Some Simple Questions
"If Jihad; by definition does not include the concept of a violent 'Holy War', why do so many Islamic clerics and followers of the Muslim religion keep using it for justification of their killing of other people of other faiths or nations? Can these millions of readers of the Koran have it that wrong?" |
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On the 1st Anniversary of 9-11 many of us are really glad to hear that the NEA, the Saudi Royal Family, the University of North Carolina, and an assortment of other Colleges and groups are out to clear up misconceptions of Islam that most non-Muslim American's seem to have. What a crowd to share one bed! To advance the notion that Muslims' and Islam are against terrorism sounds like a bold and interesting initiative, especially since the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States were done by people who were both Muslims and terrorists. That's a rough Public Relations job.
You've got to understand, many of us here in America get confused pretty easily when 18-Muslim guys hijack airplanes full of ordinary people and crash them into buildings full of ordinary people, and tell us that they did it for Allah and Islam - it's pretty convincing for us to believe that they did it, well, for Allah and Islam. Now you come along and say it isn't true? I mean, these guys were about to die, why would they lie? You can understand our confusion, can't you?
I realize that you think that many Americans are unfair if they make a connection of Islam with terrorism - That's not exactly a stretch; I mean it is a reasonable conclusion to make, given the terrorists had Islamic prayers and instructions along with quotations from the Koran with them? Honestly, if these hijackers left behind letters that said they took down the WTC and the Pentagon on instructions from their grandmothers- we'd probably suspect a connection to dear old granny. We just need some clarification - were these terrorists' Muslims or not?
By the way, one high level Arab said in an interview, "It is incumbent upon us, as Arabs and Muslims, women and men, not only to state but, more importantly, to demonstrate that Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, love, compassion and mercy," I really wanted to ask you about that group that calls themselves the Islamic Jihad - aren't they terrorists? Why would they call themselves Islamic if they weren't and then add Jihad to their name if its not related to the terrorism that they do as an occupation? I mean, I didn't make up that name - they did! I'm getting lost here pretty fast...
Well, I must admit though, I've heard some people make the excuse that these terrorists; including Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, have gone out and 'hijacked' Isalm. Wow, these guys do get around; planes, trains, maybe mail and an entire religion, all hijacked. Ask any Islamic mosque leader in the middle of America, you do have a PR problem. A really BIG one.
I can see why you want to promote a better image of yourselves. You aren't doing too good of a job right now with most of America. You are probably scratching your head about why many of us link Islam and Muslims to terrorisim, especially since we don't label someone like Timothy McVeigh as a 'Christian terrorist.' Well, I never heard him say that he brought down the Federal Building for Jesus or God, or Mathew, Mark, Luke, or John even, and I never saw a photo of him holding an AK-47, Grenades and a Holy Book like most 'self-proclaimed' Islamic terrorists' have done on a routine basis.
You have to understand, despite our low SAT scores, and low verbal and math scores, most of us do actually think on our own - once in a while, especially about serious things. I mean, despite American PS education we aren't that slow to catch on, all the time.
Well, I'd like to ask some simple questions that you could address next time you are interested in holding a 'setting-the-record-straight' session about Islam and Muslims. Okay?
Just relax, take deep breath and be yourself and answer these as honestly as you can and I'm sure that a lot of the confusion about Muslims, Islam and Terrorists can be cleared up, pronto!
