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Muslims more numerous than Catholics: Vatican

uk.reuters.com — VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said on Sunday. Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, who compiled the Vatican's newly-released 2008 yearbook of statistics,...

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  • exgop, on 03/31/2008, -41/+25Now what? Submit? Fight?
    • ChristophyBrown, on 03/31/2008, -13/+38Being Muslim doesn't mean you want to kill all Jews and Americans, damnit. How about we choose the option "Continue with your life."
      • L0t3k, on 03/31/2008, -25/+15For an alarmingly large percentage of Muslims, it means exactly that. That's the scary part.
        • sule, on 03/31/2008, -12/+12prove it.
        • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -8/+13ITT: 0.0001% is "alarmingly large."
        • MisterFreeze, on 03/31/2008, -13/+11I saw it on CNN or Fox News or something. A big crowd of demonstrators in some foreign country, but it might have been a Hollywood back lot, I'm not sure, yelling "Death to America", burning American flags, dancing up and down firing AK47s. Plus I saw that segment on 60 minutes where they polled every single Muslim worldwide and they found that 94% of them want to exterminate all non-Muslims. Plus they want all our stuff -- cars and girls gone wild and Disney World and whatnot.
          • Aensland, on 03/31/2008, -9/+2Either you forgot your sarcasm tag, or dayym you're one ignorant redneck. Protip: people are people, they just want to live their lives provided your government leaves them the ***** alone.
          • MisterFreeze, on 03/31/2008, -1/+0You must get a lot from reading authors like Mark Twain.
        • CryRightardCry, on 04/01/2008, -3/+2*****, *****.
          Bush and Fox are liars.
          You are a liar too.
          The muslims seem to be in greater danger from ignorant lies like this than we are from them.
      • jabberwolf, on 03/31/2008, -2/+2Funny most of the world seems to disagree with you. And so does the Quran which wants ISLAM to be part of every government in the world.
    • Azerael, on 03/31/2008, -15/+43Perhaps it's a good time to give up religion.
      • cheezintern, on 03/31/2008, -4/+3dude, bail?
      • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -9/+18I did. Years ago. So did anyone that wanted control of their lives.
      • Awspire, on 03/31/2008, -23/+13"Perhaps it's a good time to give up religion."

        Why? Do you seriously think peace will reign throughout the world without religion? History has shown that nearly all wars have been fought over political ideals and objectives. If anything, religion has preached to oppose greed and love, respect one another. I often wonder how violent our world would be without religion.
        • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -6/+16So a lie is okay if it keeps people happy?
          • TheGuruStud, on 03/31/2008, -4/+16and it doesn't even do that...

            it can keep them clinically insane, though
        • hillbillyboy07, on 03/31/2008, -6/+6Some lies work, but only if the liar is good at lying. Bush administration, bad liars.
        • StarlessKnight, on 03/31/2008, -4/+8Perhaps if society were to preach respect for your fellow person, personal responsibility, and other social/moral/ethical considerations, religion wouldn't be the "only" thing standing between "bad" and "worse." Or we can pretend only the church cares and is capable of talking about such things and look forward to *if* the church ever fell that people could go "Ha! Ha! Told you society would degenerate!" Self-fulfilling prophecy.
        • cheezintern, on 03/31/2008, -11/+11are you serious? most wars in the world have been fought because of religion.
          • Awspire, on 03/31/2008, -14/+10You are a classic example of how Public Schools have utterly failed. I'm not even gonna list wars fought over secular politicalism vs. religious. Compare it yourself, and you'll be quite surprised. The World Wars alone account for more deaths than all the religious wars combined.
          • Azerael, on 03/31/2008, -11/+5They might not have been faught *because* of religion, but religion has often secured the people's support for their nation's actions.
          • Awspire, on 03/31/2008, -7/+9@Azerael: Don't go confusing Religion with Nationalism.
          • Azerael, on 03/31/2008, -3/+9The two are often related. Do you think the 30% of Americans who still support Bush are atheists?
          • Extraneous, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2To state that the majority of wars have been caused by religion is an utterly false statement. No one cause for war presides over any other with enough of a lead to be made note of.
            I have found though, that the zealous faithful and by relation their given religions, are guilty of some of the most sickening atrocities in the history of our planet.
        • CWal37, on 03/31/2008, -12/+11Dude, seriously, have you ever taken a history class? Perhaps you've heard of a little thing called the crusades? Or maybe, you know, all the wars that ever involved the Holy Roman ***** Empire? And trust me, there were plenty. Religion has always been a huge instigator of wars in this world. Obviously Christianity has evolved from it's roots, but that doesn't erase the past or the fact that there are still extremists in a multitude of faiths who use their beliefs as a springboard to violence today.
          • p0s3r, on 03/31/2008, -11/+8Another public school ignoramus.
            The Holy Roman Empire is what was left after the fall of the Roman Empire. It's capitol was Constantinople, not Rome.
            Roman Wars were over power, expansion, and resources. Not about religion.
          • dreamstretch, on 03/31/2008, -1/+10That was the Byzantine Empire. The Holy Roman Empire was several hundred years later in central Europe.
            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Roman_Empire
          • Extraneous, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3Props to dreamstretch for being the only one of you nimrods to site his source.
          • CWal37, on 04/01/2008, -2/+1@p0ser Thanks for being an idiot.

            @Extraneous Sorry for not having the exact citations in my head for everything I've ever read about European history, instead next time I'll do a 20 second wiki search and provide a link to validate my point. This is Digg, not a real debate by any a stretch of the imagination. I was right anyways.
          • Extraneous, on 04/02/2008, -0/+1Yes, because saying "I was right" totally makes you look like less of a moron. Cheers!
        • flashback99, on 03/31/2008, -2/+7Why do you assume Azereal means that without religion there will be peace?
          If we all used a bit more reason and logic, and less imagination and fear the world would be a better place. It wouldn't fix the world, but it would make it better.

          In this world there are evidence backed established facts, and there is made-up *****. Religion falls into the latter category.
      • kjd84, on 03/31/2008, -17/+7The word Jihad mean anything to you?
        • sule, on 03/31/2008, -6/+15the fact that you even use the word jihad as some sort of all-encompassing concept, shows that you likely don't know anymore about it than what has been fed to you through your boob-tube
    • legoalert33, on 03/31/2008, -1/+5Nothing.
    • neckfire, on 03/31/2008, -2/+7Change the roman catholic church to the roman muslim church and start taking in alms?
    • MisterFreeze, on 03/31/2008, -5/+5I'm pretty sure we're all going to have to start paying attention when the Pope tells us to stop using contraceptives and getting abortions. Damn it people, we've got to shore up our numbers. If there is anything that the 16th century Spanish invasion of Aztec and Inca empires taught us, it's that military success is 100% dependent on having a large population.
    • SoxSweepAgain, on 03/31/2008, -1/+13"Islam" has denominations too. This is propaganda. It's like saying "There are more Christians than Shi'ites!" on Al-Jazeera.
      • Kautylia, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2This guy is right. I hope the sox don't win again this year though...
      • Aensland, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2Exactly. Propaganda means *****-all. There are douchebags masquerading as normal people in any religious denomination.
        • MisterFreeze, on 03/31/2008, -2/+0Except Church of Scientology. They're all stand-up people.
    • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -2/+2A)ttack D)efend C)ast a spell U)se an item F)lee
  • JeffreyLloyd, on 03/31/2008, -14/+39Is this really news?
    • mundus, on 05/15/2008, -2/+9Yeah, this has been so for decades if not centuries.
    • CanTheSpam, on 03/31/2008, -5/+18"Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said on Sunday."

      I think it's news that the Vatican thinks that Muslims are all the same denomination. The explosions in Iraq disagree.

