And Does Any of This Make Sense?
If Islam is a religion of peace as its faithful claim, and as the politically correct agree with, why wage war in the name of Allah? If Islam is a religion of tolerance why does it not teach Muslims to respect others who cleave to religions other than Islam, or none at all. If Islam is a religion of understanding why does it not enjoin its flock to practise the Golden Rule...to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.While it makes great good sense for a religion to demand of its adherents that respect and discipline are required; respect for Allah and for His Messenger (Peace be Upon Him - and others as well); discipline in the practise of the religion, from multiple daily prayers to keen observance of the Koranic laws, it has failed to produce sensibly humane creatures if they are not also instructed to direct a feeling of brotherhood outward, beyond the practise of the religion.
While I've no doubt whatever that there are countless Muslims who practise in good faith, and extend regard toward others estranged from Islam, others who practise otherwise, others who practise no recognized religion, realizing that they are all creatures under the same sun, inhabiting the same planet, deserving of respect and kindly regard, I am nonetheless puzzled that the face of Islam most often seen now is entirely contrary to the above.
Indeed, the vision much of the world sees of Islam and its followers in the Middle East and East is that of an utterly benighted people. A people whose universal culture is more attuned to bitterness, distrust and enmity toward others. This is wrong, I know. But this is the face of Islam now placed before the world, where fanatical Islamists wreak terror both among their own co-religionists and populations of the Western world. Demonstrating values and orientations directly antithetical to civilized discourse and peaceful co-existence with other cultures.
This dread Islam, the implacable face of Iran's clerics, the Taliban, al-Queda, Hezbollah, Baathists, Hamas is militantly, bitterly laden with enmity for all others, demonstrating an unfathomable level of hatred, in a dance with death. In their collective determination to expunge the rights of others they display an unheralded savagery, a tribal malevolence. They are utterly implacable, secure in the knowedge that they are right, that god is with them.
They value nothing but their allegiance to their supreme vision of their maker. They are collectively besotted with martyrdom in the name of Allah. Yet, if deliberate murder-suicide is so unutterably attractive to them why is it that they seek to enlist in their ranks of suicide-martyrs mere children, encouraging them to place themselves in the hands of Allah and to do his bidding - a bidding whose purpose is conveyed to their as-yet unformed and uninformed minds by their respected clerics and admired "freedom fighters".
When Iran and Iraq were at war, Grand Ayatollah Khomenei saw nothing amiss with sending teen-aged boys to the front, to act as living sacrifices to clear the way for more seasoned warriors, leaving the lives untold numbers of children unfinished on the battlefield. Fighters on both sides of this front, both Iranian and Iraqis knew they were right, understood that Allah was on their side. Allah approved of their butchering one another.
Would-be suicide bombers who make their way into Israel from the Palestinian side fall into the same category, often enough. Children are taught through their schools how glorious it is to die, to give their lives for Allah. Lest they be uncertain they are taught at such an early age that this mantra becomes a part of their thought process. Lest they require additional persuasion young boys and young men are promised that they will rise directly to Paradise where virginal consorts await them.
How will peace ever be possible with such hate-filled people, with such a backward language of historical acculturation?
posted by Pieface @ Friday, July 14, 2006
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