Islam the beacon of light in Japan

[RockLee]

Waterpipes are also common in Egypt aren't they?

 

[Mars Man]

Top of the morning to you filthydani san, from the cloud-hung mountains of the Japan Alps !!!

Thanks for your input. It's good to see a large portion of your recent post sticking more so on topic !! Great !!

Regarding beer, and the industry that it makes up--from crop growing, importing, brewing, aluminum processing, shipping/trucking, marketing, media commercial income/jobs, wholesale/retail sales & jobs, elementary and junior highschool recycle program financial boosts (little I'll admit, though) and perhaps a few more--I'd like to share my thoughts please.

In Islam, industry and economy arent in the first priority (it is important though), we all know the bad effects of drinking alcoholic beers to the society, it's the main reason for the causes of car accidents and raping, it might help the industry but I don't think that it would help the society at all,

(bold mine)

I agree that alcohol can be a problem, while I have come to reason that since society here functions, having the beer industry has not caused such damage that it needs to be despensed with. So, as I have come to reason on it, I would reach the conclusion that eleminating that scale of an economy (that economy which is directly and indirectly created by beer) would not be something to save Japan.

I'll have to see if I can find a source, but the last I heard, the main reason for car accidents here in Japan was speeding. I would take an educated guess and posit that here in Japan, problems other than over drinking--and certainly not simply due to drinking, period--are the root causes in whatever degree of a rape problem there is here. (and I don't think it's any higher than any other place in the world)

you don't expect people to drink just one cup of beer, 99% of them will just drink way to much and will cause problems at the end, this obviously isn't safe for the society, what's the point of having a strong economy if it will harm the society in the end?

(bold mine)

If it were true that 99% of the people in Japan would drink way too much and would cause problems at any instance of having beer (in this case, since I have been focusing on beer) then this country would never have been able to muster up the resources for it activities before and leading up to WWII, and of course would never have been able to have rebuilt after the war (assuming that it were something that would have come into effect after having lost the war). If that were true, we'd be having one big universal party all the time. . .

I think it is very clear that 99% is not a correct figure. I do understand the emotion of your point, however, you'd like to say that a lot of people would, or that some would, but in your opinion that is too much. Am I correct in my understanding of your emotional input? If not, please do correct me.

Thanks for sharing some passages from the Quran. It is nice to see what is written in it, just as it is nice to see what is written in the Tanakh, the Christian Greek writings, the Mahabharata, and so on.

ps I'll get that other article on beer, one of these days...I have to go back through a lot of magazines to find it since I failed in my cataloging process sometime back. Thanks for the patience.

 

[Tyshepp]

Many shikhs and many Muslims drink alcohol? Umm, that's something I never heard before, any resources?

Man, the two times I did tours in Bahrain, the King Fahd Causeway was freaking packed with Saudi Muslims coming over every weekend (Thursday & Friday back then, now changed to Fri & Sat). Why did they come to Bahrain for the weekend? Most of them could be found in the bars like the Sherlock Holmes bar in the Gulf Hotel guzzling whiskey and grouping the ******. Not that there is anything wrong with that mind you, I just find religous fanatics of any flavor to be rather hypocritical.

Go to Dubia and check out the drinking Muslims. hells bells, the world would be a lot better off with more beer and less intolerance.

 

[thomas]

Man, the two times I did tours in Bahrain, the King Fahd Causeway was freaking packed with Saudi Muslims coming over every weekend (Thursday & Friday back then, now changed to Fri & Sat). Why did they come to Bahrain for the weekend? Most of them could be found in the bars like the Sherlock Holmes bar in the Gulf Hotel guzzling whiskey and grouping the ******. Not that there is anything wrong with that mind you, I just find religous fanatics of any flavor to be rather hypocritical.
Go to Dubia and check out the drinking Muslims. hells bells, the world would be a lot better off with more beer and less intolerance.

Amen to your last sentence!

Probably I'm about to open a Pandora's box here, but the same things take place in Egypt during the summer. While the super-rich Gulf Arabs and Saudis jet off to the US or Europe, the not-that affluent spend their summers at the Nile or until recently in Beirut, occupying bars and clubs. It's not uncommon for them to engage in what's euphemistically called "temporary marriages", often to minors.

