I'm fairly sure that if Muhammad were alive today he would think it more important to distinguish peaceful Muslims from that kind of hatred and violence.  He might very well command Muslims not to have beards.  In any case, beards are not mentioned in the Quran, which we know is perfect and complete.  If Allah left it out of the Quran that can only be because it is not essential to Islam.

But Ron this is YOUR interpretation of the beard.. from YOUR perspective as a westerner who comes from an outside perspective. Having lived in Pakistan you see that the world view is not YOUR view.  Most men have beards and it is not t he 'symbol' you recognize it as. And we have a firm belief that all will be explained.

I think when you get to the core, we do not pray to Prophet Mohammed (SAWS) we do not think he created us, nor will decide our fate. We do believe he (SAWS) is our role model here on this earth as a human bring to reach a deeper spiritual level as well as HOW to be a good servant to Allah.

you're using your view, with our judgment to make a point
Anyone who knows about logic or rules debate will point you to the flaw in the statement

That said, just for the sake of proving a point

If a king sends you a messenger with a message and you insult the messenger, it implies insulting the king, yes.

In the case of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ), if God, king of all, sends you someone with a message, that says that this person is

To be obeyed
Mercy for all mankind
Comes with guidance

For us delivering a message is different from mere reciting Qur'an, as you just agreed on children can do it,
the job of a messenger to just recite it Qur'an, this in itself doesn't make anything clear or explain it , which is part of the job of the messenger

This is what scholars exert effort in doing, finding out if a hadith is linked to the source or not, and by which degree

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً {21}
33:21 Yet, very truly, in the Messenger of God there is an excellent model for you-for whoever has hope in God and ( for salvation ) the last day and (therefor ) remembers God much

If you don't wish to do so, then you're entitled and free to do so, but it would be bizarre if you ask us not to do so

It would be bizarre to ask me to follow someone else, and leave someone whom God says about him

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ {4}

68:4 : For Indeed you are most surely of sublime morality

Also , Wouldn't God's choice be the best for us ?
The verse 33:21 is talking to all believers, not just those who met Him ( PBUH )

This is what I was taught because there is evidence for this,
I was taught that evidence is the determining factor in accepting or rejecting anything
I was taught to question, debate and argue IF there's evidence on my side

Unlike what your question might imply, that we get taught to just follow blindfolded

As for the evidence
If you go to Surat As'Shuara's ( 26 )

you'll find in verses 108, 110, 126, 131, 144, 150, 163, 179 how Prophets commanded their people to do so

"So fear God, and obey me."

So all of them had such authority, and were asking to be obeyed

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ فَيُضِلُّ اللّهُ مَن يَشَاء وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ {4}
[Shakir 14:4] And We did not send any messenger but with the language of his people, so that he might explain to them clearly; .... 

Or ( 16 : 36-39 )

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلالَةُ فَسِيرُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ {36}
إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ {37}
وَأَقْسَمُواْ بِاللّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لاَ يَبْعَثُ اللّهُ مَن يَمُوتُ بَلَى وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ {38}
لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ كَاذِبِينَ {39}

[16:36] And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods .....
[16:39] That He may explain unto them that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars.

These verses should explain clearly the task of the messengers, and that they are not mere 'couriers' to the message they come with

Prophet Muhammad didn't "need to add explanation" he was instructed to by God's revelation, and what He ( PBUH ) did was another form of revelation, it was not his 'own'

6:50 : Say ( to them O Muhammad ) I do not say to you that the treasures of God are with me, nor do I have ( on my own ) knowledge of the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?

قُل لاَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَآئِنُ اللّهِ وَلا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَفَلاَ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ {50}

Another verse on the task of the Prophet ( PBUH ) in a similar context

كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ {151}
[2:151] Even as We have sent among you a Messenger from among your own selves, He recites to you Our verses And He purifies you and He teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that you did not know.

