own fantasy of an ideal world that had lured
me into the Moonies. Those ideals ultimately enabled me to walk out and
publicy condemn cult mind control. [p.33]

 Many people who convert to Islam do so because they project their own
ideals on this religion but in reality they have very little understanding
of Islam, its tenets and its violent history. Most of these converts
ultimately leave Islam when they discover the truth.

 They indoctrinate members to show only the best sides of the organization.
Members are taught to suppress any negative feelings they have about the
group and always show a continually smiling, "happy" face. [p.41]

his is typical of Islam where image is everything. Muslims have a tradition
of dissimulation called Taqyyah. Deceiving others to portray Islam in the
best lights is something every Muslim, including the newcomers learns to do
from early on.

In some cults, *members are systematically made to be phobic about ever
leaving the group.* Today's cults know how to effectively implant vivid
negative images deep within members' unconscious minds, making it impossible
for the member to even conceive of ever being happy and successful outside
of the group. [p.45] In the same way, cult phobias take away people's
choices. Members truly believe they will be destroyed if they leave the
safety of the group. They think there are no other ways for them to
grow--spiritually, intellectually, or emotionally. They are virtually
enslaved by this mind control technique. [p.46]

Fear of leaving Islam is inseminated in the mind of the Muslim in various
ways. The most heavy-handed method is the fear of hellfire. This fear is so
engrained in the mind of the Muslim that virtually paralyzes his thinking
ability. Even the most brilliant Muslims become literally powerless
vis-à-vis the fear of the afterlife and facing a vengeful and tyrannical
god. Then there is the fear of ostracism, loss of social prestige and even
persecution and death. The Muslim is led to believe that life outside Islam
does not exist and he is constantly reminded of the tremendous losses hat he
would incur, both in this world and the next.

Steven Hasson describes some basic principles of Social Psychology and Group
Dynamics that are employed by cults. These could perfectly describe Islam
too.

