Bayt Al-Maqdis

pg. 220: "Islam's brith had been violent, but the Qur'anic ideal was harmony and unity."

The paradox between religion's violent foundings and harmonious chorus are very interesting to me. None of the three religions we have studied have been able to hold to the ideals they were founded upon. Each of them has been influenced by the desire for power and the urge to establish themselves through violent means. This appears to be another fatal flaw in the modern faiths. Granted, to error is human, but an error so big seems just plain hypocritical.

pg. 223: I wonder how the Muslim students in our class feel about the evolution of the hajj from pagan traditions.

pg. 224: The Night Journey just sounds unbelievable to me. I guess I think the Islamic faith had it right when they suggested that it is unlike that a prophet as powerful as Jesus could die on the cross. But that realistic attitude doesn't seem to translate into their own myths.

pg. 229-231: The differences in conquering techniques is very illuminating. It's refreshing to see that it is possible for groups of different people to live together peacefully. They might not have been completely equally, but Armstrong makes it sound like they respect one another, which is more than can be said about earlier regimes.