Posted on 04/08/2005 7:01:56 PM PDT by CHARLITE
A new group of American Muslims has declared itself committed to moderation, patriotism, and peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims. It's called the Center for Islamic Pluralism, an organization made up of both American-born and immigrant Muslims, lifelong Muslims and converts. If this organization succeeds in being what it has set out to be, it will fill a vacuum many Americans have felt keenly since 9/11: it will be a real counterweight in the Islamic community to jihadist radicalism and fanaticism.
In its inaugural press release the CIP declared its intention to "promote moderate Islam in the U.S. and globally; educate the American public, media, and government about moderate Islam; oppose the influence of militant Islam in the United States and abroad; [and] promote authentic and constructive interfaith dialogue between Muslims and adherents of other faiths."
"We define 'moderate Islam' in the American context," the initial press release continued, "as an Islam that finds its proper and equal place as one among the many religions represented in America, with rights neither greater nor lesser than any other…. The CIP emphasizes pluralism to signal that it believes not in the tolerance of non-Muslims, but in their true acceptance."
The CIP's executive director, the Muslim convert and journalist Stephen Suleyman Schwartz, explained that "dialogue is the foundation of our activity."
If a group like the CIP cannot gain a wide following among Muslims in America, the implication for the actual sentiments and loyalties of American Muslims are ominous. But if the CIP doesn't follow through on its commitment to dialogue, its success is in doubt and its utility suspect. Accordingly, it is devoutly to be wished that the organization clear up a few important matters at the outset.
For instance, Schwartz declares that the "Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad…command us to moderation; we can do no less than to fulfill these high responsibilities in that spirit." This is in line with an observation by his fellow CIP founder, Ahmed Subhy Mansour, who asserts that "total freedom of opinion is a principle that was assured by Islam since it emerged, and applied by Muhammad." These statements suggest that if Muslims return to true adherence to the Koran and Muhammad's example, violent jihadist Islam will disappear.
However, the same day that the CIP issued its statement, an Al-Qaeda group in Iraq declared that "terrorizing enemies of Allah is our faith and religion, which is taught to us by our Qur'an." And the same day the Saudi Wahhabis, whom the CIP is determined to oppose, touted Muhammad as "the perfect role model in all situations." Of course, there are hundreds of contemporary examples of jihad terrorists pointing to the Qur'an and the example of Muhammad to justify violence.
So how does the CIP intend to distinguish its Muhammad from the Wahhabi version? How will the organization respond to jihad terrorists when they invoke Muhammad and the Koran? This is an all-important question, for on its answer will hang or fall the mission of the CIP itself: if the group cannot convince Muslims to follow it, rejecting jihadist theology, it will have failed. But it cannot do any such convincing without a coherent Islamic theology that not only rivals the jihadist version, but refutes it.
Schwartz has in the past decried those who "demand a revision of the Muslim holy book, Qur'an," and has asserted that "Islam needs no Reformation, merely to return to its long-established tradition: pluralistic, spiritual, and committed to the protection and refinement of its civilizational heritage." That makes all the more urgent a clear delineation of its theological stance as distinct from that of the jihadists who use the same sources so effectively.
Questions like these have led one of the seven current members of the CIP, Tashbih Sayyid, publisher of Muslim World Today, to reconsider his role in the organization. Sayyid explained to me: "If Schwartz believes that there is nothing wrong with Muslim theology, I cannot be part of this group….My whole life is devoted to one end: to make the Muslims understand that their theology needs to be reformed and reinterpreted. Anybody who thinks that there's nothing wrong with their theology is either a blind person or an apologist."
Sayyid continued: "There are many things in Muslim Scripture that need to be reshaped and reframed and reinterpreted, so that they cannot be used by terrorists to justify homicide bombings and honor killings."
If the CIP is to fulfill its great promise, it will face this great necessity honestly, and act accordingly.
Mr. Spencer is director of Jihad Watch and author of Onward Muslim Soldiers: How Jihad Still Threatens America and the West (Regnery -- a HUMAN EVENTS sister company) and Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About the World's Fastest Growing Faith (Encounter); and editor of The Myth of Islamic Tolerance (Prometheus).
