[Sundae]

4. Plenty of Christians believe you should render unto Caesar what is due to Caesar, but render unto God what is due to God - a bit of tax and service to the former vs lifelong duty, loyalty and obedience to the latter.
Then again, that was said by a man with a Jewish mother.

5. Catholics must follow the dictates of a man in Rome.
The heir to the throne of England could not marry one for years because their influence was considered so against the benefit of the realm and so pervasive.

And don't even start on Mormons and where their allegiance lies.
Or the Scientologists.

Grav, what I'm saying is there are fanatics in every part of life and most especially when it comes to religious views. You can distort aspects of the Old Testament as easily as you can the Koran. Take a walk through Leviticus sometime and wonder if you'd want to give those people firearms training. Or especially rock-throwing practice.

Unlike some (maybe many - I don't know) here I knew many, many Muslims.
No, I wasn't friends with them all. I was good friends some, and went out with them or ate at their houses regularly, because they were simply friends.

Some Muslims I sincerely disliked. But it was nothing to do with religion, it was to do with whether I clicked with them, or if I thought they were dicks - same as with Christians, atheists etc etc. They were from all over the world - Africa, Middle East, Pakistan, although most were second generation in England.

All had different backgrounds and ways of interpreting their faith.
And they all had a preference of Eastenders vs Corrie, Big Bro or nothing, chips & ketchup, chips & mayo, United vs City etc etc.

Yes - all the above are in British terms. Because they were almost all British (I did know some first generation immigrants, although they had opinions on the above too!)

They watched the same kids TV as me.
They went to the same schools.
They grew up and fell in love. And things were hard if they fell in love across cultural borders, same as they were in the 70s and 80s for people who fell in love across colour borders (or religion in N/I) or gender these days.

I'm not an expert on the Islamic faith, but I have been in close contact with it, and it is not evil. People make it evil. As they can do many things.
A Muslim can be an American in the same way a Jew can. Or a Catholic. Or a Communist.
It's about the beliefs you share. The experiences you share. And whether you are prepared to kill fellow citizens about it.