   - The net result of these studies has been the consistent
   demonstration of the remarkable power of *behavior modification
   techniques, group conformity, *and *obedience to authority.* These
   three factors are known in psychological terms as the "influence process."
   [p.58]
   - In totalistic cults, the ideology is internalized as "the truth,"
   the only "map" or reality. The doctrine not only serves to filter incoming
   information but also regulates how the information can be thought about. . .
   The doctrine claims to answer all questions to all problems and situations.[
   p.61]
   - Another key aspect of thought control involves training members to
   block out any information which is critical of the group. [p.62]
   - If information transmitted to a cult member is perceived as an
   attack on either the leader, the doctrine, or the group, a hostile wall goes
   up. Members are trained to disbelieve any criticism. Critical words have
   been explained away in advance as "the lies about us that Satan puts in
   peoples' minds" . . . Paradoxically, criticism of the group confirms that
   the cult's view of the world is correct. The information presented does not
   register properly. [p.62]
   - Emotional control . . . terror of discovery and punishment by the
   leaders. [p.63
   [p.63]
   - Anyone who finds himself in a cult confession session should
   remember this warning: Anything you say can *and will* be used against
   you. This device can even extend to blackmail if you leave the cult. [
   p.63]
   - The most powerful technique for emotional control is phobia
   indoctrination . . . People are made to have a panic reaction at the thought
   of leaving, . . . [p.64]
   - When cult leaders tell the public "Members are free to leave any
   time they want; the door is open, they give the impression that members have
   free will and are simply choosing to stay. Actually, members may not have a
   real choice, because they have been indoctrinated to have a phobia of the
   outside world. Induced phobias eliminate the psychological possibility of a
   person choosing to leave the group merely because he is unhappy or wants to
   do something else. [p.65]
   - Information control also extends across all relationships. People
   are not allowed to talk to each other about anything critical of the leader,
   doctrine, or organization. Members must spy on each other and report
   improper activities or comments to leaders. [p.65]
   - Most importantly, people are told to avoid contact with ex-members
   or critics. Those who could provide the most information are the ones to be
   especially shunned. [p.65]
   - Cult members naturally feel they know more about what's going on in
   their group than outsiders do, but in counseling ex-members I find that they
   often know the least. [p.65]
   - Destructive organizations also control information by having many
   levels of "truth." Cult ideologies have "outsider" doctrines and "insider"
   doctrines. The outsider material is relatively bland stuff for the general
   public or fresh converts. The inner doctrines are unveiled only gradually as
   a person gets in deeper. [p.66]
   - *The Doctrine Is Reality* - There is no room in a mind control
   environment for regarding the group's beliefs as mere theory, or as a way to
   interpret reality or to seek reality. The doctrine *is* reality. [p.78
   ]
   - Since mind control depends on creating a new identity within the
   individual, cult doctrine always requires that a person distrust his own
   self. The doctrine becomes the "master program" for all thoughts, feelings,
   and actions. Since it is the TRUTH, perfect and absolute, any flaw in it is
   viewed as only a reflection of the believer's own imperfection. He is taught
   that he must follow the prescribed formula even if he doesn't really
   understand it. At the same time he is told that he should try to work harder
   and have more faith so he will come to *understand* the truth more
   clearly. [p.79]
   - The doctrine allows no outside group to be recognized as valid
   (good, godly, real) because that would threaten the cult's monopoly on
   truth. There is also no room for interpretation or deviation. If the
   doctrine doesn't provide an answer directly, then the member must ask a
   leader. If the leader doesn't have an answer, he can always brush off the
   question as unimportant or irrelevant. [p.79]  [To establish his
   monopoly Muhammad denounced all religions, including those whom he first
   described as the people of the book, by stating that they has corrupted
   their religion]
   - Some groups cultivate a psychic paranoia, telling members that
   spirit beings are constantly observing them, even taking possession of them
   whenever they feel or think in non-cult ways. [p.79] [This is
   particularly true in Islam. Muslims are led to believe that someone is
   writing down everything they do and thinks and if they allow doubt in their
   minds, on the day of resurrection they will be chastised.]
   - *Elitist Mentality* - Members are made to feel part of an elite
   corps of mankind. This feeling of being special, of participating in the
   most important acts in human history with a vanguard of committed believers,
   is strong emotional glue to keep people sacrificing and working hard.
   [p.80]
   - Ironically, members of cults look down on anyone involved in any
   other cult groups. They are very quick to acknowledge that "Those people are
   in a cult" or "*They* are the ones who are brainwashed." They are
   unable to step out of their own situations and look at themselves
   objectively. [p.80]
   - This feeling of elitism and destiny, however, carries a heavy burden
   of responsibility. Members are told that if they do not fully perform their
   duties they are failing all of mankind. [p.80]
   - *Group Will over Individual Will* - In all destructive cults the
   self must submit to the group. . . . In any group that qualifies as a
   destructive cult, think *of* oneself or *for* oneself is wrong. The
   group comes first. Absolute obedience to superiors is one of the most
   universal themes in cults. Individuality is bad. Conformity is good. [
   p.80]
   - *Happiness through Good Performance* - One of the most attractive
   qualities of cult life is the sense of community that it fosters. The love
   seems to be unconditional and unlimited at first, and new members are swept
   away by a honeymoon of praise and attention. But after a few months, as the
   person becomes more enmeshed, the flattery and attention are turned away
   toward newer recruits. The cult member learns that love is not unconditional
   but depends on good performance. [p.80]
   - Problems are always the fault of the member, and are due to
*his*weak faith,
   *his* lack of understanding, and so forth. He perpetually feels guilty
   for not meeting standards. . . . In every destructive cult I have
   encountered, fear is a major motivator. [p.82]
   - Many groups teach that *the apocalypse is just around the corner*.
   Some say they are preventing the apocalypse; others merely believe that they
   will survive it. . . . To a cult member, the future is a time when you will
   be rewarded because the great change has finally come. [p.83]  [Islam
   is a dooms Day cult. The Qiyamah or the Day of Judgment is the recurring
   theme of the Quran. The Muslim's entire objective in life is to appease
   Allah and his messenger and prepare himself for that Day.]
   - In a destructive cult, there is never a legitimate reason for
   leaving. . . . Members are thoroughly indoctrinated with the belief that if
   they ever do leave, terrible consequences will befall them, their family,
   and/or mankind. [p.84]
   - Although cult members will often say "Show me a way that is better
   than mine and I will quit," they are not allowed the time or mental tools to
   prove that statement to themselves. They are locked in a psychological
   prison. [p.84]
   - Leaders were not "in it for the money" but . . . were, in my
   opinion, addicted to personal power. Many destructive Bible cults have
   leaders who are not conspicuous consumers and who appear to hold God and the
   Bible above them in authority; yet, *interpretation* of the Bible and
   God's will is used to manipulate and control people. [p.99] [This is
   also true in the case of Muhammad who ostensibly lived modestly, despised
   silken cloths and prohibited silver utensils. This feign of piety was
   however nothing but a show. In reality Muhammad amassed thousands of slaves
   and the wealth of entire populations that he banished of massacred. But more
   importantly he has utmost control over his brainwashed followers who were
   ready even to kill their own fathers if he so desired. The cult leaders are
   not after money, although they often keep controlling the wealth of their
   followers and becoming exceedingly rich. But what motivates them most is
   power.]
   - Does the group's doctrine claim publicly to be one thing when it is
   in fact otherwise? [p.99]   [Islam does! Islam has one face for the
   outsiders and quite a different one for its members. The outsiders are led
   to believe that Islam is a religion of tolerance and peace. But what is
   never taught in the mosques are tolerance and peace. In the mosques Muslims
   learn how to hate the non-Muslims, how to distrust them and how be harsh
   with them.]
   - Deception includes outright lying, leaving out important
   information, or distorting information . . . Most recruiters from
   destructive cults will deny that they are trying to recruit anyone at all.
   [p.100]
   - One of the most obvious signs of a person in a mind control group is
   a lack of independent decision making abilities. Even though cult members
   try to convince outsiders that they are autonomous, once you probe beyond
   the surface it becomes obvious that they cannot make important decisions
   without first asking permission from superiors. [p.102-103]
   - The final criterion for judging a group is the members' *freedom to
   leave.* To put it simply, members of destructive cults are
   psychological prisoners. As I have explained, destructive cults plant
   phobias into members' minds so that they fear ever leaving the group.
   [p.104]
   - Rational discussions are simply not effective with someone who has
   been indoctrinated with mind control [p.140]
   - Every person in a cult has been programmed to stop all "negative"
   thoughts about the leader, the doctrine, or the organization, and has also
   been indoctrinated to believe that this group is superior to all other
   groups and different from all other groups. [p.165]
   - Mystical manipulation can take on a special quality . . . because
   the leaders become mediators for God. The God-centered principles can be
   imposed forcibly and claimed exclusively, so that the cult and its beliefs
   become the only true path to salvation. [p.202]



