Ms. Brittany Bradford

Plainsman Press

Opinion Editor

 

I read your October first column "Many misconceive what I truly believe". I know that the column is in the opinion section of the paper but you backed your opinions with opinions that were untrue.  Obviously you like 99.9 per cent of people that write about religion picked and chose what to put in your article.  In the article you claimed that "Allah is portrayed as a harsh and strict god."  That is completely false.  The first line in the Koran or Quran under the "Opening" states "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful."   Also you pointed out all of Muhammad's military conquests, but you did not mention his diplomatic alliances with non-Muslim people.  You also fail to mention that the Koran states to let the people of the book (Jews, Christians, Sabians, and Muslims) to worship as they wish and that no harm should come to them. "2.62":    Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.   You also say that Muslims kill the unbelievers, but what about all those in Christian history, that were unbelievers and killed.  In example: the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, the Crusades, and countless other times in Christian history.  I am a Christian but I believe that to have complete religious tolerance you must learn completely what other religions believe not base their beliefs on a couple of lines.  Imagine if someone judged Christianity on a few lines or stories from the bible. In example when in "genesis" 22:9 " When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. " Only reading this one would not believe God was merciful, because God told Abraham to kill his son.  You must read the verses after that to know that God was only testing him and did not want him to kill Isaac.  Next time you write about religion please do not base your opinions on a few lines that are out of context. Thank you for your time.

                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                   Travis Witt