If only we knew history better

Submitted by Holt (United States), Mar 17, 2007 at 21:19

I have read with alarm the postings which attempt to discredit those who think Islam evil by pointing out the bad behavior of Christianity. They give anecdotal evidence of Islamic "friends" whom they know who are good and kind as proof of the goodness of Islam. Even Daniel Pines article at its core states that present-day Islam is out-of-whack with decent values, and coaxes the West to help foment change in Islamic culture, rather than pursue aggressive resistance to its culture.

Regarding the article itself, Daniel Pipes is wrong in his assertions that Islam is a peaceful religion; even the quotations by Karen Armstrong are a weak attempt to balance the other militant quotes from the Koran. Islam is militant. At its core, as stated in the Koran. Nowhere in the Christian New Testament does God tell Christians to kill non-Christians; rather, the Bible is concerned with sinners, with policing other Christians. That atrocities were committed in the name of Christ is an absolute truth. Equally true is that Christians recognize the atrocities and regret what has been done, and at times what continues to be done in the name of Christ. Islam never regrets; they are given to apologetics, blaming other cultures for the extremes to which they are driven. And even when alleged "radical segments" of Islam perform acts of terror, even then the majority of Islam remains silent, or gives praise.

What can be said is that Islam is consistent. What atrocities it visits upon non-Muslims, it equally visits upon its own people -- honor killings, Sunnis vs. Shiites, lack of women rights, legalized slavery of other peoples.

And then of course there is terrorism -- perhaps the only export (besides oil) which Muslim nations have been able to perfect since the apex of their civilization nearly 1500 years ago. What a waste of nearly 1.5 billion people. [Contrast this to the Jews who continue to contribute to the world at an astonishing quantity in a variety of fields -- and there's only 12 million of them!]

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