Turning our backs on Islam.

The Islamic World is going through turmoil right now, I would argue it’s possibly worse than the events that befell the Muslim world in 1979. We have had the horrors of ISIS, the terrorist group that has killed untold thousands in a violent campaign slaughtering their fellow Muslims in a twisted quest all in the name of Islamic nationalism. We have seen hundreds of thousands of Syrians displaced, caught in the middle of a vicious civil war and a terrorist organisation that seeks to subjugate Muslims a draconian interpolation of the Qur’an. Hundreds are dying every week trying to escape this war zone to safer territory and in a cruel twist now over 700 have been killed as they practice their faith peacefully in their holiest of places in Mecca.

What I find even worse almost than all of this is how the rest of humanity seems to be turning their backs on our Muslim brother and sisters, at times even making light of their plight. Right now I have had to disengage myself from most social media because all I see are childish jokes about refugees. Not to mention the moronic arguments about how we can’t let them in because they could be terrorists or just want to steal our jobs, welfare and if you believe the extreme they just want to rape and murder our kids. Then I see the callous lack of sympathy that goes out towards the tragic events in Mecca this week. How people could go as far to joke and trivialise their deaths as some kind of twisted karma only adds to my despair.

It really does beg the question of why? Why are we turning our backs on the Islamic world? The world came together to help the Jews in the aftermath of WWII, we took in tens of thousands of refugees during the war in Kosovo War. We gathered united as a world to mourn the deaths of those killed in on 9/11 and 7/7, we joined in unity to fight off the Nazi’s. We gather together as humanity and help those struck by natural disasters yet for some reason there seem to be many of us who cannot find it in our hearts to show empathy for our fellow man when we see him carrying a Qur’an.

I think one of the biggest contributing factors to this is due to the media’s portrayal of Islam over the last decade and a half. Ever since 9/11 for most people living in the west our exposure to the Islamic world has come predominately from the bad press they have been getting. We had 9/11 and almost every other high profile terrorist plot this millennium, we have seen the beheadings, their treatment of homosexuals and the massive gender inequality that many women suffer in some Islamic states. To our western minds when we see this, when we here of the twisted ideologies of Al-Qa’ida, ISIS, the Taliban, Abu Sayyaf, Hezbollah all who seem justify their violence in the name of Islam, there can only be one conclusion. Islam is evil. When people then start to cherry pick facts and start quoting the Qur’an out of contest in combination of this constant bombardment of media reports showing the horrors committed in “Islamic countries” by “Ismamists” this conclusion is only compounded.

But this logic is so flawed is saddens me that so many buy into when just a little bit of research would demonstrate that 1.6 billion individuals are being tarred with the same brush unfairly. Through this misconception we are turning our back on Islam we are closing our doors and our hears to them. Our attitude towards Muslims today is no better than our attitude towards was towards the blacks and homosexuals in the 1920’s. As a society we are allowing ourselves to regress.

I have spent many years now since 9/11 studding Islamic extremism and I can say with confidence that most groups have numbers in the low thousands, exact numbers can never confirmed, ISIS is estimated to have around 30,000 for example (unless you think Jeb bush is right to say 200,000). Overall Islamic extremists actually make up a very small minority of the wider Islamic world. Writing for CNN , renowned terrorism expert Peter Bergan has this to say;

If we tally up the low and high estimates for all these groups, we can begin to have a sense of the total number of jihadist militants that are part of formal organizations around the globe. We found that on the low end, an estimated 85,000 men are fighting in jihadist groups around the world; on the high end, 106,000.

To put that into perspective, that equates to 0.00006625% of the entire Muslim population belonging to a terrorist organisations. Even if they way off and the number is closer to a million the percentage of those who are members of these groups is still pitifully low. However the number who sympathise with the goals of these groups and their tactics will always be more. A nonpartisan think tank in America conducted a study looking at American Muslims attitudes and had this to say about violent Islamic extremism:

As in 2007, very few Muslim Americans – just 1% – say that suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilian targets are often justified to defend Islam from its enemies; an additional 7% say suicide bombings are sometimes justified in these circumstances. Fully 81% say that suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilians are never justified.

