7.09.2005
 
Interesting comments over at Global Voices Online debating the appropriate response of moderate Muslims to terrorism committed in the name of their religion. I liked this one the best:

If some group within my religion was murdering innocents and terrorizing cities and countries I would stand up and scream that they are infidel and not of my religion. I would share my knowledge and provide every form of assistance to the police to track these heathen down. I would be doubly enraged because of what they have done to my fellow man and the ugly stain they have placed on my religion.

If others in my religion remained silent, did not issue fatwahs against the terrorists, didn'’t point out the radical Mullahs known to recruit in the suburbs of Newark, Londonstan, Bergan, Copenhagan, Hamburg, Paris, etc…

Then, I WOULD BE ASHAMED OF MY RELIGION.

I think a lot of Americans share this sentiment. Most of us are open minded enough to understand that we have nothing to fear from mainstream Islam. On the other hand, we'd all have a helluva better warm fuzzy if we heard a little more offense instead of defense coming from the Mosque across town.

If the tables were turned, we would be standing up and screaming about it. Where is this mass uprising within moderate Islam to take back their religion?

 
Comments:
It would do my heart wonders to see a cascade of moderate muslims denouncing jihadism. But I'm still waiting. We can only speculate why... perhaps it's being surrounded by a philosophy of submission or maybe it's a silent agreement with jihadist aims and purposes. I don't have a clue. Tom Friedman argues persuasively that until moderate moslims everywhere condemn jihadists as repugnant and abhorrent- they will continue their murderous course.

I recall a poll (Gallup, I believe) of 6 Arab countries- wherein roughly 80% of those polled believed that 9-11 was the work of Jews or Israelis. With that kind of conspiratorial worldview, where do we start?
 
The excellent Friedman piece cakreiz refers to can be found here

Concur re: where do we possibly start with trying to convince millions of arabs that it really wasn't the Jews that pulled off 9/11 ... pretty depressing
 
That's what's so sobering about "winning the hearts and minds" of the Arab street. Where exactly do we start, assuming that we're going to use the traditional persuasive approach of reason? Realistically, reason can hardly combat centuries of fanciful religious indoctrination and mistrust of the West. A very daunting task indeed.
 
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