I don't know that we disagree on GIF. I just feel like people are pretending to not remember what he said when he was here. He specifically said on repeated occasions that he was willing to be banned for speaking about God outside of the religion section. It would make sense that he believed that the rules of the forum don't apply to him because they are not based on Islam. It would then make sense to create sock accounts because of this because we know that GIF did not do or promote anything that couldn't be justified with his faith in some way. This new account is another Muslim poster after Tomcat and Ahmad were banned in the last couple weeks. Obviously, not every new member who is Muslim is a sock account because of this, but the question is still legitimate and the subject is still recent enough to ask.
I don't really have a problem with GIF either outside of the fact that I think he was sharing his account which is why some of his posts before he was banned were very aggressive and sometimes insulting, which is like the altar ego of the other GIF who likes everything. I also do like a place to discuss things and take a break from the religious component that creates disputes and GIF often made this difficult. Although, I don't remember when we didn't agree on GIF before but it doesn't matter.
Overall, it was just a question that was a simple yes or no with maybe some clarifying reason for whatever response that would be given.
The article in the opening post actually continues to call Muslims unbelievers if they identify according to a denomination rather than embracing everyone who accepts Islam even going so far as to call them an unbeliever.
That's a whole other can of worms to consider. It brings up the question of how a law of God is tested because many people think they know the law of God and use this belief to break rules in other places and it is the belief that God requires different things that separate the denominations in any religion. So what does God require? This is why the absence of clarification within the opening statement of obeying God instead of the rules of man is concerning. Essentially, it creates a sort of lawlessness without clarification or bounderies that infringe on the rights of others to enforce rules within a forum like this for an example.
Okay, I'll dare to make a response to your post - uh, in the religion section. I think most people know I try to refrain from posting in this section 98% of the time . . . And though I haven't read through this whole thread thoroughly (sometimes, I do in fact
), I feel confident on my thoughts below.
The us agreeing on GIF part, I thought may have been that I was okay with having him back, and you weren't - though I see more of where you're coming from now.
Anyway yes, GIF can be very passionate about his spirituality. I understand that, and I am too. But I'll say generally, that it's good 'we' "temper" a bit of that intensity and just be. The back-and-forths today that I've seen, and very quickly posted BTW, were just unnecessary IMO. I think, I keep myself in check fairly well where I could be posting more, even holding back on certain thoughts as well, and will continue to endeavour to do so. My spirituality is my own but it's nice to be able to share and find comraderie sometimes, and even fellowship with people. Maybe, I'll make a spiritual thread sometime on a subject that interests me, I just haven't felt right about it yet; and TBH, I don't think many would be interested
.
Now, if GIF's account was shared - you know,
that theory makes sense because I thought too, that towards the end, it just didn't seem like his former way of posting. It was pushing something everytime, and as you mention, the "insulting" part --> I remember myself, where I had actually posted in response to him, a song from The Rankin Family (the sisters) displaying their lovely voices, because of "his" post which insulted women. And again I dare say, I'm not a feminist (words of proof --> that I see it as TPTB pushing a feminine face on a patriarchal system which makes it a freak-show; and I hope one day after centuries of wars and force, that there will be some blend of the male/female; though I don't have a clue of how that will look like, but that's where my heart is sincerely). Yes, it really didn't seem like him looking back on that situation now.
So GIF, if you are reading, TAKE THAT AS A COMPLIMENT!!!
I guess finally I'll say with my approach, it's God first with my intentions, but we obviously live in this world and need to respect others' need for laws, rules, regulations. I think it's sad [ultimately], but I know myself that I have my own set of guidelines that make me feel a certain way and until such time that I don't need them anymore, they help me either stay grounded and/or some of them are because of my introverted personality . . . yeah, the woes of being human. It's all good as they say. In the meantime, VC's forum rules RULE if we are playing here, and there are no ifs/ands/buts about it. Simple.