      This isn't the first time that I've disagreed with the Church.
      • p0s3r, on 03/31/2008, -3/+3It's only an act of appeasement after the Pope baptized that moslem on Easter.
    • delfin1, on 03/31/2008, -7/+1i thought Catholics and Muslim are the same, do they look different? where do they come from? and how does Scientology rank?
    • Haohmaru, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4It's news that they are recognizing it.
    • ZenMojo, on 03/31/2008, -1/+1When the Holy War goes down, the Catholics will never withstand the Zerg rush.
  • freddiep, on 03/31/2008, -49/+76we would send more missionaries over there... except then, those *peace-loving* muslims seem to always end up killing them... (like they just killed the bishop in iraq)
    • Aeuta, on 03/31/2008, -22/+13It turns out if you send a couple of Muslims into the US and kill a bunch of Americans and then there is another Muslim cleric who supports a similar belief system (while not actually doing anything...remotely extremist) his life might not turn out so good..sure not death but close enough for a long time. Got to love those *freedom loving* Americans.
      • mewoot10, on 03/31/2008, -6/+2Patriotism?
      • BECoole, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3Just like we killed thousands of Muslims in Dearborn after 9-11?
        Where have you been?
    • sule, on 03/31/2008, -19/+16you did send missionaries.....a whole army of them...literally.....i guess those peace-loving Americans and their guns were just trying to say hello by shooting and killing and enabling the emergence of terorrism in a previously terror-free country

      :(
      • Neo31rex31, on 03/31/2008, -3/+4You really know nothing about the Islamic religion.......there is nothing peaceful about it
    • buggu, on 03/31/2008, -18/+10If those missionaries are anything like the "democracy-bringing" American occupation soldiers, can you really blame them for the violence?
    • Aitese, on 03/31/2008, -5/+22Hmm...I love that word, "they"...as if the whole country has a phone vote on TV and decide overwhelmingly to murder. Not possible that a small minority of extremist lunatics are carrying out the atrocities. It's funny that when a black person uses "they" against the white people of America this subtle point is always driven home with force. It's almost as if a few rednecks in a truck pulling a brother to his death along a road isn't the fault of a whole race of people...interesting.
    • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -9/+10Uh hi... You live under Muslim law in Muslim countries. Don't like the Sharia? Go home.
      • StarlessKnight, on 03/31/2008, -1/+6Not to undermine your point, but that's a two-way street you're advocating there. "Don't like it not being under Muslim law? Go home." Not terribly black or white.
        • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -3/+9I don't expect to live under Sharia in America, so they shouldn't expect to live under American laws in 'Muslim' countries. I think thats a pretty fair 2 way street. I'm not leaving America because I accept your laws and live under them.
    • praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -5/+14We? So I take it you are a member of the Catholic church?

      Such an arrogant stance. "They're not part of my religion, so lets send some people down their to fix that!" That goes for everyone.
    • chillypacman, on 03/31/2008, -6/+9If I were starving to death and some idiot missionary came and said 'gee, convert to and I'll give you food' I'd probably kill him and take his food.

      As far as I'm concerned I'm starving to death and this guy is trying to use me to achieve his own ends, so no thank you.
      • flashback99, on 03/31/2008, -4/+5Missionaries are *****. It's easier to convert someone when they havent eaten a decent meal or they've got 8 children to take care of. If they genuinely cared about helping these people religion would have nothing to do with it.
      • BECoole, on 03/31/2008, -1/+3That's not how missionaries work.
        They go to places of need and provide whatever necessities they can to who ever needs them, irrespective of religion. They make their religion available. That's it. No coercion, no bribes. If someone doesn't show up for whatever religious function they still receive aid.
    • frankwitness, on 03/31/2008, -6/+7Thank to open-minded people like you, and your missionaries, we as American have been killing 5000 HUMANS a DAY on average, since the Korea war. What a peace loving nation are we and what a smart and educated person are you, my fellow American!
    • SoulDrift404, on 03/31/2008, -4/+3Lovely, 'missions'. Religious colonialism, more like. LEAVE EACH OTHER ALONE, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO 'CONVERT' FOR ANY REASON.
    • ZenMojo, on 03/31/2008, -2/+5In other news, a couple million Iraqi Christians go on about their business without dying. Guess those evil Muslims have really bad aim.
  • keltin, on 03/31/2008, -45/+98We allow mosques into Western countries as part of our culture of fairness. The Muslim counties confiscate bibles, harass and kill missionaries and refuse to allow Christian churches to open, without draconian regulations that prevent a church from...well, being a church.
    • Aeuta, on 03/31/2008, -13/+50I shall remind you that Christianity did some of those things to establish its current role...

      It is not "fair" or anything but that is how this whole mess works...
      • qwertydvorak, on 03/31/2008, -6/+13that was the past. kind of reinforcing the idea that muslims are stuck in the stone age.
        • fokov, on 03/31/2008, -8/+4Yet, Christianity still leads to gays and others getting stoned or killed in some other violent manner. Think they are better and above this BS nonsense. How many Pagans died at the hands of Jesus' followers? Hell St. Patty's Day is a holiday celebrating Genocide.
    • Mattyandco, on 03/31/2008, -10/+32"The Muslim counties confiscate bibles, harass and kill missionaries and refuse to allow Christian churches to open."?

      http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/32CC5571-64 ...
      http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7297808.stm
      • L0t3k, on 03/31/2008, -9/+8Yeah, only you don't want to be caught walking in to it.
      • tamuengineer, on 03/31/2008, -0/+12"[residents] are prohibited by law from converting to another faith "

        So they are allowing them to be built, you just cant join.
    • Mikhail101, on 03/31/2008, -22/+24he have a ***** load of mosques in canada and we face no problems, why are people digging this idiot.
      • Rickler, on 03/31/2008, -5/+14Because his comment doesn't say mosques in western countries are a problem. Why are people digging this idiot who cannot read?
      • websurfer, on 03/31/2008, -16/+15In Canada the Muslims are suing news magazines like Macleans and the Western Standard for displaying the Mohammed cartoons. As a canadian I have very big issues with Muslims threatening my life because I chose to exercise my freedoms of speech. Nothing but THREATS come out of Muslims.

        The only solution is to stop Muslim immigration or we will just have to kick them out.
        • guest1986, on 03/31/2008, -10/+13Unfortunately, countries like Canada and UK will never stop Muslim Migration. They think it is "Multiculturalism" and they are doing good for their society. While in fact they are consuming their resources through Welfare money and extra security, plus igniting more problems such as what is happening with the Cartoons. Muslims simply want it their way(Islam) or the Highway(You Die).
    • guest1986, on 03/31/2008, -21/+24I totally agree with you. I am a Catholic living in a Muslim country. They harass us/never let us do anything. Security is extra high around Easter/Christmas and any other Christian occasion. They force their teaching on us(Christians) so I have to memorize everything their Quran says. I have to fast when they Fast Ramadan, I basically have to do everything they tell me to or I get KILLED!
      I think western countries should do the same with them. You know we are not allowed to have a church in Saudi Arabia. They should not have Mosques in Italy either. They should not be given welfare money from several western governments. Hell they should not be let out of their countries. MUSLIMS MUST STAY IN MUSLIM COUNTRIES. If their countries can't support them, their population will go down. If they go to a country like the UK where they get all the food/education/all the life they need, of course their population will grow.
      I wish I can tell the world what those monsters do. Oh well, if you need more info ask me. I am living in PAIN!

      Your Guest.
      • anonymousfred, on 03/31/2008, -7/+12I fully understand your situation, even in non-Islamic country but Muslim dominates the country, they always prosecute minorities. People in the western countries will not really understand that because they simple never experienced it.
        • dartmanx, on 03/31/2008, -4/+1People in the western countries don't understand persecution of minorities? What are you smoking?
          Try contacting a black person in the United States and telling them they've never experienced persecution.
          • randf, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4talk about smoking something....either that or you must be about 150 years old.
      • Aeuta, on 03/31/2008, -3/+8This kind of thought leads to wars and bloody ones at that...I know I grew up in Bosnia...

