Posted on 11/14/2002 5:36:24 AM PST by Damocles
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Bush Takes on Christian Right Over Anti-Islam Words — By Randall Mikkelsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Wednesday took on the Christian right core of his political base, denouncing anti-Islamic remarks made by religious leaders including evangelist Pat Robertson. Bush said such anti-Islamic comments were at odds with the views of most Americans. "Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans," Bush told reporters as he began a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "By far, the vast majority of American citizens respect the Islamic people and the Muslim faith. After all, there are millions of peaceful-loving Muslim Americans," Bush said. "Ours is a country based upon tolerance ... And we're not going to let the war on terror or terrorists cause us to change our values." Bush did not identify conservative Christian leaders as his target, (but we'll say he did in our title) but White House officials said he was prompted by the anti-Islamic remarks of some of them, particularly religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, who reportedly said this week Muslims were "worse than the Nazis." "He (Bush) wanted a clear statement," a senior White House official said. Spokeswoman Angell Watts of Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network said she had no immediate comment. A representative of a Muslim-American civil rights group, which had stepped up calls for Bush to repudiate such remarks, welcomed Bush's words. "Obviously, we'd like to hear him repudiate these people by name, but we appreciate that he's moving in that direction," said Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). "It's encouraging to see that the president is finally addressing the issue of Islamophobia in America by addressing a specific attacks on Islam. This is a new stance, and it's one that we would encourage and support," Hooper said. BID TO DISCOURAGE BACKLASH Bush's efforts to discourage a backlash over the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which were blamed on Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, have come increasingly into conflict with antipathy to Islam shown by some conservative Christians, a core of his support. Robertson, a popular conservative commentator who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, was criticized by CAIR and the American Jewish Committee for reportedly saying on his network Monday, "Adolf Hitler was bad, but what the Muslims want to do to the Jews is worse." Jerry Falwell, a Baptist minister and leading voice of the Christian right, in an October television interview described the prophet Mohammad as a "terrorist." Evangelist Franklin Graham, who gave the sermon at Bush's inaugural service in 2001, has also been criticized for comments on Islam. Asked about Bush's comments on Wednesday, Graham spokesman Mark DeMoss said Graham was traveling abroad. "He has not added to any comment he's made on the subject in months, because he's getting tired of getting asked about it, and any time he answers about it he gives the impression he's crusading on this issue and he's not," DeMoss said. |
Then why hasn't there been a concerted effort by "peace-loving" Islamists to expose those on U.S. soil who have links to terrorist organizations?
Until I see footage of Islamists in the U.S. testifying against other Islamists, I will hold to my beliefs that Islam is not a "religion of peace."
I'm just asking people to break it down to specifics. What exactly are we calling for here?
One fellow wants all Muslims- American or otherwise deported. So, if I convert to Islam- even if I don't break any laws- I should be deported to some unspecified place.
Ok, let's just go with that for a minute. How do we determine who's a Muslim and who not? Do we bug their homes? Listen in on their prayers? Have gov't agents tail them? What about if they simply own a copy of the Koran? How do we know if someone is really a Muslim or not? The things we'd have to do to make that determination would basically amount to a State Sponsored Religious Inquisition. Is that really what we want?
The Lefties never think about the consequences of what they want- that's what makes them lefties. They can't (or won't) speculate more than 10 minutes down the road. But we need to put the brakes on a minute here and act like Conservatives and people who call for less Government intrusion into our lives. You give the gov't the power to do it to Muslims- what's to protect the Hindus, Jews and Christians?
It's just a simple question.
I am sorry, but can you name an prostelitizing religion that hasn't grown through conquering other people and used passages in the religious text to justify what were ultimately political decisions?
Moreover, other than the last 50 years of "relative" peace, man has been in a constant state of war almost everywhere in the world. Religion always came into to play when the people fighting had different ones.
And so, we stumble upon yet another seed of self-destruction carried by the Western nations. Absolute freedom for those who want to and will destroy us after destroying first our lofty ideas about freedom. (See under 'political correctness'.) Another fine mess...
I'd say you need to "put the brakes on" and realize we're at war.
Now, answer the questions.
How would you go about determining who is a Muslim and who not?
Yeah. Evangelical Christianity.
And before you even start with the "Constantine" or "Crusades" B.S., that wasn't evangelical Christianity.
The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest protestant denomination in the U.S. And I don't think Baptists grew by forcibly converting people. What's your next question?
How's that for a start?
In short, yes.
I believe that Islam is being perverted by those who are focusing on the most extreme messages of the religion. This can and has been done with almost every religion, Christianity included.
Most Muslims for most of history have focoused, practiced and believed in the Islam that stresses faith, obedience to God, charity and humbleness.
If Arab nations were not led by oppressive, oil rich dictators than the poilitics would not have been forced to the mosque and Islam would not have been perverted into an excuse to kill innocent human beings.
Before I am beraged with quotes from the Koran telling Muslims to kill infidels, I can supply similar ones from the Bible. It is a matter of emphasis and there is a reason that imams are choosing to emphasize the violence instead of the peace. The hate instead of the love.
Mr. Bush recognizes that it is contrary to everything that is American to punish an entire group for the actions of an extreme few. I know that the analogy is lacking, but blaming all Muslims for the actions of the few somehow wreaks of blaming Jews for crucifying Jesus. But, I rest assured that Christianity would never be perverted to include such a thought.
No. I also believe that's completely irrelevnt.
I'll ask it again: If the "vast majority" of Muslims are not committing violent acts, and if, as you suggest, they're opposed to it, why are the vast majority of Muslims doing nothing about it?
How would you determine what a mosque was? What if the Muslims took to meeting in the basements of their homes? Please answer.
When people show up and say "Why did the Zionist conspirators and infidels and enemies of Islam destroy our peaceful mosque, allah be praised?" I'd ship them off.
What if they simply asked "Why was our mosque destroyed?" Would you still load 'em up? What if the people asking and concerned about it were simply Christians who didn't agree with that action? Would you load them up as well? What about protestors who protested such action- would they get shipped off too? And what if no country would take them? Come on now, these are simple questions.
Good. Let's hear where Christians are instructed by Christ or the apostles to murder non-Christians.
If Arab nations were not led by oppressive, oil rich dictators than the poilitics would not have been forced to the mosque and Islam would not have been perverted into an excuse to kill innocent human beings.
And if your aunt had a beard, she'd be your uncle.
I don't care. I don't care, I don't care.
We're dealing with the here and now, not "what would have been" if a bunch of rag-heads hand't done such-and-such.
Muslims are murdering Americans, and they're targeting babies in the West Bank.
They must be destroyed.
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