Facit: Islam - as any other religion - too is not immune to hypocrisy.

 

[Mars Man]

And then here in Japan, I imagine it would happen some, or a lot, or to whatever degree. (as my acquaintance from Pakistan)

However, I do reason that the strictest of the believers or practicers of Islam here in Japan would not drink.

 

[filthydani]

I am very amazed how you guys expect every single Muslim living in this planet to be religious and not drink alcohol!

It's true there are some Muslims who drink alcohol, but it is nothing comparing to the people in Europe, America and Japan, you can't judge Islam by the little minority, this is plain arrogance, maybe that's what you only see because you always go there as a tourist…

 

[filthydani]

I have looked up the various Islamic bannings on alcohol on various websites. It seems in the earlier writings it was frowned upon, but not totally banned. In the later writings it finally became Satans tool and eventually banned

Did you even bother knowing why it wasn't prohibited at once? When this aya was written, People then were addicted to the Intoxicants, when some one is addicted to drugs, do you suddenly prevent him from taking drugs? Or do you make the amount lower and lower everytime so he could stop taking the drugs for ever? That's what god made; it wasn't prohibited at once because of that reason, so saying it eventually became Satan's tool is pretty stupid, why do you always think negatively about Islam? Why can't you think positively about it for once?
The Harms of Alcohol

Mars Man

Check this out pleaseﾂ…

What alcohol really does to your body
Islam, Intoxication, Alcohol (Beer, Wine, Booze, Whisky, Gin, Vodka, Rum) and Drugs
Islam and Alcohol, the Disease

 

[Ma Cherie]

Did you even bother knowing why it wasn't prohibited at once? When this aya was written, People then were addicted to the Intoxicants, when some one is addicted to drugs, do you suddenly prevent him from taking drugs? Or do you make the amount lower and lower everytime so he could stop taking the drugs for ever? That's what god made; it wasn't prohibited at once because of that reason, so saying it eventually became Satan's tool is pretty stupid, why do you always think negatively about Islam? Why can't you think positively about it for once?
The Harms of Alcohol
Mars Man
Check this out pleaseﾂ…
What alcohol really does to your body
Islam, Intoxication, Alcohol (Beer, Wine, Booze, Whisky, Gin, Vodka, Rum) and Drugs
Islam and Alcohol, the Disease

Oh, jeez, your views are so one dimensional.

 

[Mars Man]

Thanks for the links filthydani san. I checked them out and am aware of the context that they had been written in. I enjoyed the one from the Independent the most--it is talking about the process of a single instance of drinking, rather than the life-long moderate drinker situation.

I am, of course, aware of heart and liver, as well as especially brain changes that could be considered 'negatives' over the long run of over indulgence in alcohol. I have not been focusing on that aspect--over indulgence in almost anything (even oxygen) can cause damage--but rather on the average person.

Here in Japan, drinking is more public than in, say the US, which is quite sober compared to Europe, even. Still, where to draw the line at, beyond which we could allocate to 'abuse', is not so clear a thing, and, there are health benefits, in a general sense (and depeding on a few other individual make-up matters, it seems) to controlled, moderate beer and red (especially) wine comsumption. I'll keep up the search for that info.

I hope to post my conclusive understanding on this one point--beer consumption as it relates to 'Islam saves Japan'--in the near future. MM

 

[Mycernius]

That's what god made; it wasn't prohibited at once because of that reason, so saying it eventually became Satan's tool is pretty stupid, why do you always think negatively about Islam? Why can't you think positively about it for once?

One - Please read my posts correctly instead of taking instant offense. I was pointing out a fact of Islamic history. Nothing more, nothing less
Two - I do not see just Islam in a negative light, but all religions. Go ahead and worship your Gods, but do not push your faith on me. Yours is not the true faith anymore than Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or any other. Stop being so damn rightous and narrowminded.

 

[Tyshepp]

:gulp: I think we should all discuss this with a round of beers!