*The left column is a list of cult characteristics. The right column
contains the traits of Islam   *

A cult is a religious group with extreme beliefs and practices - beliefs
that are often contrary to science and logic but they are believed as
"obvious" truth by the cult members.

slam claims to be a religion with strong devotion to Muhammad and a set of
unsubstantiated doctrines presented by him. Monotheism is used as a pretext
to exert absolute control over the believer, leaving him no chance to
question or investigate alternative paths.

The members of cults often isolate themselves from friends, family and
society and use deceptive and unethical recruiting techniques

Muhammad forced his followers to leave their families
(8:72<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/008.qmt.html#008.072>)
and gathered them in Yathrib. He said: "*And those who believed but did not
leave their homes, ye have no duty to protect them till they leave their
homes"**. *He warned those who did not follow him, that they will be cursed
by Allah and "*their habitation will be
hell"*(4:97<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/004.qmt.html#004.097>
)*. *He went as far as to order his followers to murder those Muslims who
defected his barricade.(4:89<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/004.qmt.html#004.089>)
In Yathrib he banished and killed the Jews who did not believe in him, thus
eliminating the chance of his followers coming in contact with outsiders and
being influenced by contrary ideas. In this way he exerted absolute control
over the lives and the minds of his followers. Jim Jones did the same. He
called his town "Jonestown". Muhammad

Use manipulative methods to control the minds of followers

He used manipulative methods to control the minds of his followers. These
methods ranged from threat of hellfire, and promises of paradise, to
exhaustive rituals of prayers and fasts devised to numb the thought, and
threat of physical punishment including execution and constant warfare, that
kept his followers in permanent state of agitation.

Venerate a human leader or leaders

He established himself as the sole authority among his followers and the
only source of guidance to the extent that they looked up to him for every
detail of their lives, including how to dress, how to shave, how to pray and
even how to urinate and how to clean after bowl movement. Ostensibly the
worship was to God but effectively he was the only object of veneration of
his followers and the only authority. Nominally God was to be obeyed but he
was God's proxy, thus assuming the authority of God.

