[RJT]

[ QUOTE ]
Moderate Muslims can often be seen denouncing Muslim extremists…

[/ QUOTE ]


Often? I find it rare, I could just be missing most of them.


[ QUOTE ]
But I do know that there have been many western writers who state the it appears the Koran does indeed advocate what the extremists claim…

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not being sarcastic when I say, I guess I have no clue about this stuff then. I haven’t come across that. But, don’t go by me. I get most of my news from TV.

[ QUOTE ]
…Since that point is bandied about so much why do the moderates not make a major effort to engage extremists in a public debate showing once and for all that both the extremists and the western journalists are wrong? Is it because an accurate reading of the Koran shows them not to be wrong. Are the moderates simply picking and choosing certain things from the Koran to coincide with common sense and a desire to be nice? Nothing wrong with that but they should admit it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the Pope really was trying to engage intelligent debate with the Muslims when he spoke at University in Germany not long ago. I guess no Muslim intellectual felt up to the task.

Regarding your Catholic point:

I think most Catholics feel that regardless of what we believe, it is God who judges. Most of us feel that it is not for us to “decide” these things.

Yes, our Church teaches and even promulgates certain things to/for us Catholics. But, to judge others (even ourselves) , really is not our place.

RJT