In Defense of Pat Robertson

beliefnet ^ | Steven Waldman

[Stultis]

On Belief
Steven Waldman

In Defense of Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson and others are right about Islam being a violent religion. Look at the evidence for yourself.

Pat Robertson recently drew attacks from Muslim groups for calling Muhammad a "wild-eyed fanatic," among other things. Robertson, as usual, states the case in excessively inflammatory terms.

But it must be said that Robertson’s basic critique of Islam as an inherently violent religion is accurate. This may not be politically correct to say, but one need only examine evidence. Islam is not only violent in its current practice but at its core--which is to say in its sacred text, the Qur'an.

Remember that Muhammad was a military leader and as such involved personally in a great deal of brutality. In the course of one battle, Muhammad's troops raid a village and kill everyone "until there was no survivor left." [Full citations provided below.] During another battle, Muhammad's troops killed many men but the "prophet" is disturbed that male infants weren't murdered too--and sends the troops back to finish the job.

The early Muslims are shown to be not only brutal but treacherous (a fact worth remembering as we consider peace treaties with Muslim nations). In one battle, the Muhammadans promised peace to a tribe nearby. Then, when the other tribe members were lulled into complacency, Muhammad massacred "all the males." They kept the women as slaves.

The hatred for other faiths that we see in modern Islam has its roots in the Qur'an. The book tells how the Jews of the area had offered peace and Muhammad invited them to a ceremony to declare peace. Instead, Muhammad massacred the 950 of them.

Muhammad even countenances brutality against his own people. When a group in the region reputedly insulted Allah by worshiping an idol, Muhammad led the slaughter of 3,000 people in a single day. When some of his followers strayed by following non-Islamic sex practices, Allah literally directs Muhammad to slaughter another 24,000: "take all the heads of the people and hang them up before Allah against the sun."

Under the Sharia, the Islamic law, even the slightest infractions are punished with brutal violence. Some foods were not cooked according to Halal laws? Two men were immediately executed.

The notion that Allah is a forgiving God is comical. At one point, Muhammad had led his troops to victory and then had his troops mutilate the genitalia of the opponents. He and his allies also set fire to a walled city and then waited for the victims to flee, at which point they were ambushed and slaughtered. Putting aside the historical accuracy of that account, is this really the "God of Peace" that Muslim leaders speak about?

The appalling treatment of women we see in Islamic countries today also has its roots in the Qur'an. When a mob of Muslims is attacking a man, he responds by offering his own daughter to be raped. Allah teaches the Muslims that to in order repopulate a diminished tribe, they should go to a nearby field, wait for the women to come out, and then kidnap, rape and marry them.

This is all very consistent with the basic theology of Islam spelled out in chilling clarity by Muhammed himself: "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."

Finally, if there's any doubt about the fanatical nature of the faith, it should be dispelled with this chilling passage: "Happy shall they be who take your little ones [babies] and dash them against the rock."

If you are skeptical, I urge you to read the passages and citations yourself. It's there in black and white.

Citations and documentation

Hmmm, I seem to have made a few errors with the attributions. The passages you've just read are not from the Qur'an; they're from the Bible. Where I say Muhammad, I actually meant either Moses, Joshua, David, or another biblical figure. "I have not come to bring peace but a sword" was uttered by Jesus. When I say "Allah," I actually meant God of the Hebrew Bible. And when I refer to Muhammed's troops, I actually meant the Hebrews. There are obviously many other examples of brutality in the Bible (the best summary I've seen is Gregg Easterbrook's "Beside Still Waters").

Forgive my sloppiness, but it seemed useful to make a point, which is not that Christianity or Judaism are inherently violent but rather that the exercise of scanning ancient texts and pulling out passages depicting violence is of dubious value. Men and women of that earlier day were violent, and so was the God of their sacred book.

I am not saying Islam is a "religion of peace." That actually seems as unprovable as saying it is a religion of violence. What matters fundamentally is how the religion is practiced now. Modern Christians and Jews have proven capable of rising above the violence of the Bible and so have many modern Muslims. That doesn't mean they necessarily will in all cases, but if they choose a path of violence it is not because it is embedded in the Qur'an but rather because they, as individuals, are twisted.

Citations:

For a particularly nice summary of the Bible's violent elements see Gregg Easterbrook's wonderful book, "Beside Still Waters."

