thank you Pat

Submitted by Agnostic Muslim (Indonesia), Dec 15, 2006 at 04:09

First of all, thank you for the reply, it is by far the only one that hasn't been filled with a lot of hurtful and offensive words. I'll try and answer as much as I can.

You are right. You have echoed my frustration. The people who are doing this are harming everyone around them, so why aren't those who are closest to them doing more to stop them? It's hard to understand what is going on because we hear that the terrorists represent an extreme interpretation of Islam, but Muslims get offended when we ask them to do something about it.

I don't know about those muslims but I do know that if you could just take a look at Asia at least you would see that there are often demonstrations and plights by muslims who are in turn hurt and opressed by these extremists. In Indonesia there are talkshows on whether it is wrong or right to have four wives and whether it is actually valid to use the Qur'an as it's foundation. Malaysian muslims are often in controversy with Saudi Arabia on account of it's many women workers that are harrassed and sexually violated by their boss. Tadjikistan is a great place to be in if you want to know about other types of Islam, it's still very much tied in with the traditional roots there. The northern part of china is also a nice place for you to see Islam for yourself, you can read about admiral Zang He(Cheng Do? He has a lot of names from many different dialects in China) who was a eunuch and Islamic serving the Chinese Emperor Qin (Chin). He founded a lot of the route used by the chinese to explore other countries. He was also the person that helped make Islam something that wasn't JUST arabic, but also belonging to everyone by helping others to understand how Islam could be integrated into everyday life as they knew it (the natives of the land where he was visiting, i mean).

It's terrible to say, but I will always remember people on the West Bank cheering as the Twin Towers were hit. (I am not anyone from the west bank, and I am Islamic, and I do not cheer. My sympathy and grievance goes out to all those that were effected by it)

When people like the leader of Iran call for the death of the West, they are cheered on by huge audiences.

I also recieved some ads from America (I have a lot of American friends, jewish, christian, and Islamic) with pictures of women wearing burka's and such with text beneath it saying "Death to America". It frightens me, but I know how to change her mind. It'll be a long hard job, but I know I can. And I wont let terrorism do what it should, which is terrorize me. I am not afraid of it.

How can I not suspect that those who aren't carrying out the violence are silently cheering on those who are? Have faith, I'll help your faith if you help mine (I want to keep the faith that everyone is good deep down, they just need some education and a little love)

You call yourself agnostic, but your words indicate you're a Muslim. ( I am, I'm just new to it so I don't consider myself fully knowledgable of it, but someday I hope I will be:-)It's just that I like the idea of God the Islamic way, hence agnosti, that's all)I didn't place you in the same light as terrorists based on your beliefs. It's actions I look at, not your faith. Bombings require planning, acquisition of arms, assembling of bombs, scouting of locations, etc. This is almost never done by one person. Suicide bombers make videotapes before they carry out their acts. We see families whose highest goal for their children is martyrdom. The mothers and fathers who are scolding their children for being brainwashed, as you say, know what their children are planning. What are they doing about it, if this is not their brand of Islam? Usually there are people who know what's being planned, but they keep silent. THOSE are the people I hold in the same light as terrorists. They may not be conspirators, but they are accessories. By keeping quiet, they allow terrorism to continue. Only Muslims can stop this ideology from destroying the Muslim world. (It's just that we aren't really keeping quiet, but angry suicidal terrorists make big bucks for media and not the other way around)

I'll end with the question I keep asking here: if, as you say, this is not your brand of Islam, where are the Muslims who will step up and speak out in public and demand an end to violence? Where are the Rafik Hariris? If they are keeping quiet out of fear, which is a perfectly human reaction, then how can they complain when the West is forced to take action? This isn't a clash of civilizations. It's a clash of civlization and barbarism. To me, Osama bin Laden represents barbarism. Is this wrong? If not, then where are the Muslims who will condemn al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas and all the other groups that seek to destroy the West? (There is a formal letter signed by a lot of Muslim Imams that was sent to the Pope condemning Jihad in the suicidal sense) Why is any mosque that preaches this brand of Islam being attended by peaceful Muslims? (If ever we get to meet perhaps you can join me to my mosque adn we could see what my "brand" of Islam does :-) and then after that you can take me to a confession booth, I miss my usual confessions when I was a kid... Hahaha, it's a long and funny story about when I was a child, I'd liek to some day be able to talk to you about that without all this fear in the air. Still hopeful, someday) Why not refuse to make the hajj as long as Saudi Arabia funds such violence? (Actually, I wanted to go to Jerusalem, but they don't allow Muslims there anymore, with good reason though :-( ) Westerners who attack these groups are called bigots. Where are the Muslims who feel as you do? (there is a girl on here that calls herself Salihah, and then there is safraz, and phonetics, and also some others. I am also hoping to be able to meet others like you Pat).

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