TooMuchBlue

My collection of rants and raves about technology, my kids and family, social/cultural phenomena, and inconsistencies in the media and politics.

2004-10-29

A call to arms for Islamic believers

My dad sent a link to an editorial from a month ago about Islam and terrorism.
The West, or at least those portions of the West with any backbone, are coming to the realization that Islam's goal is world domination at the point of the sword. Convert, submit, or die: this is the choice Islam offers to the world. Too harsh for you? Do I paint with too broad a brush, and in harsh black-and-white to boot? Show me. Show me the people of Islam rising up and rejecting the murderers in their midst. Let me hear the mullahs cry out from their mosques against barbarity of the Islamists. Go ahead, I'm listening.
I think this captures one of the biggest misunderstandings about Islam. Is it really a religion of peace? There has been no shortage of people quoting from the Koran "proving" that it sends whichever message you prefer. Not having read it myself, and knowing how easily the Bible can be misquoted to tailor your message, I'm hesitant to make any decision based simply on a quote. The people I listen to and trust seem to agree that Islam has elements of "living in peace", but favors violence in the face of disagreement. It's amazing how different Islam is from Christianity and Judaism, considering that Islam acknowledges the Torah and the existence of Jesus, then adds Mohammed as an extra prophet. Another factor which cannot be ignored is the differences between Islam as written in the Koran, Islam as taught by the mullahs, and Islam as understood by ordinary believers. Islam in the book may be interpreted as peaceful, but if you pick out the parts that support your radical intentions, welcome to terrorism. Getting back to the article, the author says: "If none of you will speak up, if none of your societies will take up arms and destroy the Islamists in your midst, then we will do it ourselves.". I think the author may assume too much of these societies. From my position on the outside, it doesn't appear that there has been much room for the good, honest, peaceful Muslims to have a voice. Within the U.S. the situation is very different. There is growing evidence that some Islamic mosques in this country continue to harbor and abett proto-terrorists, and that the instruction from the leadership tends toward pro-violence. I wish I had saved a link to an open letter posted by an organization of Islamists in the U.S. apologizing for sitting by while their religion is hijacked from the inside for purposes of violence. I really believe that many Muslims follow Islam as a religion of peace, have no desire for violence of any kind, and are simply following what they believe to be the way to heaven and the honorable way to live in peace. (I don't believe they will go to heaven, but I believe they believe this.) These people need to find their feet and take control back from those who advocate violence, before it really becomes necessary to target based simply on religion. Perhaps there is a place for religious profiling when there is a demonstrable link between that religion and acts of war?

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