Islam and the Mainstream Muslim View - Please Contribute your Thoughts

Gauharjk, though we don't agree on Israel (at least I think we don't agree, over Israel's right to exist), you have given some very worthy food for thought. Thanks. Same for you, guerilla. Much appreciated.

I posted much earlier on the forum, a tragic, and, I'd say, a telling story. When I was at Berkeley, I took a phenomenal course with Yahya Sadowski (you can google him to see what he's up to), an expert on the Middle East. One day in class, he mentioned that at the time of the Iranian Revolution, there wasn't a single person among the State Department Staff who could translate farsi. Emblematic, to me, how long we have ignored a part of the world that was necessarily listened to.

 

Why can't you just answer the question?

North... my brother-in-law for four years now is a muslim from Pahkistan. He met my sister-in-law in India where she went on a sabbatical after my wife died. He comes from a small village but a well-known family. They built the mosque in their neighborhood. He is a kind man, an intelligent man, and my brother. He is not afraid to condemn the murderous antics of radical Islam but he is also the first to admit he can only now enjoy this freedom by the blessings bestowed upon him in our free society here in America. Back in his village to stand against the bastards meant only certain death and danger to the entire family. This does not release moderate muslims in the free world from standing up against the radicals who have hi-jacked their faith and spilled the blood of innocents upon their kuran and in the name of God. To the contrary I feel they are ever more obligated to do so. And until such time as the moderates around the world in one voice actually DO take a stand, these radicals will keep their lands in this savage, blood-soaked, chauvanistic Dark Age (which, incidentally, thanks to the culture and intelligence historically innate in these peoples, they actually escaped the first time around while we in the west simply wallowed in it).

All it takes for evil to thrive is that good men do nothing. Take note of this moderate Islam, for your own sake, the sake of your faith, and the sake of the world.

 

I don't want to keep harping on our mistakes, we all know that no nation or government is perfect.

All I know is that war, regime change, revolution etc has not led to better circumstances. It just might be time to try something truly radical.

An aggressive, uncompromising and powerful message of peace and education.

 

Hey, Dead - long time no see. Thanks for the perspective.

 

I am in absolute agreement. I have said it here (hate to keep saying that, but it is sometimes helpful to know views come from somewhere) that until we reach the kids learning hate, until we actually do earn trust from them and respect their young lives, I do not think the world will ever see peace again. At the risk of self-aggrandisement, I provide the following for perspective on my view:

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showpost.php?p=720531&postcount=293

 

I really dont think this guy has any idea what he is talking about, you wont find any real scholar of Islam that agree's with him, anyone can call themself a mullah or a sheik, doesnt really mean much. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6188411160506326026&hl=en-GB

Holy Quran - Chapter 109 - The Atheists

Also that protest was of about 200 people, most of them got arrested and their are 2 million muslims in the Uk.

 

OK. The video shows them behind a protected cordon, and I didn't see any arrests, but I take you word for it. I know that in the U.S. free speech ends once it incites to violence.

The guy speaking in the video is not an inconsequential mullah, from what I have read (and heard on the video, regarding his association with Omar Bakri Muhammed). But he is an extremist Mullah and I really don't know his audience. Actually, thinking on his views, one thing I've not heard discussed is how al-qaeda could attack targets knowing Muslims would die. In Choudary's view all non-Muslims are worthy of death, period. But what of Muslim victims of terror?

 

I have an idea. If you are really intrested in learning about Islam (which I believe you are) how about you read the Quran? Because there is no better source than the creator of Islam and mankind. It is God speaking directly to you, not a commentary.

http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/SURAI.HTM

41. It is not the word of a poet: little it is ye believe!

42. Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive.

43. (This is) a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.

 

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200603/17/eng20060317_251206.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4808192.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4847752.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4811122.stm

As for that mullah, he runs 2 organizations that have been banned on grounds of terrorism and he has called for the assassination of the pope, no one takes him seriously.

 

I did know the guy's organizations were banned, just wondered what kind of audience he has absent them.

Thank you, Aceday, for the articles. This is exactly what I was asking for with this thread - news that is "other."

 

Why would they protest? No matter if one is a moderate or extremist Muslim one is following Muhammad and Muhammad was extrordinarily violent and sadistic.

All this talk of peaceful Islam is silly. The only part(s) that could be peaceful and non-violent would have to not be based on Muhammads teachings.

In other words one would have to reject Muhammad to be a peaceful Muslim! And to reject Muhammad one would not be Muslim!

Do you see the insanity in even trying to pretend Islam is or could be a religion of peace?

 

good Question northpointaiki;
Here are few of many links for such an effort:
http://www.cair.com/AmericanMuslims/AntiTerrorism.aspx
http://www.acommonword.com/
http://www.ammanmessage.com/


But Media and those who have WMD are not interested in such a link;

hope this help;

 

You must be talking about the boxer.

 

Dont you see the insanity of talking about something you obviously have very little knowledge about? Can you please refer me to the teachings that say to kill people for no reason or for not being muslims?

Thanks.

 

Yup, we're on the same page. Honestly, we just need a more humble foreign policy.

We do of course need to take our mercantilistic views off the table. Trust will never come with the underlying objective is to rape the country of it's oil, force it to prop up the dollar, or keep a friendly dictator or oligarchy in power.

 

Aceday, as you well know the problem is that the radicals believe what Mohammed said later in his life, after most of what you now quoted, supercedes your selection of quotables. The moderates somehow pick and choose, much like many Christians in that respect

 

Well instead of running your mouth how about you tell us what he said?