Sorry, I can come off a bit harsh at times. My apologies.
I can understand how you wrote that. Bogart and I kind of slipped into posting something similar. And I apologised early, whilst Bogart is just way too cool for apologies, regrets or reprimand.
I wish you had been around when I was still a Muslim to give me a good talking to. It's probably the biggest regret of my time then. I couldn't run fast enough from any implication that my support had consequences, or that what was fun and peaceful for me and that I defended so well came at a high price for others who adopted a stronger view or had one thrust upon them.
I swore it was possible to have the best of both worlds, and while I still think it might be, that is such a distant and uncertain thing, nowhere near close to being accomplished right now, and so the Earth doesn't need my help in defending Islam, but I abandoned my defense of the people to focus on it nevertheless. I'd like to think that speaking to you or some of the other people on this forum would have snapped me to my senses earlier...though, knowing how deeply in denial I was, perhaps not.
Galfromusa, I also very much like your conclusion. It's what I hoped for, and I suppose still hope for. Keeping the good and reforming the bad. It just took me a long time to realize it was easier to be an advocate of what I really cared about when I left Islam behind.
Thank you lua. I have a feeling that with your brain, clarity and pervasiveness, that you would have easily convinced some of us that we were wrong had we met you when you were Muslim. I'm happy we didn't meet back then, because you'd have seriously fucked with my mind... Btw, I've been away for a short while, but I have to admit that I think I may have missed you somewhat?
Galfromexico: Kudos to you. I've never seen anyone look so deep internally, and re-evaluate core beliefs so quickly, and then subsequently reach a new acceptance with such humble grace and good sport. Most people, including myself, are too egotistical to do anything anywhere near like that.