Recruiting work is performed by *all* of the members

All believers were asked to promote his cause through Jihad, propaganda or
by giving generously from their wealth.
4:95<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/004.qmt.html#004.095>,
9:20 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/009.qmt.html#009.020>,
49:15<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/049.qmt.html#049.015>,
61:11 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/061.qmt.html#061.011>

People are not allowed to criticize the leader, the doctrine, or the
organization, or read information that is critical of the cult.

The criticism of Muhammad and Islam was totally prohibited and if anyone
dared to question him or his decisions, Omar swiftly unshielded his sword
and threatened to slash the throat of the intrepid questioner forcing him to
apologize at once. The message was sent in a very clear tone that no one is
allowed to question Muhammad and his authority. 1400 years later, the
message remains the same. If you question Islam you will be killed.

Members are trained to reject and disbelieve criticism of the cult as lies
from Satan.

Muslims are told to dismiss any criticism of Islam as coming from Satan and
they often avoid reading critical views about their Faith. I have received
testimonies of apostates who confessed that at first when they came across
my writings they stopped reading and dismissed them as the work of Satan. I
myself never read any book critical of Islam and once frowned at a friend
who expressed her curiosity about Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses.

Members spy on one another and report improper activities or comments to
leaders.

Muslims are encouraged to spy on each other and report any sign of dissent.
*Amr bil Maroof wa Nahi anil Munkir *(Commanding to follow what is ordained
in the religion and preventing from doing what is prohibited) is a tenet of
Islam. Every Muslim is required to poke his nose in the private lives of
others, spy on them and tell them what is permissible and what is not. Every
Muslim is an enforcer of religion and the moral police for others.

Members are taught to suppress anything which might reflect negatively to
outsiders about the cult.

Muslims suppress anything that might present Islam in negative light.
Preserving the image of Islam is of utmost importance and Muslims lie with
clarity of conscience to misrepresent their religion and make it look good.
For example women in Islam are treated like animals and are considered as
deficient in intelligence. Every Muslim knows that, including women. But
they blame the men for it and not Islam. They lie through their teeth
bragging about the "elevated" status of women in Islam. Jihad means
offensive war to expand Islam. Every Muslim knows that. Yet they all lie and
say Jihad means "self defense". A couple of years ago I received a very
angry email from a Muslim who cursed me for revealing the fact that Muhammad
had slept with a 9-year old child and at the end he said "the damage is
already done" and I will be certainly punished for what I had done. Prior to
that few people knew about Islam and Muhammad. Note that the fact that
Muhammad slept with a child did not bother this Muslim; what bothered him
was revealing that fact. Muhammad would not go to hell for deflowering a
child and for being a pedophile but I will go to hell and will be severely
punished for talking about it publicly.

The doctrine is absolutist and the ideology is internalized as "the Truth."

Islam is extremely absolutist and Muslims believe that it is the only true
religion. This "truth" however is not self evident. It is "true" because
Muhammad said so.

Members are told to avoid contact with ex-members or critics, even their
relatives.

Muslims are told to shun the apostates and the critics of Islam. New
converts are often circled and are isolated from their non-Muslim family and
friends. They are showered with "love" and receive a lot of emotional
support until the brainwashing is complete.

Members are instilled with a deep fear about ever leaving the organization,
and anyone who does depart is of the devil and sometimes severely punished.

Muslims are instilled with the fear of leaving Islam. This fear comes in two
forms. One is the fear of hell and of eternal punishment and the other is
the fear of being caught and put to death by fellow Muslims, including their
best friends and family.

Members are emotional controlled and warned of being caught and punished.

Those who leave Islam must live in constant threat of being discovered and
killed. Muslims often write to me to talk about this fear and say they pity
me for having to look over my shoulders all the time and live in constant
fear of being assassinated. Their values are so distorted that they do not
pity themselves for being the assassins but pity me for having to live in
their fear.

Disciplinary action is administered by group leaders, which may involve
excommunication for such things as questioning organization policy or
doctrine.

In Islam disciplinary action includes beating, maiming, stoning, beheading
or jail. Excommunication is for minor offenses. The poet Ka'b and two others
were excommunicated for fifty days
<http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sira/25.htm>and during that time no
one spoke to them. Ka'b's wife was told to leave him and wherever he went
people ignored him as if he was invisible. All this, because he did not
accompany Muhammad in the war of Tabutk.

