Pat Robertson Persists: Islam 'Extreme and Violent'

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 11/15/02 | Marc Morano

[kattracks]

CNSNews.com) - One of America’s most prominent religious leaders Thursday refused to back away from his criticism of Islam, despite efforts by the Bush administration to separate Islam from the hostility Americans feel toward Muslim terrorists

Rev. Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, challenged the media and Jews in the U.S. to read the Koran and "see who your real enemies are." Robertson once again rejected the view that Islam is a religion of peace.

"To say the religion of Islam is peaceful, I do not think that is accurate," Robertson said on his television program, The 700 Club Thursday morning, a day after Bush chastised conservative Christian leaders for their comments on Islam.

Robertson did handle Bush's criticism gently.

"One minor disagreement among friends does not end a friendship ... I appreciate the president, appreciate what he's doing; and I want everybody to know that something like this does not sever the support that I have given him over the years," Robertson said.

However, Robertson left little doubt he was not backing down from his critique of Islam.

"The Koran teaches that the end of the world will not come until every Jew is killed by Muslims. Now that is what it says in the Koran, written by Muhammad," Robertson said.

"Jews in Germany did not want to read [Hitler's autobiography] Mein Kampf and did not want to believe it," he added.

"There is no doubt that the religion of Muhammad and those who adhere to it firmly, such as the [Saudi Arabian] Wahabis, and the Taliban and the Iranian Mullahs and other mullahs operating in other parts of the world, is extreme and violent," Robertson said.

'See Who Your Real Enemies Are'

Robertson, acknowledging the criticism he has received for his critiques of Islam, issued a challenge to the media and the American Jewish community.

"Please read the Koran and see what it says ... Please see what the mullahs are teaching the little children in Palestine and in other parts of the world about you. And when you get through, do us a favor, don't criticize your friends, but see who your real enemies are," Robertson said.

"In today's world, people say it is not possible for us to believe that a religious system could teach what the Koran clearly teaches. It's the religion that's the problem, not necessarily the adherents to it," Robertson explained.

"Yet, if I tell the truth about this, I am criticized," he complained.

Robertson made it clear he does not believe U.S. Muslims are violent.

"We must distinguish between the origin of the religion and those who adhere to it in the United States, who are indeed peaceful," Robertson said. "To say that most of the adherents in America to the Islamic religion are peaceful, is absolutely correct."

On Wednesday, President Bush declared in an Oval Office meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, that, "Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans."

White House officials said it was a deliberate effort on Bush's part to repudiate several comments made recently by conservative Christian leaders including Robertson, Rev. Jerry Falwell and Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Rev. Billy Graham.

Falwell, in a recent television interview, called the prophet Muhammad a "terrorist." Falwell later apologized for the comment, but not before Muslims, angered by Falwell's comments, rioted in Bombay, India and an Iranian cleric threatened Falwell with death.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Colin Powell joined Bush in condemning the Christian leaders' comments about Islam.

"We will reject the kind of comments you have seen recently, where people in this country say that Muslims are responsible for the killing of all Jews, and who put out hatred. This kind of hatred must be rejected. This kind of language must be spoken out against," Powell said at a meeting of business executives.

\sb100\sa100"We cannot allow this image to go forth of America, because it is an inaccurate image of America. We are a welcoming nation," Powell added.

E-mail a news tip to Marc Morano.

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[galt-jw]

well, well, well,....the election is over and here we are...georgie boy ripping his supporters for the sake of political gain and political correctness.

Right out of the klintoon playbook. Nice sellout. Gee, and that took less than a week. Stay tuned, all you brainwashed clods who no longer critically judge your leaders. Sounds like the apple dumpling gang could stand to take Robertsons words to heart (kinda funny he lumps together the administration WITH the media):

"Please see what the mullahs are teaching the little children in Palestine and in other parts of the world about you. And when you get through, do us a favor, don't criticize your friends, but see who your real enemies are," Robertson said.

[AFPhys]

Religion like government is not corrupt, it is its leaders doing what they do in the name of religion or government. But religion is like government when it speaks of checks and balances. All they want is the checks to keep coming and they keep control of the balance.

Islam does not recognize a government being valid unless it is religiously based. Islamic leaders are doing what they do in the name of both religion and government. This lack of checks and balances is part of why Islam is so dangerous.

[joyful1]

I support the prophet of our times, Pat Robertson.

Not only here on FreeRepublic, but I will take my precious time and write letters to editor (even tho they won't be printed) and even make phone calls to talk shows (which I hate, because I don't speak well...my voice trembles and I sound stupid)

Freepers, we must do God's work and support Robertson here!

[LS]

Absolutely right. The president has a larger job of a) not alienating all Muslims living in this country (most of whom---although they wouldn't see it this way---do not accept the Koran's teachings on these matters and b) keeping the lid on the middle eastern Muslim nations while we take care of business.

I have had several Muslim students in my classes, and they are by no means monolithic. Some Pakistanis like us a great deal; most Saudis don't. (I know: why they hell don't they leave?) But think of it this way. How many "Catholics" in this country practice birth control? Are they still "Catholics?" They say they are---they just don't agree with the Church over that issue. You can make the same case with ANY Protestant church. I was born a Baptist, but I (gasp!) danced! So what the religion SAYS, and what some/most/many of the adherents BELIEVE it says are two different things.

Given that, Robertson is 100% correct about what Islam SAYS.

[LadyDoc]

Pat Robertson should read the parts of the Bible where it says to kill every enemy.

There are a million muslims, and most are peaceful. This is just as bad as labling Christians as the reason for Timothy McVeigh.

