If it hasn’t occurred to most Americans by now, Arabs don’t think like us. They see the world in very different terms. Rationality, logic, and common sense do not rate high among their priorities.
Asked what is "The Religion of Peace"? - sheik yerbouty answers, "Islam.."
Excerpts - Contradictions: Freedom and Independence vs *Peace Through Coerced Conformity*
"...according to some scholars, if a Muslim consciously and without coercion declares their rejection of Islam and does not change mind after the time given to him/her by judge for research, then the penalty for male apostates is the death penalty, or life imprisonment for women.
"...some modern Muslim scholars (eg Hasan al-Turabi), who argue that the hadith in question should be taken to apply only to political betrayal of the Muslim community, rather than to apostasy in general[5]. These scholars argue for the freedom to convert to and from Islam without legal penalty, and consider the aforementioned Hadith quote as insufficient confirmation of harsh punishment; they regard apostasy as a serious crime, but undeserving of the death penalty. However, in Iran, apostasy is a capital crime according to Amnesty International."
apostasy
Apostasy (áðïóôáóéò, in classical Greek a defection or revolt from a military commander, from áðï, apo, "away, apart", óôáóéò, stasis, "standing") is a term generally employed to describe the formal renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. Many religious movements consider it a vice (sin), a corruption of the virtue of piety in the sense that when piety fails, apostasy is the result. However, most converts to a new religion can also be considered apostates from a previous belief...Several religious groups punish apostates. Apostates may be shunned by the members of their former religious group [1]. This may be the official policy of the religious group or may happen spontaneously, due in some sense to psycho-social factors as well. Some religions may respond to apostasy by excommunicating the apostate...
The reliability of the testimonies of apostates is an important and controversial issue in the study of apostasy in cults and new religious movements...The term is also used to refer to renunciation of belief in a cause other than religion, in particular in politics.
In International Law
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, considers the recanting of a person's religion a human right legally protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: "The Committee observes that the freedom to 'have or to adopt' a religion or belief necessarily entails the freedom to choose a religion or belief, including the right to replace one's current religion or belief with another or to adopt atheistic views [...] Article 18.2 bars coercion that would impair the right to have or adopt a religion or belief, including the use of threat of physical force or penal sanctions to compel believers or non-believers to adhere to their religious beliefs and congregations, to recant their religion or belief or to convert." (CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.4, General Comment No. 22., 1993).
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In Islam
Main articles: Apostasy in Islam, and Takfir, and [[]], and [[]], and [[]]
In Islam, apostasy is called "ridda" ("turning back") and it is considered by Muslims to be a profound insult. A person born of Muslim parents that rejects Islam is called a "murtad fitri" (natural apostate), and a person that converted to Islam and later rejects the religion is called a "murtad milli" (apostate from the community).
The question of the penalties imposed in Islam for apostasy is a highly controversial topic that is passionately debated by various scholars. On this basis, according to some scholars, if a Muslim consciously and without coercion declares their rejection of Islam and does not change mind after the time given to him/her by judge for research, then the penalty for male apostates is the death penalty, or life imprisonment for women. However, this view has been rejected by some modern Muslim scholars (eg Hasan al-Turabi), who argue that the hadith in question should be taken to apply only to political betrayal of the Muslim community, rather than to apostasy in general[5]. These scholars argue for the freedom to convert to and from Islam without legal penalty, and consider the aforementioned Hadith quote as insufficient confirmation of harsh punishment; they regard apostasy as a serious crime, but undeserving of the death penalty. However, in Iran, apostasy is a capital crime according to Amnesty International.