To all non-Muslims, I need honest answers pls?

Question

Q1. What is the first image when u see/hear the word Islam?

Q1. What is ur overall opinion of Islam?

Do u have Muslims frnds? Has the answer to the above been based on the friends u have?

Thank u all in advance

All sorts of comments r welcome. But it is requested that abusive language not be used.

Thank u all for ur answers... It really helps. I would appreciate it a lot if u star this question so that ur contacts can answer this question too. The anwers are very important to me

Thank u all once again.

Answer 1

As a non-Muslim, when I see/hear the word Islam I think of misunderstanding.
I think of all the misunderstandings and hatred between radical Muslims, Christians and Jews and the international conflicts that this has produced in places like Iraq, Israel/Palestine and Nigeria. I think of the suffering and hopelessness
of the religious violence and killings that I have personally witnessed.

I also think about hope. I think about the Muslims who I met some years ago who hid a Christian girl in their house while Muslims outside were rioting and killing Christians. I also think of the Christians who I saw helping Muslims rebuild a Muslim market after other Christians burned it down.

People of different religions may have strong disagreements but essentially we are all the same.
Many of us feel the need for revenge when we feel our families or communities or cultures have been attacked. We all want respect, and to be allowed to practice our religion (or atheism) as we believe best. Above all, we should want love and kindness in our lives and to do to others as we would have done to us.

Answer 2

Q1. What is the first image when u see/hear the word Islam?

Its a very respected religon, has both bad and good people. 95% of muslims are normal, good, good loving people, its the media that focused on the bad 5%

Q1. What is ur overall opinion of Islam?

very respected

Do u have Muslims frnds? Has the answer to the above been based on the friends u have?

yes I have muslim friends, and I am Christian with a muslim husband. They are beatuiful people. more people should readc the truth and see for them selves. Dont judge until you know the truth.

Answer 3

My first mental image when I hear the word Islam are the clerics with white turbans and black beards.

From what I understand about Islam it can be a truly beautiful religion when practiced as it was intended. But fundamentalist get all of the press and cast a dark shadow over the entire religion. It's similar to Mormonism that way, where an extreme sect takes center stage and becomes the dominant connotation of the word.

I do not have any Muslim friends. Not because I choose not to, but more do to lack numbers. There simply aren't a lot of them when I live.

Answer 4

Q1. What is the first image when u see/hear the word Islam?
-Backwards people that are stuck in the past.
-Oppression
-Lack of rationality and reasoning
-Easily resorting to violence and anger at the slightest of hurts i.e. begin marching on the streets and vandalising etc. because someone in the West exercised their right to freedom of thought/speech etc.
-Hypocricy/Contradictions: i.e. want all the freedoms, want to be able to criticize all other nations, religions etc. but the one minute someone even minuetly does something against their belief....well bring on the riots and "Death to America or Denmark or Britain etc."

Q1. What is ur overall opinion of Islam?
-the religion itself needs a few reforms and needs to be free of the cultural constrictions placed upon it by male leaders
-it has quiet a few pretty stories and frankly, I think Arabic is a beautiful language especially written.


Do u have Muslims frnds? Has the answer to the above been based on the friends u have?
-My family and relatives are muslim. I am atheist.
-My family and relatives tend to be a bit more liberal but they can arrive at hypocrisy too when discussing religious matters and foreign policy.

Answer 5

When I think the word Islam I think of a mosque. My opinion of Islam is that it is a religin that people follow. Like all religions most people who follow it will bend it to suit their own feelings wants and desires so that they can just do what they already were going to do. When that is a good thing they say look how good I am, and when it is a bad thing they want to do they find a way to twist a holy book into ageeing with what they are about to do wrong so they dont have to feel bad about it because God is on their side. Im not saying all but that is what I see a lot of religious people do.

Answer 6

1. A temple and the sounds of a middle eastern instrument.

2. I am not sure I know enough about it to have a balanced opinion but I think religions that try to impose restrictions on a human being are wrong. Also religions that do not value women are wrong.

3. I do not have muslim friends as there are not many where I live and in my everyday life, but I am sure that if I did i would treat them with the same respect as I would anyone else.

Finally I think that the Muslim community could do more in the public eye to reject the violence and terrorism that has been happening. I have seen television reports that seem to sympathise with terrorism rather than distancing themselves from such actions. I do think that some, not all, but some Muslims choose to segregate themselves from the British way of life and then wonder why the British public are fed up with them. I hope this helps you.

Answer 7

The first image I have in my head when hearing the word Islam is big gold Arabic lettering...sort of like the picture on the right side of the link below.

http://groups.drew.edu/msa/

My overall opinion of Islam? I don't really have an "overall" opinion, just specific ones. I really admire Sufis on the one hand. I think people even in other religions could learn a lot from Sufism.

On the other hand, I have very little patience for people who try to convert me to Islam, usually using very clumsy and unsophisticated methods. I am happy to remain in the religion I already practice, and they just don't see that.

I have Muslims friends. In fact, I used to have mostly Muslim friends when I was in the restaurant business twenty or so years ago...

Answer 8

The first image I see is a woman wearing a Burka. My overall opinion of Islam is that it is male dominated and at the moment it is in a whole lot of political trouble. I have Muslim friends. No. Most of my opinions are not based on my friends or enemies. I prefer to formulate my own opinions.

Answer 9

Regretfully, whenever I think of Islam or Muslims the first thing that comes to mind is that women living in certain Islamic countries have absolutley NO human rights whatsoever. Dogs and cattle are treated better than the women over there. It makes me sick but I know there are movements now for womens rights. Due to all the technology middle eastern women can see how other women live and lets just say they may not be too happy w/ their situation. I say more power to them.

Answer 10

Right now, the first image I see is a suicide bomber. You know, it is said in military circles that no army, no police force, no force of arms can stop a lone man willing to trade his life for that of his target. And this is true. We have Muslims willing to die by the thousands to get the 70 virgins in paradise.

My overall opinion of Islam is not based on my Muslim friends (which I do have), nor what the media covers. It is simply this. Islam is a faith of peace that has some proponents within it that have taken some the people within the confines of the faith who are not educated , and do not draw their own conclusions to what is written in the Koran, and twisted their understanding of the Koran to yield a utilizable, and expendable force for their own gains. I respect the Muslims in England that are speaking out against the radical extremists carrying out these suicide bombings, and other acts of terror.

I don't know if this was the type of answer you were looking for, but I hope this helps...