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The western world by and large no longer uses religious justifications for its actions. Not that that makes it okay, just that tying in religious motivation causes people to do things they might not normally do.

Eddie Vedder covers Cat Stevens song "trouble" in the 90s

@Shoshin1 said:

Agreed, 100%

There are a lot of misconceptions about Islam and a lot of unfair/inaccurate comparisons, to other Abrahamic traditions.

One such misconception is the hearing of Hijab. A lot of westerners, think that Islam is strict on the subject - all women must wear head covering. It is strict, but not everywhere. As an example, Egyptian Muslim women can choose to wear Hijab or not.

A lot of people portray Islam is a religion of violence. It does have that side, but the violence isn't commonplace. Compared to what Jews and Christian are doing these, I'd say, Islam is doing OK.

Some folks point to their dietary restriction. That's fine, but Halal is not much different from Kosher. You can still get alcohol in most Muslim countries, but the lack of pork products, especially in venues where foreigners are expected, is puzzling.

And I'd hardly agree with Osho's opinion in Islam. He comes from a culture where Muslims are generally looked down upon. He's insulting and condescending. Considering his history, he's hardly one to advise any of the changes he suggests/expects. Didn't one of his closest students try to poison a whole town or something?

@Jeroen said:
I came across an interesting video of Osho on Islam, which I’ll just paraphrase here…

“I haven’t spoken much on Islam because in order to do so I’d have to disagree with some of its beliefs. Islam’s message is meant for more primitive people; it is like teaching a primary school class, while speaking on spirituality in India is like lecturing at a university. But because the Koran says it is the last word from God to man, there hasn’t been much evolution. The Upanishads have been continually refined and interpreted in new ways over the years, and in order to make progress in Islam there should be new commentaries and interpretations of the Koran. As it is, the Koran is a diamond, but a diamond in the rough, uncut.”

Personally, I have no interest in the Abrahamic religions, or any institutional religion. All have been corrupted or co-opted, including Buddhism when turned into a system of belief. The state of the world today reflects how teachings meant to free can become tools of control.

While I understand he often used provocative language to challenge dogma, however, when he says Islam was “meant for primitive people” or comparing it to “teaching a primary school class” feels condescending and reductive. It ignores the richness of the Islamic tradition, especially Sufism, whose mystics like Rumi, Hafiz and Rabia al-Adawiyya expressed timeless spiritual insight.

From what I gather Osho came from a region shaped by centuries of religious tension and caste oppression. It’s worth noting that during the Islamic conquests of the subcontinent, many from oppressed castes, especially the untouchables, converted to Islam seeking dignity, justice, and equality, an escape from the rigid Hindu caste system. This may have shaped some of his views, consciously or not, especially his criticism of Islam.

It’s also worth noting that many in the West see Osho as a cult leader, given the scandals surrounding his commune. This doesn’t nullify everything he said, but it does call for caution when he makes sweeping judgements about other paths.

Dictators, systems of law where they still behead people, a distinct lack of tolerance. And all of that in one of the most religious societies in the world. The whole idea of a “last word” and “the only book you’ll need” removes a lot of incentive for learning and progress, I think.

This view oversimplifies a complex region and ignores the historical role of Western colonialism and their interference and propping up dictatorships.

Islamic civilisation made important contributions to the Western world, especially during what is now referred to as the Islamic Golden Age. Muslim scholars preserved and built on Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge, shaping the fields of medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. Their influence can also be seen in architecture, agriculture, and trade. Much of this knowledge later fed into the European Renaissance and helped lay the foundations for modern science.

Western propaganda will always promote its own narrative, often downplaying or ignoring the contributions of others, especially those from the Asian, African and Islamic world.

Dismissing a religion because of its misuse misses the deeper point: it’s the inner inquiry, not the outer form, that truly matters.

“Beyond right and wrong, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
~Rumi~

My mother got scammed by a UK-based "savings" company (widely reviewed online as a scam) that charged her around 20 euros per month for 3 years without her realising it. When buying an airplane ticket, she apparently clicked something or failed to unclick something. She insisted I try to recoup the money, while I was highly sceptical it would work, with the argument that they'd certainly covered themselves from a legal perspective. However, with the help of AI, I sent the company such professional and (I hope) scary e-mails, that after 5 or 6, and them offering ever more to settle, they paid her back 80% of what they took

@marcitko said:
I've been working towards losing weight. As of today, I'm officially under 90kgs (-5 kgs) and going by BMI, not obese anymore, just overweight!

That’s a significant milestone worth celebrating! Congrats.