Islam (Religion)

by dhw, Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 12:17 (5671 days ago) @ Carl

Xris drew our attention to the problems that arise from Muslim fundamentalism based on the Koran, which explicitly incites the faithful to commit violence against non-believers. In reply to my supporting post, Carl cites violent episodes in the Bible, and goes on to say: "The point is that you can't look at the old texts. You have to look at the modern reality. There are nut fringes in Islam just as there are in Christianity, but they do not define the religion. Current history shows that Jews and Christians are just as capable of dealing out mass violence as the Muslims." - We are talking at cross purposes. Abhorrence at the violence of Muslim extremists is not an attack on the moderates, and is not a defence of other religions. The point is that people do look at the old texts, and the purpose of my post was to emphasize that "dependence on ancient texts, possibly on inaccurate translations and subjective interpretations, can create havoc" That applies as much to the Bible as it does to the Koran. In any case, you can hardly defend one religion by saying others are just as bad. - In your afterthought, you suggest that the moderates keep quiet out of "misplaced religious solidarity". I'm pleased to say that in the UK many leading Muslim clerics have spoken out emphatically against all acts of terrorism. - As George and David have pointed out, your comment on the fatwa against Salman Rushdie is disingenuous. Of course the 1.5 billion Muslims were not out to get him, but we are not talking of the moderates, we are talking of the extremists, and the threat was real. In addition to the attacks mentioned by George, the Japanese translator of Satanic Verses was murdered, the Italian translator was stabbed, there were bombing attacks on a large number of bookshops, especially in the UK, and Rushdie himself was forced to live in hiding for ten years. This is not "rhetorical excess". You are right that we mustn't condemn Islam because of its extremists, just as we should not condemn Christianity or Judaism because of theirs. But when xris says that the Koranic scriptures encourage violence against non-believers, he is stating a fact, and the consequences are real and dangerous.