Counting on Islam's Terrorists Does Not Bring Peace - Not even to Peaceful Muslims

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Oct 8, 2008 at 16:21

Understanding that this site's apparent intent is to provide an insight (if such can be had from an outsider's perspective, such as this reader's) into the phenomenon that follows variant forms of Islam and its ability (or inability) to interweave in world societies, we wonder in the explanation given for how many followers were approximated around the world, what level of comfort the non-Muslim world can take that only ‘150,000,000' people are of the extremist variety. That is more than any army (save maybe one) in the world, and more than several armies of any allied contingency. It appears that for the lack of some organization, it would not be difficult to mass fifteen million combat personnel in some part of the world and assume domination of the affected area. The Islamic Prophet did not have a fraction of that number and did pretty well in exerting his influence, which by the way did not diminish in fervor over the ensuing centuries.

In that vein, given the probability that Iran could be a nuclear contender in a very short frame of time, add its influence to that of a Pakistan already nuclear capable coming precipitously close to being the next nation under the control of the Islamic Revolution, then we can see that even a fraction of the 150,000,000 can bring about a very convincing argument that if one desires to counter such a contention for world power, it is not going to be done with the mere several hundred thousand that have been combating Islamic fanaticism currently in the Middle East.

But let us consider the process in which Dr. Pipes methodology searched out the possible variables to arrive at the estimate he gives, and in doing so realize the number is completely variable as the determining factors shift with the level of belief in the Quran and compatible philosophical influences that would allow for a greater affect of Islam in a world retreating from countering Christian views.

There may be determinable number of Muslims, even an estimate given within a +3/-4 margin of error, but all of that belies the real issue at hand, whether the rest of the world is willing to fall under those influences when the true Muslim population actually reaches into the very fiber of the world societies and compels recognition or rejection of competing beliefs. Eventually, the most timid of the followers of the Quran will be forced to stand up to be counted as a follower, or be demoted for a lack of belief and condemned. We know this to be true, since it is part of the rhetoric coming from the al-Qaeda, Hizbollah and other Brotherhood messages to the Muslim extremist faithful, and we see it forming more visually in the streets of Europe as the Middle East crisis comes to its critical mass.

Enough is already known that should provoke more than a casual response to the minimal numbers of Islamic extremists already known to operate in the world. But instead the more reticent methodology of appeasing the threat is approached; oh, and how easy it is to offer up Israel as the sacrificial lamb for world peace. It is thinking like that which pushes world peace to the precipice of catastrophic disaster, and all the while the census takers keep counting, eventually to count the dead as it does go beyond the reasonable into the unthinkable.

In the end, Israel will be the only one to be counting, counting on her LORD the Eternal Sovereign to accomplish the promises made to Abraham and the sons of Israel. Then there will be counting in the valley of Jezreel of all those who challenged the power of Israel's LORD. We can be sure that there will be a significant number of all unbelieving people there, not just those who desired a ‘Palestine' instead of an Israel, but of all who desired to barter her for their own false peace.

Then there is the final count of those who believed in the LORD Almighty God of Israel, and His Anointed One, the Holy One of Israel, having faith in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ. The Islamic Prophet did not believe and began the opposition to believing in Jesus Christ and His words as described in the Holy Bible. There is an accounting there that everyone should want to be a part of, instead of be counted out like so many want. Where one desires to spend eternity completely counts on that decision.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".