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Islam Gets Special Treatment
Townhall.com ^ | January 13, 2015 | Dennis Prager

Posted on 01/13/2015 12:42:16 PM PST by Kaslin

Since 9/11, the Western world's academic, media, political elites have done their best to portray Islam in a favorable light, treating it very differently from all other religions. Criticism of every doctrine, religious or secular, is permitted, often encouraged. But not of Islam. Only positive depictions are allowed.

We'll start with an example of pro-Islamic bias that is so ubiquitous that no one seems to notice it. Why do Western media -- overwhelmingly composed of irreligious people, one might add -- always deferentially refer to Muhammad as "the Prophet Muhammad" in news articles and opinion pieces?

When Jesus is mentioned, the media never refer to him as "Christ, the Lord" or as "the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Just "Jesus." In fact, "A.D." ("anno Domini" -- "year of our Lord") has been completely dropped by the very academics and media who always write "The Prophet Muhammad."

When the media discuss Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon Church), they don't refer to him as "the Prophet Joseph Smith." Why not? Is there a single difference between his title and roles in Mormonism and Muhammad's in Islam?

And Jews refer to Moses as "Moshe Rabbeinu," Moses our Teacher. Why don't the media?

This was not the case in the past. When I studied Islam and Arabic in college, professors referred to the founder of Islam as "Muhammad." And virtually none of the great biographies of Muhammad -- even among those recommended on Muslim websites -- have the words "the Prophet Muhammad" in their title.

There is only one possible reason and that is Political Correctness -- Western elites bending over backwards on behalf of Muslims and Islam in ways they never would for another religion.

Another ubiquitous example: Before 9/11, the phrase "Allahu Akbar" was translated as "Allah is great" [or "the greatest"). Since 9/11, it has been translated as "God is great."

This was deliberate. In 2004, the influential Associated Press Stylebook announced: "A new entry has been added to the AP Stylebook: Allah. The Muslim name for God. The word God should be used."

Now, there are perfectly valid reasons to translate "Allah" as "God." And there are valid reasons not to. Indeed, Malaysia, a country widely depicted as a moderate Muslim country, last year banned Christians from using the word "Allah" in Arabic translations of the Bible -- because, while all Muslims regard Allah as the God of the universe, many Muslims regard the name "Allah" as specifically Muslim.

Whatever theological side one takes, the fact remains that after 9/11 Allah became "God" in the Western world -- in order to essentially show how similar Islam is to Judaism and Christianity.

Always referring to Muhammad as "the Prophet Muhammad" and translating "Allah" as "God" are subtle examples of the Western media and intellectual bias in favor of Islam since 2001. Most examples of the bias are not subtle, but blatant and morally indefensible.

Take one from the Paris murders.

Why did the Muslim terrorists go to a Jewish grocery? This is not a riddle. We all know. But some in the media pretended they didn't. During the attack, a reporter for Sky News, one of the largest English-language news services in the world, said on Fox News: "Whether it was targeted specifically for its religious connotations it is difficult to know."

Is there one reader of this column who thought it "difficult to know" whether the Muslim terrorists targeted a Jewish grocery?

Why would someone presumably intelligent say something so obviously stupid?

In order to protect Islam.

Just as so many in the media and government did after Major Nidal Hasan's murder of 13 fellow soldiers at Fort Hood. They found it difficult to ascertain if religion was a factor in his murders, despite his yelling, "Allahu Akbar" while shooting, despite his listing himself as a "Soldier of Allah" on his Facebook page, and despite many other affirmations of Islamism.

A New York Times writer blamed it on Major Hasan's "snapping" (in an article titled "When Soldiers Snap"). Chris Matthews said "it's unclear if religion was a factor in this shooting." NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten explained that Hasan, though never in combat, may have suffered from "pre-traumatic stress disorder." And the U.S. Department of Defense classified the Fort Hood shootings as acts of "workplace violence," not terror, let alone Islamic terror.

Perhaps the most egregious example of a society's elites treating Islam differently from all other religions took place in the UK. Between 1997 and 2013, at least 1,400 girls, as young as 11 years old, in the small English city of Rotherham (population 275,000), had been repeatedly gang raped and sold as sex slaves. The UK government acknowledged that these atrocities were allowed to go on solely due to the fact the perpetrators were British Pakistanis and the girls were white. No one was allowed to say that. The author of a 2002 report identifying Pakistanis as the perpetrators and organizers of the Rotherham gang rapes and the sex slavery was sent to diversity training.

Finally, why won't the New York Times print even one Charlie Hebdo cartoon? Twelve journalists were slaughtered over those cartoons; are the caricatures not newsworthy? Of course they are. But they satire Islam, and that is not allowed.

