Democracy for the Middle East
April 18, 2004Decline And Fall Of Islam
British ex-pat and Canadian broadcaster Michael Coron opines that it's time to face the truth about Islam, "a religion gone mad and gone bad." [via Andy]
Remember, these people came to Britain, as they did to Canada, the United States and the rest of the free, Christian-based world to escape Islamic states and their harshness.
It is the pluralistic openness and decency of Europe and North America that has allowed so many Muslim immigrants. How ironic that a minority of those people hate that very pluralism and decency and want to slaughter women and children in the name of their god and their cause.
I opposed the war in Iraq, but I cannot remain silent when people kill contract workers, then disembowel and hang them from wires in the street. While children dance.
And, no, these murderers are not refugees from pain but the favoured sons of Saddam. Their fight is to restore fascism, not liberate their nation. Even if it was, nothing justifies such sadism.
German bomber pilots, their planes shot down, would parachute into London after destroying entire towns and killing thousands of people. Almost without exception they were treated properly, as prisoners of war.
It's not about colonization, globalization, Zionism, American dominance or any other cliches. The Muslims themselves are colonizers, having pushed most Christians out of the Middle and near East, once the cradle of the Christian world.
The Ottoman Turks, Muslims all, colonized the region for centuries. Arabs colonized Persians, Assyrians, Kurds and others. The Saudis, sponsors of so much terror, are nobody's victims. They are wealthy beyond belief, and deprive women and minorities of most basic civil rights.
This is something deeper, darker, than an imagined fight against a foreign foe. There is a virus at work. For the sake of the good, law-abiding Muslims of the world -- the majority -- we cannot pretend any longer it's about anything other than what it is: a religion gone mad and gone bad.
Stop the lies, they only make it worse.
In a similar vein, Iraqi-born Khaled Kishtainy writes:
"[The phenomenon] called Islamic terrorism has many roots and causes, and much has already been written about this. But I have personal input on this matter.
"I place on the Islamic intellectuals and leaders of Islamic organizations part of the responsibility for [this phenomenon] of Islamic terrorism, as nearly all of them advocate violence, and repress anyone who casts doubts upon this. Naturally, every so often they have written about the love and peace of Islam – but they did so, at best, for purposes of propaganda and defense of Islam. Their basic position is that this religion was established by the sword, acts by the sword, and will triumph by the sword, and that any doubt regarding this constitutes a conspiracy against the Muslims.
"The best proof of what I am saying is the 1984 world congress on 'The Nonviolent Political Arab Struggle' in Amman, that was nothing but hypocrisy and propaganda. In the congress documents in the English [version], they published my speech, but they removed it from the edition in Arabic!!! All this was in an attempt to deceive the Westerners, and not in order to educate the Arabs to peace.
"In my opinion, the sword played a minor role in Islam's triumph over polytheism. Moreover, the Muslims will [only] lose by their adherence to the perception [advocating] violence. This is due first of all to the military supremacy of others, and second because in this generation the alternative of nonviolent struggle is a more effective weapon. I have adopted this perception and called it by the Islamic name 'Civil Jihad.'"
My Attempts to Promote 'Civil Jihad' were Rejected
"I tried to establish in London an organization to disseminate this perception among the Muslims. I contacted some Arab ambassadors and activists in Islamic organizations, and all I got from them was their turning their backs, and even threats. Only three Muslims shared my belief – one from Ethiopia and two from Iraq. Over the course of two years, we struggled [for the sake of this goal]; then we lost hope and gave up.
"Most of the people we contacted were of the opinion that the Westerners are sons of dogs who understand only force, and that the Muslims have no choice but to strap on their weapon and fight. Some cooperated with us in private meetings [but] after the meeting was over asked us not to mention anything of it to others – as if nonviolence and peace were a kind of adultery that must be hidden. This was the atmosphere that helped the emergence of the terrorists, the suicide bombers, and all those who use weapons and explosives."
"In the framework of this personal effort, I devoted a great deal of time to writing a book about nonviolence. It is the only book that presents in depth, in Arabic, the perceptions and methods of Civil Jihad. A large section of it is devoted to peace and nonviolence in Islam.
"In vain did my friend Anis Sayegh try to find a publisher for the book. Some [publishers] refused to even permit the draft of the book to enter their office. Finally, the Dar Al-Karmel [publishers] in Amman put it out (after omitting many paragraphs), and even that was in an abbreviated edition, replete with mistakes.
"The publisher did not manage to distribute it in a courageous way, perhaps because some Arab governments prevented him from doing so. Even the Institute of Arab Unity refrained from publishing my research on this subject in its journal.
"I reiterate that the Arab and Islamic ideologues and media leaders bear much of the responsibility for the involvement in terrorism and violence of the Muslims of the world. Of course, they will reject my statement arrogantly. But my statement can be tested: The draft of my book is still in my office in two languages, Arabic and English, waiting for someone to come along and publish it. I offer it for free, without asking a fee for my work."
Home . Posted by Editor at April 18, 2004 01:51 AM . DFME's new internet address is www.dfme.org
Comments on this post:
This is totally bullshit. It is racist to claim that all muslims are somewhat responsible for what's going on in Iraq. These accusations are only a good indication who is racist and who is not.
I can go on and on to show and prove why each one of these claims can not prove in anyway that muslims are responsible but I don't think it is a good idea to argue in a hate site.
I hope somehow you will find peace and a religion that teaches you not to hate other people. Your site is disgusting and disturbing.
Posted by: Jim at April 18, 2004 07:59 AM
You are obviously an ignorant sad person who has no real knowledge of what Islam is about. It's a shame that you have this site on the web influencing other ignorant people just like yourself to feel hatered towards a people they know nothing about.
I feel sorry for you.
Posted by: Jennifer at May 12, 2004 01:37 PM
I commend this site for having logged the commnets above, though they disparage the site disgracefully.
I wonder if Jim and Jennifer extend the same kind of tolerance to the Germans, exonerating the German nation from complicity with German atrocities of the Third Reich.
Posted by: yuval brandstetter MD at May 15, 2004 05:15 PM
Agree witht he two articles, wholeheartedly. Islam has gone "mad and bad" - was it ever not? - and I will do my upmost to re-ellect President Bush in his fight against these sick countries.
Posted by: Jarvis Rooker at June 18, 2004 07:48 PM
I agree that islam is often selectively interpreted by scholars advising terrorists on the legitimacy of their crimes toward civilians. I encourrage you to explore islam and read about it more. It is very hard not to subdue to the rhetoric that all muslims hate the rest of the world and blame them for their own plight especially when more than 50% of global terrorism is committed by muslims. But unless you want to burn all the muslims in ovens you must communicate with them and ideologically beat al qaeda's message which strikes strong in frustrated and lost young kids. While the left will fail to provide a solution, the right will only infuriate more hopeless martyrs, a radical cenrist approach is the key. wether it is a republican or a democrat, the next president must adopt a less extreme approach.
Posted by: Intellectual Primate at June 25, 2004 07:51 PM
I am not here for criticising Islam or Christianity or any other religion.
But to remind all of you that these Muslims in the name of 'Islam' killed innocent childrens,Women and Men of India for hundreds of years.
Was that fine ? How u muslims can deny such type of slaughters ? You have to face the truth that due to such deeds of yours,one day God or somebody else will punish you.
Posted by: SonOfIndia
at September 15, 2006 06:16 AM
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