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The Reality of a Religion of Peace
Hudson New York ^ | September 20, 2010 | Herbert I. London

Posted on 09/20/2010 8:22:43 AM PDT by Ooh-Ah

Ignorant opinion is unquestionably on the rise; although there are dozens of examples daily that prove this claim, the most absurd of these examples, is the one employed by government officials, academics, and political candidates: "Islam is a religion of peace."

People who know nothing about Islam agree that most Muslims do not commit violent or terrorist acts, therefore the religion is peacefull; but that is a classic non sequitur. Most Germans in the 1930's did not embrace the excesses of Nazism. Most Chinese did not subscribe to the slaughter of millions during Mao's Long March. Most Russians did not support Stalin's purges.

It usually takes a minority to start a revolution or "killing fields." The key feature of radicalization in any religion or political movement is the silence, or presumptive acquiesce, of the majority, who is mainly moderate.

When the moderates say, "I didn't realize what was happening," or, "It is not any of my business," problems result. A minority controls a majority when the minority acts and the majority waits. It may be true that the majority wants to go about its business without resort to extremism, but this is irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff that makes us feel better and is meant to diminish a vision of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.

The fact is that fanatics influence history more than moderates; and, at the moment, it is the fanatics who rule Islam. Invariably well-meaning critics of Islam argue that the religion needs an enlightenment, a reformation, a period of re-evaluation. But overlooked by these critics is that Islam had this moment a century ago and it resulted in the ascendency of Wahhabism, an orthodox interpretation of the most extreme elements of the religion.

There is little doubt the Verses of The Sword, and other Medina-related suras in the Koran, promote violence to promote the religion. Many Muslims do not read these passages or take them seriously or regard them as a call to action. However, many do. And these are the fanatics who engage in suicide bombings, beheadings, stonings, and honor killings. Moreover, because these are the activists in the Islamic faith, they take over mosque after mosque and spread these views.

As I see it, the peaceful majority, the moderates whom the press representatives invariably reference, are cowed and extraneous. In Rwanda, where bloodshed and butchery reigned for a decade, one could argue that Rwandans were basically peace-loving people. But, in an incontrovertable lesson of histroy, the peace-loving are made irrelevant through silence.

The group that counts, the group that launches historical trends, is the extremist one that threatens everything we hold dear. To deny this is to deny a reality that allows fanatics to control our very existence.

It is, naturallly, difficult to come to grips with this condition. The comforting notion that most Muslims are "just like us" will not fly when one considers who are those moving historical forces. What this adds up to may be difficult to contemplate, but it is better to confront that reality now than at a time when it is too late to resist. Claude Bernard once noted, in a different but useful context, that "The secret of function is apparent to us if we look hard enough." My guess is we've been spending more time on delusional ideas -- what we would like to believe -- than simply looking hard at Islam.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: islam; muslim; nymosque; obama; palin; sharia; waronterror
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1 posted on 09/20/2010 8:22:51 AM PDT by Ooh-Ah
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To: Ooh-Ah

islam question


2 posted on 09/20/2010 8:31:11 AM PDT by FrankR (obama can only be what WE allow him to be.)
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To: Ooh-Ah

I can see no redeeming value to islam. I do not understand its attraction to anyone, especially blacks. Mohammad owned black slaves and sold them and called blacks “raisin heads and pug-nosed slaves”. If white people said that, it would be a hate crime. Women are subjugated and in many islamic countries have no rights. Children are indoctrinated to hate Jews and Christians. I just don’t understand liberals defense of such a vile ideology.


3 posted on 09/20/2010 8:31:50 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: Ooh-Ah

It’s not a religion. It’s a world-expansionist movement cleverly disguised as a religion.

Amazing how many people can’t look past a label and see a reality for what it really is.

affirmative action
minority set-asides
race norming
tax withholding
war on poverty
great society
social security
choice
religion of peace
moderate
gay marriage


4 posted on 09/20/2010 8:34:49 AM PDT by Leftism is Mentally Deranged (Annoying liberals is my goal. I will not be silenced.)
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To: Ooh-Ah

Find a copy of the Koran.
Don’t worry, any copy is OK. Islam accepts as fact that the Koran is the direct word to Mohammed and unadulterated by revision or edits.
Read any 10 random passages.
Compare to any 10 random passages in any Bible.

Pure Hate vs. Pure Love
There is no other reasonable conclusion.
Prove it to yourself.
To let Islam or Sharia law get a foothold in this country will ultimately result in Crusades II
Evil vs. Good Clear as a bell.