 

[Mars Man]

I'll second the motion, Tyshepp san !! :gulp: :gulp:

I still haven't gotten the time to dig up that article from either NewScientist, or Scientific American. . . which I cannot recall. However, a look at a site, Beer and Health....I think googling those words will bring it up...will give a jist of the notion. Beer, in a general and simple moderation, can be good for you too.

 

[royal_knight]

filthydani, u're so great! If I can help u to answer their question then I'll help U for sure... But my english is very bad . My head hurts to read all of those post .

 

[royal_knight]

I'll second the motion, Tyshepp san !! :gulp: :gulp:
I still haven't gotten the time to dig up that article from either NewScientist, or Scientific American. . . which I cannot recall. However, a look at a site, Beer and Health....I think googling those words will bring it up...will give a jist of the notion. Beer, in a general and simple moderation, can be good for you too.

Hmm... I think if u live in cold place... then beer could be good for you.. Japan is cold isn't? Cause the beer can help you to warm up your body. As long u don't drink too much, its Okay!

But if we live in Mideast or Indonesia, the temperature is not that cold. So... Islam prevent us to drink those things .

 

[MajideSaiaku]

Being an atheist is something that is very illogical for me, the only thing that would make me an atheist, is to be able to prove the none existence of god which is impossible, I would be an agnostic at least.

Instead of asking me to disprove Gods existance how about you, being the Faithful believer, actually Prove to me that he exists.

I can easily dismiss and disprove faith by the simple fact I cvant prove it, not a shred of real evidence even remotely points towards there being a God.
If God cannot be proven to exist then I need not disprove it, because in scientific terms, by having not a shred of evidence to its existance I have already proven, that it doesnt exist.


Even the big bang hypothesis has background universal radiation to help prove it, all faith has provided is a contemporary book based off of older books, and the "sincere" words of the faithful who try to convince others that the convictions of their belief is somehow evidence.


The fact God has yet to show his existance outside the minds of believers is a big booboo.


Also in regard to the topic, Islam can hardly be a beacon of light in a country where the mega cities are light up brighter then A western city durring Christmas, and where those who claim to be followers of Islam dont even come near to making up a whole eprcentage point of the population.

Christianity, which is arguably bigger then Islam in Japan, only manages about 1% of the population.

In Britain, a country known for its large Islamic population for a western country, still only has a few percentage points of the population as being Muslims.


In short, Islam is not only not a beacon of light in Japan, its barely a dim flickering lightbulb, religious cults in Japan have larger numbers them Islam.

For what little spiritual guidance most Japanese seem to need, praying to their shinto spirits, or buddha, seems to cover it.

 

[Revenant]

Buddhists pray to the Buddha? I've heard some pray to some Avolek... the name I can't remember.

As to a god or gods, there is no way to reason which ones exist, and which ones don't. The Muslim has as much faith in his god as the Hindu does in his gods. Using reason however in terms of justice and compassion, an all powerful god who sends people to eternal death or torment just doesn't make sense to me, especially when most morals are built upon the ability to empathize, and people empathize more strongly with some groups, and have differing levels of empathetic ability.

 

[Buntaro]

Revenant-san!

There are definitely Buddhists who pray to Buddha, although most pray to Amida Buddha rather than Gautama (the historical) Buddha. The name you are searching for is Avalokiteshvara, often spelled Avalokitesvara.

 

[eemaan]

WOW is this thread still going on?!
amazing.
well my mums an sgi buddhist and she reckons they pray to themselves and that they are in control of the universe somehow...
well, i guess the reason i became muslim, is because it just all makes sense to me, it's hard to explain to people outside yourself, when you have faith you just believe.
i find it hard to believe that we just come from nowhere, i don't think it's for no reason we have separate terms for heart brain and soul and so on,
to see that we grow form a drop of semen and an egg,miniscule and microscopic, in themselves without soul, cells dividing and splitting growing, developing, into a foetus, a baby, a child, an adolescent, an adult, with mind, cognition, where did it come from, i believe it's from God, and I believe we will return to Him one day. And in the IMO, unlikely event there is no God, then at least I lived a happy life, but if He is there, then Paradise is ALL GOOD!