QUESTION #1: Are there two versions of the Koran floating around out there. If so, what is the difference between the Koran that the Terrorists are reading, and the Koran that the rest of the Muslim world is reading? Is there an Original Koran and Revised Koran? If so, who is reading which version? I mean, someone has to have the Koran right and someone else has to have it wrong! Right? QUESTION #2: There seems to be no shortage of Muslims who agree with Bin Laden and other Terrorism Inc. members, et. al. Maybe millions. Shouldn't you have a program for these 'wayward' Muslims and their followers who have 'hijacked' Islam about the true meaning of the Koran and Islam? QUESTION#3: Does Islam means peace, or does it mean surrender or submission as I've read in Arabic? QUESTION#4: Why are you making such a large effort to convince Christians and other non-Muslims in America that Islam is a peaceful, tolerant, kind, and respectful religion, but there is no such direct effort to convey the same messages into the Mosques, the Arab Muslim world; and especially to those Muslims in Gaza, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Tajikistan, the Philippines, the West Bank, Sudan, Chechnya, etc.? QUESTION#5: Why are Christian churches, Christian worship and Christian preaching banned in so many Islamic nations if Islam is so tolerant of all faiths? QUESTION#6: Why don't you have an information session or sermon, where you tell Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, the Taliban and other Muslims who agree with them, that they have the Koran and the Prophet Mohammad all wrong? QUESTION#7: Do you remember the author Salman Rushdie? Many of your religious leaders didn't waste anytime putting a price [FATWA] on his head and all he did is write a book that broke Islamic Law. Why don't you put a price on Osama Bin Laden directly and condemn him and other terrorist organizations as apostates for going against the 'peaceful, tolerant' Muslim Religion? QUESTION#8: This is a very hard question that you may not want to answer. It is about Israel. Why haven't Muslims everywhere; including you'all (that's Southern for - All of You; up north it's pronounced Youse Guys), condemned the bombings of Disco's, Pizzeria's, or the killing of civilians and of school children in Israel? QUESTION#9: Just what does the word 'innocent' mean in your language or the religion of Islam. This answer could clear up a lot of uneasiness for many of us in the USA. Like, is a U.S. Postal worker 'innocent'? How about a 2-year old baby on a plane with his parents? How about a fireman trying to save lives in a burning building, even if they are Muslims and he is a Christian - is he an 'innocent?' QUESTION#10: If Jihad; by definition does not include the concept of a violent 'Holy War', why do so many Islamic clerics and followers of the Muslim religion keep using it for justification of their killing of other people of other faiths or nations? Can these millions of readers of the Koran have it that wrong? QUESTION#11: This is a personal kinda question but, I'm still not sure as a Christian, if I'm considered a non-believer that Muslims should live in peace with or if I am an infidel that should be avoided or killed for my corrupt life style, or my religious belief of Jesus Christ and the Trinity of God. I'd sure like to know. QUESTION#12: Finally, I do watch a lot of T.V., and I have a question, just who were those people and children out into the streets in the Middle Eastern part of the world that cheered the deaths of thousands of innocent people on September 11th. Those happy people couldn't have been Muslims or Islamic could they?
Sorry for the long list of questions. But, I would suggest some direct and specific answers that would help all of us in the USA to gain a new understanding of Islam and the Muslim world.
Not that I'm in a position to give you any tips, but most Americans like straight talk - not spin - so I would recommend that you avoid a history about the Crusades of the 11th and 12th centuries, after all Muslim armies did invade Europe and were stopped in central France in 732; or the U.S. foreign policy crap, or the rage of Muslims, or the Palestinians claims to the same lands as the Israelis, or comparisons to Christianity and Judaism, or US support for repressive undemocratic regimes such as Saudi Arabia; aren't most of the 55-57 Muslim nations around the world 'undemocratic? And please, no stories of poverty or hunger, or the CIA, or other 'look-behind-you' answers. Just straight talk goes over real big here in the United States.
Don't misread us because of some educated idiots at the University of North Carolina make their students read a well edited 'early' version of selections from the Koran - most of us realized that is like telling a battered wife that to better understand why her husband tried to kill her the police and the judge will read his love letters and watch video's of the wedding day and honey moon vacation. Oh, sure. We'll get a clear understanding of the who-whats-and-whys of wife killers from that exercise!
I have to hand it to you though, you must have watched a few of Oprah's show of Islam 101 or the evening news with Dan Rather or Peter Jennings and figured they weren't doing a very good job. Those are some small shoes to fill.
Anyway, good luck with this enterprise. Us Americans would like nothing better than the truth about Islam and Muslims and the TRUE 'official' position of this 'growing' religion when it comes to terrorism and jihad.
Oh by the way; while you are at it, perhaps you can tape a "Understanding Islam" broadcast and send some shows to Muslim areas of the world to help set the record straight for some of the people who share Islam: You might consider instructing 'wayward' Muslims and their followers who have 'hijacked' Islam about the true meaning of the Koran and Islam. The bottom line is, I really don't care about the religion. Tell the Muslims about their religion. Now there's a new thought; just tell the Muslims who have their Koran, Islam and the Prophets' message all wrong - that they have it backwards and inside out. They seem to be the ones who need to understand the 'true' meaning of the Koran and Islam.
I am looking forward to some answers.
thank you,
Van Jenerette
Ph.D. Candidate, University of South Carolina
Joe Average American Citizen; who drives a Dodge Pick-Up Truck |