There may be decent muslims in the world, after all not all of them have a mujahadin mentality that makes them seeth to destroy everything. HOWEVER it is a fact that Islam is a flawed religion. And that is the whole problem. And hence the whole premise of good muslims might be true, but Islam itself has a myriad of areas that just make someone go hmmm.... religion of peace humbug!
And why do i say this? The reasons are legion.
First of all no matter how you look at it Islam is a faith that tries to impose draconian ways of living on people. In islam you have to do this, and you have to say that, and woe betode you should you think in such and such a manner. Women are half-men (and if you doubt this then why do 2 women have to accuse one man of rape for the charge to be even taken seriously.... because, according to the Quran and parts of the Hadith, a woman is 'lesser' than a man). Also it is true that once a muslim always a muslim, and in the more Islamic regimes a person who converts to another faith risks his life. A female who becomes pregnant is to be 'burried to her head, and then the exposed parts are stoned.' And i know some ppl wil try to refute this, but it happens in most Islmaic countries under the Sharia Law, and there have been recent reports from Amnesty International reporting these activities (from rape victims being punished for 'seducing men to rape them,' to the stonings) all the way from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria.
Islam is not a religion of peace. It is a religion of submission. Actually that is what Islam means. Submission! You submit to your Imam, to your male relative, to the demagogue saying Israel needs to be destroyed. And that is why from Chechnya to the Balkans to Palestine to Pakistan there are hordes of people willing to take crazy suicidal action for their cause.... even when most are so ignorant and simple they cannot explain articulately what their 'cause' is.
It is simple brainwashing. And then they say it is a religion of peace.
And in all of history no faith has ever had such a seething mass of people willing to commit atrocities. Not even the Kali-Ma cults of India or the thugees.... and even christianity at its darkest (even when it was under control of the corrupt popes of the dark ages) never had most of its adherents baying for blood. Islam does.
Most of its adherents are either very acerbic, or confrontational at best. Discussion is hard without them taking it into some sort of fight, be it verbal or physical. And woe unto you if you question their faith. No discussion, no patience, no explanation.... simply trouble. I have tried to understand islam, and have asked some friends to explain it to me. And this was long before Sept 11. Yet you ask one 'but' and suddenly you are accused of being an infidel etc etc.
And so.... there may be lots of good muslims just looking to live out their lives in peace, but there are many more who for some reason seek to reak 'vengeance' on anyone and everyone. And islam is not a religion of peace.
Actually the final straw for me was when there was an Islamic rally in my native country of Kenya. If your history is well honed you will remember that is where UBL attacked in 1998 and killed 9 Americans, together with over 200 Kenyans! Yet there was a small group of Kenyan muslims demonstrating that UBL is their hero after the whole 9-11 thing! And yet UBL did not only kill innocents in NYC, he also killed hundreds of their fellow Kenyans. And by the way Kenya is 90% Christian, yet these small minority say the government should implement some Islamic principles! Islamic principles my foot! What principles does Islam have, unless you count deceit and having a facade that claims it is for peace when it just commits atrocities to those not of their faith, and violence toward their women!?!
I really hate sounding off like this because i view myself as being open to everyone and willing to lend an ear to all, however i am just tired about all these Islamic extremists. All I know sadly about Islam is marked with sadness, disbelief, and sheer unabated rage.
And it is darn hard to make me angry!
The problem as he saw it was that Islam strangles initiative by demanding conformance, killing anyone who is an independent thinker. Let them in and they will try to take over, subjugating everyone to their demands. In that they're just like fascists.
I never thought of Islam in terms of evil until recently. Any religion or nation that would pay families money for those families' children to commit suicide are, to me, truly evil. They have embraced despair and death over hope and life.
The pictures of the bombed embassy in Kenya was heartbreaking. I know it was cruelly done to try and turn Kenyans against Americans and to make us run back home. Well, we're not cowards and the colors red, white and blue don't run.
You are right...this is so unlike your normal calm demeanor!-)
If there is a false word in your post I have not found it.
Islam is a poor excuse for a religion.