No such thing as melting pot among Muslims

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Nov 13, 2022 at 10:23

Dear Dr Pipes,
Reader Vivian's letter "Islamist Infiltration of the Broward County Sheriff's Office" exemplifies how Islam interacts with other civilizations: Islam's interactions with others are always antagonistic.

In the ancient times, Islam used wars and swords to subdue other civilizations outright. Jewish tribes of Yatrib, berbers of Morocco, the Christians of Constantinople, and Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists of India, we all met the Islamic sword at one time or the other. When possible, the Islamic sword is still active (recall the case of Yezidis as late as mid 2010s and the cases of 9/11 etc).

But today, sword is not always available. Modern religions advance by osmosis and by melting pots of cultures. Muslims and Islam are too impatient and their doctrines are too flawed. The melting pot method does not work for Muslims and Islam. There is no give-and-take in Islam. There is just take-and-take.

The bonhomie available in our societies, is exploited by Muslims for Islam's advantage. Christmas lights are unislamic, but loudspeakers on Mosques must be universally acceptable. You cannot openly carry the Star of David with you to Islamic destinations but you must listen to the Islamic calls for prayers when you are at airports in Islam-occupied countries. They won't eat the food consecrated in your temples, but you must relish the iftar parties.

It is because this kind of behaviors of Muslims that the events of Broward County Sheriff's Office described by Vivian appear to be 'infiltration' to us non-Muslims.

It is next to impossible to purge Quran of its incorrect doctrines. Pointing out the flaws of Islam to Muslims, is easier. We cannot easily convert Muslims out of Islam but we can change how Muslims behave. That is why calling out bad Muslim behavior whenever it occurs is vital our survival. I thank Vivian for her message.

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