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Revenant-san!
There are definitely Buddhists who pray to Buddha, although most pray to Amida Buddha rather than Gautama (the historical) Buddha. The name you are searching for is Avalokiteshvara, often spelled Avalokitesvara.

The ironic part of this is that if you read the Buddha's teachings at all, you realize that according to him, praying to ANYONE is in vain...

 

[Yamatoblue]

Oh, jeez, your views are so one dimensional.

Oh please. Someone from the capital of White-Trash America (Kansas) calling someone else's views one-dimensional? He has a right to say what he pleases.
Islam is the true religion, the only religion acceptable to Allah (God).
Truly, Islam is the most beautiful religion. When we look at the Hajj (pilgrimage to Meca) going on right now, we see people of all shades, White, Asian, Black,Brown,etc coming together making du'a(supplication) saying "Oh Lord, here I am at your service." Subhan'Allah...and when the call to prayer is made, everyone hastes and they stand shoulder to shoulder, even though they do not know each other and speak different languages, their faith in Allah brought them together. Rather, Allah by his mercy brought these people of different races together. Look at this, what more proof do you need? Who else other than Allah can bring together so many people of such diverse backgrounds? No one else can do that.

 

[Duo 9]

You can make any religion sound like the sh*t if you try. Heck, who needs to try these days? But seriously, by far the worst religions are the ones that make you try and convert everyone you meet. Sadly, their are very few left who actually believe in the religion they follow. Good for Yamatoblue. But maybe tone it down on the white trash stuff. I mean, we all know Kansas sucks, but we don't speak of it. It makes them feel bad lol j/k

 

[Mycernius]

Oh please. Someone from the capital of White-Trash America (Kansas) calling someone else's views one-dimensional? He has a right to say what he pleases.

I can assure you that Ma Cherie is anything but "White trash". Who is being one dimensional? Look in a mirror.

Islam is the true religion, the only religion acceptable to Allah (God).
Truly, Islam is the most beautiful religion. When we look at the Hajj (pilgrimage to Meca) going on right now, we see people of all shades, White, Asian, Black,Brown,etc coming together making du'a(supplication) saying "Oh Lord, here I am at your service." Subhan'Allah...and when the call to prayer is made, everyone hastes and they stand shoulder to shoulder, even though they do not know each other and speak different languages, their faith in Allah brought them together. Rather, Allah by his mercy brought these people of different races together. Look at this, what more proof do you need? Who else other than Allah can bring together so many people of such diverse backgrounds? No one else can do that.

Yet another Muslim who know nothing about Islams history and Muhammad. As bad as all these Christians who like to quote from the Bible, but don't know anything about the Bible Christian history.
Islam was revealed to Muhammad as scripture for the Arab people. Muhammad saw the Bible and the Talmud in equal status to the Koran, as they were both revealed to the Jews and the Christians by their own people from the same God. It was even against Muslim policy to force people to convert to Islam. Early Muslims believed each to their own. Within the Muslim empire every religion lived in peace and harmony, nobody was forced or coerced into converting, which was more than could be said about western Christianity. I suggest you read a proper hsitory book about Muhammad and the founding of your religion before you make such sweeping and inaccurate statements. Try Muhammad by Karen Armstrong as a starter.
And before you start on my beliefs I will inform you I am an atheist and think any belief in God is nothing more than superstition nonsense.

 

[Ma Cherie]

Oh please. Someone from the capital of White-Trash America (Kansas) calling someone else's views one-dimensional? He has a right to say what he pleases.
Islam is the true religion, the only religion acceptable to Allah (God).
Truly, Islam is the most beautiful religion. When we look at the Hajj (pilgrimage to Meca) going on right now, we see people of all shades, White, Asian, Black,Brown,etc coming together making du'a(supplication) saying "Oh Lord, here I am at your service." Subhan'Allah...and when the call to prayer is made, everyone hastes and they stand shoulder to shoulder, even though they do not know each other and speak different languages, their faith in Allah brought them together. Rather, Allah by his mercy brought these people of different races together. Look at this, what more proof do you need? Who else other than Allah can bring together so many people of such diverse backgrounds? No one else can do that.

