[knight_47]

For those that don't know, I am an American Muslim.

I am having a debate with a person on my forum, he thinks that all Muslims are terrorists, this really makes me sad. When I asked him if he thought I was a terrorist, he said yes, just because of my religion.

I have always grown up being taught to respect everyone, no matter what their religion is, no matter what color their skin is, no matter what their name is, treat them like you treat your brother, and treat them the way you would like to be treated yourself.

What makes me so mad is people focus so much on Islamic Terrorism, as if they are trying to attack Muslims, but turn their backs on the other terrorism going across the world. For example: US funds terror groups to sow chaos in Iran!

What about Hitler, he was a Christian, how much did he kill? What about Kim Il Sung, he killed almost 6 million people, he was a Christian.

I have nothing against ANY religion, I'm not trying to attack Christianity, I'm just curios why Islam is always constantly attacked across the world.

A lot of people also say that Muslims hate Jewish people, this is so completly wrong. During middle school, one of my best friends was Jewish, I treated him like a brother, and I loved him like a brother. He was, and still is one of my best friends I've ever had. During highschool, one of my favorite teachers was Jewish, he was my botany teacher, I freaking loved him!!

My dad's good friend and business parter is Jewish, their family is always invited to our house, and we are always invited to their for dinner. I come home almost once every week finding both our mothers cooking together, talking, and laughing. Hell, sometimes they come inside our house without even knocking! WE ARE FAMILY!

Now if you go to Google, and search "Terrorism in Islam" you will find a lot of results! But if you search the same for "Terrorism is Christianity" you will also find tons of articles claiming the same things, it's an infinite loop!

A lot of people quote verses from the quran out of context, here is an example:

[Quran2:191]And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.

Sounds pretty harsh huh?!

Well, not if you read the verse before it, and after it..

"2:190 AND FIGHT in God's cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression-for, verily, God does not love aggressors."
...
"2:192 But if they desist-behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."

Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/3d4o8g

Ahh, now it makes perfect sense! Fight those who wage war on you! See how easily stuff can be quoted out of context, this method is not only used in the Quran, but in the Bible, and Torah too, it's annoying!

So, what do you guys think about this?

[knight_47]

Oh and BTW, Racist people have lower IQ's!
http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/sayar/riqs.htm

God Bless all, and good night!

[Mulderator]

Can you give us an example of where Muslims have made a concerted effort to stop terrorism in the name of Alah? Obviously, all Muslims are not terrorists, but there appears to be tacit approval by the Muslim leadership--that's what the rest of the world has a problem with. There is a famous saying that for evil to thrive, all it takes is for good men to do nothing.

As an aside, even if a person is anti-Muslim (as oppossed to anti-terrorist) that's not racisms because Muslims represent a religious group, not a race.

[PhoenixNEW]

it is a pity that most muslims dont try to change their radical muslims behavior in their neighborhoods and then complain that they are insulted. it is just ironic that most muslims write like you. it is time to accept criticism or just get the HELL out of west! Live in near eastern countries where you will enjoy freedom and love.

Born in Izmir, Turkey..I have seen fights between islamists and secular muslims. if by mistake somebody drops koran on the ground then he gets assaulted and insulted , i feel it is just ridiculous and I tried to find out about this great religion so I travelled to many middle eastern countries like UAE, Saudi arabia, bahrain,iraq and iran. In my experience, most muslims countries dont have open discussion about islam and there are varied interpretations of the book. I have seen that most muslim countries have secular,antidemocratic form of govt. Critics and other ideas about islam are not acceptable in these countries. Jews, christians are looked down upon in these countries. If anyone talks about the religion, then gets thrown into prison and beaten ( if your in iran).

In my perspective, a huge gap between politicians and the people is widening and there is corruption at all levels in these countries and worse thing is that islamists are flaring up the religious sentiments for their gains. I feel educated muslims need to put a stop to this or the future will never look easy for secular muslims and also in the land of the Muhammad.
tribalism is common in many of these countries and many liberal muslims are crushed by rise of extremist muslims in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran and also in mY Turkey. sectarian hatred is widespread, politics of parochialism and sectarian patronage divide these societies in these countries. I found that people have their own interpretations of islam and asking questions about the govt or talking against islam is frowned upon in all these countries. Why , i dont know? Islamists cannot accept criticism and they dont want anyone to know about western ideals and want to oppress them. They feel it is all evil to talk about science and democracy which I find is just unreasonable.... Indeed, many are willing to admit privately that things may deteriorate rapidly if educated and secular muslims dont control radicalism in their counties. Iraq mess is slowing sweeping into neighboring countries and things are getting messier day by day.

You might ask: what I am talking about?? it is important to look these countries and listen to ordinary peoples compalints then you might have better view about islam. There are people in these countries that dont follow islam to the core yet they are very nice and sweet people. To them muslims means to be humble and they dont give damn about anyone criticising their religion and same for me. They had enough of this extremism in their countries that seculr muslims have even stopped going to the mosque.Zealots are a plague upon religion. These extremists come in two types. The first is a reactionary extremist who falls far right of a center-point. Reactionary extremists do not want any pluralism; they view the world in melodramatic, black and white, good and evil terms. They are good and anyone who opposes them is evil.The second group are radical extremists.They see any act as acceptable if it will further their ‘cause.’ This is blatantly anti-Islamic for a number of reasons.Muslims have lost theologically sound understanding of our teaching. Islam has been hijacked by a discourse of anger and the rhetoric of rage. Most muslims are unaware of the growing hatred in their countries and therefore they dont see the anger and hatred towards other non muslims.

