Hang on a second...

Submitted by Arif (United Kingdom), Aug 4, 2007 at 23:10

Rick Jones makes many valid and legitamate points with regards to certains groups of people from middle eastern countries being exceptionally violent or have inconsistent views (inconsistent with western views). I whole heartedly agree that many muslims from the arab penisular especially seem to be rather extreme in their views. However, there are several things which i wish to raise which i feel prejudice people about muslims in general.

For example, comments like "A recent survey amongst Muslims in the UK found that up to 33% wanted sharia law" I personally know at least 100 fellow muslims, NONE of whom would want sharia law. Now i know that this might be a small selection, but statistically i should know at least one, i dont. Statistics can be used to show anything at all, it just depends what angle you're after.

Another comment "We see this in the pockets of Muslims who live in Europe and make great efforts to maintain a traditional way of live with questionable customs. Honor killings, female circumcision, forced marriages, veils, ect are offensive to the values of Europe." I agree that many people from various muslim countries practise these rediculous customs, but that is all they are; regional customs that the locals have incorporated into their belief of islam, giving it a bad name for the rest. For example, female circumcision is only practised in african muslim countries and not in the far eastern ones, whereas veils are enforced in arab countries; yet on a visit to pakistan, there were next to no women covering their faces, let alone their hair. People need to seperate their own culture from religious beliefs.

The reason muslims get so upset when people make fun of their prophet is because every muslim is taught that we are not supposed to make any kind of image/effegy/idol of him. This is a very big sin in islam(while it might sound backward and outdated, but up until the last 200 years or so in the west, one could be executed or severly osticised by their peers for insulting Jesus), so while i appreciate the reaction was overblown, you need to understand that people in these countries have had these beliefs instilled since they were born, so they are bound to get a little bit cheesed off when someone in a foreign country suggests that the man who brought you instructions from God is a terrorist who likes to blow up things...

Another comment: "No one has ever accused all Muslims of being terrorists" its true no-one has outright come out with this statement, there are many suggestive news/internet articles, news reports and general consensus among people in western countries that muslims are terrorists, if you don't believe me, google the following "muslims are terrorists" and see how many people actually believe this the case. It really annoys me that they always say in the media "a muslim man has been arrested for terrorist offenses" which implies that the man was a muslim above all else, whereas you never hear of reports like "a christian man was arrested yesterday for murdering his wife..." or "a jewish woman was arrested for prostitution..." they just say, man or woman, or where they are from e.g. "an indian man was deported for fraud etc."

Finally the thing that really infuriates me are comments like "While most Mulims are peaceful most Muslims have not taken open stands against this fanaticism. One only has to listen to Arabic language broadcasts out of the Palestinian Authority about the perfidious nature of Jews to get an idea of what passes for objective commentary."

I'm a peaceful muslim who publically condems the behaviour of a select minority in behaving like idiots. But does my voice get heard? No, because the media only focuses on the nutjobs who seem to shout the loudest. When the IRA was bombing england in the 70-90's you never heard of people accusing all catholics of being terrorists...

I'm not trying to make out that muslims are perfect, believe me we aint. We have a very long way to go, but who doesnt? What i'm trying to make people aware is that the people who do all the terrible acts in the name of Islam ARE NOT TRUE MUSLIMS and that they should under no circumstances be called one.

A true muslim would NOT kill people who didnt believe the same religion as them, a true muslim would NOT practise these alien and riddiculous practises such as forced marriage etc. A true muslim would NOT enforce their beliefs on someone who didnt want to listen. These so called muslims should be called by their proper name: religious fanatics. I love where i live *(UK) and wouldnt change a thing about it (except maybe chavs).

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