Bush praises Islam for its 'morality'

Washington Times ^ | 12/06/02 | Bill Sammon

[hoosierskypilot]

President Bush yesterday removed his shoes, entered a mosque and praised Islam for inspiring "countless individuals to lead lives of honesty, integrity, and morality."

For the second time since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the president yesterday visited Washington's oldest mosque, the Islamic Center, where Muslims from 75 nations gather to worship. Mr. Bush marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by praising Islam as a hopeful religion of mercy and tolerance.

"Islam affirms God's justice and insists on man's moral responsibility," said the president, flanked by a half-dozen imams. "Islam gave birth to a rich civilization of learning that has benefited mankind."

The overture to Muslims came four days after religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said Mr. Bush "ignores history" by not acknowledging that Islam is "violent at its core."

[Lion's Cub]

The first commandment of God to man is "Be fruitful and multiply". Genesis 1:28 KJV.
Christians don't follow it.
Muslims do.
That's why a bunch of camel-riding ragheads barely out of the 13th century are a serious threat to Western civilization.

That's an interesting observation--and one I really hadn't thought about before.

[RLK]

The first commandment of God to man is "Be fruitful and multiply". Genesis 1:28 KJV. Christians don't follow it. Muslims do. That's why a bunch of camel-riding ragheads barely out of the 13th century are a serious threat to Western civilization.

-----------------------------

This isn't about a baby-making and out-breeding contest. It's about defeating a madness disguised as a religion. The defeat will be done with guns, not with beds.

[ex-Texan]

I agree. But it still may have very serious consequesces.

Ergo: this is just one possible scenario

[tm22721]

We'll see if Bush is still praising Arabs after he is Saddamized.

BUMP

[RaceBannon]

This is a disgrace, and just another reason for Christians to stop calling this man a Christian. Islam is not a moral religion. Either Bush is a fool, or he is playing a game with politics.

[RaceBannon]

Bush isn't in a bar talking to his buddies on how he's gonna trash these people - he's the voice of 250 Billion on US !

Bush is supposed to be a Christian. Where is his Christian faith in an all powerful God, who is supposed to be the ONLY God? Where is Bush calling on us to believe and trust God in this fight?

This type of talk is a seriously mixed message, and a bad one at that.

[Adder]

In the homicide bom-ber's twisted mind he has the integrity, the intellectual honesty and the spiritual righteousness on his side. Unfortunately, that type of fervor went out along about the time of the Crusades. Even the most zealous Christian sect does not engage in such behavior or even thought processes.
Rather than publicly condemn those branches or sects of Islam that promote and encourage such fanaticism, I only hear silence from the mosques, publicly at least. I wish Bush would stop trying to suck up to these people and either remain silent or privately question the imams as to what is going on. I haven't heard him defend the Catholic Church as a "moral religion" in the wake of the abuse scandals. Why not? Its the same sort of thing, imho. He needs to stop pandering to these people. I am sure in some circles, such as the Saudi royal family, it could be seen as groveling.
He should stop preaching to us about what a wonderful religion Islam is....we see the results of its teachings. It ain't a pretty sight.

[William Terrell]

The whole article . . .

For the second time since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the president yesterday visited Washington's oldest mosque, the Islamic Center, where Muslims from 75 nations gather to worship. Mr. Bush marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by praising Islam as a hopeful religion of mercy and tolerance.

"Islam affirms God's justice and insists on man's moral responsibility," said the president, flanked by a half-dozen imams. "Islam gave birth to a rich civilization of learning that has benefited mankind."

The overture to Muslims came four days after religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said Mr. Bush "ignores history" by not acknowledging that Islam is "violent at its core."

In an interview with The Washington Times last month, Mr. Robertson said he understood the president's political need for support from the Muslim world in the war on terrorism, but said the president should not speak about Islam as a religion and that he "is not elected as chief theologian."

The conservative commentator accused the president of succumbing to "political correctness" by praising the religion of terrorists who attacked America on September 11.

Mr. Robertson repeated that accusation on ABC's "This Week." The host, former Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos called the disagreement "a theological dispute which is driving a political wedge between President Bush and some of his conservative Christian allies."

That characterization was disputed yesterday by the White House.

"This may be an area where they disagree," a senior administration official said of Mr. Bush and his conservative Christian allies. "But there are areas of agreement."

