luigi "you're it"

Submitted by K.H. Ahmed (United States), May 29, 2008 at 09:32

Sorry Luigi I have been elsewhere and have missed the exchange with sT's and others and needed to jump in somewhere - so I picked you to jump in on. Hopefully sTs reads this also.

Luigi makes almost the perfect comment "no country is perfect, neither is Islam". The truth is as human beings, as founders of states and religions we seek perfection but cannot attain it. Each time sTs(not picking on you my friend) or anyone else, rises up in an irrational defense of what is theirs each of us should be able to see the difficulty in having a civil discourse when what we discuss is not the true problem at hand - but what we are, whether by religion, ethnicity or country. Attacking Islam will never solve the problem of fundamentalism anymore than attacking American patriotism or Christianity will change a mis-guided foreign policy.

I have been ripped up one side and down another by fundamentalist Muslims on sites and by Christians on other sites - I have seen Muslims make literal fools of themselves quoting the Bible and the Quran - I have seen Christians make fools of themselves quoting the same and neither one of these books have a thing to do with the problems that my country or the countries of the Middle East face.

If anyone has followed anything that I have written they know that what I fear most is that "muslim" has become a perjorative for those who seek only hatred and division. And I don't mean just those who oposse Islam - I mean "Muslims" who spew nothing but hate towards the west who yank sura from context in order to defend the indefensible.

I recently thought of two quotes that could help moderates of both sides and I write this sort of tongue in cheek and am paraphrasing: The Prophet said(pbuh) when discussing religion, (if memory serves right he was speaking with Christians) it should be done civily and if you didn't believe him then he would leave it to Allah to say who was right and who was wrong.

General George Patton is quoted in speaking of the Nazi's, kill them all and let God sort it out.

Take your pick like him or not for me I will take the Prophets(pbuh) approach.

For the crazies out there I'm using the (pbuh) to be respectful, so don't get excited.

The terrorists cannot win in the long run for they don't fight for Islam they fight for hatred and hatred isn't a plan it is merely a substitute for an idea. I know that if sTs wished he could write a piece on what it is that he desires, what the average Muslim desires and it would not be very different from what the average American desires.

I love politics, philosophy and the possibility that computers and blogs have the potential to change what people think - So many good minds and probably good hearts - whipped into frenzies by subjects that need to be approached with respect and as much honesty as possible.

Sorry got cranking there.

Luigi I still have to answer that other comment.

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