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That's ridiculous. Muslims need to learn to accept honest debate about Islam. The anger with this woman is a prime example. Were the men on the show defending Islam threatened with death?

I'm all in favor of an honest debate about Islam. I'm not in favor of persecuting Muslims simply because they are Muslim but are not otherwise doing anything else wrong. You may not be calling for that but other Freepers are.

An honest confrontation about the religion of Islam is not persecution. Muslims also need to be confronted with an honest evaluation of the "prophet" Muhammad. As of yet, that has not been happening.

It's starting to happen. This article names several women who are doing it, for example.

-The largest populations of Muslims are not Arab, anymore.

Correct. Yet you will notice that he largest numbers of terrorists are not coming from those non-Arab populations of Muslims. Why do you think Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, "Palestine", and other Arab areas are generating more terrorists than even Iran?

So the premise that this is an Arab culture clash is false.

There are many radical Muslims who are not Arab.

There are also many Arabs who aren't Muslim.

As a proportion, more radical Muslims and terrorists are Arabs. Of those who aren't Arabs themselves, most seem to be embracing the whole nine yards of Arab-Islamic culture, including elements that are not really in the Koran (e.g., head scarves, circumcision, etc.). Islam did not define many of those elements of Arab and give them to the Arabs. Many (if not most) sects of Islam absorbed many of those elements from Arab culture and made them Islamic.

Of course all the Muslims aren't radical. But around 40% of Muslims polled in England support the imposition of Sharia law.

That means that 60% of Muslims, a clear majority, don't support the imposition of Sharia law.

-That is a very large minority of Muslims who support a form of oppression; the imposition of Islamic law.

Absolutely, and it's sad and needs to be addressed. But let's not forget that they are not the majority and we shouldn't just group the majority in with this minority and punish them all. We should make distinctions. I'm not saying that all Muslims, guilty or innocent, should be protected from criticism. I'm saying that we need to at least make some attempt to differentiate the guilty and the innocent and not consider them all guilty simply because they are Muslims. You might not be doing that. Other Freepers are.

Again, an honest look at Muhammad and Islam is not persecution.

I never said it was. In fact, I think it's healthy, just as I think a good honest look at Jesus and Christianity is healthy.

"As a proportion, more radical Muslims and terrorists are Arabs. Of those who aren't Arabs themselves, most seem to be embracing the whole nine yards of Arab-Islamic culture..."

-That sounds like you're laying the problems of Mohamedism at the feet of the Arabs, instead of at the feet of Muhammad, where it belongs.

"Why do you think Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, "Palestine", and other Arab areas are generating more terrorists than even Iran?"

-Because according to an Iranian friend of mine; many Iranians don't even believe in Islam anymore, and have a dim view of Muhammad, The younger generation is very secular.

There's been plenty of terrorism in non-Arab Islamic countries. Surely you've heard of the terrorism at Band Aceh, Indonesia, in the Philippians, etc.... the problems Gen. Pershing had with the Moros?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1695576.stm

or how about Winston Churchill:

"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.

A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property‹either as a child, a wife, or a concubine‹must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.

Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.

No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science‹the science against which it had vainly struggled‹the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome." - Sir Winston Churchill

>"I'm saying that we need to at least make some attempt to differentiate the guilty and the innocent and not consider them all guilty simply because they are Muslims."<

-I agree, and Muslims should not be persecuted (or prosecuted) for *rejecting* Islam either.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan (a non-Arabic Islamic country):

A Christian on Trial (Faces Death in Afghanistan for rejecting Islam)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1599183/posts

-On Thursday the prosecution told the court Rahman has rejected numerous offers to embrace Islam. Prosecuting attorney Abdul Wasi told the judge that the punishment should fit the crime.

"We are not against any particular religion in the world. But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law," the judge said. "It is an attack on Islam. ... The prosecutor is asking for the death penalty."

persecution of *EX*- Muslims, indeed.

1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by
a. The Pope
b. Billy Graham
c. Donald Duck
d. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40

2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by
a. Catholics
b. Protestants
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by:
a. Christians
b. Jews
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:
a. Lutherans
b. Catholics
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:
a. Baptists
b. Lutherans
c. catholics
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by:
a. Catholics
b. protestants
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by:
a. Catholics
b. protestants
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:
a. Catholics
b. Protestants
C. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:
a. Catholics
b. Protestants
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:
a. Catholics
b. Protestants
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by:
a. Catholics
b. Protestants
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

12. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:
a. Baptists
b. The Lutheran Church
c. Hindus
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

13. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:
a. Catholics
b. Protestants
c. Jews
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40