Moderate Muslims?

Submitted by Susan (United States), Dec 5, 2006 at 11:54

Are there really any "moderate" Muslims other than the non-practicing or cultural variety, people who call themselves "Muslims" but don't go to mosque, don't adhere to Islam's Draconian doctrine and mind-numbing rules and rituals? Are there actually practicing Muslims who ignore the obligation of militant jihad, who do not believe in the supremacy of Muslims over all other people, who do not wish to transform the entire world into a Islamic caliphate? I can't help but doubt this. I have yet to find an Islamic website that supports pluralism, respects religious freedom, promotes peaceful co-existence with non-Muslims and considers non-Muslims their equals. The goal and obligation of all Muslims is to spread Islam and if they cannot do it "peacefully", the violent options are endless.

The concept of religious freedom is inculcated into Americans beginning in Kindergarten and throughout our educational process. By the time we are adults, most of us are unquestionably tolerant of diverse religious beliefs and accepting of people who have no religious beliefs. Religion is a personal matter and everyone is free to believe whatever they wish. I'm fine with that; I learned my lessons well. But along came Islam, a religion unlike any other.

Along came Muslims, religious zealots unlike any other. Along came Sharia, Islamic law , which Muslims are obligated to follow and which is antithetical to democracy. Along came imported Islamic clerics from the most fanatical sects of Islam, who stand at their pulpits in American mosques and exhort anti-American, anti-Christian/Jewish vitriol and encourage American Muslims to join the jihad, defeat America, defeat Christianity.

Are we actually expected to blithely accept a religion and millions of its adherents in our free, democratic society that have no respect for us, our government, our many religions, and whose goal is to replace our Constitution with their archaic, malevolent Sharia? I'm sorry, but despite the honorable and pluralistic intention of the First Amendment, it should not include the enemies of our Constitution and our Republic.

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