...Yeah...keep telling yourself that, I don't know maybe something like several times a day Seriously. If you study how the Muslim(Sunni/Shia, not Sufi) religion is set up, you realize it's designed to brainwash its followers. If they weren't busy praying 5 times a day and doing other nonsensical rituals, they'd realize just how pointless it all is(this goes for numerous religions, but I'm focusing on Islam because i'm studying it at Uni right now). And Islam alleges that becoming a muslim means reverting back to your natural state. But is that a good thing? This leaves no room out for growth and evolution. No wonder Sharia Law dates back to the 10th century and hasn't changed since. This religion cultivates lunatics. It's not that the followers are crazy, although many are, but Islam successfully blocks their brain from thinking. Seriously, I challenge every muslim(screw it, or other religions with mystical, fairy tales) to just take 2 weeks and logically analyze your faith. If you don't arrive at the conclusion that you've been wasting your life, then I, or anyone else for that matter, can't help you. Peace and no disrespect.
Yes, it is designed to brainwash it's followers, and they in turn follow orders from their mullahs and other leaders. Other religions have similar techniques, but Islam is currently the most dangerous threat to the human race.
Why yes. All religions prey on the young and the weak. Those who can not, or dare not, ask critical questions. And given time, indoctrination takes hold, is internalized, and presto; another follower of this or that religion. In this regard, islam is no different from most other religions. Though, islam is the most demanding of the more popular faiths. It constantly puts pressure on the believer, so as to hinder any "heretical" critical thought. And if the observance of the 5 pillars of islam is not met, more orthodox muslims are quite quick to label the more non-obedient muslims as apostates. Then sharia is applied, and thus the retrogade traditions of islam perpetuates itself in a state of arrested development. Unlike other religions, that if not actually encouraging critical thought and non-observance, at the very least tolerate it.
I'm no expert on Islam, but as far as "go back to the original state", that depends what context you take it in. If your an atheist you think that we came from monkeys and evolved into humans, in which context that's be the worst thing to do. However the way I believe "the original state" to be is our existence in the pure spiritual body, before we "fell" to a state of having awareness of outside things as opposed to only knowing the Inner/Higher Worlds. Essentially our Spirit is individualized parts of The Absolute, the consciousness that causes every atom to spin, everything to move. To go back to the "original state" to me would mean evolving spiritually back to the state of being pure Spirit merging consciousness with the Divinity once more, and finally dissolving the individuality back into Divinity, also known as Heaven/Nirvana. Every religious text has at least 2 ways to be read. Milk for babes, and Meat for strong men. The milk being the purely literal aspect of the text, the meat being it's true esoteric meaning that can only be understood with the proper keys. Also for those who say that religion must be indoctrinated into you from birth, I wasn't religious at all growing up, never went to church and still don't, it wasn't until about the age of 21 that I started looking into it. I'm still not religious in the manner everyone seems to view religious people, however even without some preacher telling me certain things, through my various experiences and trips I've came to the same idea's that I now have found in various spiritual texts, and having read other religious documents I've seen that they all have the same esoteric meanings, aka a Universal Religion, just worded and designed for different cultures of people. The Jews couldn't have worshipped a peaceful Hindu Deity, and vice versa the Hindu's could never worship a "jealous vengeful God" being more spiritually evolved with an attitude of peace/harmony. Different races had their different "Race-Religions" and now as we further evolve people are beginning to think for themselves and also viewing God as all-loving, and starting to have compassion for everybody, not just their country/people (not nearly "all the way there" yet though). However most religious people really are brainwashed, because it's simply where mankind as a whole is in their evolution right now. "Few are those who see these truths, fewer still who understand them, and of those few only a handful strive for perfection" to quote one of the Upanishads in my own style (since I can't remember the exact quote lol)
So you're saying Islam is inherently bad... because they pray the wrong number of times/ day? And of course, you pull the biggest douche move of all time, the closing "no disrespect". So... troll or idiot?
Ive grown up in a Christian family, and I seem to be the only one questioning it (also the only one who regularly smokes) Since Christianity is what I know most, I think about the concept of heaven and hell and all of the ideas that make it all fall apart. So my current state of mind, my memories, the electrical connections in my brain that are performing continuous, extremely complex chemical reactions that allow me to have a conscious, take in input from the world, etc etc etc.. So if I were to be killed right now, all of those things would have to be saved off or replicated immediately (creating matter, which you can't do) to be able to 'participate' in heaven or hell. The reality is that our death is going to be EXACTLY like what our lives were before conception. Just nothing-ness and mean-less-ness.. excuse the terms I feel there are a lot of people who can't handle these types of truths, including my loved ones, so I refrain from telling them what I believe. Because if I were to ask enough hard questions, they would either give me illogical answers about the bible saying so, and faith.. All were are is a combination of atoms though.
What was meant by this if not to ridicule how many times a day Muslims pray? Again, you're clearly not ridiculing them. I'm all for making fun of religious people, but ridiculing people's customs isn't exactly going to net you many converts. Try being a little more civil (read: respectful) instead of saying things like "you've been wasting your life", their religion "blocks their brain from thinking", etc. if you really are interested in a discussion on Islam.