Is there a chance that Islam might "reform" in the same way that Christianity did in the 1600s?

Question

Islam is about 300 to 400 years younger than Christianity. The Reformation arose, in part, to stop the barbaric acts of the Roman Bishop and his minions. The Roman Bishop, the so-called "pope", was engaging in behavior that was anti-Christian much the same way that segments of Muslims participate in anti-Islamic behavior.

The pope and his church were killing people in much the same way that Muslim terrorists are and they both had designs on forcing their way of life onto others.

Is Islam now ripe for a reformation like Christianity was in the 1600s?

Answer 1

Yes. You hit this nail on the head. People read what they want to read. Christianity went through all this, just a long time ago. When Spain launched expeditions to the "New World" in search for gold, but also to convert. Missionaries were set up everywhere. They believed the natives to be 'savages' and sought to civilize them. The Muslim extremists see the "Western World" as savage because we drink, have extra-marital affairs and gamble. They are lashing out against those who seem to e exporting their way of life to these Muslim countries. Look at Dubai. They call it the "Las Vegas of the Middle East." They see this as an invasion, much like the Native Americans to the Europeans.

Also in Europe, different brands of Christianity were fighting each other trying to dominate and spread their own. This is why the Pilgrims left. Ever heard of the Spanish Inquisition. This is like todays Shiite vs. Sunni.

It will take time but it will happen. The question is how much damage will be done first.

Answer 2

My brother or sister, blessings upon you. You are asking important questions, and that itself is a very important thing.

I believe your view of the Reformation needs to be extended and deepened before you can pursue this line of thought very far, that is, to see whether or not the current state of Islam is like that of Christianity in the Reformation. Your picture of the time is selective and one-sided to the point that it blocks this line of inquiry. And there are factual errors in your question that may or may not reflect your general knowledge: Wikipedia says: "The Protestant Reformation was a movement in Europe that began with Martin Luther's activities in 1517" so it might be better to say "1500s" than "1600s" in your question; and Islam a little under 600 years younger than Christianity, not 300 or 400 years. As I say, these may or may not reflect your general knowledge. I have put a couple of wikiepedia links in the "sources" section below. Also, I am reading the Koran now. I will be happy to help you find books or online sources if you wish; contact me via Yahoo! Answers email.

I believe that Islam may be reformed, but I believe it will happen (if it happens) via textual criticism, not in a way parallel to the events in Western Europe in the 1500s and after. That is, I believe that Islam may go through the same sort of reassessment of Scripture's origins that Christianity went through in the 19th and 20th centuries, and if so that this will break or reframe the Muslim core belief that God dictated the Koran syllable by syllable in Arabic and hence that it is an absolutely reliable and immutable text.

FWIW I am neither Catholic nor Protestant, I am Eastern Orthodox. The Reformation was a Western European thing; we Eastern Orthodox did not participate and did not go through a parallel upheaval. So in a sense I am an objective commenter; in other senses, I am not an objective commenter. :-)

Blessings upon you! I wish you well as you pursue your question.

Answer 3

They do not worship the same God. The Koran states that God had no son. Also, Muslims worship a God that advocates forced worship. The Jewish God and the Christian God do not accept worship done under duress. Jews see God as singular, Christians describe him as trinitarian. The Father of the Christian Trinity is the same as the Only God of the Jews. If Christians could modify their concept of the Trinity to allow the Father to be greater than the Son and Holy Spirit and the source of their being, then the Jewish and Christian concepts of God might be united. The Muslim God is different in his very nature and cannot be reconciled with either the Jewish or Christian God.

Answer 4

Yes it is reforming year by year. In sixties I saw a fashion in women showing off their boobs in very tight shirts and leave their hair uncovered in a Muslim country. Now lots of Religious Schools are teaching real Islam and more women are covering their body curves in loose outfits and cover their hair as God commands to do so in Quran.

Before they came out looking like sex objects models, boys tried to be friends with them with intention to have sex with them. Now when they see a girl covered as God commands them in Quran, boys, men and even Non-Muslim show respect for them and do not use bad words in presence of such women that adhear to the teachings of Islam..
This is a big difference I see and it is increasing in Muslim counries.

If you mean to say about violence by Muslim. You must realize that cause of Muslims being violent is non-Muslims occupying their countries and their lands and killing them every day. They have right to fight insurgency with what ever means they have. They have no airplans, tanks and machine guns. They have only their bodies and home made explosives. So using their bodies to kill their enemies. This is a great bravery which people most other nations can not do. Your next question will be why Muslims kill Muslims. Answer is they kill those Muslims who are collaborating with their enemies for either money or gain favor from the occupiers so others shoud kill them to achieve freedom of their countries.

First tell your people to stop killing Muslims and take your forces out of their countries and then talk about reforms in Muslim countries.

For now you should talk about reforms in your own societies where sex is involved in every aspect of life and immorality is up in every walk of life. That needs to be reforms. Teen age children don't' respect their parents and practice sex too early. They can't concentrate in education and often either drop out of school or due to poor grades get rejected by college and end up working on minimum wages.

Answer 5

i don`t think so
Christians suffered from interrupting of the bible but Muslims have only one book
Christians suffered from differences between Protestants ,catholics and Orthodox but Muslims still united although they have many movements
preaching Christianity was by force that`s why there are many atheists today but Islam was passed on the rule (there is no force in religion)
pops in the middle centuries used to fight science and scientists (like alhassan ,ebn seina gaber bn haian ,etc) but Muslims in this time used to help scientists and respect science

read more about history by several sources

Answer 6

No way !!!!!!!!!!!
Islam is not only a religion, it's a way of life.
Islam can change the whole world people, but the whole universe, can not change even a single thing in Islam. If there is not even a single true follower of this religion, the day of judgement comes......

Answer 7

The Christian history is quiet different.. All the barbaric acts commited in the name of Christ are COMPLETELY OUT of the Bible teachings, while the teachings of islam are in the koran itself, they would have to change their koran to make a reform..

Answer 8

I don't see it. The way I see it, Islam will either take over the world ( sounds like a bad "B" movie, doesn't it?), or be totally destroyed.

I am leaning towards the latter. When Jesus returns, there won't be any other religion, will there?

Answer 9

The human race has been growing clever and more clever so I really think that they gonna get more intelligent and reform it sooner or later .
Because no one and nothing can stop the human nature and I think that the current religions are against our nature

Answer 10

well i doubt it very much seeing the koran preaches killing the non-believers as well as jews and christians. but you can believe that if it makes you sleep better at night.