Why I am not a moderate Muslim

Christian Science Monitor ^ | April 23, 2007 | Asma Khalid

[Lorianne]

Last month, three Muslim men were arrested in Britain in connection with the London bombings of July 2005. In light of such situations, a number of non-Muslims and Muslims alike yearn for "moderate," peace-loving Muslims to speak out against the violent acts sometimes perpetrated in the name of Islam. And to avoid association with terrorism, some Muslims adopt a "moderate" label to describe themselves.

I am a Muslim who embraces peace. But, if we must attach stereotypical tags, I'd rather be considered "orthodox" than "moderate."

"Moderate" implies that Muslims who are more orthodox are somehow backward and violent. And in our current cultural climate, progress and peace are restricted to "moderate" Muslims. To be a "moderate" Muslim is to be a "good," malleable Muslim in the eyes of Western society.

I recently attended a debate about Western liberalism and Islam at the University of Cambridge where I'm pursuing my master's degree. I expected debaters on one side to present a bigoted laundry list of complaints against Islam and its alleged incompatibility with liberalism, and they did.

But what was more disturbing was that those on the other side, in theory supported the harmony of Islam and Western liberalism, but they based their argument on spurious terms. While these debaters – including a former top government official and a Nobel peace prize winner – were well-intentioned, they in fact wrought more harm than good. Through implied references to moderate Muslims, they offered a simplistic, paternalistic discourse that suggested Muslims would one day catch up with Western civilization.

[heywaitadarnminute]

islam is for idiots....

[calex59]

If by orthodox he means following the koran then he is indeed a backwards, violent type person. Any one who follows a book that tells you to kill all other people who don’t agree with your religion is not a civilized person and has no place in my country. I would feel much better if they were all sent packing.

[Clemenza]

Reason

Order

Progress

All who stand in its past should either accept it, or go off into the woods/desert and not try to get in its way. Koranimals and flat-earthers have no place in a society that values achievement and the advancement of knowledge.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

You are not. If you really were, you would disassociate yourself from the word ‘Muslim’.

[headstamp]

“The term moderate Muslim is actually a redundancy. In the Islamic tradition, the concept of the “middle way” is central. Muslims believe that Islam is a path of intrinsic moderation, wasatiyya. This concept is the namesake of a British Muslim grass-roots organization, the Radical Middle Way. It is an initiative to counter Islam’s violent reputation with factual scholarship.”

They have a con for every criticism. How about countering it’s ACTUAL violence instead of it’s reputation for violence. Then maybe we’ll be getting somewhere. These people, always the victims, they’re so put upon.

[FoxInSocks]

Through implied references to moderate Muslims, they . . . suggested Muslims would one day catch up with Western civilization.

The nerve of those debaters to make such a crazy suggestion!

The author, a woman, should well know that orthodox muslims will continue living in the dark ages. They'll never "catch up with Western civilization," especially with regard to women's rights commonly found in the West.

[John Valentine]

By the lights of those she criticises, Ms. Asma is indeed not a “moderate” Muslim; in fact she’s not a Muslim at all, she is an apostate, and is dangerously close to finding herslef on the receiving end of the Islamic punishment for apostacy.

The power of human self-deception is almost infinite, and Ms. Asma indulges herself in this way at her own peril.

[beethovenfan]

A Muslim who really thinks doesn’t stay a Muslim very long.

[Lurker]

See tagline.

L

[doc1019]

But, when your sole means of transportation is a Camel, your highest education level is 0 and your greatest expectation in life is to survive. Where is the thinking? Doesn’t compute.

[advertising guy]

two points.......he is a she and read the link.This is as much an insight to Islam you have comparitively read

[advertising guy]

you give her too much credit. I read it twice and she plows both ditches, a failsafe confusion, and a higher calling excuse.She never really pins the non Islam’s
gacts in the Koran.

IF , and I mean IF, she is real to question the verses she worships she is a spy or blaphomus to Islam.

A good Godfather / mafia solution / always was ehhhhhhhh
why take a chance. In the movies,that means you are dead.

[chuckles]

As Muslims self examine their beliefs after 9/11, I too, as a Christian looked at myself and what I believe. There is a Christian saying that recently went around that went, "What Would Jesus Do?" I looked at the Life of Jesus and found that He gave His life, for those He loved. He never told a lie, hurt anyone, stole any property, etc. But how many Christians believe enough to give their life for Christ? I mean actually die! There was a child at Columbine that made the news, and a few here and there, but I wonder how many of us would actually stare down the barrel of a Muslim's gun and say "Jesus is Lord!" The 2 Fox News reporters "converted" so they could live to report another day. What would the statement be if they had said "Jesus is Lord of all", as they were tied and beaten. Did Jesus change His testimony at trial or on the cross? Is there some ambiguity when Jesus said "Deny Me before men, and I will deny you before the Father"?

