Yesterday I heard it said that there was a great deal more “religious tolerance” and variety in the middle east at the time, 7th century, that The Prophet was receiving input from the Angel and unfolding the tenets of what, somewhere around 200 years after his death, was written down as the Koran.

These days, Islamic countries, see especially Saudi Arabia, are hugely intolerant of any other religion, try taking a Bible in your luggage into Riyadh, for example.

There was, at the very least, a substantial contingent of Jews in Medina, some of whom, it has been said, actually influenced Mohammed’s thinking & constructs.

Mohammed himself said intermediaries (religious leaders/authorities) were unnecessary in Islam, that the only relationship that mattered was the direct one between the believer and Allah, so what’s with the 1400 ensuing years of Hadiths, Sunna, religious scholars & commentary, anyway ?

Anyway, we potential dhimmis are way off base condeming all of Islam, no matter what is written down in the Koran relative to slaying unbelievers. I tend to think that advice to slay unbelievers, Jews et al. and etc. would have been very convenient for the maintenance of Mohammed’s lifestyle, 1400 years ago, and was the primary reason he may have received such advice from the Angel.

As for the original subject above, Barack Obama’s statement (IMO trying to ingratiate himself prior to Saudi Arabia/Egypt trip), it is shocking & depressing what a pass he gets from his cadre of True Believers when he says such outrageous stuff.

I remain unchanged in my supposition that Obamatrons are so struck, so taken with The One™, that this postmodern President feels like he can say damn near anything and get away with it.