My point is that your view on muslims and religion in general to me seems so prejudiced that you can't seem to accept an honest anecdote by a fellow programmer from a different culture and mindset at face value without branding it a joke, a left wing oddity or full-on taliban. It's shocking to me that someone in the name of reason gives a nasty response to a well-meant comment. Prejudice and ignorance is one thing, but it's bigotry when you suggest asadlionpk is supportive of a culture of slavery, oppression of women and hate just for his remark that he's is doing fine with following the eternal law of God in this regard.
Yes, of course I can see the problems religion has with modernity and the problems it causes for society (the eternal law of interest-free banking is not one of them) and also the problems of social pressure. But a sizable chunk - lots of people I know - in this age of reason have learned to balance both internally and have chosen this belief consciously: your literally hard to take third option.
Other examples of these are for example people like imam Afroz Ali (whose esteemed teacher lives under a tree) or Tariq Ramadan. In these links they talk about economic reform inspired by the eternal laws of Islam: http://seekersguidance.org/islamcast/economy-poverty-and-the... http://www.salon.com/2002/02/15/ramadan_2/
I have little reason to believe asadlionpk assumes women shouldn't study or gays should be imprisoned. It's also irrelevant as he was just responding to your side note that some so-called 'eternal laws' don't seem to work in this day and age.
The reason I respond like this is because this way of responding to others in the name of enlightened reason is causing problems in my society at the moment. People even talking about leaving the country because they don't feel accepted in their faith and ethnicity. People feeling obligated to make 'happy muslim' video's to counter this mindset. It's not even my faith, as I am christian, but even I have to explain the so called crime of teaching my children about God. A God which is far removed from the deist human like entity you think muslims and christians believe in.
Have I understood you correctly? I hope you understand and respect my strong worded response.