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Islam's nonviolent teachings inspire march
Austin American Statesman ^ | 9/10/07 | Steven Kreytak

Posted on 09/10/2007 8:23:17 AM PDT by Cat loving Texan

They say peace is at the heart of Islam.

By Steven Kreytak AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF AMERICAN STATESMAN STAFF Monday, September 10, 2007

Sharida McKenzie recently heard someone on a cable news show say that Muslims in the United States rarely stand to denounce terrorism.

Then McKenzie, who is Muslim, heard her non-Muslim in-laws say something similar.

The 29-year-old Round Rock accountant soon came to agree and began to recruit Austin-area Muslims to join her in what she called a Muslim Peace March.

On Sunday, about 130 people rallied at the Capitol to declare themselves peaceful and denounce acts of violence committed by extremists in the name of Islam.

"We as Muslims are responsible for making it known that Islam does not condone terrorism," McKenzie told the crowd. "This is about Muslims taking a stand for peace."

Lined up two-by-two behind a large white banner that said "Islam Is Peace," the demonstrators walked solemnly in a circular route that ran several blocks along 11th Street. They carried signs with phrases like "Embrace Peace, Reject Terror" and "Love Thy Neighbor."

Riaz Jafri, a medical researcher who lives in Northwest Austin, said that even six years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it is still important to counteract the image of Muslims as terrorists.

"Our religion does not teach to kill innocent persons," said Jafri, 47.

Addressing the crowd after the march, Sheik Mohammed-Umer Esmail of the North Austin Muslim Community Center quoted the Quran: "Whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all mankind."

He later said: "All acts of terrorism are prohibited by the Quran."

University of Texas student Javeed Bora, 21, said he joined the march to counteract the poor image of his religion.

"If we change one person's understanding of Islam," he said, "then this is worth it."

skreytak@statesman.com; 912-2946


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: islam; muslem; waronterror
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To: Cat loving Texan

The purpose of this march is to change the opinions of non-muslims to make it easier for muslims to take over.


41 posted on 09/10/2007 11:05:02 AM PDT by rogue yam
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To: Cat loving Texan

***”Our religion does not teach to kill innocent persons,” said Jafri, 47.***

I object to that.


42 posted on 09/10/2007 11:06:38 AM PDT by wastedyears (George Orwell was a clairvoyant.)
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To: Cat loving Texan

My son was living in Austin when 9/11 happened. The next day he was in a convenience store and pointed out to the Arab guy behind the counter that the American flag was displayed up-side-down. The guy glared hard at him and turned it right-side-up without saying a word. That was when he realized there were a lot of them out there.


43 posted on 09/10/2007 11:10:00 AM PDT by texas_mrs
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To: theBuckwheat
Re: 37

Thanks for the post/info.
'Taqiyya' is weird/hazy concept to a non-muslim (i.e., 'me'). I can't find it in the koran, but I believe reference is made to it in the hadiths.
Basically it states 'its OK for the islamic to lie for the cause'.
This creates a brutal Catch-22 situation for the muslim-in-name-only who wants to 'get along'.
'Your religion says its 'ok to lie' (which being a religion belonging to the 'father of lies' - I guess that is understandable) - therefore how do I know you aren't lying when you say you want to live with us in peace?'

Basically, people need to flee this religion. Any religion that encourages murder, mayhem, and lying to protect the 'honor' of its deity needs to really consider what deity is actually being worshiped...

44 posted on 09/10/2007 11:46:22 AM PDT by El Cid (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...)
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To: El Cid

BUMP!


45 posted on 09/10/2007 12:57:08 PM PDT by Publius6961 (MSM: Israelis are killed by rockets; Lebanese are killed by Israelis.)
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To: El Cid
Having worked with and employed a few members of this religion, there is a distinct weakness towards the truth as an external representation. More importantly, there is an issue with respect to keeping the truth internally. If it is easy to lie to others, it is just as easy to lie to their family and to themselves. Thus, the truth is mostly a lie that is yet undiscovered.

We have the spectacle of Baghdad Bob shouting “lies, all lies!” to the press when asked about the US invasion while the muzzle of a US tank can be seen in the corner of the screen. We find that so funny because of the blind, reflexive, denial that was so blatantly contrary to easy facts, yet that performance was almost stereotypical of the approach to truth in that society, a society that gets its ongoing values from Islam.

A business associate who came from that part of the world said he had to move to the West to do business because it was so difficult to find executive-level people who would take responsibility for their actions. I have seen this with my own eyes as well. If a bad result comes from a decision, it is not the person’s fault for lack of planning or poor execution, it is just excused as being “Allah’s will” that failure resulted, and society accepts that reason.

46 posted on 09/10/2007 7:09:39 PM PDT by theBuckwheat
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To: Cat loving Texan

There’s nothing non-violent about Islam.

9,470 Terror attacks since 9/11.

http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks


47 posted on 09/13/2007 2:27:51 PM PDT by Beckwith (dhimmicrats and the liberal media have .chosen sides -- Islamofascism)
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