Why the concern?

Submitted by Clement Jones (United Kingdom), Nov 9, 2011 at 06:10

I want to thank the author for this very beneficial expose about the spread of Islam in the Pacific Islands. What intrigues me is the fact that the spread of Islam is viewed as a threat. There are about 2 billion Muslims in the world already but their effect has not been wholly negative. There is space for every faith in a pluralistic society. The Malenesian people are intelligent enough to chose what is good for them. We must remember that Islam, as practised in different parts of the world, is non homgeneous. People will infuse certain teachings of the faith into their own local cultures and leave out others as they do with Christianity and other foreign ideologies.

We should promote the teaching of Islam and challenge the local people to critically analysed any new faith in their area. Expressions of concern will only fuel Islamophobia that will in turn fuel violent 'extremism'.

Keep it intellectual and open and nothing but good will come out of this fusion.

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