Amil Imani wrote an article for Islam Watch (in my opinion one of the best anti-Jihad sites on the internet) explaining that the problem with terrorism isn't so much extremism as it is Islam itself.
This is one of the things that we need to understand if we truly want to deal with extremism as far as I'm concerned. We should get rid of the idea that extremists abuse the Quran, we should be willing to accept the inconvenient truth: Islam isn't a religion of peace, nor is it neutral: it calls for aggression against 'infidels' and against those who are Muslims but don't live according to every little Islamic rule.
One of the mistakes we have made is, that we always compare Islam to Christianity: Christianity was able to adapt, Christianity was abused to act as if violence was acceptable, thus the same probably goes for Islam.
Quite simply: the idea that the two religions are completely comparable is false. Some even argue that because Islam is 800 years younger, it's logical that it needs more time to develop into a peaceful religion.
Lets go back to the early days of Christianity and Islam:
One of the main differences between Christianity and Islam is that Christianity an sich, doesn't equal a political movement. Jesus Himself said, for instance, "give to the emperor what is his and to God what is His" and "My Kingdom is not of this world".
Muhammed, of course, held slightly different views.
Christianity started off by peaceful martyrdom: peace loving individuals who became Christians and were willing to die for their religion, without using violence to force others to turn to Christianity. They tried to spread the Gospel, they tried to convince people that Jesus was the Son of God, but in those early days, those first centuries, Christians didn't use violence.
In other words, at the foundation of Christianity lies peace.
Muhammed and his followers, started off slightly different. He led campaigns to conquer 'infidels' himself. He slaughtered unbelievers.
Islam's early years / centuries are not marked by peace, but by conquest.
Every single one of us has accepted that the Nazi ideology is intrinsically evil / aggressive / incompatible (even the opposite of) democracy as we know it. Isn't it time by now, for us to accept that pure Islam is incompatible with democracy and with peace, with respect for different values / ways of life as well?
4 comments:
The major difference between Islam and Christianity, and indeed between Islam and all other major religions, is that Islam is NOT founded on the Golden Rule - "Do not do to another what would be hurtful to you".
You will find the Golden Rule in Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism Judaism and Sikhism. You won't find it in Islam.
The nearest that you'll get is "Desire for your brother (in Islam) what you desire for yourself". In other words "Be prepared to share the booty and slaves with the rest of the (male) Scummah"
Yes, it's Islam Stupid. My deep concern is that we don't turn the fight against jihadi Islam into a general fight against Islam. We need the interpreters of Islam as peaceful and tolerant as allies. We risk allienating hundreds of muslims who would be our allies otherwise. They have been reluctant to stand against other Muslims as it is but I see the tide turning. If the mass of Muslims who are not jihadi muslims see non-muslims lumping them in with the Jihadi's, they will reflexively defend their brothers first. We can have religious and phylisophical differences with Islam but lets keep those arguments far away from the much greater and more urgent problem at hand the protection and survival of the non-Islamic world. I would rather go to war with what is probably a few million jihadi's with the support of the mainstream muslims than to go to total war with 1+billion muslims worldwide.
ah....edit edit twice, publish once
hundreds of millions of muslims
Uh James, I have to wonder if that wasn't just a Freudian slip.
the thing is, why haven't the moderate Muslims stepped forward as of yet?
I'm with you in that I believe they exist. However, that doesn't count for much if they won't stand up and be counted.
the situation has been desparate in the Infidel world for at least a year now. We have been wondering when the moderate Muslims were going to show up and start helping out. we can not drag them kicking and screaming from their homes. It is up to them whether or not they will show up.
if they don't, it is their loss, because they will be counted with the radicals, and we are going to win this war. I guarantee it.
James, do you realize there are no moderate Muslim organizations, media outlets, universities, political action commitees anywhere in the world.
Yes, you may be able to point to this or that odd moderate Muslim group, but they will not have a significant membership or funding.
Why is this?
It's because the moderate Muslims of the world have not made it happenn.
It is up to them.
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