People are encouraged to sacrifice education, career and family interests to
server the interests of the cult.

Muslims are told to sacrifice their comfort, their wealth and their lives to
promote Islam. Young men are encouraged to leave their studies and work, to
wage Jihad and commit suicide bombing to make Islam dominant. Family and
even children are regarded as "tests" for the believers. To prove their
devotion to Allah, they must be able to forgo all these "worldly
attachments" and get ready to sacrifice their lives in the cause of Islam.

Advocate socializing only with other members in the organization and
avoiding outsiders.

Muslims are discouraged to take friends from amongst the unbelievers even if
these unbelievers are their kin.
(3:28<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/003.qmt.html#003.028>)
They are told the unbelievers are najis
(filthy)(9:28<http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/009.qmt.html#009.028>
) and that the believers should not associate with them.

The belief in *apocalypse and Dooms Day*.

The belief in the Day of Judgment and the Dooms Day is one of the pillars of
the Islamic Faith.

Based on the above, Islam is a cult. It is the biggest and the most
successful cult. It practically reunites every feature of cult. Other cults
may not be cultic in some of the above points. But Islam is cultic in every
way and it would be a mistake to number it among religions just because over
a billion people call themselves Muslims



*A Comparison: *

Let us choose another cult, and compare it to Islam. Let us see if there are
similarities between the two. For the purpose of this comparison I chose Aum
Shinrikyo (Supreme Truth), the cult of the Japanese blind Messiah whose
followers were involved in killing innocent people as a religious ritual.

*AUM  SUPREME TRUTH*

Shoko Asahara, Japanese man founded a cult called the Aum Supreme truth
"This apocalyptic sect and its charismatic, blind leader are suspected of
releasing Sarin gas in five Tokyo subway stations the morning of March 20,
1995, killing 12 people (one dying a year after the attack) and sickening
more than 5,500 others. The religious cult is also suspected of a similar
gas attack in June, 1994 in Matsumoto, a town north of Tokyo , that killed
seven people and wounded 144. Furthermore they are suspected of a series of
slayings and kidnappings of anti-cult activists and of preparing to
overthrow the Japanese government -- all in the name of "good karma."

I*SLAM (SUBMISSION)*

1400 years ago, Muhammad an illiterate charismatic Arab, founded a
monotheistic cult called Islam. To promote his religion he prescribed holy
wars (jihad). He taught that next to prayers and fasting, waging war against
the disbelievers is the most praiseworthy and meritorious act. He was a
single-minded man who stopped at nothing to achieve his goal. He raided
villages and looted merchant caravans and killed anyone who stood in his way
with no mercy. He won his wars mostly through deceit and by taking his
victims by surprise. This prophet of dooms laid siege on Jewish quarters and
cut the water to them until they surrendered, and then he either massacred
the males including the boys who had reached puberty, taking their women and
children as slaves or banished them after taking all their belongings. He
ordered the boys be inspected and if they had grown pubic hair he joined
them with men and slew them. Muhammad assassinated his opponents and
critics. During the last ten years of his life, he waged over 76 wars and
slew tens of thousands of people.

*AUM SUPREME TRUTH*

Asahara justified indiscriminate mass murder through the religious belief of
"poa" -- a Tibetan Buddhist term for reincarnation to a higher existence.
According to Shoko's twisted doomsday teachings, one can only save their
soul through killing. Through the years Asahara developed a mumbo-jumbo
collaged religious doctrine that resembled some sort of New
Age-Hippie-Bhuddist-Mysticism. He even went on a pilgrimage to see
Nostradamus expert Michel Chomarat at Lyon 's municipal library to gain new
insights into divination.  "

 *ISLAM*

Muhammad justified indiscriminate mass murder through the religious belief
of monotheism; a Middle Eastern dogma that claims this universe has a
creator called Allah whose purpose of creation is to be known and be
worshiped. But this can't be done except through his intermediaries of which
Muhammad was the best and the last. According to Muhammad's twisted doomsday
teachings, one can only serve Allah by forcing others into submission to his
cult, even if that means killing those who differ. Through the years of
withdrawal, and spending days at a time in a secluded cave, Muhammad
developed a mumbo-jumbo collaged of religious doctrine that was a concoction
of Judaism and Christianity and a hefty dose of rituals borrowed from
Arabian paganism. He got some rudimentary insights in other monotheistic
religions of the Middle East from Warraqa, the cousin of his first wife who
was a Christian monk and some of his own followers who were Christian
slaves.

