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November 6, 2005
On Islam's worst enemies and how to defeat them - Part I (Re-posted from Nov 5)
Topics: Understanding Islam- EXCERPTS from the original post, a work in process needing input from readers - original complete post is here.
More Muslims have been killed by Muslims, more Muslims continue to be victimized by Muslims, and more Muslims are in danger of dying at the hands of Muslims than non-Muslims. This is a subject that demands a wider examination and attention than has been given by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. - Salim Mansur
Salim Mansur, professor of political science at the University of Western Ontario, wrote in the Toronto Sun in mid-October that "Extremists' violent perversion of religion threatens us all." I've previously read his piece entitled, "Muslim on Muslim Violence: What Drives It," and after reading his more recent piece in light of having read the earlier one, I find myself struck with a deeper awareness of the very grave dangers we all face from radical Islam, and I'm much more aware of the fact that the "we" that are facing such dangers includes both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
What has been ignored or missed by the media, politicians, and both non-radical Muslims and non-Muslims, is that Islam's worst enemies - are radical Muslims that perceive Muslims that don't subscribe to their particular brand of Islam, as enemies of Islam.
Be it Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Iran - there is hardly a Muslim country that is not plagued by terrorism. It is clear that the bulk of victims of terrorism are also Muslims, 11 September notwithstanding. This is particularly the case when we consider that violence and brutalisation has become the norm in unending quests for "self-determination," militant Islamists domination over Muslims and non-Muslims, and the furtherance of a radical Islamist agenda in such places as Palestine, Kashmir and Chechnya, and elsewhere. Islamic terrorism and counter-terrorism has become the basis for an endless cycle that has cost countless Muslim and non-Muslim lives alike, but many more Muslims, than non-Muslims. The hate of the radical Muslims, is directed against everyone that isn't "one of them".
.[...] This brings us to the big questions: Assuming all that we've looked at here is reasonably accurate and representative of the situation that "we" find ourselves in, we Muslims and non-Muslims, where do we go from here, and how best can we get there?Read the rest...[...] So, undeniably, there has been and continues to be, an internal war within the Muslim world, one that is as old as Islam itself. And whether we call it Islamic radicalism, militant jihadism, Islamo-fascism, or militant Islam, such an ideology is very different from the religion of Islam. Such radicalism exploits Islam to serve a violent, political vision: The establishment, by terrorism and subversion and insurgency, of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom.
[...] And it is against that end, and in the interim struggle against it, that both "moderate" (up to now - perceived by non-Muslims to be mostly as a group of "no shows.") Muslims and non-Muslims are in a life and death struggle to prevent. But not all of us recognize either the problem or the extent of it, there is little trust among us, and there appears to be far more questions about how to address the problem, then solutions.
"On Islam's worst enemies and how to defeat them - Part I" is a work in process, that began with one of my conversations that I've had with Muslim friends at the local Starbucks. The beginings of a dialogue between us has been initiated, and Part II of this piece has begun. We are going to discuss what can be done in our particular community to answer the above "big questions," and that dialogue, along with input from readers (via comments and email), is to be Part II - already in process. We are not out to change the world here - just to look for some answers, seeds if you will, for use in the larger community of mankind.
Starting with a single Starbucks community, add in a blog community, throw in a little larger blog community and perhaps another Starbucks community ... well, you get the idea.
Hell, we're all angry about what's going on, but getting mad is the easy part, it's working together to find answers that although may be difficult to accomplish, it just happens to be the only way to stop the madness that we all now find ourselves in. We can't simply stop the world and get off, we need to stop the insanity!
We plan to post this each day for a week - we need your input by email(confidential) or by comment.
Posted by Richard at November 6, 2005 10:18 PM
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- Muslim Woman Suing Over Niqab is Lying To Federal Judge - Apr 30, 2008
- Pakistani Senate condemns Motoons, Fitna, urges UN to take 'all necessary legal, political and administrative steps to curb this trend' - Apr 26, 2008
- More Than 'A Little Unhinged' - Apr 26, 2008
- Muslim Groups Complain About McCain Referring To "Islamic terrorists" As "Islamic Terrorists - Apr 21, 2008
- Book ''Why We Left Islam' may face Muslim wrath - Apr 21, 2008
- Arab And Muslim Countries, With Help From The UN, Are Out To Destroy Our Right Of Free Speech - Apr 18, 2008
- Robert Spencer On Freedom Of Speech In The Age Of Jihad - Apr 13, 2008
- Behold the wisdom (despotic logic) of the Saudi cleric, Muhammad al-Munajid - Apr 12, 2008
- Here's The 'New' Fitna (Updated) - Apr 09, 2008