A comparably small percentage of Muslim Americans express favorable views of al Qaeda – 2% very favorable and 3% somewhat favorable. And the current poll finds more Muslim Americans holding very unfavorable views of al Qaeda than in 2007 (70% vs. 58%).

Link

Now I am sure that there are some who are going to read this and run out and find some statistics to through back in my face demonstrating that the numbers hare actually much higher. That’s fine, we can play with statistics all day, that’s not the point I am trying to demonstrate. The point I am trying to demonstrate is that contrary to what the western media would have us believe most Muslims do not support to the evil atrocities we see committed in the name of Allah and God on the 6 o’clock news.

The vast majority of Muslims are just like you and I, they just read a different book and pray in a different temple (if you pray atoll that is). They go to work like us, they eat like we do, bleed like we do and love like we do and like most of us they do not wake up thinking about how the can kill the evil westerners shouting “Allah Akbar!!!!” We need to start to see past the label of Muslim and see the individual we need to see past this stereotype of Muslims that our media and the right-wing of the internet have created. This has turned into a social issue and we must challenge those in our society who allow our to regress through intolerance. This is my challenge.

If you hate Islam that is fine by me, if you hate all religion that is also fine by me, but what is really pissing me off right now is how some of you are letting your hate of religion bleed over and you are hating on the individual not their religion by making light of their plight. In your hate you fail to make the distinction between the religion and the individual who follows that religion. If you truly valued liberty you would not let this happen. You would be able to say that while you may hate their faith you can accept them as a fellow human

My challenge to all of us, accept the human being even if you cannot accept the religion.

Accept that they like all of us may need a little bit of help and empathy at times, so stop with the jokes, stop with the closed minded views and open up to them, let them in. And let them in not because of their religion but because we all now shear this little rock floating in the cosmos and we can only ever help each other out. One day we might end up hoping that despite our flaws they will accept us, when that time comes they will lock back at our actions today.



Feel free to discuss but lets keep this civil and respectable please.

I'll be brief...

Hate is such a strong word. I don't hate anyone...anyone.

I'm uneasy about Muslims. Their culture, which is demonstrated by viewing the culture of Muslim majority countries, is from my perspective, incompatible with what I grew up with.

That's why...my feeling on the subject is...we shouldn't mix.

Your glasses are rather rosy. It would be beautiful if we were all humane, just, freedom loving, gender equal...but the reality is...we aren't.

We are what we are. So why force us to live next to each other ?

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

That's why...my feeling on the subject is...we shouldn't mix.

Tell me, how is this any different that the views of the KKK in that white and black should not mix?

Most Muslims believe in sharia law over the constitution. To them it's gods law over mans law. I have no sympathy for them they don't respect the countries they migrate to and they don't assimilate to other cultures. I have a mosque at the end of my street and I've met many Muslims first hand. At first I treated them as any other immigrant but my opinion has changed after being called a infidel by a 5 year old kid.

a reply to: wantsome

At first I treated them as any other immigrant but my opinion has changed after being called a infidel by a 5 year old kid.

So he called you a unbeliever then you changed your whole view of Islam based on one word from a child's mouth.

I mean you are a Infidel or a Kafir, its not a insult really its a statement of fact.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

I would be equally uneasy about being around members of KKK. Is it different ? I don't know. Maybe it's the same.

Why I don't have the same feeling about black, asian, eskimo, indian as I do with Muslims...is not something I can explain easily.

Maybe I'm a bigot and a racist...but than again...as I stated...I'm not universally racist. This uneasy feeling is just around Muslims.

So shoot me...it's how a I feel.

If I have to think about specifics...I would state 2 things that bother me the most:

1. Women
2. "Fanatical" need to declare yourself Muslim first. Everything else comes after that.

I saw today on ma national TV a short piece...showing Muslims at the Mosque...praying or attending some service. There were no women. It is my understanding that women are not allowed in the same place as men are...they are segregated in a different room than men. This is an eyesore to my "gender equal" feelings.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

Why are we turning our backs on the Islamic world? The world came together to help the Jews in the aftermath of WWII

Are you seriously comparing these two situations?

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

Maybe I'm a bigot and a racist...but than again...as I stated...I'm not universally racist. This uneasy feeling is just around Muslims.

I might surprise you with this, but,

I really do respect and appreciate your honestly I might 100% disagree with you on it but at least your honest and open about it.