*AUM SUPREME TRUTH*

To the New Age cocktail brewing in his head, Asahara added the incentive of
world domination through violence that he taught to his followers. According
to Shoko, a "poa" killing relieved victims from everyday life and the
inevitable accumulation of bad karma. Thus what we call cold-blooded murder
was regarded "as a beautiful 'poa,' and wise people would see that both the
killer and the person killed would benefit"

*ISLAM*

To the monotheistic farce brewing in his head, Muhammad added the incentive
of world domination through violence that he taught to his followers.
According to Muhammad, killing the disbelievers in the name of Allah was the
source of His pleasure. Thus terrorism was regarded as 'Jihad' or holy war.
To cajole his followers to participate in these wars he promised them an
orgiastic paradise filled with voluptuous celestial whores and "pearly
boys", whether they kill or are killed in the battle.

Now let us suppose that there is a true religion. How we would distinguish
it from the false cults? Obviously we cannot accept any charlatan and
impostor who lays claim to be the messenger of God. How are we supposed to
differentiate between the false prophets and the true ones? Why we should
accept Islam and reject all other cults?

Muslim's major proof for the truth of Islam is that over one billion people
are Muslims. They argue that "not all these people can be wrong". They
believe in Islam because, as they say, it is the second biggest religion and
it is the fastest growing one.

This is untrue because there are more Muslims who are leaving Islam. Today
Over half of Iranians outside Iran do not call themselves Muslims and over
40% of them who still claim to be Muslims do not practice any Islamic
rituals, like praying and fasting. We cannot have these statistics from
inside of Iran but it is likely that once the present repressive regime of
Iran is removed, most of the Iranians will denounce Islam and perhaps
Muslims will become the minority in Iran .

Even if we accept revelation as the ultimate source of knowledge and
religions as indispensable and the best guidance for human beings, we have
to find which religion is true and which one is a cult. What are the
parameters that we should use to separate one from the other?

In the final analysis, it is our own logic that should guide us in this
uncharted territory. We have to use reason to test the truth. Having faith
is not enough. We must put our faith to test of reason.  The cult leaders,
who fear that their false claims would not stand the test of reason, warn
their followers not to question God for this is the greatest sin. They say
it is not up to humans to test God but it is God who should test his
servants. They would rather demand immediate and steadfast devotion without
offering any proof. They assert that the blind faith is the sign of the
purity of heart and assure that God loves those who believe without
questioning and those who believe at once without questioning will be
rewarded. Rewarded for what? Rewarded for gullibility... for credulity?

There are countless number of people who fall prey to the to mentally sick
narcissist self-acclaimed messiahs that pup up in ever increasing numbers,
every day. They number in thousands. We have to ask ourselves, would a wise
and loving god give us a brain and the faculty to reason and then expect us
to forgo its use when it comes to the most important decision in our lives,
which is finding the right religion, which allegedly is the very purpose of
our existence in this world that would determine whether we would have an
eternal life in the paradise or would burn forever in the hellfire?

Islam is not the fastest growing religion. Falun Gong is. This Chinese
religion, in just a few years has attracted more that 100 million followers.
Islam's growth is the result of another social problem and that is the
population explosion in the poor countries. Muslims, because of their
religious fanaticism have been alienated from science. To them the real
knowledge is revealed in the Quran and that is all they need to know. Early
Muslims burned books and considered all sciences to be demonic. In fact,
except for a short period, this mentality dominated the minds of the Muslims
everywhere. Even Khomeini was of the opinion that the Quran is the only book
that must be taught in the universities.

Therefore, unless they could find oil underground, Islamic countries
remained mostly poor. The population in poor countries grow more rapidly and
hence the number of Muslims. The number of westerners converting to Islam
compared to the number of born Muslims diverting from it is negligible.
Islam mostly appeals to the blacks in USA who are basically reacting against
the white dominated Christianity and are in the search for their own
identity and to the prison inmates who find Islam more in conformity with
their proclivity.
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