http://www.aim.org/publications/media_monitor/2002/07/11.html
Another Pedophile Scandal By Reed Irvine and Cliff Kincaid July 11, 2002
Coverage continues of pedophile allegations and cover-ups by Catholic
priests and bishops. But what if the founder of a major religion was a
pedophile? Baptist preacher Jerry Vines, a former president of the
Southern Baptist Convention, ignited a firestorm in the media with his
claim that, "Islam was founded by Muhammad, a demon-possessed pedophile
who had 12 wives, the last one of which was a 9-year-old girl." American
Muslim groups have cried foul, and the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish
group, issued a protest. Commentator William Rivers Pitt has said,
"Imagine if someone called Jesus Christ a demon-possessed individual
who consorted with known whores."
At the very end of a long story about this controversy, the Washington
Post noted that an Islamic holy book says that, "The Prophet [Muhammad]
married [Aisha] when she was six years old and he consummated his
marriage when she was nine years old." The literal words say that he had
sex with a nine year old girl. The Post quoted Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman
for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, as saying that many
Islamic scholars interpret that passage to mean Aisha was 16 when she
was betrothed to Muhammad and 19 when they wed.
By contrast, Myles Kantor, a columnist for FrontPage Magazine, says that
Vines description "is theologically and historically grounded."
Regarding the charge of pedophilia, he said, "one of Muhammads wives
was betrothed to him at six years old. The marriage was consummated when
she was nine. Enough said."
Demons were frequently cited as the cause of mental or physical
afflictions in the days when people didnt understand science or
medicine. But in regard to the counter-claim of Jesus consorting with
prostitutes, such a statement ignores his condemnation of prostitution
and his attempts to convert them. On the other hand, the statement about
Muhammad having sex with a nine year old girl can only be re-interpreted
by completely changing the words and their meaning.
"We don't understand why this is a controversy," Dr. Ergun Caner told
the Dallas Morning News. He claimed the statement is "in Islam's
teaching something we were taught as children." Dr. Caner, who was
born a Muslim, is the co-author of the book, "Unveiling Islam: An
Insider's Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs." On CNNs Crossfire, Tucker
Carlson asked Hussein Ibish of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee, "Did Muhammad have a nine-year-old wife?" Ibish replied, "I
have no idea and neither does anybody else. To be honest with you, that
happened 1,500 years ago. Much of this is mythological ... It's not the
point." Carlson asked, "Do Muslim scholars believe it to be true? Ibish
replied, "Actually, I have no idea about whom the prophet married, and
when, and why -- and it doesn't matter. The point is that this is part
and parcel of a generalized attack on Islam and Muslims."
It may be part of an attack on Muslims but that begs the question of
whether the statement is true or not. If the Catholics should be held
accountable for pedophiles in their midst, the Muslims should too, even
if it is their founder.
Reed Irvine can be reached at [email protected]
