Posted on 02/09/2006 12:19:30 AM PST by mal
ON FRIDAY, I sat on the carpet listening to the sermon at an L.A. mosque. The topic was expected and familiar: a denunciation of the publication of the offensive cartoons that have had the Muslim world up in arms. I directed my eyes to the carpet so no one could see the disgusted look on my face. "Not again," I thought. "Don't we Muslims ever get tired of complaining?"
The khateeb (the person delivering the sermon) stated that it was not right that Islam was the target of abuse. He said some will go out of their way to disrespect Islam. He said the Muslim community demands an apology, and (thankfully) he called on Muslims to be peaceful and forgiving.
I left the mosque thinking about how non-Muslims must be viewing the situation. Based on the pictures and stories in the media, on escalating demands and violence around the world, they are getting a false picture of Islam.
Can they help but think that Muslims are violent? Several newspapers have reported that some Muslim leaders have called for the deaths of those who published the cartoons. Muslims have burned Danish flags and destroyed Danish embassies in Muslim countries; people have died in the protests.
The violent response also makes it seem that the cartoons are worth viewing, that they are important. If the intent is to prevent people from seeing offensive images about Islam, the tactic has backfired. Everyone (including me) now wants to view the cartoons.
And Muslims appear to have a double standard. We cry out that Islam should not be desecrated, but in several countries where the majority is Muslim, it is illegal or incredibly difficult for minority religions to build churches, synagogues or temples.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"I directed my eyes to the carpet so no one could see the disgusted look on my face. "Not again," I thought. "Don't we Muslims ever get tired of complaining?""
While he writes rationally, he still didn't speak up. I guarentee you that if some Christians had called for killing because they were offended by the Book of Daniel that hordes of other Christians would spoken out to oppose the violence.
And they were all muslims...
Can they help but think that Muslims are violent?
muslims are blowing people up, shooting people, beheading people, starving people, raping people, and torturing people in many parts of the world each and every day. What else are we to think but that muslims are violent?
Well he sort of spoke up by writing an opinion piece in the LA Times for the whole world to see.
# re: As a Muslim, I am sad.
When you cannot bear to read the truth, break the hand which wrote it !
When you cannot bear hearing the truth, cut the throat of the person who tells the truth !
When you cannot digest the humour in a cartoon, eliminate everyone who understands the cartoon !
When you cannot face the truth and facts, look into a mirror and if it is unbearable, what would you do my dear Muslim ?. Kill yourself ?
2/9/2006 12:00 PM | an infidel
Source: http://o3.indiatimes.com/queue/archive/2006/02/05/453284.aspx?Pending=true
"Well he sort of spoke up by writing an opinion piece in the LA Times for the whole world to see."
He did that... I give him credit. But with a billion Muslims there should be tens of millions condemning the violence.
Wrong
Once again the true picture of Islam shows its ugly head.
Silence implies consent. He never said a word.
He wrote a word. As was pointed out above. Several words, which would be seen by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people.
That's word enough for now.
hundreds of millions.
"hundreds of millions."
Well, half of the billion are children. half the remainder are women and can't speak effectively in the muslim world. Many also don't know any better. But that still leaves plenty of intelligent, educated Muslims who should be speaking loudly against both terrorism and riots.
To risk playing the devil's advocate perhaps he is right. Perhaps we are falling right into the hands of the forces that want to cause division. I am all for supporting Denmark this is a huge issue. But to be honest the moslems I know and the ones I went to college with are like this guy ,not what I see on the news. Furthermore after 2 years of reading milblogs etc it doesnt seem that whats our servicepeople overseas are encountering everyday with moslems that are trying to make a difference in their countries.
I am all for venting a little and having some legimate means of showing our anger at what is happening but after about 8 days full of extreme anti moslem comments in the blogsphere perhaps we should all take a deep breath and analyze this.
OK how many said a word down south where I am from when the most racist bile was coming out of churches down here. I am not talking about 100 years ago either. Before we all get high and mighty about how this guy didnt speak up in the Mosque perhaps we should remember our not to far distance past.
Al-Taqiyah
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