        You speak of religion as if it where a genetic trait is there no choice by those people to believe what they believe? Sure they may be "brainwashed" but look at your own genetic religious heritage? are you at all so different?

        Religions should not be nationality or political parties religions are beliefs in forces which transcend this world. They should be respected by each individual and no interference any government will do. It is personal or else it loses all meaning.

        • guest1986, on 03/31/2008, -7/+3I agree with your point that they are "brainwashed". They start that process with them since grade 1. 10 years later you have an angry teenager that just wants to blow himself up. Look at Israel, it is happening every day.
          Let them think what they want to think, as long as they are not hurting anyone(Considering their past and the way they dominated, this is not the case).
          Affecting my life and my thoughts and having me do what they tell me or else I get hurt, this is where it gets messy. I STRONGLY believe in Freedom of Religions. Forcing Religions and mixing it with Politics to have it your way is the problem.

          Your Guest.
        • StarlessKnight, on 03/31/2008, -2/+5Guest: It's a little more complicated than that. Not all/most/some aren't exactly living under the richest conditions. I don't think you could say Gaza is particularly overflowing with the milk and honey of, say, the USA or the UK. Environmental conditions that make it considerably more likely that someone might feel like sticking it to the side/people/group that's labeled by others as those responsible.
        • qwertydvorak, on 03/31/2008, -2/+1"You speak of religion as if it where a genetic trait is there no choice by those people to believe what they believe?"

          it is funny you bring that up. there was an article on digg just a couple of days ago that mentions tracing the genes of christians in a muslim country back to european parents.

          here is the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7316281. ...
      • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -1/+6Where are you living? We live hand in hand with ayl ul-kitab. We're not allowed to touch you simply for believing in what you believe.
        • iofthestorm, on 03/31/2008, -1/+8Parent poster meant ahl-ul-kitab, which basically refers to Jews and Christians. We (Muslims) believe that Jews and Christians worship the same God as us and are true religions, and so we accept them. Of course, what some Islamic governments or groups do may not be indicative of the principles of Islam.
          • Aensland, on 03/31/2008, -1/+4It's the ***** wingnut extremists who stir ***** up for their own political agenda who cause trouble for the rest of us. Joe Average just wants to live his life in peace.
    • musagha, on 03/31/2008, -7/+5So you can't eat food within your own place of residence? + Comparing saudi arabia isnt right... its like comparing it to Vatican... lol get killed? i'm not very cultured can you show a case of this happening? What is THAT huge of a difference that christianity is different? Thou shalt not kill...... Thou shall not commit adultery.. hmmm hmm. A better comparison is vatican to saudi arabia since vatican is considered an independant city... Vatican got any mosques?
      REPOST From comments
      http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7297808.stm or this doesn't count?
      Hey man i feel your pain being FORCED to stay in a country you don't like... wait you can leave can't ya?
      • guest1986, on 03/31/2008, -1/+8I can't leave. As for the Church in Qatar I think that's where it is, just see how the security around it will be. If not then it will get blown up.
        The most recent case of killing someone because they are Christian by Muslims that was made PUBLIC was the Bishop in Northern Iraq. Here is a link http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i4rtLsZIuTKmZN ...
        As for the food part. I can eat in my house, but I once ate in the school's washroom during Ramadan, I got beaten by the principle and suspended. How about that?
        I don't think writing here can describe my situation, I should film a documentary.
        • NoStoppingUs, on 03/31/2008, -2/+6why bother? you'll be labeled as a fear mongerer and racist for pointing out the truth. unfortunately, these people have their heads buried in the sand. they're so full of hatred that they refuse to see the reality of the situation. it's too late. it's only a matter of time before they realize how wrong they truly are, and by then, nothing will be able to be done about it.
          • Aensland, on 03/31/2008, -3/+2Is this hate the fault of the religion, or the fault of intolerant bigots? So if I follow your example I can say, because I had a very unpleasant experience in UK, that white people are racist rednecks? Puh-leaze. Way to overgeneralise and tar everyone with the same brush.
    • rz8472, on 03/31/2008, -1/+13It depends on the country. Turkey and Indonesia are by law secular societies and do not have an official religion... there shouldn't be any problem there. Presumably the UAE is also fairly progressive on these matters. On the other side of the fence are ofc Saudi Arabia, Iran, and probably a few other countries... which now includes Iraq since sectarian violence is now everywhere.

      Saddam may have been a bastard, but at least he held the country together and protected the 1 million Christians living inside Iraq. Even the Iraqi PM (Tariq Aziz) is Christian.
      • guest1986, on 03/31/2008, -1/+6And how many are living in Iraq now? Can anyone get Saddam back?
        Just a note: Saddam liked Christians more than Shiites.
    • kjd84, on 03/31/2008, -6/+1Here's a case right here: http://tinyurl.com/2tcnbl
    • sule, on 03/31/2008, -8/+7"The Muslim counties confiscate bibles, harass and kill missionaries and refuse to allow Christian churches to open, without draconian regulations that prevent a church from...well, being a church."

      prove it.
    • TheGreat1, on 03/31/2008, -2/+10Ok, so the issue here is that people are comparing religion with violence and giving examples of Iraq like its in their back yard. With no educational institutions, no jobs, no law and order and no monthly stable income, how to expect anyone to remain sane. If you have your facts straight, in Iraq its the militias who are fighting among each other to control the biggest portion of the land. Now how could you say that its Islam which is teaching them to do that. No religion preaches violence in any way, its the ignorance of people who interpret it in a very wrong way. I'm a Muslim and my roots are form Pakistan and before you burn me for that I just like to go on record and say that I consider my self to be a proud American and I will not allow anyone to question my solidarity. To all Christian friends on digg, I assure you that all the churches in Karachi are free to do what ever they want. They are respected by the Muslim community and they run quite a few of the most respected educational institutions. Stop watching fox news and start getting your facts together.
      The point im trying to make here is that you have to provide people with jobs, have to give them an infrastructure to depend upon so they could have a stable income coming in. If you take basic necessities away form any nation, things are bound to get ugly. Imagine no law and order in this very country of ours, what do you think would happen.
      I hope i have not offended anyone here. If i have, reply back and i will make things more clear.
      • guest1986, on 03/31/2008, -4/+1Thank you for calling Christians "Friends" and not "Ahel al Ketab" or "Kuffar" or any other defamatory words.
        • sule, on 03/31/2008, -2/+5Kuffar means non-believer.....it's equivalent to saying "gentile"

          is gentile derogatory?

          if you dont' want to be considered a "kuffar"/kafir, then you'd probably want to convert to Islam; otherwise, you're asking a language to change the definition of a word b/c you think it's derogatory without understanding its meaning

          ignorance is bliss, no?
        • leexy, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2What on Earth are you talking about? Do you even know what ahl al-kitab means? If not, I suggest you go talk to an Arab Christian or Jew and ask him/her if she finds the term remotely derogatory.
      • Aensland, on 03/31/2008, -1/+4Well spoken, sir. I work abroad in a muslim country and guess what, everyone gets along well with everyone. Of course, we don't have a war here and the economy isn't being ***** every way from Sunday... guess that helps put a lot of things into perspective.
    • leexy, on 03/31/2008, -3/+12This is mostly the case in Saudi Arabia and other Wahabi states. All of which, I should add, are best buddies with the US which sells them weapons and sends them all sorts of goodies financed by the taxpayer. And what does the White House do? Fsck over the secular Arab states where Christians, Jews and Muslims cohabit, while actively enforcing the rule of the tyrants in the states where sharia law is practiced.
      And yes, I'm a Muslim, and a pissed off one at that!
    • chillypacman, on 03/31/2008, -3/+6why is this guy getting upmodded? everything he says is outright false at worst or misleading at best.