What hapenned to the religion of tolerance? Religion should have no role in politics or for that matter in any public institution.These fanatics need to be dealt with in the harshest possible manner.You can thank your lucky stars your in the 'land of the free'.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6540375.stm

Tell me what do you think about your muslim brehtren in Pakistan and also educate them them about islam rather than preaching to the western audience whom I find more "intelligent and nice".

[Ciberblade]

At the root of this is fear and insecurity. Beyond that, it is easier to group people together and condemn them all rather than understand the situation as a whole. Just as the Christian terrorist who bombs an abortion clinic does not represent Christianity -- the Muslim terrorist that blows himself up on a bus does not represent Islam.

There exists so much hate and misunderstanding that the only effective weapon we have is love. Now that's not to negate the use of force, only that true change will be the result of someone loving these people enough to take the risk and the time to process through the misunderstandings. Sometimes we forget that the terrorists are people too, and that their hearts are searching for answers just like ours. That provides opportunity for the leaders to speak into their lives -- this is what many around the world do not see, which causes some to make the connection that the terrorists actions are supported by and large of the Muslim population.

[linskyjack]

The problem is that progressive Muslims like you do very little when it comes to decrying the acts of the violent Muslims who have hi-jacked your religion. You did it in your post. You made a subtle excuse for them by siting US support of "terrorists". I understand the fear that these radical killers have engendered throughout the Muslim community. Sometimes, in matters this important, good people have to stand up and be heard----no matter what the cost.

[lotuseclat79]

What I'd like to know is why has not the World Council of Imans(?) of the Muslim faith not issue a fatwa worldwide against Usama bin-Ladin? Or, have they?

-- Tom

[PhoenixNEW]

Originally Posted by lotuseclat79

What I'd like to know is why has not the World Council of Imans(?) of the Muslim faith not issue a fatwa worldwide against Usama bin-Ladin? Or, have they?

-- Tom

Usama bin ladin is the beloved person in Pakistan. Nobody dares to harm him

[LANMaster]

Hello, Mr. Knight47.

While I understand your concern, and agree with you that all Muslims are not terrorists, you must agree that terrorism in the name of what is written in the Qu'ran, and in the name of Allah, is a VERY serious issue facing the world today.

So as the world sees the "moderate" and even the "Westernized" Muslims ignoring this jihadi mentality, while still othe5rs openly support the jihad, it isn't very difficult for anyone to understand why the non-Muslim generalizes about Islam itself as the issue.

While you quote the Qu'ran accurately, and in context, there are Muslims who are using your initial quote in Mosques worldwide to show that the extremist jihad is commanded in the Qu'ran. Yet reasonable people, such as yourself, choose not to condemn Muslims for such blasphemy of your holy text, you instead choose to condemn those who will likely be the victims (and have already suffered losses) at the hands of those Muslims who believe they are acting in accordance with YOUR religion.

Why have you started this thread instead of starting a thread condemning Muslims who deliberately target and murder innocents in the name of your God?

Isn't that far more serious an issue than someone calling all Muslims terrorists?


As a Christian, I know I would be the first to take up arms against any organization which claims Christianity as their cause to murder innocents and claim that the Bible permits it in the name of My LORD.

Yet the PRIMARY complaint of Muslims is not against Muslims blaspheming the Qu'ran, but against those non-Muslims who decry the terrorism at the core of this alleged blasphemy.


So, you're not a terrorist? I can appreciate that.
But if you remain silent against the deliberate murder and oppression of non-Muslims in the name of Allah, then how are you really any better than a terrorist?

Perhaps if you read the above with an open mind, you will come to the realization that your silence against Muslim terrorism speaks FAR, FAR LOUDER than your complaint for being labeled a terrorist.

I intend to visit your site that you linked and (if I can without registering) I will search to find where you have lamented the blasphemy of the Qu'ran by these Islamo-Fascist terrorists.

I expect that I will find many threads started by you that condemns terrorism in the name of Allah.

right?

[Mulderator]

BTW knight--let me also say that if you were a good and decent person, I'd have no problem with you as my neighbor (provided you are not a liberal!)

[LANMaster]

Originally Posted by knight_47

Oh and BTW, Racist people have lower IQ's!
http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/sayar/riqs.htm

God Bless all, and good night!

Agreed. Add into your chart the racism by Muslims against Jews and the curve really gets skewed to the side of dumb.

[GlenB]

I can imagine where Bush would be on that IQ curve.

[Mulderator]

Originally Posted by LANMaster

Agreed. Add into your chart the racism by Muslims against Jews and the curve really gets skewed to the side of dumb.

LAN--please--lets be accurate here--the "rascism" word is thrown around too much and used innaccurately. One can't be "racist" unless dealing with a person of a different race. While some Muslims are Black, most Jews and Muslims are of the same race.

[Mulderator]

Originally Posted by GlenB

I can imagine where Bush would be on that IQ curve.

Above you, that's for sure.

[lotuseclat79]

Originally Posted by Mulder

LAN--please--lets be accurate here--the "rascism" word is thrown around too much and used innaccurately. One can't be "racist" unless dealing with a person of a different race. While some Muslims are Black, most Jews and Muslims are of the same race.

Some Jews are also black, from Ethiopia, I believe.

-- Tom