Posted on 09/16/2002 10:03:20 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
It´s fair to say that most Americans were shocked to learn that five American-born Muslims were arrested in Lackawanna, New York, accused of aiding and abetting al Qaeda. They are alleged to have traveled to Afghanistan to train in one of Osama bin Laden´s camps and are said to have actually heard him address his terror troops.
The lesson here is that, for "true believers", Islam demands total allegiance to the exclusion of all other loyalties. This is why a meeting of Muslims in England last week to celebrate 9-11 included remarks to the effect that they want to see Great Britain become an Islamic state. On the face of it, that seems idiotic, but not to the Muslim whose life is dedicated to the spread of Islam. The discord between Muslim populations residing in largely non-Muslim nations can be traced to the intent that Islam come to rule those nations.
It is too early to know any but the few facts provided in the Federal Bureau of Investigation indictment. The five men have pleaded not guilty, but there are three other unnamed defendants and it is likely that they are cooperating with the FBI. Thus, we are going to learn much more as the process of the trial proceeds. The investigation, which reportedly began before 9-11, had to have been extremely thorough given the fact that the full protection of the US Constitution will be extended these five men.
Curiously, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was silent following the arrest of the Lackawanna Five. Regarding the September 15 incident involving Miami-bound Islamic-Americans that tied up traffic on a major highway, Executive Director Altaf Ali was quick to protest, saying that the rising tide of anti-Muslim rhetoric in our society can trigger discrimination by a bigoted minority. However, after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, CAIR characterized the trial and conviction of bombing mastermind, Sheik Omar Abdul-Rahman as an "incident of bias and violence" against Muslims. Suffice it to say, so far as CAIR is concerned, no Muslim is even capable of terrorist acts and any criticism of Muslims is bigotry.
There are an estimated 2.8 million Muslims residing in the US. Their spiritual needs are ministered to in 2,000 mosques. Barely a handful of these mosques have an American born imam. The US Muslim community claims its population is six million.
It is likely that the parents of the five defendants were among the first wave of Muslims to arrive after 1965 when the barriers to immigration were dropped against those from the Middle East. Since then, as we have come to learn, it has been an easy matter for anyone from Middle Eastern or heavily Muslim Asian nations to gain access to the United States as tourists, students, businessmen or as someone seeking naturalization.
There is yet another lesson to be gained at this point. Indications are that fellow members of the US-Yemeni population in Lackawanna tipped off the FBI. While all Muslims in America are now under intense scrutiny, some are loyal to this nation.
Let us also not forget that there are upwards of eleven million illegal immigrants loose in this nation and how many of them are Muslims is anyone´s guess. In the six months following the 9-11 attack, more than 50,000 new tourist, business, and student visas were issued to non-Israeli visitors from the Middle East. In the last five years, nearly 1.5 million visitors and immigrants from fifteen nations where al Qaeda operates have been welcomed to the United States.
So, the final lesson of this latest arrest for terrorist activities is that, while we awaken to the prospect of Muslim US citizens plotting against their own nation, there are countless thousands of other Muslims here "temporarily" as students, businessmen, and tourists. Who are they? Where are they? Don´t ask the Immigration and Naturalization Service. They have no idea. And therein lies a threat that is not going to go away for a long time.
Of course I see the difference, and have pointed it out many times. But for some reason, theology never seems to stop bullies and tyrants. When you get down to the bottom line, what matters is how cultures handle their bullies.
Look at the track record. Muhammad killed many and made the first Jihads. Jesus killed no one and in fact healed a few. I wonder if there are any healings in the Koran by Mohammed. I'll bet not! Mad Mo' was too busy making wars and looking for child brides.
It has nothing to do with theology and everything to do with sinful depraved men (anyone who murders and forces conversions) and false gods (Allah).
Agreed, but you and I will have to stand outside the school and pass them out. They sure as he!! won't get it from the NEA!
It is a stretch to find support for this kind of behavior in the teachings of Jesus, but it has been done. I've heard people within the last week on television say that war can be justified by Jesus' driving the moneychangers out of the temple. I find this a stretch.
I say every time I get the opportunity that goodness and evil are properties of individuals rather than ideas. Of course cultures that have stupid beliefs are more susceptible to being led by evil people. that is why we say "those who believe absurdities will commit atrocities."
The reason why they don't have American names is simply because they live in America, but do not love America. Ever notice that hispanic immigrants fly the mexican flag on their homes? They are mexicans first and foremost. Same with muslims. I have a question for our leaders in Washington and elsewhere? Why do we let people into this country who do not embrace our ideals, who do not embrace our heroes, and who reject our culture? That is national suicide?
Jesus' action at the temple has nothing to do with what we are discussing. However, Jesus said, "all authority on heaven and earth has been given to me" - on that basis -- the basis that He is God in human flesh -- He has the authority to judge people. That being said, he did not kill them did He (even though He was justified in doing so since the money changers were ripping people off in the name of God!!). His anger was a RIGHTEOUS anger. Whoever told you this is an example of violence has a horrendous understanding of the New Testament.
Now that your single objection has been dispensed with, please tell me -- where in the New Testament (the single authority for Christ's teachings) does it teach us to murder and kill in the name of God. If you can't produce it, then perhaps you should change your opinion to correspond with the truth? If you refuse to do that, then I must assume you are operating on uninformed bias.
This statment you made makes no sense. If evil is not real, what standard are you using when a person commits an evil act? If evil and goodness are not objectively real, then there can be no standard with which to judge an evil act. In fact, there can be no such thing as evil unless you are calling it evil as measured against a standard of goodness
I never said such a justification existed. I said people have murdered and killed in the name of Christianity. And as a matter of fact, they have done so for more centuries than not. If you're being murdered, it doesn't help if your killer has his theology wrong. Religions are embodied in people, institutions like churches, and governments. If the people running things are evil, the words mean nothing.
The book should be mandatory reading in all of our public schools.
Agreed, but you and I will have to stand outside the school and pass them out. They sure as he!! won't get it from the NEA!
Right - any idea on how to get it around to the kids - Internet?
vaudine
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