a tree is judged by its fruits

Submitted by Sammy (New Zealand), Apr 7, 2008 at 05:33

I believe a tree should be judged by its fruits so a religion should be judged by the acts of its followers. I understand in any religion there are some fanatics who do violence in the name of their God. But why so many of them are in the name of Islam.

I was in the US during the 911 period, I saw with my own eyes our fellow moslem Indonesian students cheered happily when they knew that moslem terrorists hit the twin towers. I saw with my own eyes how my church was shut by a mob who acted in the name of Islam. My experience might be subjective, but the same scenes seemed to be the same since I was still a small kid, violence to others is the dominant theme in Moslems' behaviour.

I lived for some time in some countries which Christian people are the majority. I also lived for a while in some regions in our country where Moslems are minority. The tone is different. Violence and hate to other people's belief are very minimal. I saw some disturbing actions but those are condemned by the society in those places. Peace is the dominant theme.

I know some people who are good and kind and they call themselves as Moslem but they said they are secular Moslems. The more religious they are the more fanatics they would be. I learnt a bit about Islam and how Moslems learnt and interpreted their religion, and I find it disturbing that the majority views that violence is justified in the name of Islam. I want to believe that someday my Moslem friends can find peace with themselves as they reinterpret or even abolish the teachings of violence.

Yes my friend Imam Ahmed Syeed Ali Muhammed, I want to believe that Islam means peace, but the evidence so far Islam means submission, others should submit in the name of Islam. You have to work hard my friend to change the face of Islam, to make your Moslem brothers hate violence and to be peaceful to others. I did so many times and I will do more in the future to change my Moslem friends' interpretation of violent teachings although these actions in many cases are viewed as an effort to convert them into my belief but I always want to believe that Moslem people can tear down their violence teachings from their books. The reason I do it because I love them as they are God's children who are blinded by their teachings. Do you want to help me on this?

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