Well, lets think about this. Nobody is born Muslim, it is a religion, not a racial group. Therefore for someone to be a Muslim they must make the choice to be one. Now take the religion at face value, it teaches murder, torture, conquest and enslaving the world for Islam as its holy command.
Therefore I can safely say ALL Muslims are evil and brutal and intent on conquest, as their holy books demand that, and they have of their own free will decided that is what is holy in their lives.
Seriously, have you even met a variety of Muslims or any other group from different backgrounds and nationalities?
Yes, I have lived in over 7 countries, and live in the Middle East currently. I have 1 million Muslims within 100 miles of my house and half of them vote in polls that to shred me with a terrorist bomb is a valid form of political expression AFTER they steal half of the only Jewish State to make their 22nd Arab one. Do you know of any Christians or Jews that think blowing up a school bus full of children will get you into paradise?
There is an obvious difference between religions don't you think? Perhaps you should drop the "all religions and history's are alike" thingie. It really does not hold water in the light of day.
I know a few hundred million devout Muslims that would like to pat you on the back of your neck with a sword because the Koran commands them to behead you as a non-muslim.
It is not a knee-jerk reaction when you can read it for yourself in black and white. It is simply self-preservation. However to face a hungry lion and try to pet it saying nice kitty is certainly a knee-jerk liberal reaction, as well as patting one self on the back for their superior understanding of lions.
Unfortunately I have discovered that all that nice moral superiority vanishes when you actually meet the lion face to face. It is hard to pat oneself on the back with a bloody stump.
Good point, and valid, however you should have said "given the acts of violence and terrorism over the last 1400 years". Islams history has not varied for ALL it's History. That is why this statement is all the more ludicris by these "moderate" Islamics. 1400 years of deeds are hardly washed away by one news article of "we should".
Only the little coward in the school yard is foolish enough to hope that "this time the bully keep his promise to leave me alone if I give him my lunch money, again" after 1400 years of history.
And while we were meeting the Japanese Ambassador's outstretched hand, Japan bombed Pearl harbor. The fleet launched for the attack before the Ambassador even traveled to washington.
As PT Barnum said, "There is a sucker born every minute. And, "You can fool some of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time..." I see you are in the latter category.
I have an idea, if the Muslims really want peace, they can lay down their arms. Surprise, instant peace!
Don't take this personal, but was your family in the Klan? Hence did they say the same exact things about Jews and Blacks that you're saying about Muslims today?
Maybe you missed the link in #11. Here's an excerpt :
"Dr. Mohammed believes that the Quran unambiguously says that the Holy Land belongs to the Jews. He’ll go to any mosque and debate any doubting imam."
"his mission: to combat the growing tide of Islamic political radicalization by teaching what the Quran actually says – not how the Islamic holy text is interpreted by imams."
He's one of the founders of this group.
"Who engages in knee jerk anti Muslim hysteria? It is pandemic around here."
You can say That again.
People complain about muslims not voicing their disdain for muslim extremists/fanatics/terrorists, yet Every article I've read that was written by or about a muslim speaking out against them, is met with negativity.
It makes no sense.
Anyone who truly wants moderate muslims to speak out and condemn radical muslims, should be supporting the moderates when they do. Otherwise, stop complaining when they don't.
How do you repair/re-interpret something that says "kill all non-muslims"?
"Anyone who judges by the group is a peawit. You take men one at a time."
Sgt. Killrain
"The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara
Aren't they a little late?
There have been Muslims saying this kind of thing for some time now, as you very well know, or should know.
BTTT.
"Avoid the broad brush tainting all. That is the road to avoidable conflict and violence, leading to unjust war."
Shouldn't you be addressing this to the muslims?
Islam's ' proper place' is in the dark pages of history along with the other bloody death cults. It needs to be GONE, forever, wiped from the face of the earth and the minds of mankind except as a shameful stain and a testament to brutality and evil.
Yep. They're "moderate" Muslims - temporarily out of ammo.
See post #27. When you have an answer to his question, get back to both of us, ok?
(Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 4, Book 54, Number 516) Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "If anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs the ablution, he should wash his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out thrice, because Satan has stayed in the upper part of his nose all the night."
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