Remember that Muhammad is a military leader and as such is involved personally a great deal of brutality. In the course of one battle led by Muhammad, he raids a village and kills everyone "until their was not one survivor left." (This is actually from Numbers 21:35, the story of the taking of Bashan.) After another battle, Muhammad's troops have slain many men but the "prophet" is disturbed that male infants weren't killed--so he sends the troops back to finish the job. (This actually occurs in Numbers 31:14-17, when Israel takes vengeance on the Mid'ianites.)

They are shown to be not only brutal but treacherous (history worth remembering as we consider peace treaties). In one battle, the Muhammadans promised peace to a tribe nearby and then, when they were lulled into complacency, massacred "all the males." They kept the women as slaves. (This is a story from Genesis 34:25, when Simeon and Levi take vengeance on Shechem, who had defiled their sister Dinah.)

More citations

The hatred for other faiths that we see in modern Islam has its roots in the Qur'an. At one point, the Jews of the area had offered peace and Muhammad invited them to a ceremony to declare peace. Instead, Muhammad massacred the 950 of them. (As Elijah does, in I Kings 18:40, to the followers of the false God Ba'al.)

But it goes beyond that; Muhammad even countenances brutality against his own. When one group in the region reputedly insulted Allah by worshiping an idol, Muhammad led the slaughter of 3,000 people in a single day. Another group of dissenters prompted a bloody massacre led by Muhammed that killed 14,700 people, according to the Qur'an. (When Korah leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, a plague sent by God kills 14,700, Numbers 16:49). Later, when some of his followers strayed by following non-Islamic sex practices, Allah literally directs Muhammad to slaughter another 24,000: "take all the heads of the people and hang them up before Allah against the sun." (This slaughter occured in Numbers 25:9, when some Isarelites were found to have joined the Moabites in improper sex.)

Under the Sharia, the Islamic law, even the slightest infractions are punished with brutal violence. In one case, some foods were not cooked according to Halal laws, and the two men were immediately executed. (The Lord smites Nadab and Abi'hu, the sons of Aaron, in Leviticus 10:2, for offering an unholy sacrifice.)

The notion that Allah is a forgiving God is comical. At one point, some people had the temerity to question one of the dietary laws and Allah supposedly responded by sending poisonous snakes to kill people. At another point, Muhammed had led his troops to victory but then proceeded to murder and then mutilate the genitalia of the opponents. In one case, they set fire to a walled city and then wait of the fleeing victims and slaughter them as they try to escape. (As Joshua and the people of Israel do to the city of Ai in Joshua 8:22.)

The appalling treatment of women in Islamic countries today has its roots in the Qur'an. In one case, a mob of Muslims is attacking a man and he responds by offering his own daughter to be raped. (As in Judges 19:24.) In some cases, it specifies that women who are raped should be executed. (One of these cases appear in Deuteronomy 22:23-27.) In another case, Allah literally instructs the Muslims that to repopulate a diminished tribe they should go to a nearby field, wait for the women to come out, kidnap, rape and marry them. (In Judges 21:20-24, Benjamite soldiers are told to repopulate their tribe by kidnapping the women of Shiloh.)

This is all very consistent and the theology that undergirds this is spelled out in chilling clarity, directly from Muhammad himself: "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." (This quote is actually attributed to Jesus in the New Testament, Matthew 10:34.)

Finally, if there's any doubt about the fanatical nature of the faith, it should be dispelled with this chilling passage: "Happy shall they be who take your little ones [babies] and dash them against the rock." (This quote is actually from the Psalms, 137:9, when the exiled Israelites dream of revenge against Babylon.)

[Stultis]

Related thread (what Robertson said):

Fox News Allows Attack on Prophet Muhammad (CAIR Action Alert)

[newgeezer]

Robertson, as usual, states the case in excessively inflammatory terms.

Wrong. In view of the destruction wrought by the hijackers of those 4 airliners laden with passengers and jet fuel, Robertson is incapable of saying anything "excessively inflammatory."

[profmike23]

Makes a damn good point. Some seem to think that Islam is the enemy. There are Muslims who aren't violent, who aren't terrorists, who don't interpret everything literally. That should be recognized. Our enemies are Muslim terrorists, not Muslims or Islam.

[Stultis]

The author makes an excellent point, which should be noted by those critics of Islam here on FR who "proof text" their points with Quran and Hadith quotes.

At the same time, the relative failure of Islam in globally marginalizing it's violent elements (as Judaism and Christianity have been remarkably successful in doing) cannot be overlooked by reasonable people. I suppose my point is that criticism of Islam (which I support and consider necessary) should be paired with support for anti-Islamists and peaceful Muslims. The Islamophobes here undermine the later by tacitly endorsing the violent interpretations and elements of Islam.