The director of the Islamic Center, Abdullah Khouj, praised the president's visit and told him that it demonstrated "the value of human tolerance, a virtue taught by Islam and practiced here in America."

The president's visit came one day after a Pew Foundation poll found widespread anti-Americanism in some Muslim nations. With the United States preparing for war with Iraq, the administration is eager to mitigate rising tensions on the "Arab street."

White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Mr. Bush "acknowledged the United States has a job to do and we have to bring people together between the United States and the Muslim world."

To that end, Mr. Bush praised American Muslims for "upholding our nation's ideals of liberty and justice in a world at peace."

"Millions of our fellow Americans practice the Muslim faith," said Mr. Bush, a born-again Christian. "They lead lives of honesty and justice and compassion."

Mr. Robertson first criticized Mr. Bush in The Washington Times interview last month.

When Mr. Stephanopoulos reminded him of this quote, Mr. Robertson refused to back down from his assessment of the president's view of Islam.

"It ignores history," he said. "Any student of history knows that it's not a peaceful religion."

"It's violent at its core," he said. "There is absolute virulent hatred of Jews, and the idea that every Jew has got to be killed before the culmination of the age. That's what Islam teaches, and I think that's violent."

Other conservative religious figures have spoken out in recent months against Mr. Bush's frequent statements about the peaceful nature of Islam, including the Rev. Franklin Graham and the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the latter of whom called Islam's prophet Muhammad a "terrorist."

Deputy White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan disagreed.

"The president believes that America is a nation that welcomes people of all faiths — Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and many others," he told The Times. "He's made it very clear that the war on terrorism is not a war about religion. It's a war about good vs. evil."

Mr. Bush is not the only administration official making overtures to Muslims in recent weeks. Others who have participated in Ramadan events include National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans and Treasury Secretary Paul H. O'Neill.

[Monty22]

This is very depressing. islam won a great deal with 9/11.. this just encourages them to attack more and more, since Bush is praising it as being good, each time it attacks us. Pretty sick.

[texson66]

ACK!

[LadyDoc]

There are a billion members of the Islamic faiths.

Like Christianity, Islam is not monolithic.

Islamofascism is as "islamic" as the KKK is Christian.

the saudi version of Islam is as "islamic" as many of the more narrowminded versions of Christianity that take phrases of the bible out of context and insist that everyone follow their narrow interpretation of the Bible?

Most Muslims are peaceful people, and have more in common with pious Baptists and Catholics than pro abortion liberals.

Bush is pointing this out, partly to prevent the coming invasion of (secular) Iraq being interpreted as a "religious war against Islam".

You guys are not helping him.

[roses of sharon]

The "guys" of whom you speak are just drama-queens.

Thank God Bush is not.

[lavaroise]

Well, yes, Bush's a liberal, but he does respect our military. He is a war ender not a war starter, lest we confuse him for real terrorists abroad and their Democrat supporters at home.

[twigs]

Islam affirms God's justice

Maybe it's just me, but I think President Bush was showing his usual careful political side. When he addressed the congress after 9/11, he made a comment about justice, something like if they didn't find justice, we'd bring it too them. I believe that the president was cleverly reiterating that thought here. I think that Islam is going to affirm, read prove, God's justice. God is a just God and I don't think He is standing idly by while Muslims hunt down and kill Christians. It also seems to me that God has given President Bush a role to play in His justice. I think the president knows it. And he told them that in their mosque.

[anymouse]

he's the voice of 250 Billion on US !

Point taken, but 250 Billion? Are you counting the insects too? :)

[Vermont Lt]

And I know guys that speak well of their x-wives in public, even though they were creeps in private. These guys know its not productive to go around bad-mouthing folks--it ain't gonna get you anywhere--and other women don't like it.

Its not what you say, its what you do.

[TLBSHOW]

islam is the enemy!

[Stand Watch Listen]

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[Thorondir]

You have OBVIOUSLY not read the Koran or the Hadith. I have. The iSLAMofacists are the REAL muslims, according to the Koran. Those who are peaceful and friendly with Jews and Christians are not true Muslims.

But don't trust me. Read it sometime.

Your opinion will change. right now, you are thinking exactly like those who want you dead or sexually mutilated and in a burkha want you to think.