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To be fair; the God of the old testament could be a pretty vicious dude. People will interpet what they choose to from their Gods. Thus in the name of Jesus we had the crusades, witch burnings, and the inquisition.
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I agree, but these where people and their interpretation. The same kind of thinking happened with the Spanish when they conquered South America. They Baptized infants then killed them. They thought they were sending perfect souls to heaven.
In the centuries past a girl was considered a woman when she reached puberty. In the warmer parts of the world this happens to girls a little earlier. So 9 or 10 sounds about right. You mention it was common for grown Arabs to marry girls then and yes it was. It was also true for all Semitic cultures of the time. The statement above chooses to impose a cultural norm from our present day society on another culture. A hundred years ago a man could marry a 14 year old in the U.S. Even today a girl in China can marry at 14 and in parts of Africa and India no self respecting girl would remain unmarried past the age of puberty.
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I think puberty begins with a girls first period. I agree, the age is close. We should have a lady post here to set us straight.
Islam and its original teachings may very well be peaceful, but the Muslims that are getting all the attention have changed world opinion.
Same thing for Christianity, Its only the negative that gets all the attention.
Now people will say, because of the Catholics, that Christians are child molesters.
And they have the right to that opinion.
It makes me sick just as much to hear it as well.