Changes

The recent effort to form a [[democracy]] in Iraq has given the Shiites new power in one of the largest Muslim countries, causing concern among the Sunnis.  The Shiites have religious practices that include beating their chests, slashing their forwards and weeping.  The Sunnis are more reserved in their ceremonies.  [[Jordan]]'s King [[Abdullah II]] declared in December 2005 that he feared that Iran sought to create "a Shiite crescent" in the Middle East consisting of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.  The crescent (partial Moon) is the symbol of Islam and is used in many official flags of Muslim nations.

The recent effort to form a [[democracy]] in Iraq has given the Shiites new power in one of the largest Muslim countries, causing concern among the Sunnis.  The Shiites have religious practices that include beating their chests, slashing their forwards and weeping.  The Sunnis are more reserved in their ceremonies.  [[Jordan]]'s King [[Abdullah II]] declared in December 2005 that he feared that Iran sought to create "a Shiite crescent" in the Middle East consisting of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.  The crescent (partial Moon) is the symbol of Islam and is used in many official flags of Muslim nations.

 

Islam is more forceful than other major religions in converting people and Islam is hostile to missionary work by other religions, such as Christianity.  Islam entails government and military policies, unlike Christianity.  Islamic governments may favor Muslims by not requiring them to pay a poll tax, while requiring practitioners of other religions to pay the tax.  Critics of Islam say that it encourages violence against "infidels" or non-believers.  Occasionally there are news reports of brutal killings of Christian girls or imprisonment and death sentences for Christian missionaries in Muslim countries.  In [[Afghanistan]], after the United States invaded and established control, a Muslim was sentenced to death for converting to Christianity, though worldwide publicity then led to his release.

Islam is more forceful than other major religions in converting people and Islam is hostile to missionary work by other religions, such as Christianity.  Islam entails government and military policies, unlike Christianity.  Islamic governments may favor Muslims by not requiring them to pay a poll tax, while requiring practitioners of other religions to pay the tax.  Critics of Islam say that it encourages violence against "infidels" or non-believers.  Occasionally there are news reports of brutal killings of Christian girls or imprisonment and death sentences for Christian missionaries in Muslim countries.  In [[Afghanistan]], after the United States invaded and established control, a Muslim was sentenced to death for converting to Christianity, though worldwide publicity then led to his release.