Just a plea for keeping the carrot with the stick, and retaining some perspective about the adaptability of religion and its reformist capacities. Flame away.

[1380 KTKZ Sacramento]

What should be done...the government needs to label Islam as a violent cult. Handle it the same way we send messages about the "KKK", Heaven's Gate and other violent religious teachings!

[RaceBannon]

And these excellent points are all taken out of context, and the majority of the violence committed here were not commands by God, but actions of men. The Bible records the good and the bad, and nowhere is the rape of women recorded as a good act, just a historical act.

The author ought to try to read the Bible as God's word, not just a text to twist meanings of.

[Travis McGee]

bttt

[SJackson]

Don't get all cerebral and forget to concentrate on that front sight.

[Stultis]

And these excellent points are all taken out of context, and the majority of the violence committed here were not commands by God, but actions of men.

There are multiple cases in the Bible where genocide (killing of all the inhabitants of a conquered city) was, on the testimony of the Bible, ordered by God himself. Much butchery and deceit is also evidently approved by God. The book of Revelations is an extended revenge fantasy which feverishly gloats over and glories in death and destruction. Some of the gospels cravenly attempt to shift blame for the execution of Jesus from the Romans to the Jews (admittedly the early Christians, "sucking up" here to the Romans, could not forsee the horrific uses to which this antisemitic libel would be put centuries hence).

There is plenty of odious moralty taught, not merely reported, by the Bible. It is a credit to Christianity and Judaism that they have both surmounted these violent and morally deviant elements, and have become reformist religions calling their followers to emulate the best and highest principles that have been extracted from this uneven heritage.

[eshu]

There is plenty of odious moralty taught, not merely reported, by the Bible. It is a credit to Christianity and Judaism that they have both surmounted these violent and morally deviant elements

Well put

[Alouette]

Forgive my sloppiness, but it seemed useful to make a point, which is not that Christianity or Judaism are inherently violent but rather that the exercise of scanning ancient texts and pulling out passages depicting violence is of dubious value.

Islam is a religion of peace and the Quran recognizes the right of the Jews to ownership of the Holy Land:

THE QUR'AN SAYS THAT ALLAH GAVE THE LAND OF ISRAEL TO THE JEWS AND WILL RESTORE THEM TO IT AT THE END OF DAYS

THE QUR'AN SAYS:

"To Moses We [Allah] gave nine clear signs. Ask the Israelites how he [Moses] first appeared amongst them. Pharoah said to him: 'Moses, I can see that you are bewitched.' 'You know full well,' he [Moses] replied, 'that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has revealed these visible signs. Pharoah, you are doomed.'"

"Pharoah sought to scare them [the Israelites] out of the land [of Israel]: but We [Allah] drowned him [Pharoah] together with all who were with him. Then We [Allah] said to the Israelites: 'Dwell in this land [the Land of Israel]. When the promise of the hereafter [End of Days] comes to be fulfilled, We [Allah] shall assemble you [the Israelites] all together [in the Land of Israel]."

"We [Allah] have revealed the Qur'an with the truth, and with the truth it has come down. We have sent you [Muhammed] forth only to proclaim good news and to give warning."

[Qur'an, "Night Journey," chapter 17:100-104]

"Say: 'O God, King of the kingdom (1), Thou givest the kingdom to whom Thou pleasest, and Thou strippest off the kingdom from whom Thou pleasest; Thou endowest with honour whom Thou pleasest, and Thou bringest low whom Thou pleasest: all the best is in Thy hand. Verily, Thou hast power over all things.'"(2) [Qur'an 3:26]

THE LAND OF ISRAEL IN QUR'ANIC EXEGESIS

The Qur'an relates the words by which Moses ordered the Israelites to conquer the Land:

"And [remember] when Moses said to his people: 'O my people, call in remembrance the favour of God unto you, when he produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave to you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. O my people, enter the Holy Land which God has assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin.'" [Qur'an 5:20-21]

"And thereafter We [Allah] said to the Children of Israel: 'Dwell securely in the Promised Land. And when the last warning will come to pass, we will gather you together in a mingled crowd.'" [Qur'an 17:104]

POINT FOR THE CLUELESS: You can quote selectively out of context to prove anything you want.

[Ajnin]

I think it is irrelevent what the Bible or the Koran says. What is relevent is the fact that muslims have been waging a war against the United States for at least the last 20 years. In those twenty years there has not been any significant muslim opposition anywhere to the attacks against the United States. There has been overwhelming support by muslims of terrorists organizations such as the PLO, however.