Begging? Nope - I am simply straightforward curious to get the Muslim point of view.

Submitted by Michel C. Zala (United States), Jan 10, 2007 at 23:23

Noah - I can see where you come from and why you understand my challenge to the Muslims as weakness and begging. Your mindset could not draw any other conclusion. I accept that, inasmuch, as I regret it.

My intention and mindset however is anything but pacifistic, I assure you. I consider self confidence and strenght as the ability to let the other side speak, to listen to their opinion and only then draw my own conclusion. I wish to hear from them direct and first hand - ist that so bad?

Will you accept that I sincerely ask anyone from within their culture to help me understand? I wanna hear from Muslims for a change. Get an unemotional, fresh discussion started. Is it so lamentable to ask a Muslim scholar to explain these evident paradoxa?

I really am wondering how a modern muslim family , livingin the US for example, manages to practice their religion based upon a scripture which doctrines expansion and is violent in nature, yet balances that with the every day Western Way of life. I believe instinctively for many reasons that this is possible. But I do not know how they do it.

My driving force and motive for the challenge to them ( call it gauntlet from your own militant perspective) is simple scientific curiosity. If I knew a Mullah or Imam personally, I would have already met him to get that intelligence.

Alas - not one single Muslim response! What a shame! I stand bruised amongst the voices calling for destruction, shred to pieces, belittled and patronized.

American Muslims - why do you remain silent? Why do you thus proove them right in their acryd comments about all of ISLAM and its teachings?

Isn't there one single curageous, pragmatic, educated, objective, modern western Muslim out there who is willing to give his point of view in a non-aggressive, no-finger pointing, inwards looking manner? Come on - have some guts and speak up, for heaven's sake.

Noah - admit it, it would be refreshing to have a real dialogue here. Doesn't solely being confirmed in one's own opinion get quite boring after a while ? (except of course to the ones who have zero self-confidence or way too much time on their hands).

Not being a masochist, the verbal beating I get here is quite a challenge and anything but boring., but -having said that, dear silent moderate readers, I'd welcome a tiny bit of support nevertheless, as my tolerance for pain is not limitless either, defending a position against an overwhelming force of eloquent, at times even brillant intellects.

That's it for today, bloggers - I need a stiff drink now and go feel sorry for myself.

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