[Ronin]

This was written by Ms. Rini. All I have done is correct the spelling and clean up the grammar a bit. The words and thoughts are her own.

I have a photo of Ms. Rini on my computer, but I do not know how to post it to the article. If anyone can help with that, please FReep Mail me.

[CheneyChick]

Interesting that she is from Indonesia. I also recently read this about Indonesia:

Indonesia

Thousands of Christians in the Moluccas islands of eastern Indonesia have been forced by Islamic militants to convert to Islam or have been given deadlines by which they must convert or be killed. Disturbing reports by the Moluccan Christian human rights group, the Masariku Network, indicate that thousands of Christians in Bacan in northern Moluccas have been forced to change their religion to Islam. In a letter dated 3rd September this year, one of the church leaders from Bacan reported that 2 weeks beforehand 1,150 Christian youths and children were circumcised as part of their forced conversion (under the tenets of the Islamic religion, Muslim males have to be circumcised). Thousands have been forcibly converted to Islam and an ultimatum has been given that those Christians who do not convert by December 31st this year will be killed. One of the Christian pastors in Bacan, Rev. Pattiasina, was caught by Islamic militants who tortured and killed him.

Since July 5th this year, 60 Christian families in Jibubu village were forced to convert to Islam. This took place after they were forced to leave their hiding places in the forest because of lack of food. The letter from the Christian leader appeals for prayers and support from Christians around the world and to pray for Christians in Bacan that they may overcome these difficulties and that Christianity will continue to survive in that area.

[Cleburne]

Ms. Reni sounds as if she is not a particularly faithfull Muslim. Her admission to doubt the Koran should be a bit telling, as is her belief that God commands love. However, I feel that if introduced, she might find what she seems to long for within the other holy writ she refers to, the Bible and specifically the Gospel. Though I wonder what the response would be should she decide to leave Islam-I doubt it would be very good if her relatives are strong in their Islamic faith.

[solzhenitsyn]

Ronin, thank you for this excellent post. Unfortunately, it won't cure the invincibly ignorant. Too many of my fellow freepers seem to think that if you don't hate this young woman and everyone like her, you can't possibly love America.

There are indisputably many hateful, violent, religious fanatics in the Muslim world. I believe that there are far, far greater numbers of Muslims around the world who are decent people that just want to live their lives and raise their families in peace. It certainly seemed that way in Egypt, when I lived there. While there certainly were (and are) Muslim terrorists in Egypt, in my six years of working in many different locations around the country, I never actually met anyone who expressed any ill will toward my country. Everyone wanted to be my buddy. Of course, they were never on television, because they weren't terrorists or anti-American demonstrators.

I saw the most beautiful photograph on FR in the last day or two. It was of a little Afghan girl, facing skyward, in what appeared to be a prayer of thanksgiving, after her area was delivered from the Taliban. It was so moving! But to some Freepers, you're not a patriot unless you hate that little girl, and everyone like her.

I've seen many things that moved me in the past few days. I read about how happy one poor Afghan couple was to be going home, after the defeat of the Taliban. They'd been staying in some kind of tiny, pathetic hut that was only big enough for their children, so they had to sleep outside in the cold. But again, to some Freepers, you're not a patriot unless you hate them, and everyone like them.

Ronin, thank you for your courage. Too many good Freepers have sinned by silence lately.

[FR_addict]

Many of the replies to this story are excellent.

I have a young friend from Indonesia. She is a Chinese Christian and has told me about problems they suffer in this predominately Moslem country.

I want to know how you can believe in a prophet who was a warrior, rapist, pedophile, slave holder, and murderer? He advocated killing non-believers. What is there in this religion that is worth honoring?

What would happen if you questioned your faith? One young Moslem man I know about became a Christian and is in hiding in the States from his family. His mother said it would be better if she had killed him in her womb and his friends said they would have to kill him.

[glock rocks]

But the newspapers and the television and the radio shows me nothing but images I do not want to see. I can't stand the pictures I see.

so, do something useful about it... or bury your head in your pseudo burqa,
and let your men handle it...

if you are not part of the solution, then you...
ah, nevermind. plenty of sheeple to go around. peace.

[homeschool mama]

Women in Afghanistan wanted many of the same things. When the Taliban took over they barred women from performing the very work they studied and dreamed of. They've been beaten, maimed, imprisoned and executed for the most minor infraction. Sick. I pray this young lady never experiences what the Afghanie women have.

[New Horizon]

Yeah. Keep up the support and see what happens.

Why not profess your beliefs in Afghanistan, instead of this crappy little forum? Be sure to wear plenty of lipstick.

I don't really give a sh!t what you obviously totally screwed up people believe. I am completely bewildered by your actions. Your constituents do insane things.

I'm sorry but I can't have a "hug" right now...separate yourself from these maniacs, instead of trying to defend their horrific behavior. See below...

[Happygal]

``Well, I think I am an average Indonesian girl. I like movies and music. I love to shop for new clothes. Sometimes I eat too much. I do not like the music that is too loud. I don't like politics and I don't understand them.''

MY LONG LOST SISTA!!!!!!!!!!! *S* </sarcasm off>

[calmseas]

Sounds like a seminar posting to me. I guess I'm just a cynic.

