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Does Moderate Islam Really Exist?

Reader comment on item: The Middle East Forum Debates Moderate Islam
in response to reader comment: No Moderate Islam

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Apr 2, 2014 at 19:27

Dr. Pipes: I have a great deal of respect for your scholarship on this most complex and hard-to-grasp subject, even though there have been times I would-and have-come to a disagreement. This is not to say that my version of such things is better; our lenses are different.

The observation of Andrew, like so many of the opinions that cast Islam in a harsh light, is easily made when observing the reality that is being presented by the fundamentalist Islamists' dialogue and extremists' actions. Media presentations of the factious expressions of hatred cannot be ameliorated by attempts of isolation from one expression versus another. Islam is practiced 'by the book,' or it is not practiced in its fundamental form.

Islam, like human nature, is operating like the second law of thermodynamics. It requires an outside influence to reverse its course. 'Moderate' expressions of its practice are not recognized by the fundamentalist practitioners and from that perspective; they would say moderates are apostates and cannot claim to be true Muslims. They will not tolerate its diminishment.

To the point: if Islam is no longer practiced as it is defined by the ancient written expression, does it not cease to be true to its form and altered beyond a recognition of its purpose?

Submitting....

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Reader comments (79) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
The Fallacy of moderate Islam [130 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
SkiltzOct 4, 2014 14:20218461
A water-downed version of "authentic Christianity" [415 words]FalcoSep 9, 2014 07:44217691
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1Manful try, Dr. Pipes [615 words]Kepha HorApr 8, 2014 17:56214377
The Middle East Forum Debates Moderate Islam [722 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Peter F.Apr 7, 2014 13:56214347
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1Religion is an Opium [70 words]Nalliah ThayabharanApr 4, 2014 12:35214264
2How long have we got? [52 words]StavrosApr 2, 2014 01:58214190
2Ibrahim is right [101 words]Mahendra MathurApr 1, 2014 16:38214178
Islam doctrine too ingrained to change [148 words]BridgetApr 17, 2014 16:39214178
4Moderate Nazi could be solution. [658 words]PhiliorApr 1, 2014 09:23214176
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w/response from Daniel Pipes
AlexandrosApr 1, 2014 08:27214175
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arab orthodoxy vs south-asian moderate [95 words]mythApr 2, 2014 06:03214170
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2You are misreading religion in India [204 words]dhimmi no moreApr 4, 2014 13:00214170
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1Motivations and rocket science [429 words]dhimmi no moreApr 7, 2014 17:14214170
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Ibrahim and Pipes on Moderate Islam [270 words]Mark DMar 31, 2014 20:44214168
reformed or transformed? [345 words]FrankzMar 31, 2014 19:39214166
Moderate Islam [229 words]Dan SchnittkerMar 31, 2014 16:05214165
1Why Ibrahim is right [35 words]Roberto AlazarMar 31, 2014 12:23214162
historical analogies? [164 words]gayleMar 31, 2014 11:55214161
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Taking love for granted [125 words]John BMar 31, 2014 08:13214157
1Reformed Islam - and maybe Moderate Muslims [116 words]Dian KjaergaardMar 31, 2014 07:15214155
1Your Expectations [276 words]MoisheMar 31, 2014 04:31214154
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moderate muslims vs. moderate Islam [9 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MosheMar 31, 2014 03:08214152
Even if moderate Islam takes off, there will still be jihadists and Islamists galore [63 words]Yoel NatanMar 31, 2014 00:15214150
1Reinterpretation of scripture [180 words]Russ GoldMar 30, 2014 23:43214149
To be or not to be .......... [114 words]jon metesMar 30, 2014 22:31214148
5Rebuttal to Mr Pipes on 'Moderate Muslims' [424 words]IQ al RassooliMar 30, 2014 21:14214147
Milquetoast Moderation of Religion [849 words]M. ToveyApr 2, 2014 16:14214147
Islamic Moderation Greater in the Past [211 words]DaveMar 30, 2014 20:27214146
4A COMPLIMENT [176 words]DAVIDMar 30, 2014 20:03214145
Moderate Islam? [14 words]Paul SeverienMar 30, 2014 17:39214141
Moderate Islam ? [74 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JanaMar 30, 2014 17:22214139
Nothing human is fixed [86 words]Kingsley BeattieMar 30, 2014 16:35214138
2Reforming Islam??? [227 words]Carl GoldbergMar 30, 2014 16:32214137
Wrong analogy [176 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
aviMar 30, 2014 14:07214135
1Pipe's Error [129 words]Nathan DeutschMar 30, 2014 14:01214134
Ibrahim's viewpoint is more compelling. [292 words]Rich McMahonMar 30, 2014 13:36214133
How to save Muslims and the rest of us from Islam and other religions [423 words]A.T. HalmayMar 30, 2014 13:35214132
Do civilizations "progress" [181 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MARTIN KESSLERMar 30, 2014 13:12214131
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I admire optimism but... [265 words]Doug MayfieldMar 30, 2014 12:35214129
Dichotomy: Fundamental Muslims vs Moderate Muslims [430 words]Mike RamirezMar 30, 2014 12:16214128
1I believe change is possible [96 words]Robin RosenblattMar 30, 2014 12:09214126
1'change' possible - but for how long??? [38 words]Mohammed Wazir AhkspaidarApr 1, 2014 22:06214126
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תודה [1 words]Robin RosenblattApr 3, 2014 23:56214126
1No Moderate Islam [73 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AndrewMar 30, 2014 11:54214124
Does Moderate Islam Really Exist? [211 words]M. ToveyApr 2, 2014 19:27214124
1From a British perspective [48 words]ECAWMar 30, 2014 11:31214122
Islam certainly does seem to be the problem [120 words]RaeApr 4, 2014 18:21214122
1Ideology first [47 words]ECAWApr 5, 2014 05:35214122
2The legacy of the the concept of "radical Islam" [159 words]Irving WeisdorfMar 30, 2014 11:18214121
Interpretation Changes Are Possible [317 words]Iftekhar HaiMar 30, 2014 11:13214120
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1Moderate Islam oxymoron? [102 words]Wallace SchwamMar 30, 2014 10:37214116
2Inmportant Debate to Have [254 words]Boston Tea PartyMar 30, 2014 10:35214115
1Here is an example of why Islam cannot be reformed [179 words]dhimmi no moreMar 30, 2014 10:11214113
Lev. 20:13 misunderstanding [143 words]New Class TraitorMar 30, 2014 09:49214112
1ISLAM IS ISLAM [93 words]Bob RosenMar 30, 2014 09:42214111
Assimilation effects [178 words]Duncan DruhlMar 30, 2014 09:15214110
What's in Your Pipe? [377 words]TL WinslowMar 30, 2014 09:02214109
1Q9:29 and abrogation and the fatal flaw in Sunni Islam is there is no Pope! [277 words]dhimmi no moreMar 30, 2014 08:53214108
1The Islamic "Pope" is the Kalipha [143 words]Mike RamirezApr 1, 2014 22:17214108
4حاميها حراميها or the thief is the one who is protecting it and Turkey is a vile country [889 words]dhimmi no moreApr 2, 2014 19:07214108
1Great explanation. Thanks! [179 words]Mike RamirezApr 3, 2014 23:50214108
2The amazing Oktar and his women [352 words]dhimmi no moreApr 5, 2014 11:36214108
1There is a difference between Jewish and Christian "holy books" and the Qur'an [240 words]Eric MacDonaldMar 30, 2014 08:52214107
1Truth is absolute [114 words]TBKMar 30, 2014 08:30214106

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