      *sigh* people are so dumb sometimes, just because it makes them feel good in *that* sort of way they blindly get behind him.
    • Azerael, on 03/31/2008, -3/+3That's cause most Western countries are *secular democracies*, not theocratic monarchies.
    • SheilaNoya, on 04/02/2008, -0/+2Iraq wasn't that way before we invaded their country. There were over 12,000 Christians living peacefully in Baghdad before Bush destroyed the country. Most of the Christians have now fled for their lives.
  • FilmDoctor, on 03/31/2008, -16/+116This story is stupid! Islam is not a dfenomination. The Muslims are actually divided into three major denominations -- Sunni, Sufi and Shi'ite. None of them are as big as the Roman Catholic denomination of Christianity, which as a whole is still about twice as big as Islam.

    • jmpeagle, on 03/31/2008, -4/+12sufism is not a "sect"...they are just the more mystical branch of Islam and can come from either Sunni Islam or Shia Islam. It's like saying conservative christian...it could apply to a member of almost any of the christian denomination
      • pintomp3, on 03/31/2008, -4/+3it is a separate sect, just like dervish.
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism

        • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -1/+2Sufi = Dervish
        • jmpeagle, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2you should read what you post before you clcik "submit comment"
          FTA you posted..."Sufi Orders or Sufi Brotherhoods are traditionally known as Tariqa. They may be associated with Sunni Islam or Shia Islam, though the major ones, such as the Qādirī and Naqšhbandī orders, are associated with traditional Sunni Islam and are accepted by the majority of 'folk Muslims'."
      • iofthestorm, on 03/31/2008, -1/+3I have to agree, sufism is not a major denomination, it's just a minor mystical branch and fall under both major classifications.
        • Kizilbash, on 04/02/2008, -0/+1It is not a 'branch' anymore than capucins or jesuits are a branch of Catholicism.
    • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -7/+2It's all the same to us.
      • sule, on 03/31/2008, -2/+3the people who group or associate with as "us" must be stupid

        i certainly hope the "us" you refer to is a small group of people you personally associate with.
    • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -16/+11Dear internet scholars,
      You don't know what you're talking about.

      Thanks,
      A real muslim.
      • cmorwhat, on 03/31/2008, -17/+7Dear Muslim,

        You're part of the problem.

        ***** off,
        An enlightened Atheist
        • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -6/+11I think it is you who is part of the problem. Grow up and don't judge people based on race, creed, sex, etc.
        • sule, on 03/31/2008, -4/+19Dear Atheist,

          Your belief that others should think like you is part of the problem, not solution

          Sincerely,

          Human Being
          • WoollyMittens, on 03/31/2008, -0/+6Dear Human Being,

            Take me to your leaderrrrrrrr.

            Regards,
            Your new alien overlords.
          • sule, on 03/31/2008, -1/+5Dear Alien Overlord,

            if you knew what was good for you, you wouldn't want to associate with this planet.

            Sincerely,
            fed up human
        • praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -2/+8Dear Santa,

          Please bring daddy home.

          Yours truly,
          a sad little boy
          • CWal37, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4Dear Kevin Rose,

            Please fix the comments.

            Would you kindly,
            Aggravated User
        • skeptic42, on 03/31/2008, -3/+6Dear "Enlightened" Atheist,

          You, too, are part of the problem for being a dickwad about everything

          Really ***** off, and I mean forever,
          An atheist who is not a dickwad
      • shawnanigans, on 03/31/2008, -5/+6Dear real muslim,
        Seriously? Never heard of the Shi'a-Sunni split. Never heard about sectarian violence. No? Ever been to a mosque?
        • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -4/+7Yea almost every day. Have you?
          The Shi'a Sunni 'split' you're talking about, we consider a split from Islam. There are Muslims, and then there are Muslims. There are different schools of thoughts (we call them maddhabs) but those aren't sects as we are all Muslim. If you would like to continue to tell a Muslim about Islam, I suggest you do more reading first. Peace.
        • Aensland, on 03/31/2008, -3/+3Dude. It's only an issue in certain middle east countries (and heavily politically motivated, if you even understand what's going on in those places). The rest of the muslim world, the MODERATE muslim world I might add, don't care. Live and let live. Do they beat you over the head with how Protestants and Catholics don't get along? No. So shut the ***** up.
      • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -1/+1Why would a real Muslim be here?
    • Zuggy, on 03/31/2008, -6/+11Islam = Christianity, meaning that there are multiple denominations that fall under both headings.
      • ZeroFive1, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2And Christianity is sect of Judaism in your reasoning.
        • Kizilbash, on 04/02/2008, -1/+1No, it's a separate religion, only an idiot would deny that. And only an idiot would deny that Catholicism is a denomination of Christianity. Or that there are different denominations in Islam.
    • CrudeDarkness, on 03/31/2008, -3/+10there are about more than 70 islamic denominations. Not only three.
      • ZeroFive1, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3But none of them are very large.
      • Kizilbash, on 04/02/2008, -1/+2Islam branched off into 3 main groups shortly after Mohammed died, over who should be his successor. The Shi'ites were of the opinion only his descendants by his son-in-law 'Ali should be allowed to. The Kharijites thought any good Muslim should be. The Sunnis took a middle position. Those 3 branches then developed and the Shi'ite branch especially split further. All of them belong to one of those 3 branches though, sort of though the difference between Fiver Shi'ites and Sunnis are smaller than those between those Fiver Shi'ites and the rest of the Shi'ites. Some groups, like Druzes or Alawites, are not even considered Muslims by mainstream Sunnis or mainstream (Twelver) Shi'ites. The Ibadis are the only group left that trace back to the Kharijites, but they do not seem to consider themselves Kharijite but a seperate branch (that is however neitheir Shi'ite nor Sunni).
    • soyobro, on 03/31/2008, -4/+4Actually the article is comparing all Muslims, not a particular group, to one Christian denomination; Catholicism.
    • Catch_ME, on 03/31/2008, -7/+3You must seem to think Christianity is really big. Out of six billion people, Christianity holds a little over a billion with Islam not far behind. And thats mostly because of European Imperialism.

      Check wikipedia for it.
      • entico99, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2Same goes for Islam, almost whole Northern Africa is muslim not because it willingly converted in recent years. It was brutally enforced upon them. Islamic version of crusade. Check wikipedia for it smart ass.
    • chillypacman, on 03/31/2008, -7/+1it's cute how you say 'sunni, sufi and shia' it shows your very limited understanding of Islam.

      Shias are radically different to the core Islam and the core of Islam is divided into roughly 72 sects, one of which is sufism though there are a ***** others, oftne times calling themselves 'sunni' though being quite different (such as wahabism).
    • SoulDrift404, on 03/31/2008, -2/+6Some idiot Christians think Catholics are NOT Christian, actually.
    • ZeroFive1, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.ht ...
    • Kizilbash, on 04/02/2008, -1/+1Sufi is not a denomination. It is Islamic mysticism. There is Sunni, Shi'a and Ibadi. Ibadis are the majority in Oman, but there are hardly any anywhere else. Shi'ites are divided among several smaller sects.
  • Gareof, on 03/31/2008, -30/+9Jesus said the way to life is narrow while the way to death is broad and most people will take the broadway to destruction...religion is NEVER the way to life....islam, catholicism, protestentism, buddhism, hinduism, et al are meaningless religious "isms" that lead to destruction...according to Jesus Christ in John chapter 3; only the person who is born again of the spirit has life eternal.....I'm so glad it doesn't depend on my religious affiliation and that it is a free gift of God and no one can "force" a person to experience the new birth....read it for yourself ...or not....it's up to you....The True and Living God gives you a choice....
    • OUChevelleSS, on 03/31/2008, -3/+2Yes but Jesus also said that HE is the way and the life and the only way to the Father. I think that makes it more clear.
    • Aeuta, on 03/31/2008, -1/+3When you actively choose to believe in a religion it holds some merit but if you are born into a religion and never question it is it really a sacrifice and a belief? or merely "genetic"?
    • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -4/+8"Jesus said"
      I buried you right there. How do you know what he actually said? And who cares about him? He was just some schizo carpenter.
    • popfrogs, on 03/31/2008, -2/+9Nice try bible troll, but buddhism simply isn't a religion. It's a way of life, a theology of living. People pick and choose what "gods" they want to follow based on their attitudes. Two of my good friends are Thai buddhists; one won't eat pork because the god he follows says it's bad for you. The other one does and follows a different god.

