Posted on 12/05/2002 3:37:52 PM PST by TLBSHOW
By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - With Muslims worldwide growing more suspicious of the United States, President Bush (news - web sites) marked the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan with a visit Thursday to a mosque.
"The spirit behind this holiday is a reminder that Islam brings hope and comfort to more than 1 billion people worldwide," Bush said. "Islam affirms God's justice and insists on man's moral responsibility."
Bush left his shoes at the door, in keeping with the practice of the Islamic Center of Washington, a national center for Muslim culture and prayer. He also had visited six days after the terrorist attacks last year.
Back then, with a surge in hate crimes against Muslims in the United States, Bush was trying to defuse Americans' anger against Islam. Today, he has a different problem — increased hostility by Muslims around the world against America.
In an international survey released Wednesday, the Pew Global Attitudes Project found the image of the United States is slipping worldwide, and particularly in Middle Eastern countries with large Muslim populations. Large percentages of Muslim respondents in several countries said they believe suicide bomb attacks are a justifiable defense of Islam.
On Wednesday, Bush blamed America's tarnished image among Muslims on "propaganda machines (that) are cranked up in the international community that paints our country in a bad light."
The growing animosity comes at a time when Bush is trying to rally the world against terrorism and gather allies for possible military action against Iraq.
Inside the ornate mosque, Bush offered an explanation of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and renewed his defense of Islam.
Bush's speech was directed to a national and international audience. There was virtually no one inside except journalists and his staff. A few mosque officials stood next to Bush as he spoke.
"Over the past month, Muslims have fasted, taking no food or water during daylight hours, in order to refocus their minds on faith and redirect their hearts to charity," Bush said.
"Muslims worldwide have stretched out a hand of mercy to those in need, charity tables at which the poor can break their fast line the streets of cities and towns, and gifts of food and clothing and money are distributed to ensure that all share in God's abundance," he said.
From the Muslim event, Bush officially opened the Christmas season at the White House by lighting a Christmas tree just outside the gates.
Well. Aren't you glad that they ignore them?
And aren't you glad that we Christians "choose to ignore" the dietary prescriptions of the Old Testament?
I'd die if I couldn't eat pork ribs.
Well this Christian doesn't eat pork. ;) One too many food poisoning episodes.
I guess the same reason all German citizens didn't join the Nazis. They sure didn't do much to stop what was happening though.
I said that? Got a source?
One Mosque could be just a handful of people.
What about the radical Muslims you previously indicated as being the majority?
You could run the guy over with a truck and he'd probably apologize for breaking your grill.
This "string 'em all up and let God sort them out" mentality is no better a solution than the problem it's meant to address.
No, I assumed you did because I do.. We deployed the United States Military to do that very thing in fact.
It's President Bush's position also. This speech notwithstanding.
Now you're using your misunderstanding of Jewish law to try and justify Christians "ignoring" passages. At any rate, I was referring to Christians that ignore parts of the NT that don't suit them. Tradition trumps the Word in many instances.
It seems that way to you. It doesn't seem that way to the American Muslims who live on my street, and the others whom I know.
As evil, corrupt, and imperialistic as the Iraqui regime is, daily we see Muslims around the planet rail against our coming war with Saddam simply because it is an Islamic nation.
Come on. You can't be that naive. Just tonight, Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest objectors to any war against Hussein said that we could use their large air base in a war against Hussein. In fact, FOXNEWS said that it is likely that Bush will have more Arab nations on board in a coalition than his dad did in 1991.
So much for "Arabs railing against a war against Iraq."
Don't listen to what people say; watch what they do.
Allah is NOT God.
Heheheh...
Why do we condemn every Nazi for what only some Nazis did? All Nazis didn't murder Jews but we didn't praise their ideology during WWII or even still. I'm sure some skinheads are the nicest people you could meet but they believe in a certain ideology for a reason so I don't trust any.
Uh, he's a Muslim. He always has been.
As far as I know Spain is the only country that was ever able to shake itself loose of Islam, it tried for 700 years to coexist but never could. I think we shouldn't forget the lessons of history. The Spaniards learned after so many centuries that political correctness wasn't working.
I keep hearing this term, as if it is a significant distinction from its more "zealous" counterpart. Could you elaborate on the tenets of "mainstream" Islam that separate it from the more murderous factions? I'm dying to understand my Muhammadist brethren.
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