Submitted by Dr.N.Ali (United Kingdom), Feb 23, 2009 at 01:01
Dear Sir ("the Grand Infidel of Faffiristan")
Thanks for your comments. Even though, I agree to most of what you have written, but I hope you won't mind if I "slightly" disagree to you one point. As you have written:
"Education alone is not the solution. As I'm sure you'd know many countries have untold numbers of uneducated people. These folk don't have the same belief set that causes the problems so many Muslims experience in dealing with non-Muslim cultures. These uneducated ones don't have a problem with the existence of Jews and Israel, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism. They don't expect the rest of the world to believe that their religion is supreme amongst all religions - and they certainly don't try to enforce it."
I am not saying that lack of education is the ONLY issue. Once you have a list of problems, then one has to prioritise; so what I am saying is that education should be the top priority for Muslims. As you have mentioned in one of your previous comments that several Muslims (Extremists) are not even aware that what they are doing is wrong, so the issue is "lack of awareness". I am sure you understand that several of them "sincerely believe" that they are doing what Allah wants them to do; they don't even try to use common sense.This is the truth.
I believe that education should be the first step, not the only step. Let's say if you classify Muslims (there are dozens of ways of classifying them) as "Moderate" or "Extremists", and look through their profiles, how "educated" they are and in what "specialities" , you will find a striking difference between the two.
I agree that the "change" in Muslims should ideally come from within, but since it has become a worldwide problem, I am afraid other nations will have to participate into it (which is not their responsibility) as it is also affecting them. This is not the way it is supposed to be, but what is the alternative?
Peace to all.
Education is the first step to spread awareness amongst them, not the ONLY step.
I would
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