Originally Posted by mikewot (Post 11748270)

How is that cognitive dissonance working out for you? By your very words it is worshipping an idol "first temple built".

Originally Posted by Bahtatboy (Post 11748273)

I think he's bloviating :sneaky:

Originally Posted by redShark (Post 11748254)

I think you are mixing up things. Idolatry act happens when you erect a statue in a shape of some figure believing that this is how God actually looks like and you start offering your worship to IT.

Kaaba to the Muslims is simply a geographical focal centre where they face to in their prayers, much like the north pole to a campus needle. It also is a place where Muslim gather for the Haj ritual and the reason it is considered holy is because it was a first temple built by Abraham. Muslims also are taught that they are closest to the creator when they are in this area (is it to do with the golden ratio location, I wonder!!). There is nothing more to Kaaba than those symbolic meanings. Now if you ask what is the need for all this symbolism, the answer would be, it has to do with the construction of the human phycology. It appears that symbols and icons are vital tools for disciplining human concentrations and nations, otherwise, have you ever wondered why do every single nation in the world has a piece of a colourful rag which they refer to as a flag, and to which they sing anthems and take salutes and get angry if it is burned or physically abused? Is the piece of rag itself that is important or is it the meaning that it represents?

Originally Posted by scot47 (Post 11749091)

Death on pilgrimage guarantees a ticket to Paradise.

Mecca crane collapse: Bolton father-of-four among TWO Britons confirmed dead in accident | World | News | Daily Express

Originally Posted by Boomhauer (Post 11749404)

Mikewot summed it up.
You say it isn't idolatry then in the same breath you say it is holy and they are closes to the creator in that specific area.

I am not arguing on whether symbolism is right or wrong, I am just saying that more than any other religion Islam denigrates those religions/cultures that practice idolatry and yet Islam does the very same thing on a grand scale.

It's a case of do-as-i-say-and-not-as-I-do . Devout Muslims are well known for smashing aspects of other cultures for perceived (real or imagined) idolatry.

If a culture/religion preaches to everyone quite forcefully against a practice/belief (idolatry in this case) then be prepared to face incoming stones in your glass house.

On a related note: The Saudis and their ancient ancestors were quite shrewd to co-opt the Pagan Black stone into their Muhammadenism ; quite a lucrative money making scheme , not to mention Muslims all over the world are brainwashed to defend the Kaaba , which automatically means defending the Saudi Arabs and their territory.

Originally Posted by redShark (Post 11750339)

You don’t seem to understand what idolatry means in the first place to argue with me, otherwise you wouldn’t have confused the meaning of idolatory <snip> what is the Islamic definition of idolatry. It is the act of representing God in a physical shape or object and fearing that object and directing the worship to it, believing that it is God or incarnation of God.

Originally Posted by Boomhauer (Post 11749404)

Muslims all over the world are brainwashed to defend the Kaaba.

Originally Posted by mikewot (Post 11750346)

Your problem is that you are writing in English without understanding the words (a rarity for you). We are an English speaking site using English language and meanings, not some made up old bollocks.
Definition of idol:
Oxford Dictionary: A person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered
Cambridge Dictionary: a ​picture or ​object that ​people ​pray to as ​part of ​their ​religion

And on and on.

Originally Posted by Millhouse (Post 11749763)

2) SBG are now banned from all projects in the country.

Originally Posted by redShark (Post 11750369)

this should put you to shame.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idolatry

Originally Posted by mikewot (Post 11750347)

I suspect that the daesh might have other ideas about what to do with this idol and they would mainly involve hammers and TNT.