For us there's a clean distinction between, recitation, and teaching
The verse is talking about teaching in all aspects, not just teaching how to recite

وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُواْ كَآفَّةً فَلَوْلاَ نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَآئِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُواْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُواْ قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ {122}

9:122 And it does not beseem the believers that they should go forth all together; why should not then a company from every party from among them go forth that they may apply themselves to obtain understanding in religion, and that they may warn their people when they come back to them that they may be cautious?

Also note that abrogation is not unique to Hadith, it occurs in the Qur'an as well as previous scriptures as well

Also abrogation applies in the commands only, it doesn't apply to information, past events news ....etc.
while the sunna contains much more than just commands

It is as if we're trying to dictate to God where to put what is important, For us God doesn't get asked about His actions

What matters to those you love, matters to you

This is an assumption, do you have evidence for this ? that it wasn't revealed for Him ( PBUH ) how computers work ?

I'm not saying He did or did not, but the fact that it happened after His time doesn't mean He ( PBUH ) didn't know about it

We believe that He ( PBUH ) knew about events that would come after the end of the world, why wouldn't he know about events that's prior to that ?

Note that what Prophets disclose to people isn't necessarily ALL that they were taught, they deliver what is required from them to deliver, but God might teach them way more than this

Prophet ( PBUH ) was asked explicitly about how to perform practices during such situations, and He ( PBUH) guided us on what to do

I read a while back about a mosque being built in Norway quite close the the north pole
you can pay them a visit in ramadan and see how they perform prayers and fasting 
I think they welcome visitors interested in Islam

Then look throughout Islamic history and see how muslims could always relate their lives to His life ( PBUH ) and find leadership in it

Originally posted by Ron Webb

Rather like the Christian Bible, wouldn't you say?

Originally posted by Ron Webb

But first, may intellect guide us to the true God.  (Or not.)

Totally agree, but this requires using correct intellect and correct usage of  logic

You're right, this is my interpretation.  I wonder what Muhammad's interpretation would be?  We know what he thought 1400 years ago in Arabia, but there is no reason to assume he would say the same thing today.  Maybe he would say the beard is okay in Pakistan but not a good idea in North America.

I understand that.  It just seems to me that those are not the important criteria.  I don't know much about the polytheistic religions, but I expect they have lots of gods to whom they do not necessarily pray, and whom they don't believe were involved in the creation or fate of the world.

You really think he is a good role model for a woman?  It seems to me that a man and a woman play very different roles in society.

This is the kind of answer I am looking for.  Do you know of any scholarly articles that discuss exactly what "partnership" means with regard to shirk?

In the example you gave about the battle of Badr, it seems to me that Muhammad and the other Muslims are acting not as partners with Allah, but as His instruments or perhaps His employees.  In business, a partner is someone who shares in the decision-making aspects of the enterprise as a whole.  That's why I see power and authority as fundamental; but as I said, I'd be interested in what Islamic scholars have to say about it.

  The messenger (S) said at his farewell message to the people: “…Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people". (farewell message)

  The Prophet (S) swear by Allah (S) that he conveyed the Message, that is the Qur’an and sunnah (Book and wisdom) and he instructed them to pass on the instructions, so, the people of authority is the scholars who pass on the instructions and we obey them (people of authority) by obeying the instructions they pass down (Qur’an and Sunnah /Book and Wisdom /Allah (S) and his Messenger (S)).

  I said before, in that verse the verb “obey” applies only to Allah and the Messenger (S) not the people of authority, Allah (S) and the Messenger (S) is to be Obey at all times and I have give you the reason: “It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path”. Q.33:36 (Y. Ali). However, the people of authority does not have to be obey at all times because if they go against Qur’an and sunnah we can disobey them and that is because Allah (S) did not say obey the people of authority, instead he said: “’and’ those with authority”.

Note: After said that, when we obey the people of authority on Qur’an and sunnah we are really obeying the Messenger (S) and when we obey the Messenger (S) we really obeying  Allah (S) although Allah (S) and the Messenger is not present their instructions in there.

I hope this answer to your contention, Inshallah.

Br. Zainool