5 posted on 09/20/2010 8:38:58 AM PDT by bossmechanic (If all else fails, hit it with a hammer)
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To: Ooh-Ah

Islam is the Trojan Horse of our times.

Nothing is truly as represented by them.


6 posted on 09/20/2010 8:44:34 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
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To: Ooh-Ah

So we isolate and villainize Muslems here in the US and watch them fight back? Or do we show them the American way and give them something to fight for? Which is it?


7 posted on 09/20/2010 8:45:32 AM PDT by Realism (Some believe that the facts-of-life are open to debate.....)
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To: Ooh-Ah

They are just following the dictates of The Koran.


8 posted on 09/20/2010 8:49:55 AM PDT by upcountryhorseman (An old fashioned conservative)
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To: Realism

>Or do we show them the American way and give them something to fight for?<

.
Does anyone even believe that they want to become part of American society without first destroying it? Yeah, right.

Have we not noticed the hateful signs that they carry in public pointing out that Islam will conquer the West and that those who offend the prophet (or is it profit?) will have their throats cut? Jeez, how stupid can we be?

Very.


9 posted on 09/20/2010 8:55:47 AM PDT by 353FMG (ISLAM - America's inevitable road to destruction.)
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To: Realism

The United States Constitution and the Koran are mutually exclusive. A person cannot believe in both at the same time.


10 posted on 09/20/2010 8:56:45 AM PDT by donna (Synonyms: Feminism, Marxism, Communism, Socialism, Fascism, Islam-ism)
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To: Ooh-Ah
See:
Three Things About Islam

and FR's discussion:
Islam - Three Things You Didn't Know

11 posted on 09/20/2010 9:06:11 AM PDT by Ooh-Ah
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To: donna

Bingo!


12 posted on 09/20/2010 9:15:17 AM PDT by Pecos (Liberty and Honor will not die on my watch.)
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To: Ooh-Ah

Come on, the vast majority come here to escape not to infiltrate.


13 posted on 09/20/2010 9:16:53 AM PDT by Realism (Some believe that the facts-of-life are open to debate.....)
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To: 353FMG; Realism
There are moderate Muslims out there who are genuinely friends of America, including the fellow featured on my Freeper page.

Islam is in dire need of a Reformation and these would be the people to do it.

14 posted on 09/20/2010 9:24:17 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: 353FMG

“Have we not noticed the hateful signs that they carry in public pointing out that Islam will conquer the West and that those who offend the prophet (or is it profit?) will have their throats cut?”

I don’t see it here in the US. Do you?


15 posted on 09/20/2010 9:24:56 AM PDT by Realism (Some believe that the facts-of-life are open to debate.....)
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To: Vigilanteman

If there are, let them take to the streets and protest the daily persecution of Christians and other non-Muslims in Muslim countries. I agree with you that Islam is in dire need of a reformation, but this will not happen unless it abandons the teachings in the Koran.

You think that the Nazis would have abandoned the teachings in Mein Kampf?


16 posted on 09/20/2010 9:32:37 AM PDT by 353FMG (ISLAM - America's inevitable road to destruction.)
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To: Realism

Look across the Atlantic and it is a frequent occurrence. No 2nd Amendment there — and armed society is a polite society.


17 posted on 09/20/2010 9:35:37 AM PDT by 353FMG (ISLAM - America's inevitable road to destruction.)
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To: 353FMG

“daily persecution of Christians and other non-Muslims in Muslim countries.”

My point exactly, it’s happening there, it shouldn’t be happening here, it’s not our way.


18 posted on 09/20/2010 9:42:06 AM PDT by Realism (Some believe that the facts-of-life are open to debate.....)
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To: donna

“The United States Constitution and the Koran are mutually exclusive. A person cannot believe in both at the same time.”

Why not? The Constitution leagally protects the rights of the individual, not a community or religion just the citizen.


19 posted on 09/20/2010 10:07:36 AM PDT by Realism (Some believe that the facts-of-life are open to debate.....)
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To: 353FMG
Did you ever read the Old Testament all the way through? Not just the nice parts like the ten commandments, but the mean parts about what to do with the people inhabiting Israel, violators of the Sabbath, etc.?

The point is that we Chistians understand those commandments served a purpose three millenia or more ago but are no longer valid. Two-thirds or so of Muslims are still stuck in the 7th century. Too few of the remaining third are willing to risk their lives to confront them.

20 posted on 09/20/2010 10:22:08 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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