I've had Muslim friends I really liked, and there's an aspect to the religion I think is missing for most Christians....especially in America....which is a sense of community associated with being Muslim and sharing that set of beliefs and customs.

However, I've read quite a bit of the Qu'ran and I really dislike a lot of the things it has to say about women and their role in society, and about the crusading nature of the religion. There seems to be a lot of hate and many rules in Islam...and it's not a religion that speaks to me.

Most of the Muslims I know are good people, though. They don't believe everything the religion or religious leaders tell them....just like I don't like many portions of the Bible and don't always follow Christian tenets. (And I certainly avoid listening to our new Pope because IMHO he has some very backward views on the world).

I focus my time on getting to know the *people* around me -- regardless of religion. I like people who happen to be Muslim, or Christians, or Jews, or Scientologists, or Athiests. While religion certainly helps make them who they are, it has more to do with the mind and heart than where they go to worship.

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Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney