The UK Doctors’ bomb plot, the Red Mosque standoff seem to be the straws that broke the camel’s back. Many of us were already feeling embarrassed by the actions of the lunatic fringe and their blood thirsty actions, but these two things seem to have taken the cake.
This has been culminating for a long time as we get embarrassing news all the time, but a group of doctors try to kill and maim and a lunatic mullah uses children as human shields in a mosque. This on top of the past six years of near constant bad news since the 19 maniacs flew the planes into the buildings on 9/11.
How many regular American Muslims are tired of having to explain such idiocy and irrationality at work and other places?
How many regular Muslims are just horribly embarrassed when they see Mickey Mouse suicide bombers and stupid blood libel theories propagated by their co-religionists?
How many regular Muslims now feel the need to disassociate themselves completely and start to represent themselves as just an individual and a person practicing a personal faith and not as a member of ‘the ummah’.
How many are now saying “I’m not with them”?
How many are just tired of being embarrassed?
Yes, the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, but why do there seem to be so many rabid lunatics?
This is a very interesting post.
As I write this post, now eleven days after that was posted at Tariq Nelson's blog, there are 35 comments. Some of them are very interesting; I reproduce three:
Farooq Says:
July 10th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Even though my co-workers don’t associate me with the death cult , I still don’t like for Islam to be associated with these mad men
Umar Lee Says:
July 10th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I am not embarassed because I am not living for others or what they think or I would not be a Muslim in the first place as that wins you few friends in America. I am more angry at nuts acting in the name os Islam and people supporting them.
[...]
HaakimNow Says:
July 11th, 2007 at 12:02 am
Salaam;
Lets be frank, this has nothing to do with Islaam. Its about NAFS, DUNYA Power and Influence over IGNORANT, SHEEPISH Muslims.
What has happened to our intellectual heritage, have we become so enamored in "Group Think" or "Sheikh Think" that we seek Fatwas on the most mundane issues of life ? Should I consult the Imam, on the permissibility of brushing my hair towards the Qiblah ? Have we become so obsessed with symbols of piety likes, beards, sujdah marks, and dhikr beards that we have no clue about actual piety ?
Yes, I am embarrassed!
I think Tariq Nelson's description of the "lunatic fringe" as "rabid lunatics" is very apt.
One question remains: "...why do there seem to be so many rabid lunatics?"
I think the consideration of that question is at the heart of why Stop Islamic Conquest exists.
My question is: Is this really a lunatic fringe?
If so, of what? A lunatic fringe of a decent religion, presumably?
Or, are people like Tariq Nelson and his commentators the decent fringe of a lunatic ideology?
Let me offer another quote from Submission.org, found in an editor's note about terrorism:
We have been witnessing the injustice and oppression done by terrorists taking the lives of innocent people, everywhere.. We have been deeply touched by the killing and the blood shed that have been taken place by hands of humans all over the world.
The evil behavior carried out by any radical individuals under the banner of the religion of Islam, (Submission to God alone), seeking political or social gain is strongly objurgated in the Quran. Teachings that promote aggression, oppression, violence and unjustified killing have no where in the Quran. Terrorism has no place on earth.
Much of what I omit in this quote consists of citations from the Quran supporting the above comment; please see the original.
The quote then concludes:
We, submitters to God alone, are adding our voices to all those who cherish the human values and rights granted to man-kind by the One God, the Creator. We definitely share with you the hate of all what the so-called Muslims all over the world are practicing in the name of Islam. We'll keep declaring, with a very loud and firm voice that the Quran and this great religion of Abraham (Submission), both, condemn all kinds, forms, and names of unjustified killings and blood shed.
We call upon Christians, Jews, Muslims and all the believers in God to verify the truth about the religion of Submission (Islam) through this most comprehensive website where we have the most clear, accurate and modern translation of the Quran by Rashad Khalifa, Ph.D.
Knowledge is the cure for one's ignorance.
" And you shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free."[ The Bible: Jhon 8:32]
"You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them."[ The Quran, 17:36]
The time has now come that we can not remain silent no more. The time has come that we should take action and try our best to prevent terrorism in the world. We hope to bring love, peace and tolerance into this world based on respect, compassion, and a solid foundation of knowledge.
May God bless all who strive for peace and true happiness.
However you answer the questions posed above, let's keep in mind that many people in the Islamic community are in just as much danger as us infidels. Indeed, if there is anything bloodier than Islam's borders, it is Islam's interior.
"...why do there seem to be so many rabid lunatics?"
2 comments:
In these days and times, I can see how people would think such a thing, but prior to 9/11 and al-Qaidah's explosion on the scene and these times of daily terror, I don't think many people felt that way. There seemed to be some kind of worldwide snowball effect after 9/11. Albeit that the likes Hamas were doing terror in Israel, it was certainly not the world wide phenomenon that it is today.
I suppose the bottom line to your question about whether moderate Muslims represent a "decent fringe" is that if that was the case, then we'd all be in trouble because we'd be completely overwhelmed by these lunatics and we'd see 100X more killing than we see today.
I am still hopeful that a cultural "enlightenment" will take place in the Muslim world and this type of rabid hate will begin to cease. Muslims are slowly getting fed up of being humiliated by these clowns
I think that part of the answer may lie in the moderates in Turkey who represent a Muslim that can practice Islam, but not infringe on the rights of others that are not Muslim or force their belief on others. We can't lump moderates who may be religious in with the Khawarij.
The 100X logic makes sense -- if most of the Muslims were lunatics, we'd be inundated with killing worldwide, with far more problems than exist today.
We are still left with your question: "...why do there seem to be so many rabid lunatics?"
My question was, though, "decent fringe of a lunatic ideology?" -- the implication not being that something is wrong with most Muslims, but rather, that something is wrong with Islam. This leads us, perhaps, to your comment about enlightenment.
"I am still hopeful that a cultural 'enlightenment' will take place in the Muslim world and this type of rabid hate will begin to cease. Muslims are slowly getting fed up of being humiliated by these clowns"
It seems that, over the centuries, people in the Muslim community gravitated away from some of the calls for violence. It is in response to that that Wahhab's movement and the Khawarij have been trying to bring back "that old-tyme religion" (as they interpret it), steering people back toward the violence.
I think we are seeing that enlightenment you speak of. Several of the links I have on the sidebar are to sites that may not view themselves as part of any enlightenment, they may consider themselves as representing "true Islam" -- regardless, the point is they condemn violence in no uncertain terms.
But, we are left with this concept of gravitating away and being brought back, and, of course, our questions: yours, "...why do there seem to be so many rabid lunatics?" -- and mine: Is there a problem with Islam?
Let me make my point by comparing Islam, as depicted in its holy book, the Koran, with Christianity as depicted in its holy book, the Bible -- specifically the New Testament.
Muslims follow Mohammed; Christians follow Christ.
Jesus Christ in the New Testament neither hurt others nor commanded that others be hurt. In fact, He refused to hurt others, even though they were hurting Him, unjustly.
Mohammed, on the other hand, both hurt others -- he was a warrior, was he not? -- and commanded his followers to hurt others -- he was a battlefield commander, was he not?
If a Christian is violent and hurts others, he is going against the example of Christ, and has very few of Christ's commands that could support such action.
If a Muslim is violent and hurts others, he has ample examples of his holy prophet both hurting others and commanding that others be hurt.
There is, as I see it, the answer to the questions posed.
Christianity is far more absolute in shunning violence; to be violent, a Christian must do the opposite of what Christ did, and twist Christ's teachings a great deal. Some Christians even go so far as to disallow violence in self-defense.
Following the holy prophet, however, it is significantly easier to justify violent actions by comparing them to Mohammed's actions and commands, even if those actions and commands are taken out of context.
Thank you very much for stopping in, and I hope that you and my other Muslim readers will stop in often and leave comments, especially if you see something that you disagree with or where you feel your comments could help everyone's understanding.
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