to Imran

Submitted by Sidda (United States), Feb 16, 2006 at 19:11

Imran, thank you for your response. I do place much of the hatred coming from Muslims on the radical clerics; they incite the people and exploit their bad feelings. In some Western countries, such as in Britain, they openly preach to overthrow the British government and replace it with Sharia Law, but I think the British have had it with them and are deporting them now.

In the U.S. the CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) stated that they would like to see the U.S. constitution replaced with Sharia law. They said they want to see the Islamic flag fly over the White House. That terrorizes me. The Constitution is what makes America. How would you feel if you were me and read that? I don't mind Muslims if they just keep their religion to themselves, but I don't want to follow Islamic law. You see how the women in the Middle East have to live, also in Afghanistan with the Taliban. That is Sharia law. I would rather be dead. I feel if they come to America then they must respect our values.

When I go to church, we sing and say prayers and when the priest gives the sermon it is always on one of the lessons of Jesus Christ from the Bible. We NEVER discuss anything political. It is just not done. Even before an election, the priest is not allowed to tell people how to vote. He will say what official positions the church takes on certain moral issues such as abortion, gay marriage, death penalty, euthanasia, just war doctrine, etc., but he is prohibited from saying, "vote for this person or that." You make up your own mind in line with your conscience. We do not discuss current political topics such as wars, etc. It is strictly a time for spirituality. I think Islam mixes politics with religion too much. They should be separate because politics and religion do not mix well. But I have learned that Islam is a comprehensive political, economic, social belief system as well as religious. So, it is impossible to separate those components from each other.

Also, priests and ministers have to attend seminary or divinity school. They usually have at least a Master's degree. So, you are assured that they have been adequately educated in the biblical history and texts and know what they are teaching is right according to their respective traditions. Is there a way to do that in Islam? To make the clerics prove that they are adequately trained to run a mosque?

I have read the Quran (a lot of it). There is a lot there that really concerns me such as all the verses which say to kill the infidels or subjugate them. It says that Islam must dominate and not be dominated; that Islam must rule over the world. That's where the concept of dhimmi comes from. Only Jews and Christians even have the option of living as 2nd class citizens. All others can only convert or be killed. Well, you just can't live like that in the 21st century; nobody will put up with it.

In the ancient times, the poll tax was set very high so that it was a hardship and people finally caved in and converted to Islam. I find that a lot of Muslims don't even know about the dhimmi; but, the fundamentalist radicals do and they take it very seriously. Those crazy Mullahs in Iran will get nuclear weapons and give them to terrorists and they will try to intimidate us into doing what they want. I don't know where it will all end. Yes, these are very troubling times.

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