Posted on 08/16/2006 8:03:46 PM PDT by GMMAC
OK, let's take a look at these and see how they compare to reality.
Article: With Islam We Fight Terrorism
Reading through this article, a person educated in the Koran can see that it is typical taqiyya cherry-picking of the few "peaceful" verses in the Koran. A typical reference cited:
“On that account we ordained for the children of Israel that if any one slew a person, unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land, it would as if he slew the whole humanity. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole humanity.” (5:35)
Yet Mohammad himself slew an entire tribe of Jews, and Mohammad is considered to be the example of proper Muslim behavior. This disconnect is unexplained, unless one wants to consider those Jews as having been "spreading mischief in the land", which Mohammad's own tale does not support. The only sin of those Jews was that they would not convert to Islam on Mohammad's demand. The actual behavior of Muslims throughout their history is more in line with Mohammad's behavior than what is implied by the quote cited. And I trust I need not furnish the wide variety of quotes from the Koran that explictly tell them to kill Jews and other non-Muslims, unless they submit to a condition of slavery.
Article: Iraqis know democracy is a Muslim's duty
This is the opinion of a single man, and at odds with the reality. If Iraqis knew democracy was a Muslim's duty, then what explains the widespread proliferation of Islamic gangs therein imposing Sharia law? What explains the Iraqi Constitution placing Islam above its own democratic law?
Article: Arab Criticism of Muslim Extremist Activities in the West
This article supports my point, not yours. In it is the admission that Muslim populations are supportive of extremist activities.
Arab Liberals: Prosecute Clerics Who Promote Murder
Like the previous article, this article makes it seem as if every Arab is a Muslim, which is not true. Most of the Arab critics of Islam are Christians. And in practice, no Muslim cleric has been prosecuted for such activity in a Muslim nation, except where it threatens the ruling regime itself.
Article: Muslims use Quran to wage war against terror
As in the first article, this is wishful thinking by a small minority, and can be thoroughly refuted (as it was on the thread) by showing that the Koran encourages Muslims to terror (quite explicitly, e.g., Qur’an 8:57 “If you gain mastery over them in battle, inflict such a defeat as would terrorize them, so that they would learn a lesson and be warned.”) It even uses the word "terrorize" - you really have to be in hardcore denial to rationalize that away.
Article: Albania stands with U.S. in Iraq
Albania is a country that was coercively secularized for decades, like all Communist nations. That country has very good realpolitik reasons to offer token support to the US, especially while the US actions are effectively enabling it to take over the formerly Serbian province of Kosovo. Nothing in the article refers to Islam at all, anyway.
Article: The Hijacking of Islam...Who can save it now? by Amir Taheri
The author is a Christian, not a Muslim. Furthermore, the article makes my point by saying "Unless we hear Muslim voices condemning such attacks without any "ifs" or "buts", the would-be suicide-killer would have every reason to assume that he enjoys at least the tacit support of all Muslims." We remain in that position, over a year later, where all major Muslim organizations are silent in the condemnation of terrorism.
Article: Chechen spiritual leaders declare holy war on terrorism in the republic
Ironic that you would consider a declaration of holy war to be an example of Muslim moderation, but we can put that aside for the moment. Here we have a fight for control between Islamic sects, one (relatively) indigenous and the other sponsored by a foreign state. Nowhere within is there actually a condemnation of terrorism, despite the headline; merely a condemnation of the Wahabbists, which is readily understandable considering that the Wahabbis are a competing force for power over the Muslims in Chechnya and have conducted assassinations and other atrocities against the Chechen Muslim leaders. But it is the Chechen Muslims themselves who portrayed their war against Russia in religious terms, who made it a holy war, and thus provided the entre for the foreign fighters; and it is of note that these foreign fighters would have no way to maintain their presence in the face of actual opposition from the Chechens, unless they also found enough adherents among the ranks of Chechen Muslims to their version of Islam. Which apparently they do, since those foreign fighters are still there, are still calling the shots, and have not been evicted by the Chechens.
Article: Qatar University Dean Against Fanatic Islamists
As above, this is a single man's opinion, and he draws from no popular base of support. Furthermore, when you read the article, it admits what I have been telling you, that Muslim populations are "fertile ground" for the ideology of terrorism.
Article: The Evil Isn't Islam
The most recent example of "Muslim moderation" that the esteemed Dr. Pipes can come up with is from the 13th century. And he quotes the same passage quoted in the earlier article, which was directly contradicted by Mohammad's own actions. When you read the full article, Dr. Pipes also admits that "Muslims, in contrast, still think the old way," that "old way" being the way of war and slavery. In an age of potential nuclear terrorism, the world can no longer afford those who think the "old way", not if free nations are to take their duties to their citizens seriously.
Article: Voters reverse Islamists' rise in Pakistani politics
The original article is not accessible, only a summary that is incomplete and does not list the reasons for the change. I should point out, however, that the logical assumption is not a rejection of radical Islam but the application of decisive military pressure, which is the only proven way to de-radicalize a Muslim population.
It is funny that you mention Malaysia and Indonesia. Malaysia's elder statesman called on Muslims to unite and claimed "Jews rule the world" (in a speech that was met with unanimous applause from representatives of every other Muslim nation)
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003511/posts
And Indonesia, the jihad goes on and on and on. If they're interested in stopping it, they're sure good at hiding it. If they're against terrorism, why then free the mastermind of the Bali atrocity?
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1685245/posts
... and why allow the rapid proliferation of hardline Sharia law?
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1679089/posts
It was only 7 years ago that Indonesia allowed a massacre of non-Muslim East Timorese on the order of a hundred thousand slain. If a relatively modern, secularist military dictatorship wrapped around a democracy like Turkey, given 90 years to come to terms with the Armenian genocide, cannot even permit mention of such in a newspaper, how is it plausible that a nation with such a long record of Islamic slaughter could make a complete about-face in 7 years?
In summary:
That in reaching back to articles years old there is not a single example of a popular Muslim protest against terrorism is telling. Most of the arguments are by Muslim elites and academics; as we know, elites and academics not only do not represent popular sentiment, but frequently run directly counter to it. With 1.2 billion Muslims on the planet, if there was any significant opposition to terrorism among them there surely would be some popular protest somewhere against the tactics and ideology of terrorism. With a far smaller population, the West has seen rallies numbering up to a million in support of "peace", however naive and/or disingenuous. In the same time the Muslim world has seen not a single rally of even a hundredth that number against those whom you claim falsely represent Islam. Strive as one might, one cannot find an example of a Muslim population opposing terrorism.
Belive you me, I wish you were correct. I had once fervently prayed that the very idea you advance here was correct. By educating myself about Islam, I learned, to my astonishment and horror, that the truth is uglier than a person raised in a Judeo-Christian tradition can imagine.
Hey Jelly...how can they take away our deodorant? Then we will surely be unprotected.
That really got a laugh out of me.
Why do you think the French like their perfume so much?
They try to hide their true odor which is putrid.
But so are the arabs. With all the clothes they wear in the hot sun, how do you think their bodily sweat fairs under there?
If you use Secret they'll never know you're wearing it unless you leak it to the New York Times.
It would just be my luck to show telltale white streaks.
Undoubtedly, the Slimes would run my photo as an airline "Streaker."
Bump and Ping.
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