      I would call you out further but Christians are nothing if not ignorant of other gigantic religions and belief systems. Latest guess has Buddhism pegged at about 1,465,987,215 people. How many Christians are there again?
    • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -1/+6gb2/Church of Christ and take the rest of your "we can't dance, drink or hold hands outside of marriage" crowd with you.
    • SoulDrift404, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Who gives a *****?
  • BottledSunshine, on 03/31/2008, -8/+72Actually Islam in not a single religious denomination, it is made up of many different sects, Sunni and Shia being the two largest. Just as Catholicism is one of the many sects of Christianity. I would be curious to see comparisons broken down by sects of each religion and combined totals.
    • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -16/+3Who ***** cares? There are three main categories: Christianity (which includes Catholicism and the sects from Catholicism, which are most of the other denomination), Islam and Judaism.
      When we say muslim we don't really care if they're Sunni or Shia, congratulations on pointing out irrelevant *****.
      • alienunknown, on 03/31/2008, -2/+6What about other religions? Buddhism and Hinduism are pretty ***** huge religions. They don't count?
        • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -2/+1I was talking about just those three.
        • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -0/+8He was talking about the 'big 3' monotheistic religions. The Abrahamic religions if you will.
      • StarlessKnight, on 03/31/2008, -0/+8There are just three kinds of Central and Southern Americans: Mexican, Cuban, and more Mexican. When we say Mexican, we don't really care if they're Mexican, Honduran, Brazilian, etc. etc. they all look the same. Kind of like those Asians. Japanese, Chinese, Korean what? Asian, damn it! All of 'em. Don't forget "Mexicans" are growing faster than the Caucasian American population!

        Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but isn't Catholicism, itself, more or less just Catholicism? Islam, meanwhile, is akin to the umbrella term "Christianity" which Catholicism is merely a part. Therefore, comparing the growth of the umbrella term to that of a part skews the results; comparing the largest, pronounced denomination of Islam to that of the largest, pronounced denomination of Christianity would seem to be a better choice. I believe that is BottledSunshine's point.

        FTA: "He said that if all Christian groups were considered, including Orthodox churches, Anglicans and Protestants, then Christians made up 33 percent of the world's population -- or about 2 billion people. [...] It did not provide a figure for Muslims, generally estimated at around 1.3 billion [19.2 percent of the world's population]."
        • praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -0/+1Except Mexicans are from North America.
    • leexy, on 03/31/2008, -1/+6This is a good point. The Shia people represent under 10% of the Muslim demographics, which while substantial, is hardly notable since the difference between that "brand" of Islam of the Sunni kind are quite minute when compared to, say the different groups of Christianity. As for the differences within Sunni group themselves, they're even smaller. They quibble over details while the principles are the same.
      I, for one, reject all that nonsense. I call myself a Muslim, period. I don't need no guru to interpret the Quran for me as the idea of a clergy is at odds with the prophet's teachings. Heck, monotheism trumps all the other labels for me. I have no problems praying in a church or synagogue and have done so on many occasions.
      • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -0/+1Even with Crosses in them? It says in the Qur'an not to do that. Thats why I prescribe to a Fiqh... I can't know EVERYTHING in the Qur'an.
        • leexy, on 03/31/2008, -1/+5Crosses are everywhere. From flags to logos to nature, there's hardly a place where you can escape them. Heck, don't you cross your "t"s? Look, a cross is a symbol and it only has the meaning that you're willing to give to it. If you can't help but interpret it as some tritheistic thing, then obviously you should keep away from them. Else, I don't see anything in the Quran that would deny you entry to a church. In case of doubt, common sense goes a long way. But I'll be happy to review any verse you throw my way.
          • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -0/+1The idea is to not pray behind a symbol that we don't believe in.

            Fiqh-us-Sunnah 2.75
            Al-Bukhari says: "Ibn 'Abbas would pray in churches [under unusual circumstances] except for those with statues or sculptures." The Muslims of Najran wrote to 'Umar saying that they found no place cleaner or better to pray in than a church. 'Umar wrote to them: "Sprinkle it with water and leaves and pray therein." According to the Hanafi and Shaf'i schools, it is disliked to pray in such places in general.
    • jabberwolf, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1I would agree it would be like saying Cats outnumber German shepherds.

      There are many sects of ISLAM and Catholicism is just one of many branches of Christianity. This article was more then likely written by a Muslim wishing really hard about world domination. Truth is, muslims are leaving ISLAM . There are many migrating to western countries which shows an increase in Western countries but most is simply immigration.
  • s810, on 03/31/2008, -9/+41Why does the west always ignore Buddhism? Not that being "the #1 religion" really matters, but it is entirely probable that Buddhism is the actual top religion worldwide, as there are no adequate statistics to cover them. THe Chinese Government estimates the number of buddhists in China alone at 600 million which is 200+million more than these studies seem to be accounting for.

    there is a sample of the debate here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Worldwide_perce ...
    • hjdutch, on 03/31/2008, -6/+3as well as that, counting ilam as a single religion is like counting Christianity as one - there are dozens of denominations - so it would be better to compare Christianity and islam than catholicism
    • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -0/+7They don't all share a belief in a deity. Among the monotheistic religions, Buddhism doesn't place.
    • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -11/+13Buddhism is far superior than Islam and Christianity. At least they don't have imaginary friends or think their beliefs entitle them to kill others.
    • Rickler, on 03/31/2008, -1/+3I believe I read that Christianity as a whole is at 1/3rd of the world population. Muslims 1/6th. So it is entirely possible up to half the the world is Buddhist, but i doubt it.
      • StarlessKnight, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2FTA: "He said that if all Christian groups were considered, including Orthodox churches, Anglicans and Protestants, then Christians made up 33 percent of the world's population -- or about 2 billion people. [...] It did not provide a figure for Muslims, generally estimated at around 1.3 billion [19.2 percent of the world's population]."

