Originally posted by mideast
I couldn't find much open mind people here , because my question involves open minds.
A very general question.
I think a single word could go a long way.
I want to say that what you appear to be trying to do here is, taken on the surface, admirable. I won't dig deeper for other motives because on this, I'd just prefer to believe you are trying to open genuine discussion. That is badly needed between Islam and the rest of the world.
After all, there are well over 1 Billion Muslims in this world and if even a fraction of them were of the violent jihadi mindset, it wouldn't simply have been a short war...we'd have lost before we even knew it started. The fact there is a fight at all attests to the fact neither Islam nor the West views is, in truth, as a war of Faiths or Civilization, IMO. If only more could understand the other....is my feeling.
You speak very much like another woman I came to know here at ATS. A very nice and intelligent woman from Bahrain. She was Shia Muslim and while she listened about Wicca as I prattled on...I returned the favor and interest while she spoke for hours about Shia Islam and some very critical factors about this conflict those in the West fail to see...despite it being right there as big as Neon lettering in a cemetery. I've already touched on it simply by saying the side of Islam my friend happened to be on. You can elaborate for the thread when or if you choose to.
She flew back to
Bahrain, last I knew, just before the Chicago NATO fiasco. I hope she's well, with all sincerity..I learned a lot from her. I learned, above all
else, how NOT to hate them all for the crimes of a few. With that all being said...I'd like to make a suggestion as I made to her back then. She too was interested in helping people understand on a wider basis...and she also had the same stumbling block. I fully understand the inherent concepts of absolute right and even superiority in matters of Faith that Islam brings in it's teachings. I say nothing negative about it....as it's in context by anyone's definition. However, it comes through strongly enough in how you present anything to non-Believers that it almost instantly puts people of the defensive and then..offensive. All without really having been necessary...but it absolutely kills all chance of discussion on the spot.
Just my two cents...and, if I read you right in your intentions to help, my words of support. Many here DO have open minds. It's really just learning to keep that "back up...fight's ON!" reflex from cutting off anything productive, IMO.
