The real facts about Islam

Rex B13

This is a link to an article by Salmon Rushdie, who knows more about Islam than all of us put together.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1634000/1634755.stm

Discussion?
Rex

Excellent article, Rex! Thank you for posting the link. I have grown weary of seeing and hearing from only the extremists in the news. It's demoralizing when all you hear is how much they hate the west. I've heard that protesters have accused the Pakistani president of standing under the "cross" (equating this war as that of Christianity vs Islam--this is a blatant political move to manipulate and foment the Islamic fanatics). I would like to hear from Moderate Muslims. Or Christian Middle Easterners. Or Middle Eastern secularists. Or anything other than the foam at the mouth, hateful protesters we see nightly, burning our kind in effigy. It's embarassing to see humans behave in such a way. I know these fanatics are not entirely representative of the middle eastern world. So, how does the west go about fostering any kind of secularism present in the middle east, as Rushdi suggests?

B.

Rex B13

We beat the hate-mongering cults with INTERNET ACCESS and radio, tv broadcasts...Radio Free Afghanistan is just getting under way. Information can destroy any cult or hate-group.
Have a nice evening, Bridgette.
We seem to be online at the same times, where are you located?
Rex

Bridgette

Denver Colorado, USA--and you? I stay on-line mostly during the week at work.
I have been toying with the idea of starting a grass roots dialogue session between citizens (and non citizens) of middle eastern descent and others. Just get together over coffee and talk. I would love to get some Jewish americans in on it also. If we could all just talk and connect with each others' humanity.
I've heard about the radio broadcasts. I was listening to the radio this morning and they said that the US is losing the propoganda war. I find this more disturbing than anything else. Also, what do we know about this northern alliance we're getting into bed with? Isn't that how the Taliban got into power? I really wanted to see the UN take over with a broad based government.

Norm

Hi Rex,

It is very interesting that you should point to this article Rex.
Rushdie is pointing to one thing that you hate more than anything as the hope of the Muslim world as it has showed itself to be when it was able to rid the western world of the stranglehold of Christian fundamentalists. You know, I don't think you read what Rushdie said, and if you did you certainly didn't undertand much of it.

Read this and weep Rex:

"If terrorism is to be defeated, the world of Islam must take on board the secularist-humanist principles on which the modern is based, and without which Muslim countries' freedom will remain a distant dream."

I wholeheartedly agree with Rushdies observation here. Secular humanists was able to break the power of the insane Bible thumphers in our part of the world, now it is the time for the muslim world to do the same. How is it that you are against Muslim fundamentalism Rex, but are unable to see the rafter in your own eye, in your whining crusade against the very humanists that Rushdie talk about?

Norm

Seeker

Rex,

With all due respect, any time I see a thread from you with the words, "The real facts", a red flag goes up in my mind for I know the one thing we won't see are the real facts. If you read the article you linked to, you would have noticed this very early on:

The author of the controversial Satanic Verses argued Islam was being hijacked by political fanatics and needed to have its own process of reformation.
And the London-based writer said "paranoid Islam" was the quickest growing form of the religion and needed to be opposed in the Muslim world and the West.

This isn't about Islam, as the title of your thread seems to indicate, and your past posts have stated. According to Rushdie, this is about a form of Islam that is made up of political fanatics and is the fastest growing form of Islam. Who does he say needs to oppose this? Right. The Muslim world. In other words, he appeals to Muslims to fight this form of Islam.

To slander all of Islam this way would be like me noticing fundy Christians in action, and condemning all of Christianity for their political fanaticism. You would be very quick to step in and note the distinction, and would chide me for lumping all types of Christians together. In fact, you would state that those types aren't real Christians after all.

Well, I'm chiding you for doing that to Islam. Read what Rushdie actually said, and then get the "real facts" right when creating posts and headlines.

Rex B13

Hi Seeker,
So I am not allowed to post an article that says some things contrary to my previous statements? That's kind of odd coming from such a 'free speech' advocate. I now and forever have to post only articles that I completely agree with? I DID read the article.
It is you who cannot seperate yourself from constant erroneous comparisons between Islam and Christainity. BTW, did you look into the section of the Koran that details the personal and public jihad?
If you did, you will see that it varies greatly from, "love thy neighbor as thyself".
Islam is just another cult, only bigger than most. If you would take off your 'politically correct' goggles and remove your own blinders of liberalism you might begin to see what this war is all about. I repeat, Islam has as a central doctrine the forced conversion (by the followers, not God) of all humanity. They butchered millions of the original Parsi religious prophet, Zoaraster. They are FOLLOWING THEIR TEACHINGS FROM THEIR BOOK when they do so!
Look it up and do some of the 'research' you claim to base your ideas on. Sheesh, you plit hairs over the title of my post? Give me a break.

Norm,
I am all for any moderating influence (no matter what form it takes), on those who practice extremism. You are a jew-hating bigot by the casual observance of your posts, make that a Judeo=Christian hating bigot. Isn't that following in the footsteps of the Nazi collaborators in your own country during WW2? Perhaps you carry on a "fanmily tradition"?
Cheers,
Rex

P.S. Why not just discuss the article instead of hijacking the thread?

Cygnus

Is it just me or has WW gone absolutely completely loopy?

Naeblis

Remove "Islam" and replace it with "christianity" and his posts don't change too much inmeaning. Christians have done the exact same thing as Muslims. The fact that they may ignore the bible's words of love just make them even worse.

jelly

Hey, Nae

I agree with some of what you say but with some stipulations.

Yes Christian’s fundies are just as screwed up as Islamic fundies and just as scary. The difference is that the west controls their lunatics to a much greater scale. Fundies in the west do not have control over the political, police, or military elements in any western society. Also this radical fundism is much more rampant in Islam than in the west.

Basically Fundamentalism in the west is much less of a problem and does not threaten the fabric of society like it does in the world of Islam.

My major beef with 99% of Muslims is why no moral outcry. They seem to condone the behavior of the Bin Ladens with their silence.

Jelly

The real facts about Islam

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