So many today won't even testify that they are Christians and those that do make sure everyone knows they are a "moderate" Christian that can go either way on so many subjects. It is hip now to have pastors of churches be homosexual and abortion is a political subject not talked about from the pulpit for fear of losing our "tax status".

MY post is not to cast dispersions on other Christians, but to maybe get you to think about what you believe in enough to die for it. The people at VT didn't know that day would be their last. I think many of us and our children will be tested in fire over the next few years BECAUSE of our "moderation". The Muslims know that they are more committed to their cause than we are. I try to post my beliefs on FR and am frequently scourged verbally for being an extreme, right wing, conservative, Christian fundamentalist. It's because that is what I read In the Bible my Lord Jesus is. I can only hope to measure up when the fire is heavy and the loss very dear. I may fail, but I think it's clear what I am supposed to be. I can't see any moderate part of a God that gave His life for His people, destroyed the world for it's evil, and sends non believers to eternal damnation. I think God is an extremist.

[Harrius Magnus]

“Reason

Order

Progress “

I would substitute “Truth” for “Order,” as the latter will then follow.

[SeafoodGumbo]

I refuse to live as a "moderate" Muslim if its side effect is an unintentional admission that suicide bombing is a religious obligation for the orthodox faithful. True orthodoxy is simply the attempt to adhere piously to a religion's tenets. The public relations drive for "moderate Islam" is injurious to the entire international community. It may provisionally ease the pain when so-called Islamic extremists strike. But it really creates deeper wounds that will require thicker bandages because it indirectly labels the entire religion of Islam as violent.

Yawn. The entire religion of Islam is violent. Not all Muslims are, but the religion is inherently violent.

As proof of that, check out the searchable Koran, and search for the word "unbelievers." There's 120 mentions of "unbelievers" promising scorn, hellfire, etc.

There's all the proof you need that everything this retard says about Islam is false.

Here's just the first ten:

1. [2.19] Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is utter darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder peal, for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers.

2. [2.24] But if you do (it) not and never shall you do (it), then be on your guard against the fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers.

3. [2.34] And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance, but Iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers.

4. [2.89] And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have, and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieve, but when there came to them (Prophet) that which they did not recognize, they disbelieved in him; so Allah's curse is on the unbelievers.

5. [2.90] Evil is that for which they have sold their souls-- that they should deny what Allah has revealed, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases; so they have made themselves deserving of wrath upon wrath, and there is a disgraceful punishment for the unbelievers.

6. [2.98] Whoever is the enemy of Allah and His angels and His apostles and Jibreel and Meekaeel, so surely Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers.

7. [2.104] O you who believe! do not say Raina and say Unzurna and listen, and for the unbelievers there is a painful chastisement.

8. [2.109] Many of the followers of the Book wish that they could turn you back into unbelievers after your faith, out of envy from themselves, (even) after the truth has become manifest to them; but pardon and forgive, so that Allah should bring about His command; surely Allah has power over all things.

9. [2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.

10. [2.254] O you who believe! spend out of what We have given you before the day comes in which there is no bargaining, neither any friendship nor intercession, and the unbelievers-- they are the unjust.

[Valin]

Ms. Asma is indeed not a “moderate” Muslim; in fact she’s not a Muslim at all, she is an apostate

I missed the news article where you got the job of deciding just who is and who is not a Muslim.

[calex59]

two points.......he is a she and read the link.This is as much an insight to Islam you have comparitively read

Two points back at you:One: he or she, who cares?Two: Anyone who thinks an orthodox muslim is peace loving only has to look around at the world to know they are not. As for reading about islam ,I have read enough of the koran to know islam for the evil cult it really is. You don't like what I have to say about it? Too bad. The sooner islam disappears from the face of th earth the better off we will all be.

[advertising guy]

you really should read the link then my posts and you will actually see I do not disagree with you....emotional type huh

[John Valentine]

You can start by apologising to me for removing the very part of the quotation where your rhetorical question was answered in advance. I’m not the arbiter of who is or isn’t a Muslim, and I never claimed to be.

As you already know.