[MJM59]

All I read here is a lot of endless Islam bashing. But, I have yet to hear any ideas of any type of solution to this so called problem. The problem is not religion, believe me, hate will find a way. In this case religion is only a vehicle for this hatred.

The majority of Muslims probably could not care less about the west or the Jews would it not be for their fanatical leadership who use religion in conjuntion with their own cult leader tactics to get their followers to believe as they want them to.

Charismatic leaders, the Hitlers, Husseins, Bin Ladens are not far removed from the Jim Joneses, the David Koreshes, or even the Jim Bakers of the world. They all use their own power and appeal to prey upon the weak for one reason or another. Usually that reason is not for the betterment of the many, the people they claim to lead. The one who gains from it is are the leaders and their own kind.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Pat Robertson should read the parts of the Bible where it says to kill every enemy."

Excuse me, but exactly where in the NEW TESTAMENT does it say that?? Christianity takes its governing ethos from the NEW TESTAMENT, remember, not the OLD.

Unfortunately, the Muslim religion doesn't have a new testament, and they have NOT foregone the fundamentally violent core of the religion of Mohammed.

[Stand Watch Listen]

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[FreedomPoster]

See the link I posted above for a great column on exactly that theme.

[Guillermo]

Funny how American Muslims rush to the defense of proven terrorists and those who have been arrested for terrorism.

[Gurn]

There are a million muslims, and most are peaceful.

So what? Doesn't change the fact that the vast majority of terrorists are muslims. I'm so sick of the PC, boot-licking, sucking up for the suppoesedly peaceful muslims, who have not said a friggin' word. I'm sick of it.

This is just as bad as labling Christians as the reason for Timothy McVeigh.

Do you realize how flawed that analogy is? McVeigh was raised a Catholic, but from everything I read, he never went to mass after his confirmation.

[FreedomPoster]

Please read the article linked-to in Post #3. Also, read AmericanInIsrael's comment above.

What can we do? For one, denounce the hatred and lies that are being spread by this "peaceful, friendly" religion, and it's adherents in the Middle East. Ever read any of the translations by MEMRI?

http://www.memri.org

[FreedomPoster]

Nice list. I bet there's 30-40% overlap with the articles in my "Muslim Clash of Civilizations" favorites folder.

[Schmedlap]

Know-it-alls like this never cease to amaze me.

Pat Robertson knows more about Islam than the Muslims. Republicans know more about the Libertarian Party platform than Libertarians. The New England Journal of Medicine knows more about guns than the NRA. People who believe in biblical creation know more about evolution than biologists. Anti-war protesters know more about the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programs than George Bush. Barbra Streisand knows more about foreign policy than George Bush Senior's dog Millie.

I have never understood why people who are totally ignorant of a topic profess to know what they are talking about. With that in mind, I'll shut up.

[Fiddlstix]

Bump

[FreedomPoster]

Please, give us some details about Mr. Robertson's ignorance.

[Snuffington]

"Please read the Koran and see what it says ... Please see what the mullahs are teaching the little children in Palestine and in other parts of the world about you. And when you get through, do us a favor, don't criticize your friends, but see who your real enemies are," Robertson said.

Keep beating this drum Pat. The truth is out there. Some day the public at large will have to toss aside their ridiculous adherence to moral equivelency (a.k.a. "multiculturalism" or "celbrating diversity"), and admit what you're saying.

The sort of hatred countless holocaust studies programs have insisted should never be allowed to happen again is happening again throughout the Muslim world. The question people should be asking themselves now is, what will you do with this information? How will you distinguish yourselves from the passive response given when it was the Nazis targetting the Jews? If speaking out against it when we stand in a position of power and relative security is so fearful and distasteful, what sort of resistance can truly be expected in more difficult times?

[Wil H]

Falwell, in a recent television interview, called the prophet Muhammad a "terrorist." Falwell later apologized for the comment, but not before Muslims, angered by Falwell's comments, rioted in Bombay, India and an Iranian cleric threatened Falwell with death.

They are not just violent but fanatical too.

Would you riot in the streets and threaten death over some foreigner's blasphemy?

[PresbyRev]

The comparison is not so easily made. The Quran has a more or less consistent message, written by Mohammed, from beginning to end, concerning opposition to and encouraging violence against Jews, Christians, et.al.

The tendency toward encouraging violence actually increases in the Quran as Mohammed matured.

As a Christian, I find, in the Old Testament, several historic accounts of the Hebrews when a tribal people, believing God to have ordered them to wage genocide against their enemies; I find also several impreccatory Psalms calling for the destruction of their enemies. However, as the revelation of Scripture advances, moving onward to Jesus Christ, I find a much more consistent ethic of peace. Is there still ambiguity in some of the sayings of Jesus, in the presentation of Christ in the Apocalypse? To be sure. Jesus says he has not come to bring peace, but conflict. Jesus is presented as a conquering warrior in the Apocalypse. However, the great bulk of the New Testament truly sees in Jesus of Nazareth the prince of peace and a call to labor for the peaceable kingdom.

There is no parallel between the Quran calling for conversion by violence and terrorism and the Scriptures of the Christian. Jesus told Peter when defending him to put away his sword. Would that our Muslim friends do the same.

[MEGoody]

"Pat Robertson should read the parts of the Bible where it says to kill every enemy."

Could you please cite the scripture you are refering to? I know there were specific battles against pagan societies where children were being sacrificed, et al that God gave that instruction, but where is the instruction to kill anyone that was not Jewish? I guarantee you, it's not there.