Extreme Islam: Anti-American Propaganda of Muslim Fundamentalism-Book Review

So this digit was giddy with anticipation when it heard that Parfrey was sending over the latest example of his editing genius: Extreme Islam: Anti-American Propaganda of Muslim Fundamentalism. It had had been watching with interest the recent outrage via the British tabloids on Parfrey's publishing of The Gates of Janus, an analysis by "Moors Murderer" Ian Brady of the "gleeful" torture and serial killings that he carried out in England in the early 1960s. Parfrey aims to shock (he's also the publisher of Satan Speaks by Anton LaVey), so The Finger could only imagine that the new 317-page book would open another vein.

This fellow has a pretty interesting slant. He's what I'd call a "fringe" publisher. Here's the page on the FeralHouse.com website with the book:

New Books Page

Feral House has an eclectic catalog, to say the least.

Amazon.com has one review of this book, and it's favorable.

As for the muslim cleric, I can understand his fears, but letting the world see the crazy uncles in the closet might be cathartic. And when has Kashmir been an issue to Americans? What's a "lack of sympathy?" here? The faulting of America is ever amorphous, adding Kashmir to the repetoire post-911. I guess the connection is Kashmir is in the news a lot now, it's not a pretty situation, therefore Americans are doing something wrong or should feel guilty.

My 2 cents more: the propaganda I've seen seems to be specifically from arab, and now pakistani circles, not all muslims.

Here's the book review from Amazon.com

January 15, 2002

Reviewer: [e-mail address] from Detroit, MI USA

Feral House has established itself over the years as perhaps the finest existant publisher of books that explore what the bulk of society often deems to be esoteric, strange, or dangerous. Topics have run the gamut from Weimar Berlin to Norweigan black metal to Jack Parsons to the phenomenon of bubblegum music, and many and varied points in between. Yet, while fully acknowledging the tremendous work that has been done previously, I doubt they've ever published a more significant or important book than Extreme Islam.

Those that are interested in/entertained by extremist thought would have had ample reason to purchase this book previous to September 11. However, in light of the events of that day and those that followed, the potential audience has increased exponentially. Anyone interested in the study of history knows that you can't do better than accessing primary source material (that which the individuals/groups in question ACTUALLY SAID) when attempting to understand any sort of historical phenomenon. That's the method used in Extreme Islam; letting the players involved speak for themselves. You get testimonials from a quasi-Marxist Palestinian woman involved in 1970s hijackings, an admonishment from the Ayatollah Khomenni to a former compatriot in the Iranian Revolution he later deemed to be "too liberal," an interview w/ the founder of Hamas, and plenty of material dedicated to the "stars" of the present, Osama Bin Ladin and the Taliban. Lest anyone believe this is a one-sided presentation, the work of Zionist extremists (and Zionist Christian extremists as well) is laid bare for your perusal as well.

We in the West get a muddled picture of Islam from the conventional media. We're told over and over again that Islam is a religion of "peace," and that Al-Queda and Bin Ladin and the Taliban aren't true representatives of Muslim thought. Is that accurate, or is there something "wrong" that is inherent in Muslim thought and its expression, political and otherwise? While this book can't possibly answer that question in any conclusive way, it will, at the very least, raise serious questions in the mind of any objective reader as to the true nature of this oft-misunderstood belief system. I can't recommend this book highly enough."

What a review! Um, did the author write it? :)

All these pundits everywhere talking about that glorious book of peace, the Koran...well, it's not really!"

I've been stating this all along. I have read the Koran and Hadith. The Islamic holy books are chock full of allah-sanctioned violence directed towards non-Muslims. These so-called moderate Muslim pundits who cry "Islam is the religion of peace" are lying and they know it. They don't want the truth to come out until they have deceived, looted, raped, enslaved and murdered their way to world domination. Sorry, folks, THAT IS the end game if you study Islam and read the words of Mohammed. And, don't give me any of that "pick and choose" the surrah excuse. It's pretty clear what Islam wants in the end. And should that end come, there would be no more religious or personal freedoms. Dang scary stuff, believe me...

The religion of peace.

(Koran 8:12) "Remember Thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the believers, I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers, Smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger tips of them."

(Koran 2:216)"Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen that you hate a thing which is good for you and it may happen that you love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, you knew not."

(Koran 69:30-37) "It is not for any Prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. You desire the lure of this world and Allah desires for you the hereafter and Allah is Mighty, Wise.. Now enjoy what you have won as lawful and good and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is forgiving, merciful."

(Koran 69:30-37)"(It will be said) Take him and fetter him and expose him to hell fire. And then insert him in a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits. Lo! he used not to believe in God the tremendous, and urged not on the feeding of the wretched. Therefore hath he no lover hear this day nor any food save filth which none but sinners eat."

(Koran 5: 33-34)"The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet and alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom; Save those who repent before ye overpower them. For know that Allah is forgiving, merciful."

(Koran 22: 19-22)"These twain (the believers and the disbelievers) are two opponents who contend concerning their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, garments of fire will be cut out for them, boiling fluid will be poured down their heads. Whereby that which is in their bellies, and their skins too, will be melted; And for them are hooked rods of iron. Whenever, in their anguish, they would go forth from thence they are driven back therein and (it is said unto them): Taste the doom of burning."

(Koran 76: 4) "Lo! We have prepared for disbelievers chains, yokes and a blazing fire."

There are even more frightening "admonitions from allah" in the Islamic holy books. Where to start? Not only do I fear for people who actually believe that "Islam-is-a-religion-of-peace" bunk; I also fear for those persons that think that Islam is only bad when it is interpreted badly. These and many other passages need no interpretation. The passages that exhort Muslims in the name of allah to deceive, (as in trick or LIE about the true nature of Islam until Muslims gain full control of an enemy, country or the entire world) lay in ambush, overtax nonbelievers as a sort of religious ransom, loot from, rape, enslave and murder the infidel are pretty straight foward and not taken out of context.

Over on another thread, a few people actually believe that Islam is no better or worse than other religions--including Christianity. It's all in the interpretation, they claim. One poster even claimed that some Christians would want stoning reinstituted for adultery if they could get away with it. This poster was obviously unfamiliar with Christ's wisdom in dealing with the adulteress. There's a vast difference between Mohammed's and Christ's version of salvation...

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