I'll leave this thread to be debated in more depth by others who know more about different religions than I do.
I have just 3 general comments here, from my layman's point of view:
1. For the last few days, I have found Xeno starting or continuing all topics which are pro-Islam anti-hindus. In fact, he sometimes drags ordinary threads towards this debate.
For Xeno's info, FHDB is not a religious board. Agreed that even religious topics are to be discussed and debated, but a continuous attack against Hindus and propagation of Islam being the best is getting on my nerves, and I think, on others' nerves too. Xeno, please take your ideas and hatred somewhere else because so long this board has been a secular one. It is not that we don't have other muslims on the board (not naming them here as Xeno might again attack them in his posts), but I can't think of them making such mindless posts as Xeno. So, a sincere request to Xeno to stop these poisonous posts which divide people.
2. Sati is a mindless ritual, and hardly supported by Hindu scriptures.
Likewise, I have read that many mosques and other muslim places of worship have signboards saying 'women and dogs not allowed' - don't know how far that is true
Every religion has some weird, mindless practices, some of which are not even supported by their authentic holy books, but that does not stop people from pratising them. It is upto rational people to sieve out the harmful rituals from the useful ones and continue practising these positive rituals.
3. Religion is not a stagnant thing, it changes with people's change in lifestyle and behaviour. If a religion can adapt itself to these changes, it survives, else it is wiped out.
If some people stick to the old rules and regulations, and try to make others do the same, they are just regressive forces and should best be ignored and not allowed to grow more powerful, and that is true of all parties/movements/groups of any religion.