Interesting that you list women, yes there are countries where women are subjugated however I would argue that is more of a problem with the specific country rather than a wholly Muslim problem. Case in point, Indonesia has had more women presidents than America has.

originally posted by: combatmaster
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

Why are we turning our backs on the Islamic world? The world came together to help the Jews in the aftermath of WWII

Are you seriously comparing these two situations?

No I am saying that we really together when our fellow man is in need of help histrionically, yet right now the Muslim word is in dire need of some help and many of us and many states are sitting back doing nothing.

Just look at the initial response of David Cameron to take a handful of refugees.

With the trillions we spent bailing out our corrupt banks we could have done so much good in the world.

but when we are run by a gang of child abusing Eatonians its not going to happen is it?

originally posted by: MarioOnTheFly
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin


I saw today on ma national TV a short piece...showing Muslims at the Mosque...praying or attending some service. There were no women. It is my understanding that women are not allowed in the same place as men are...they are segregated in a different room than men. This is an eyesore to my "gender equal" feelings.

And this is the result of not being informed. Maybe you should inquire as to why this is so, then maybe you would understand.
I will tell you in short why that is:

When we worship in the mosque, part of the ritual is the Sajda (prostration). We should be concentrated on worshiping God and nothing else.

Now, tell me, how will you concentrate when a woman is prostrating in front of your eyes, i.e. she is bent with her behind right in your face?

So, this is why worship is segregated.

And just as this is but one example, there are many others which would clarify many other "uneasy" feelings you have towards muslims.

Well said OtherSideOfTheCoin...

Very well said.



I've been saying it for a year now... I'm prepared for what's coming.
The vitriol has reached an almost unbearable tipping point.

I'll be there to defend non-Muslims also...
This has the potential to become a worldwide civil war, between those who hate, and those who Love...

There will be no persecution, nor subjugation around me as long as I breathe...

I love you all.

I turn my back on Islam, because of these types of people: www.youtube.com...

Im not against taking in refugees, I just think they should be kept in our Fema Camps until they have been properly vetted to eliminate the radicals. I also think they should be required to learn english, be educated about our culture, and become American Citizens, before they can leave the camp.

a reply to: sHuRuLuNi

And this is the result of not being informed. Maybe you should inquire as to why this is so, then maybe you would understand.
I will tell you in short why that is:

When we worship in the mosque, part of the ritual is the Sajda (prostration). We should be concentrated on worshiping God and nothing else.

I had no doubt in my mind that you had a reason for the segregation. It still doesn't jibe with me. My point is that it's happening. Even the biggest racists and bigots have reasons for their racist feelings. But is it right just the same ?

What you state here is also one of the things I'm uncomfortable with...is this notion that women need to be covered up or segregated...because men can't control themselves. I find this somewhat troubling.

In the end...the fault is ours...men...if we cant be "civilized" and view women as sex objects. They shouldnt be made to "suffer" because of our own shortcomings.


edit:

since Muslim women are mostly covered up, head to toe...It would be rather easy for me to "ignore" them and pray. Now, if they were semi naked with hot pants and bras visible like western women sometimes are...then I would get your point...but still...it would always be our own deficiency.

When I was young, my parents and I attended a church where the women and men were separated for bible study class.
It was in PA and it was a baptist church.
They only sat together during the official service.

It was odd, to me, at the time but I've learned now that they focused on different aspects of their faith and how it related to their individual genders...
I don't think of it as being discriminatory.

originally posted by: combatmaster
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

Why are we turning our backs on the Islamic world? The world came together to help the Jews in the aftermath of WWII

Are you seriously comparing these two situations?

How are Jews being killed for their faith any different than Muslims being killed for their faith? Whether you want to believe it or not a Jewish life is no more valuable than any other life.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

Maybe if the women didnt walk around with bags covering their whole bodies, the men wouldnt be attracted to very young children. There is a lot about Islam that doesnt work in the US.

a reply to: buster2010

The Jewish people I know, dont want to kill me, or make me wear a bag on my head.

a reply to: misskat1

How does that explain pedophilia?

I don't understand that statement...
I agree that there are some aspects of Islam that don't/can't/won't work in America.

Your absolutely right!
Christians should not turn their backs to muslims.
They are likely to stick a knife in it.