Seriously, though, I don't hate Muslims, and I don't think most Americans do, either--though there are some out there who do, I'm sure. The problem is that fanatics could not leave us alone. I know that I would be perfectly content to just be left alone. Whatever is going on in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran--you name the place--I could care less about as long as it does not affect me (us).

Peaceful co-existence with the Muslim world I think would have suited most Americans just fine prior to September 11. Now, however, everything has changed. Muslim fanatics have vowed to kill Americans and destroy Americans if they can. And on 9-11 they acted on those vows. Sad though it may be, many thousands of Muslims will now die because we value self-preservation. It is as simple as that. The fanatics within Islam have brought the wrath of tiger upon all of Islam.

[FITZ]

I notice she didn't mention what her co-religionists are doing to Christian Indonesians. Does it bother her at all they are beheading people just for believing differently than she does? She doesn't mention the over 1 million people in Sudan who were killed by Muslims, or the killings going on in Nigeria now. Does she really believe Islam is peaceful when Hindus will tell you otherwise because of the millions of Hindus killed by Muslims? Does she approve of the terrorist acts being done in the US and the 7000 innocent Americans killed in the name of Jihad?

[Mark17]

OK, that is all fine and dandy, but I noticed there was not a single word about the 9/11 attacks. What she thinks of the terrorist attacks goes a long way to determine what I think of her, as she seemed to be far more interested in trying to get us to love Islam, than in condemning the attacks.

[HP8753]

My friend, Ronin, asked me to write this because he is very disturbed about the hatred of Islam that he is seeing on your board.

It isn't a hatred of Islam.It is a hatred of terrorists and those who make excuses for them.

Like hearing muslims say they are against terrorists BUT

[boycott]

I've seen too many muslim women showing support of Osamma in Indonesia. I don't trust any of them.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Could you tell us about the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Christians in East Timor that went on for years recently at the hands of Indonesian Muslims? Could you tell us about the Christian Church burnings in Indonesia that reoccure on a regular basis? Here in the United States we repress and jail groups that do such acts. We haven't see any groundswell of Indonesian Muslims deploring these activities by their governmment. Maybe this will help you understand our anger at Muslim reluctance to accept Infidels as equal.

[Dixielander]

Thank you for posting Furi's letter. I too, have had the privilege of knowing some truly grand people who happen to be Muslims.

Osama bin Laden professes to be a Muslim. Hitler professed to be a Christian. Bill Clinton professes to be a Christian. Should we damn all Muslims and all Christians because they are evil like bin Laden, Hitler and Clinton? I think not.

[yianni]

Dear Dr Rini:

Until the Islamic community repudiates the inane, violent, vulgar passages in the "Holy Qur'an" and it's schizophrenic confabulator, Muhammed (rotten fruit be upon him), I am forced to advocate MECCA DELENDA EST.

[jws3sticks]

Hello, my sisters in the cloth,

My name is Janet Rhino, and I am running for Governor!

I used to work for BillieBlobSlick but now want to do more for us sisters, if you catch my drift.

If you want to help me, LICK A BIG STAMP, and send me the LICK.

[Ol' Sparky]

I'm disturbed the hatred and intolerance I see in the Qu'ran and by the wretched life Muhammand, who married nine-year olds, allowed his followers to rape the women of a defeated enemy and killed 120-year old Jewish men in their sleep.

Even the "moderate" Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia have no religious freedom, even for those worshipping in the own homes, and won't allow women to even drive cars.

Countless Muslim countries feature butchers that attack innocent civilians who happen to be Christian or Jewish. Millions of Muslims approve of the attack on the US and millions more refuse to condemn it. There is no way terrorism could be this widespread among Muslims unless the terrorism had it's roots in the Qu'ran. And I've seen verse after verse suggesting the Qu'ran is the foundation for the attacks on non-Muslims.

If Ms. Rini and her family don't like the criticism, they and other Muslims better start speaking out against the widespread terrorism , lack of freedom and abuse of women in Muslim nations and in the world at large. Better yet, she needs to stop following the false God of Islam and turn her life over to the true God.

[slimer]

My friend, Ronin, asked me to write this because he is very disturbed about the hatred of Islam that he is seeing on your board.

I do not hate Islam or Muslims.
I hate the act of terrorism and that people use God and religion and distort spiritual writings and beliefs for their own selfish evil desires.
I hate the fact that people turn a blind eye and do nothing to prevent their own people from committing mass murder of innocent civilians.
I hate it when people of similar faith do not speak out against extremism within their own community.
I hate it when my country men and country women have to go into foriegn lands and risk their lives to clean up other countries messes.
I hate the fact that the most generous nation on the planet gives so much to the world and gets nothing but criticism in return.
I hate that other nations and people worry about us hating them while ignoring the hatred many of their own people have for us.
I hate that we have to constantly defend ourselves from the hatred of radical extremists who are hell bent on trying to destroy our way of life, while having no better way of living to offer.
I hate ignorance in all it's forms and at the same time find ignorance within myself.
I love God and my country.
I am an American.

[Ben Bolt]

Reads like a put up suck feast cheesy test marketing gig . Way to much syrup on that bowl of grits . The muslim women I write and speak with , would smack this geek .