Your ignorance about the state of Kansas and the whole Midwest is overwhelming. You can't come here and disrespect people like that, who are you to make assumptions about people you don't even know. I bet if I called you a terrorist because you're a muslim you'd throw a hissy fit. So don't come here insulting where I live. And I live in Kansas City, not the state of Kansas I live in the state of Missouri. Quit being ignorant. For starters I happen to be black. I have the right to what I please, I'll say this, how come Allah hasn't done anything to stop all the racial hate that's happening in the world. Why are so many people dying from diseases that have possible cures? In fact why do bad things happen to innocent people for no reason? Some god you worship. Why don't you learn to think for yourself. Anyone who thinks that religion is the only way to solve mankind's problem is one dimensional.

 

[Iron Chef]

And here I thought this was about Islam in Japan... How about if we all stop atacking each other and try to stay on-topic please (this is why I stay out of religious debates...)

 

[Yamatoblue]

I can assure you that Ma Cherie is anything but "White trash". Who is being one dimensional? Look in a mirror.
Yet another Muslim who know nothing about Islams history and Muhammad. As bad as all these Christians who like to quote from the Bible, but don't know anything about the Bible Christian history.
Islam was revealed to Muhammad as scripture for the Arab people. Muhammad saw the Bible and the Talmud in equal status to the Koran, as they were both revealed to the Jews and the Christians by their own people from the same God. It was even against Muslim policy to force people to convert to Islam. Early Muslims believed each to their own. Within the Muslim empire every religion lived in peace and harmony, nobody was forced or coerced into converting, which was more than could be said about western Christianity. I suggest you read a proper hsitory book about Muhammad and the founding of your religion before you make such sweeping and inaccurate statements. Try Muhammad by Karen Armstrong as a starter.
And before you start on my beliefs I will inform you I am an atheist and think any belief in God is nothing more than superstition nonsense.

First of all I know enough about Islam (not Islams) to know it's the truth. Please, you think that just because you read one book you know everything about Islam. I will not argue with you any further, rather I'll try to stay on topic, as ryouri no tetsujin (iron chef) said.
Cherie: LOl, yes there's a difference between Missouri and Kansas. It's like the difference between whitetrash area A, and whitetrash area B.
Of course you would call me a terrorist...you're from a white-trash state. You people don't even know what a Muslim is or what Islam is. You're stereotyping 1.2 billion people as terrorists due to some acts that were committed by a miniscule minority,and you KNOW that. I love African-American people. I think they are great,strong people who have had their own history and religion stripped away from brutaly when they were brought over as slaves. If you are African American, then you should read Roots (Kunta Kinte was a muslim,btw), and you can also read the biography of Malcolm X. I know many Christians who are Black like him and respect him, even though their faith is different. Malcom X also says thatt the solution for the world is Islam (to stop racial hate;when he went on the pilgrimage to Mecca, he saw whites and blacks and everyone treating each other like brothers, then he wrote in a journal that the solution is Islam). So are you calling him one-dimensional,too?Please, go to a mosque you might be surprised by the number of African-Americans who converted to Islam from Christianity.

Allah (God) does what he pleases; yes there's poverty and starvation. This is what he willed, we cannot argue with it. That doesn't mean there's no God astaghfirullah,just because there's poverty and problems in the world. You think Jesus is God? Jesus(according to Christians)died on the cross..he was a Prophet (peace be upon him),but he is not God. He's a Prophet. In fact, X-ians themselves have believed in the past that he wasn't God. Look up the council of Nicea and read the Gospel of Barnabas.
As I said, after this I will not respond to you anymore. I feel sorry for you that you have a bad opinion of Islam and Muslims, may Allah guide you to Islam. You obviously do not know much about anything regarding Islam, and your ignorance regarding it is why you are so hostile. I don't have any ill feelings for you, but you need to know more about Islam. Check out www.whyislam.com.

Now to the thread, IronChef, have you met any muslims in Fukuoka? I imagine there would be some since Fukuoka-city is pretty big.
Personally, I love Japanese food. But since in restaurants they put sake and mirin in food, I like to make the foods myself. I love okonomiyaki, I just make it with vegetables instead of pork. Totemo oishii.