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There have been many opportune threads where I could have brought this up, but I figured maybe I should just write my own post. Reading many of the comments on Ricochet, I wonder how difficult it must be to be a moderate American Muslim. On one hand, you have the radicals in your own religion telling you that you are not a real Muslim if you don't support terrorism, the subjugation of non-Muslims, and the downfall of the West. On the other hand, you have many American conservatives telling you the same thing. It may seem that there's just one hand after all.
I don't get why we would want to tell American Muslims who feel like they are part of America and do not relate to Hamas, ISIS, etc., that they don't belong with us. That they are betraying their faith by not wanting to behead us.
There are many denominations of Christianity, and while they agree on much, there is also disagreement among them. There are Christian sects that view some other sects as heretical. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has Jesus Christ right in the name, but I've run into more than one Christian who says that the Mormons are not Christians at all. Some Christians say that Jehovah's Witnesses are not really Christians, and I used to know Witnesses who believed that they are the only real Christians, and all the other denominations (most especially Catholicism, for some reason) are false religions. Some denominations are pacifist; most have no problem fighting in wars. Some say drinking alcohol is a sin; most do not. Whole books can be (and surely have been) written on the differences between how different Christian sects interpret the same Holy Scriptures.
Knowing that there are various interpretations of what it means to be a real Christian, why is it so hard to believe that someone could honestly believe that they are following their Muslim faith, and that their faith does not demand that they wage war against non-believers? If you are not a Muslim yourself, how can you be so confident that you know what it takes to be a real Muslim better than people who have actually been doing it their whole lives?
It's a bit like leftists saying that all conservatives are racists. And when you say, "That is hogwash. I am a conservative, and I am not a racist," the leftist says that you are betraying your ideology by not being a racist. Somehow, he believes he knows the principles you stand for better than you do. Just because your exhaustive study of the Koran has led to the same interpretation as that of various Islamic terrorist groups doesn't mean that all Muslims accept that interpretation.
Discussion (200)
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Amen, brother Weivoda. Well stated.
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Well, that ignores the tenets and writings of the Koran. Which explicitly say to convert or kill. (among other equally vile and violent things) Can you point to a writing or interpretation of the Koran that disagrees?
In Christianity, you don't have to believe in the Virginity of Mary, or Sainthood, for example, and still be faithful Christians. No where in any sect of Christianity does it espouse violence and death to non-believers.
Your argument lacks factual basis.
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In India Hindu Nationalists really need Indian Muslims. Because - politically speaking - a small weak 'opponent' is more valuable than a small weak ally. People are more motivated by hatred and fear, irl, than positive thoughts or ambitions. And the facts of the matter are a distant second place to that need.
It seems that the Right in the US needs Muslims for the same reason and in the same way.
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I ( a Christian non- Muslim ) personally believe that the Koran requires the subjugation or execution of non-Muslims. However, there are many Muslims, including entire sects ( Sufi for example ) that don't. I would prefer that everyone chose freely to convert to Christianity for their own benefit. And I would prefer that any Muslims that chose NOT to convert to Christianity would disagree with me and NOT believe that the Koran requires the subjugation or execution of non-Muslims. Muslims that do NOT believe the Koran requires the subjugation or execution of non-Muslims are less of a hazard.
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I’ve “liked” this post so that it has a shot at making it to the Main Feed. Depending on how the comment thread develops, it might turn out to be a good example of what is best about Ricochet.
That being said, I’m not sure I understand the thesis of the OP: that there’s no difference between American political Conservatives and radical Muslims? (The last sentence in the introductory paragraph suggests this strongly, or perhaps I’m misreading it?)
The post seems to accept as a “given” that there exists a significant population of Muslims in America whose moderate, non-radical expression of Dar al-Islam is not appreciated by American Conservatives. As a result, these otherwise amiable Muslims are being driven into the arms of Radical Islam as a result of Conservatives’ intolerance; Or, am I misunderstanding the line-of-argument here?
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