@19 tomw

““Ordinary Moslems do not have that authority over other Moslems but they do have authority over unbelievers, and any putative Moslem who can be shown to be a heretic is by definition fair game.”

I have known “Christians” who worked in the same way, the mechanic that replaced perfectly good parts, overcharged for labor, and then laughed because the person was not overtly “Christian”[read:specific sect here]. It is called hypocrisy, and absolutely breaks the Golden Rule. By my standards, anyway.”

Well, I’d define it as theft, myself… and yes, to claim to be a Christian while dealing with your fellow man in a decidedly un-christian manner is indeed hypocritical.

The comparison breaks down, however, when you consider the fact that what LotM asserts about Islam is correct, and decidedly at odds with New Testament Christianity. The adherent of Islam is given wide latitude to do violence to apostates and non-believers, whereas the New Testament believer is admonished by Christ Himself to “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Practicing christians are deeply aware of their own failings, i.e. their own need for forgiveness, and hence don’t generally go about cheating “others” because of some notion that God permits it.

Muslims, on the other hand, can be considered hypocrites when, confronted by an infidel such as I, failing to remove my head.

To put the cookies on the bottom shelf, the muslim who smites a muslim apostate does good in the eyes of Allah and is, therefore, not a hypocrite. The christian who “smites” a christian apostate does evil in the eyes of I AM, and is a hypocrite.

The comparison is invalid.

(And oh, while I’m at it, Islam and its practices are an abomination before I AM. Believing as I do that hell is a literal place, I have no doubt that Mohammed is broiling away at this very moment.)