        Total (not a scientific study): 33 + 19.2 = 52.2% of the world's population. Since Buddhism has to share the remaining space, it is unlikely they have 50% of the population.
      • leexy, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2What kind of an argument is that? "I believe I've read"? What are you? 12?
    • totleguy, on 03/31/2008, -1/+13And I was always told that Buddhism isn't exactly a religion, but that it's more a way of life. *shrug*
      • ApokalypseNow, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3That's more-or-less true. Buddhists don't worship a deity, and Buddha himself was a teacher, not a god. For the most part, the philosophy of Buddhism (as I understand it, correct me if I'm wrong) is simply one of self-improvement by following certain steps along a path.
    • Hangly, on 03/31/2008, -4/+2Yes, but "Buddhist" is a really loose term. Those 600 million Buddhists in China probably know nothing about Buddhism and have never done anything remotely religious in their entire lives.
      • WoollyMittens, on 03/31/2008, -0/+10The same goes for christians.
        • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3I don't know any atheist Christians. But I do know at least one atheist Buddhist.
    • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -1/+7Buddhists don't have holy wars. That's what makes a religion interesting.
      • Hangly, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1The LTT would like a word with you.
        • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1What's an LTT? I can't effectively google it without the full name :)
    • HUKI365, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2The Chinese government also says there are no Gays. And doesn't count Christians. I call ***** on any of their statistics.
    • zendo, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3When Buddhists start to become worried or pontificate about their numbers, we as a whole will need to step back and reconsider our thoughts. Isn't the entire point of our practice to move away from thoughts, actions, and methods which cause suffering or attachment? As a Buddhist in the West, my position on the radar doesn't matter much.
    • Jawoodyablowme, on 03/31/2008, -0/+0There are those who practice like a Buddhist but do not consider themselves to be Buddhist for various reasons. Maybe they don't believe in reincarnation or other reasons.
      Then there are those who call themselves Buddhists but don't practice or anything. They just participate in Buddhist rituals every once in a while: like the Christians who only go to Church for Weddings, Funerals, Easter, and Christmas.
    • pentupentropy, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Buddhism is so much more philosophy than religion. I don't want to argue abou tit, but I will say I know a lot of jews and christians who go to Dai Bosatso Zendo Congo Ji (local monestary) and it enhances their lives so much that they could never give it up, yet they still proclaim their god (yawhey, jahova, etc) to be the one true god.
  • obamazone, on 03/31/2008, -17/+3I believe that this is a start for Muslims to work harder on giving to the poor in Africa. We must recognize Catholics as being in the minority now and treat them as minorities by providing aid to Catholics and having Muslims take on a bigger role with helping the world's ills.
    Being in the majority takes responsibility, so it's time Muslims, the world over, contribute to the minorities.
    • Aeuta, on 03/31/2008, -1/+5umm charity is not about politics...religions are not supposed to be political parties... Though in reality they probably are closer to that then they would like to admit.
      • neckfire, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2Ha! Keep your head in the clouds. Religion = Control, Charity = Religion
    • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -1/+1That's an odd, but nice, sentiment.
  • iamondigghaha, on 03/31/2008, -14/+6And everyone still wonders why Catholics don't support birth control...
    • iamondigghaha, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1this was sarcastic, for those with tight rear ends...
  • ragu4u, on 03/31/2008, -16/+9In the final battle I would go with the "Pointy Hats" over the "Turbans" for sure. The Turban is more of a defensive "crash helmet" if you will. The Pope-a-dilic "Pointy Hats", on the other hand, can be used offensively as a ramming and puncturing device. The only time the Catholics would be vulnerable was when they all sat down while the offering plate was passed.
  • SwedishNinja, on 03/31/2008, -13/+6Oh shi-
  • baudbwoy, on 03/31/2008, -10/+5omg, if you didn't know that you must be living in some dark back woods.
    • fwertz, on 03/31/2008, -0/+5Thank God/Alah I live in the bright front woods!
  • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -5/+9About time they found out what its like to be a minority living in close proximity with a more superstitious and dogmatic majority.
  • Gndoab, on 03/31/2008, -8/+6Explain to me the mind, and I'll show you religion.
    • kotatsu, on 03/31/2008, -2/+3Wow, how logical. Instead of working out how something works, you just want to 'fill in the gaps' with supernatural bull *****. Fortunately science doesn't subscribe to such insincere and worthless methods.
  • munen123, on 03/31/2008, -25/+19who cares...god is an imaginary friend for adults!
  • papipablo, on 03/31/2008, -12/+22Great, I hope Catholics don't start blowing up our buildings.
    • popfrogs, on 03/31/2008, -0/+8I think the IRA already disarmed.
    • pintomp3, on 03/31/2008, -2/+9are you referring to oklahoma city or abortion clinics?
  • ...---..., on 03/31/2008, -4/+11who cares...
    Oh - btw - there's more brown M&M's than red - go figure...
    • mithrasinvictus, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4Good news for the cochineals.
  • systemghost, on 03/31/2008, -4/+8Because religion is such a democracy.
  • Jonmad17, on 03/31/2008, -1/+8Not a surprise. There are about as many Christians as Muslims, and Catholics are not the only sect of Christianity.
    • OUChevelleSS, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4There are many more Christians than Muslims.
      • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -2/+1Name your proof pal. I'll take middle east and southeast asia for 400.
        • iofthestorm, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3Uh... there are about 2 billion Christians and 1.5 billion Muslims, so we lose today... but it'll probably take over some time in this century due to exploding population growth in South Asia. Also, the Middle East has a very small proportion of total Muslims.
        • ZeroFive1, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2Even if every singe Arab was Muslim, it would only count for about 1/5 of Islam. Mind boggling, I know.
  • obliviousfool, on 03/31/2008, -4/+35I wonder how the atheists are doing number-wise.
    • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -2/+17We've got most of Europe and the U.S. where people just say they are Christian but don't act like it.
      • Aokitsune, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Are you sure you want to associate yourself with those people? I think the people that claim to be Christian but don't act like it are below atheist standards in some cases. (Not an Atheist or Christian FIY)
      • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1I'm not associated with them. Lacking a belief is not a basis for a relationship, any more than not believing in Santa Claus puts me in the same cultural group as Hindus.

        Look, if people really believed in the literal existence of God the way they believe in a Big Rig Truck barreling down the highway at them, they wouldn't live their lives the way they do. They would be donating all their excess money to charity (easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man enter heaven), and not spending the majority of their worrying about worldly things, a new flat screen TV, who got kicked off of Survivor Island, except for 2 hours on Sunday, knowing full well that nothing they suffered through now would matter when they got to heaven. I see most of them cutting other people off in traffic, running the rat race, calling people names on Digg, worrying about everything but how to please a very real, very substantial God who can swat them like a fly if they don't toe the line. If they believe in the literal reality of Judgement, they certainly don't act like it. They don't even act contrite about the fact that somebody died to give them the chance to get into Heaven when they supposedly don't deserve it, they act proud of it.

        So I maintain that they don't believe in a literal, substantial, REAL god, any more than I do. They just don't want to admit it.
    • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -4/+6The fact that we are a minority shows that we are doing ok. Show me an idea everyone agrees on without questioning it and it will most likely be wrong, or subjective.
    • JesusHatesYou, on 03/31/2008, -0/+5It amazes me that in this technological age that thee aren't more atheists. Where do the religious freaks think their cell phones come from? God? It was funny seeing the Jesus Campers bless their computers so they would work though. :)
    • jimjoke, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2Not good enough
  • smacksaw, on 03/31/2008, -5/+12Catholics should just pay people with unwanted pregnancies to give them their babies and adopt them.
    • praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -0/+7Sounds more like a Scientology tactic.
      • smacksaw, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Well, I figure the Catholics will raise them with love as opposed to putting them to work. Then again, putting adopted kids to work...seems L Ron Hubbard ripped that off from a bunch of fairy tales/Disney films, no? Snow White and the 7 Body Thetans. Xenurella?
  • fireBLiND, on 03/31/2008, -17/+4Umm.. No *****? Islam has been the largest religion for a few decades now.
    • OUChevelleSS, on 03/31/2008, -1/+10How so? There are roughly 1.8 billion Muslims and 2.1 billion Christians. I think Christians are still the largest group.
    • Jeeum, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2You fail.
  • dtele, on 03/31/2008, -7/+3Is christianity now a minority religion?
  • darkhero, on 03/31/2008, -17/+8It is funny how all the diggers are hating on Islam when it get any positive title and you call them Muslims haters and terrorists. Maybe they would hate you less if you didn't hate them.
    • Kaitsu, on 03/31/2008, -6/+9Maybe people would hate them less if the muslims kept their beliefs to themselves. It's almost weekly when muslims are boycotting, trying to censor or change our western lifestyle.
      • supras, on 03/31/2008, -6/+5If that were the case, then why are we so graciously imposing democracy on them? Why are we reviled from Africa to Asia? The Age of Imperialism lasts with us to this day. You reap what you sow.
  • defstream, on 03/31/2008, -8/+3WHOO HOOO, HOLY WAR!
  • ccourt23, on 03/31/2008, -4/+19not a fair comparison.
    either christian to muslin
    or Catholic to sunni etc.
    • hugeposuer, on 03/31/2008, -2/+9I was wondering if anyone else realized that Islam's not a denomination like the article says.
  • BannedTwice, on 03/31/2008, -28/+10***** Muslims.
  • JohnnyKdiggs, on 03/31/2008, -8/+13Nevermind. Digg me down/up.
  • kinseyincanada, on 03/31/2008, -9/+26some people need to realize that not ever single Muslim is some crazed lunatic who wants to kill everyone who doesn't believe in the same god as them, one of the greatest Americans Muhammad Ali is a Muslim.
    • popfrogs, on 03/31/2008, -8/+3What was so great about him? He was a boxer, so what.
      • fokov, on 03/31/2008, -0/+3He was one of the greatest boxers.
      • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1He's also been an enormous humanitarian.
    • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -2/+9REASONING?! ON DIGG?!?! I WON'T STAND FOR IT.
      • spyd3rweb, on 03/31/2008, -2/+6Caps Lock on digg... I won't stand for it.
    • sule, on 03/31/2008, -2/+15well, to add to your post, i can name a bunch of Muslims that Americans enjoy, but either don't know, don't realize, or don't care to associate with Eastern Islam:

      Dave Chappelle
      Rick James
      Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
      Hakeem Olajuwan
      John Coltrane
      Lupe Fiasco
      Mos Def
      Jermaine Jackson
      Ahmed Zewail
    • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -9/+6His real name is Cassius Clay.
      If I told people "From now on I shall be known as Optimus Prime" they'd think I'm a nutjob, and they'd be right. But it's totally ok if you use religion to justify your wackiness rite?
      • sule, on 03/31/2008, -6/+8no, his name is Muhammad Ali.

        The only people who refer to him as Cassius Clay are Muslim-haters who are bitter that he converted into Islam and bitter he didn't serve in Vietnam

      • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4Someone beat you to it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimus_Prime#Cultura ...
      • iofthestorm, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4His given name was Cassius Clay, but he legally changed his name.
      • kinseyincanada, on 03/31/2008, -1/+3Clay was what he deemed his slave name and thus didnt want to be called that and changed it.
    • WoollyMittens, on 03/31/2008, -7/+3What bothers people most is that moderate muslims don't speak out against militant muslims and will submit to Sharia when the radicals gain power.
      • sule, on 03/31/2008, -1/+9what bothers me is people who think every Muslim has to apologize for their religion and justify that they aren't a terrorist before even commenting...

        here's an idea....go read and understand how the world works and not think that you need to have every Muslim's views clairifed to you before you can brand them in your mind as "maybe not a terrorist" instead of "must be a terrorist"

        for wanting Muslims to constantly clarify their positions means you are the ignorant one unwilling to think on a global level, not the Muslim you are interacting with.
      • Aokitsune, on 03/31/2008, -0/+0Ironically, the same thing seems to be going on with Christianity in the US. Chris Hedges has a written a quite a bit about the Dominionist Movement- highly recommended. I'm reading "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America"
      • JesusHatesYou, on 03/31/2008, -0/+0These Christian Evangelicals make up to 80 million people in the U.S.:
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOIYsGVyg8M
    • Suricou, on 03/31/2008, -5/+4There are good muslims, and there are bad muslims. The good muslims are rarely good because they are muslims, they are just good people who happen to have that as their religion. The bad muslims, the ones who wage holy war on the west, stone gays and oppress christians, etc, do those things because they believe Allah ordered them to.
      • sule, on 03/31/2008, -1/+5lmao as this dumbass comment.....

        "they can't be good b/c they're muslim....theyr'e good in spite of the fact they're muslim"

        Jesus saves, right?
    • Gizza, on 03/31/2008, -0/+9Funny thing about that really is that Christians, Jews and Muslims actually all believe in the same God. They just fight about how to believe in him.
    • JesusHatesYou, on 03/31/2008, -3/+0Jews want us to believe all Muslims are terrorists so we can kill their enemies. Jews control the media. Call me crazy, but name me one TV show where there isn't a Jew character or reference? Even The Simpsosn and Futurama mention that insignificant religion in relation to other religions.
  • whatthefu, on 03/31/2008, -8/+6"For the first time in history we are no longer at the top: the Muslims have overtaken us..." Oh *****, Roman Catholicism was popular in Ancient Greece? I had no idea.
  • Lavarock, on 03/31/2008, -6/+3Well really with the amount that the Sunnis Shi'as and Kurds hate each other they should split them into little groups on their own just like christianity.
    • ZeroFive1, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Kurds are a denomination of Islam? Why didn't anyone tell me this?
  • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -16/+11Allahu Ackbar. Ash hadu alla ilaha illallah, Ash-hadu anna Muhammad-ar-Rasoolullah. May God guide us all to what is correct. May we all be guided from ignorance and from fear of that which we do not understand. Peace.
    • websurfer, on 03/31/2008, -11/+3The whole world, all races, all religions and atheists, from all corners of the world are disgusted with Islam.
      • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -1/+6Thats wonderful that you say that, not really that believable though.

        Actually... Didn't a whole bunch of ignorant idiots say the same thing about 'all black people' at some point? I could have sworn they did.
        • websurfer, on 03/31/2008, -7/+1Black people are great and modern people. Muslims are primitive, force little girls into forced and arranged marriages, and follow the child molester Mohammed.
      • Cayfox, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1I'm an athiest. You don't speak for me. ***** you.
    • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2What you said.
  • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -10/+5Both believe things that cannot be proven, both require the client to leave reason, skepticism and common sense at the door. Both target children because no well-educated adult would accept their myths.
    • georgetds, on 03/31/2008, -2/+6Your well-educated reasoning leads you to believe that adults of faith are not educated?
      • Gizza, on 03/31/2008, -3/+4yes
      • Pigeon, on 03/31/2008, -3/+4They are educated. But for many, they have been subjected to religion from early childhood and are already "brainwashed" into it so to speak. You should not be allowed to force religion onto your children, its brainwashing, they don't know anything different or know enough to make their own desicisions about it. They'll believe whoever "gets there first".

        • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2Exactly. Originally, only adults where baptized, but the Church realized that children are easier to convince and indoctrinate, so they targeted them.
      • jm4847, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2No, just that they're stupid in that particular area.
    • Cayfox, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Here's the thing about reason: you can't just go around trumpeting it like it's the messiah, if you're not going to apply it in any way in your own thinking. And it's not like atheists are immune to indoctrination in all its forms.
  • KodomoNoJikan, on 03/31/2008, -4/+5Oh my science!
    • Waterrat, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2 Mine too...What is the fasination with this female oppressive religion anyway?
  • danconia, on 03/31/2008, -12/+17Looks like the Muslims are winning the contest to see who can indoctrinate more kids. What do they win? A cold realization that there aren't 72 virgins waiting for them when they finally pass on.

    Flying Spaghetting Monster FTW. Fastest growing religion of this decade.
    • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -8/+3They do get the virgins, but they are all guys from the high-school strategists and role-players club.