Here's the ultimate irony. These PC professors and news media who treat Islam so much better than any other religion are literally Islamophobic. They truly fear Islam.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: dennisprager; islam; islamophobia; politicalcorrectness; townhall
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1 posted on 01/13/2015 12:42:16 PM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Is is the most clear proof of the duplicity of the MSM.

It is amusing watching liberals shrug and do the “I’m totally without the ability to reason” dance when confronted with this nasty little fact.


2 posted on 01/13/2015 12:44:13 PM PST by Da Coyote
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To: Kaslin

academic, media, political elites

Gitmo, for all of em.


3 posted on 01/13/2015 12:45:27 PM PST by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: stephenjohnbanker

and throw the keys away


4 posted on 01/13/2015 12:46:36 PM PST by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin
Treat Them as Vlad II Dracul Treated them


5 posted on 01/13/2015 12:48:17 PM PST by SandRat (Duty - Honor - Country! What else need s said?)
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To: Kaslin

“On the other hand, those who founded sects committed to erroneous doctrines proceeded in a way that is opposite to this, the point is clear in the case of Muhammad. He seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to which the concupiscence of the flesh goads us. His teaching also contained precepts that were in conformity with his promises, and he gave free rein to carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine, he brought forward only such as could be grasped by the natural ability of anyone with a very modest wisdom. Indeed, the truths that he taught he mingled with many fables and with doctrines of the greatest falsity. He did not bring forth any signs produced in a supernatural way, which alone fittingly gives witness to divine inspiration; for a visible action that can be only divine reveals an invisibly inspired teacher of truth. On the contrary, Muhammad said that he was sent in the power of his arms—which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants.”

-St. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274), Theologian and Doctor of the Church. Quoted from his De Rationibus Fidei Contra Saracenos, Graecos, et Armenos and translated from Fr. Damian Fehlner’s Aquinas on Reasons for the Faith: Against the Muslims, Greeks, and Armenians (Franciscans of the Immaculate. 2002.).


6 posted on 01/13/2015 12:49:22 PM PST by paterfamilias
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To: Kaslin

Amen.


7 posted on 01/13/2015 12:50:31 PM PST by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: Kaslin

They fear Muslims and don’t want to be targets. As for “The Prophet Muhammad,” what did he prophesize?


8 posted on 01/13/2015 12:55:31 PM PST by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink)
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To: SandRat

Hear, hear!!


9 posted on 01/13/2015 12:55:51 PM PST by Arm_Bears (Rope. Tree. Politician. Some assembly required.)
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To: Kaslin

Bookmarking


10 posted on 01/13/2015 1:00:13 PM PST by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57, returning after lurking since 2001)
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To: Kaslin

“...at the name of Jesus every knee will bow....” Philippians 2:10. Better do it before you die. Mohammed can’t save you.


11 posted on 01/13/2015 1:08:09 PM PST by beethovenfan (If Islam is the solution, the "problem" must be freedom.)
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To: Kaslin
Islam Gets Special Treatment.

Obviously. And this is how Islam responds to the politically correct world for this special treatment ...


12 posted on 01/13/2015 1:15:00 PM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: Kaslin

Some day it will be clear why the left loves the jihadis and hates Christians/Jews.


13 posted on 01/13/2015 1:22:37 PM PST by I want the USA back (Media: completely irresponsible. Complicit in the destruction of this country.)
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To: R. Scott

The only prophecies I can see are murders of unbelievers and others, and pedophile marriages by these murdering Moslem savages. What “miracles” has this pagan god done and what love has he shown to Mankind?


14 posted on 01/13/2015 1:24:27 PM PST by Sasparilla (Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum)
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To: Kaslin

the elite does sex tourism in Thailand, Communist ourism in Cuba and woman repression shariah tourism in the mid east. Other than that the economy goes well, at least in those sectors cattered.


15 posted on 01/13/2015 1:24:34 PM PST by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
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To: Kaslin

Why the abject kowtowing to Islam?

Islamic terrorists can kill you. Jews, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists won’t.

Its fear that keeps liberals from criticizing Islam and portraying it in a negative light.


16 posted on 01/13/2015 1:25:09 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Kaslin

Western societies cannot excrete their hostile alien elements just as they cannot excrete their criminal element. Indeed Westerners actually favor those elements in their societies that harm them.


17 posted on 01/13/2015 1:26:49 PM PST by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: Kaslin
We must all show proper respect for the Koran.


18 posted on 01/13/2015 1:31:54 PM PST by SteveH
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To: SandRat

Re your picture of Vlad, post 4, I can’t help but thinking that as portrayed he looks like a young Jesse Ventura.


19 posted on 01/13/2015 1:37:40 PM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: SandRat

Obviously, I meant post # 5.


20 posted on 01/13/2015 1:38:13 PM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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