Why It’s Islam vs Rest of the World (TROP™ says it's OUR fault.)

The Sunday Indian Express [Bombay] ^ | February 1, 2004 | Tavleen Singh

[quidnunc]

In Davos this year there was much talk of Islam and its differences with the West. The emphasis was on trying to understand why rather than on dismissing the whole issue as that clash of civilisations Samuel Huntington wrote so prophetically about nearly ten years before 9/11. A whole gamut of Muslim intellectuals were invited to address sessions with subjects as diverse as religion and globalisation, modernity and Islam and the shared roots of Western and Islamic culture. Arab princes spoke, as did professors and scholars from the Islamic world and women in hijab who argued that the West try and understand that democracy and gender issues had different meanings in different cultures. The Grand Mufti of Bosnia was there alongside the former American Archbishop of Canterbury and representing the Indian subcontinent was, ironically, General Pervez Musharraf.

As I watched him expound on his theory that Islam was a peaceful religion that sought only friendship and peace with the world, I found myself wondering why then it had been necessary to break India up for reasons of Islam. But, that is the sort of politically incorrect question nobody asks these days just as we do not ask why the Kashmir Valley’s struggle for autonomy has ended up becoming part of the international jehad against Americans, Jews and Hindus. Political correctness was very much the mood of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting so many of those who spoke for Islam got away with blaming the West for their woes.

You must understand, they said, that terrorism was not Islamic or Christian but just terrorism. And, you must understand that at the root of what was going on lay unresolved political problems like Palestine and Kashmir. Our friendly, neighbourhood military dictator went so far as to say that because of these unresolved political issues young Muslims had developed a sense of persecution and had begun to believe that the world was against Islam. It was the duty of the West to not just help resolve these political issues fairly but also help solve some of the socio-economic problems of the Islamic world. Then, the world would be at peace once more and we could live without the threat of suicide bombers.

-snip-

[quidnunc]

Quote:

And, whether Muslims are prepared to admit it or not modernity does mean questioning ancient religious beliefs and demanding answers. A religion that is based on the belief that the last word or ideology, faith, social mores and law was written fourteen hundred years ago will always find itself in conflict with change.

It's the Islam, stupid!

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I would assume this would equally apply to Christianity too?

[SeaDragon]

It was the duty of the West to not just help resolve these political issues fairly but also help solve some of the socio-economic problems of the Islamic world. Then, the world would be at peace once more and we could live without the threat of suicide bombers.

Does anyone else see this as to mean "keep sending money" and we will be better?

[JimSEA]

In vain I searched to hear one voice that would admit that there must be something deeply wrong in Islamic societies that they had bred the sort of hatred that created so much senseless violence.

Tavleen Singh gets it but the "West" doesn't. There is not much we can do other than defend ourselves and our friends in the world (those whose relationship is reciprical).

[Welsh Rabbit]

Sounds like more than a few of those speakers probably went to college here or in Europe...

[quidnunc]

ItisaReligionofPeace wrote: I would assume this would equally apply to Christianity too?

Oh for Cripes' sake, what a dopey thing to say.

Where are the Lutheran suicide bombers; the Mormons setting improvised roadside bombs; the Methodist minister preaching that Jews should be killed because they are tje descendents of pigs and monkeys; the Baptists throwing hand grenades into schoolrooms full of Muslim children?

And for thjat matter where are the "Allah bless America" rallies by American Muslims?

[Lion in Winter]

BTTT

[Lion in Winter]

YOU make some Excellent points.

[Dallas59]

Once again the problem isn't Islam...somebody or something else is at fault. Islam is dangerous.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I wasn't responding to violence, I was responding to the quote. Of course, Christianity has apparently moved past the dark years of the religion. Hopefully it will stay this way. Anyone can pervert a belief.

[silversky]

I would assume this would equally apply to Christianity too?

The calls to kill infidels, to lie and deceive them, to pretend to be their friends, to overrun their cities, etc, etc, belong to Islam only. Koran 17:64 is very interesting. Also a whole bunch of others that I don't recall and I am too disgusted to look for. There is nothing like this in the Gospel, zilch, none. Can't even compare.

[Welsh Rabbit]

PCness is killing our will to survive. India, Thailand, the Philipines, Australia, Russia; Just a few of the many countries I can think of off the top of my head that have recently been victims of Islamic violence. I wonder if they've moved into South America yet? Gee, I guess we just need to negotiate harder, it's working out so well in Israel...

[rovenstinez]

Yes, they have moved to Mexico, in
Chiapas, and this year some did their pilgrimage to Mecca. The Mexican Muslims are for the most part members of the Zapista movement that feels left out of the benefits of NAFTA and scorned by Mexico City's elite.

[silversky]

Of course, Christianity has apparently moved past the dark years of the religion.

Talk about "Christan dark years" shows nothing but complete and utter ignorance.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Really? What would you call the Inquisition?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

The Old Testament is filled with all kinds of violence.

[g35x]

I'm extremely bothered by this - we've got 130,000 of our finest citizens putting their lives on the line to bring freedom to a muslim nation and some folks want to disparage the people that our young men and women are dying to protect, and to provide with a better life. It's sick, and it's treasonous against our President and our military. Those that are attempting to create a U.S. vs. Islam battle are advancing the agenda of Al Qaeda.

[quidnunc]

The West has had the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment and the Age of Reason along the way to modernity.

By contrast Islam rejects the very thinking that led the West to all these things.

There is a reason that Spain with its 40 million people translates more books into Spanish in a year than have been translated into Arabic in the last 1000 years.

There is a reason that non-Muslims, when they are not being actively persecuted, have always been treated as second-class citizens in Muslim societies.

That reason is that Muslims believe that their religion is the perfect expression of how a person should live, and that it is the bounden duty of Muslims to bring all the peoples of the world into the ummah — peacefully if possibly but by means of warfare if necessary.

[Trailerpark Badass]

The Old Testament is filled with all kinds of violence.

Its events also occcured before the arrival of Christ, so I'm not sure I get your point. Historical accounts of violence are not the same as scriptural exhortations to violence.