      "You guys aren't my virgins, are you?" -- Akhmed the Dead Terrorist
      • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -2/+7You have no idea what you're talking about :).
        The word حورية means companion. Not virgin.
        • buggu, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2Ofcourse he doesn't know what he's talking about, but when maligning Islam has become a trend, why not jump on the bandwagon?
        • danconia, on 03/31/2008, -0/+9I think the point is that it doesn't matter whether they're "companions", "virgins", or just about anything because either way they still won't be there. Arguing semantics over something non-existent is a waste of time
        • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -1/+4Once again proving many Muslims abandon humor at the door of the mosque.
    • Jeeum, on 03/31/2008, -2/+5Blessed be his noodley appendage.
      RAmen
  • worldinmyeyes, on 03/31/2008, -7/+10I'd like to see a real comparison between the number of murders perpetrated by the Catholic Church with those perpetrated by Muslims. The Catholic Church has the money and power to cover-up many of their past (and no doubt current) atrocities. How do you think it can easily afford to pay 2 *billion* dollars (to date) in priest sex abuse cases in the US alone?
  • happytedium, on 03/31/2008, -7/+6Who diggs this *****?
  • Railz, on 03/31/2008, -8/+11Catholicism != Christianity. Not close
  • papipablo, on 03/31/2008, -15/+10Did they include Obama in this count?
  • vladimirp00pen, on 11/13/2008, -10/+5Help... someone call Team America!!!!
  • Rwned, on 03/31/2008, -14/+8If we get off oil, muslims can rot in their deserts and be of no concern to us.
  • j2002, on 03/31/2008, -2/+4There are denominations within islam
    • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -5/+1No such thing. There is Islam, and not Islam.
      • sule, on 03/31/2008, -0/+6there are such things as interpretation, and viewpoints, and school's of thought, and philosophy of religion, that cause variations within a religion and allow for the emergence of sects
  • furrypotato, on 03/31/2008, -4/+5Maybe if they relaxed the ban on condoms more third-world catholics would still be alive to boost their figures !
    But that would be stupid of course, almost as if the pope actually cared....
  • DarthDiabetes, on 03/31/2008, -8/+2Well maybe if Catholocism learned to be as open and flexible as Islam, the numbers would look different.
  • jessehadden, on 03/31/2008, -4/+2This doesn't mean that there are more people who are Muslim than there are people who are Catholic. It just means that the Muslims claim more for their camp than the Catholics claim for theirs. For instance, I am an atheist, but I count towards the Catholic statistic. Why? Because there is no way, short of an ex-communication, to have my name removed from the Catholic roster. Believe me, I've tried. They will count me as one of their own until the day I die, even though it's a lie. According to the Vatican, it's for "my benefit," so that whenever I come to my senses, it will be easier for me to rejoin the flock. I wouldn't be surprised if Islamic sects employed a similarly underhanded methodology.
    • sule, on 03/31/2008, -1/+3b/c there is a Muslim bookkeeper who keeps records on who is and who isn't Muslim

      :(
    • theone3, on 03/31/2008, -0/+5Actually there is no governing body in Islam, so there are no records. 1.3 Bn is just an educated guess.
    • erhanaltay, on 03/31/2008, -1/+0Thats not true, most muslim governments keep a good book of who is and is not a muslim. For example, I'm an atheist with a Turkish citizenship and my I.D card says "religion: Islam" Theres really no reason for this, since 99.9$ of the country is Muslim... but they still want to be sure to count that .1% that may be trouble makers! So yes, these statistics are way off, especially if you could non practicing people who are lumped in.
      • theone3, on 03/31/2008, -1/+1Many Muslims don't live in Muslim Governments, Muslims don't have formal initiation from an overarching body like the Vatican, and many non-Muslims (eg in Indonesia - or was it Malaysia) are forced to put Muslim on the census simply because it's become the defacto for 'not religious' in their country. Hence, 1.3 Bn is an educated guess. Obviously the Vatican has records that come from the their church heirachy, so they have much more accurate figures.

        All it takes to become a Muslim is to say with full conviction "I witness that Allah is one God, and Mohammed is his prophet" three times. This is similar to a Muslim divorce, which consists of saying "I Divorce you!" three times in a row with conviction. These simple rituals are impossible to track globally.
  • TheYuppie, on 03/31/2008, -5/+4Although if you consider non-Catholic 'Christians', Muslims are outnumbered by 33% to 19%. So I suppose we still need the archaeic and hard-headed Vatican-protesting 'faithful' to count amongst our ranks. I just wish evangelicals would give up and come back to the only Church that Jesus Christ Himself founded. It's not like the Vatican is still corrupt, lost in its way of leadership, and cleansing the land of protestants as it once did for a brief period of time hundreds of years ago in the dark ages. Even Martin Luther would probably think his movement is getting old by now.

    The question evangelicals have to answer in this day and age is, "who founded your church?" Is that guy's legacy worth following more than Christ's? C'mon. This isn't the 1500s any more. This article should make a final call to stand together and convert back to the one true Christian faith already.
    • Jeeum, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2lol
    • Chasuk, on 03/31/2008, -4/+4If Catholics stopped their Mary fetish, got rid of Saints, allowed priests to get married, stopped this transubstantiation nonsense, and lightened up about birth control, I might agree with you. As it is, doctrinally, they are still in the Dark Ages.
    • StarlessKnight, on 03/31/2008, -2/+3Find in the Bible where Jesus calls for someone to become "Pope" (not just leader, but the Pope with all the duties, responsibilities, and holy honors, to say nothing of the title itself) and you'll have taken the first step toward proving Catholicism is the 'Church' Jesus 'founded.' I'm not arguing Protestantism is better, I am, however, asking you to substantiate your claim.
    • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2What is with this *****? "Christian" means you believe in God, and believe that he sent Jesus, his son, one in being with the Father, to shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. That's it. Catholics, Baptists, Presbyterians, even Mormons fit into this mold.
      • sule, on 03/31/2008, -2/+2Christian means you believe Jesus to be God.

        Are you ready for a little secret?

        *gasp!*

        not everyone beliefs Jesus to be God. Thus, believing in God doesn't equate one with being Christian. There is more than one religion out there. There is a world outside of the Continental United States.

        If you can't wrap your head around that fact, then you needn't try to wrap your mind around anything else, since you likely wouldn't be able to grasp the concept.
        • Mpwns, on 03/31/2008, -2/+1i think that's a problem with Cristian's they act like Jesus is god and its right there in black in white hes not.
        • starkruzr, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Way to completely miss what I was saying. He said, "This article should make a final call to stand together and convert back to the one true Christian faith already." Which is an obvious implication that Catholicism is the "one true Christian faith." I said that "Christian" covers a much larger umbrella of faiths than he appears to think it does.
    • amightywind, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2Agreed. Virtually all of the reforms fought over during the reformation have been enacted in the Catholic Church. Protestants and Evangelicals have been shadow boxing for 500 years.
  • sule, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2a couple more pre-emptive wars against Muslim countries and Pople Natzinger won't have to worry about being 2nd place anymore
  • jlhoben, on 03/31/2008, -2/+9It is very disturbing to see how readily people equate Muslim with "enemy". How simple minded and ignorant is that? If its the biggest faith in the world don't you think that would include a lot of very very different types of people from many different countries and cultures? Possibly some very interesting ones?
    • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -1/+1In before the downward digg.
    • sule, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4no...they're all the same and hate our freedoms and want to kill us b/c we have pizzerias and cellphones and the inter-web....

      and if you don't think like this, you hate America...plain and simple
    • StaticThunder, on 03/31/2008, -3/+4I consider all faith-based religions to be dangerous.
    • TheYuppie, on 03/31/2008, -4/+2I'm not interested in religions that spread their faith with fear, hate and by the sword. I think even liberal media coverage of the types of followers Islam and Christianity attract and by what words and actions speak for themselves about which religion is on what side of good and evil.
      • sule, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2i dug this comment b/c of the sheer stupidity
      • Aokitsune, on 03/31/2008, -0/+0Islam and Christianity can be equally evil and equally good. I forget who said it, but there's a quote that says it all "Religion is a good thing for good people and a bad thing for bad people."
    • kotatsu, on 03/31/2008, -2/+1Go and watch Fitna on Liveleak. Islam is the enemy of everyone.
      • AbdullahAbuDawu, on 09/12/2008, -0/+1Just like spoons are the reason people are fat. Don't believe everything you watch.
  • neocognitism, on 03/31/2008, -7/+3I see what the Pope is saying. If every Catholic converted JUST ONE Muslim, there'd only be a few thousand Muslims left! Then the superhuge Catholic Church could take over the world!
    • sule, on 03/31/2008, -2/+4it's a brilliant plan

      *waits for someone to convert me*
      • Aensland, on 03/31/2008, -2/+2This reminds me of those conversion pools in that old Populous game.
      • akilleen, on 03/31/2008, -2/+2If you convert, you will be allowed to wear that awesome pope hat!
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