Bush praises Islam for its 'morality'

Washington Times ^ | 12/06/02 | Bill Sammon

[hoosierskypilot]

President Bush yesterday removed his shoes, entered a mosque and praised Islam for inspiring "countless individuals to lead lives of honesty, integrity, and morality."

For the second time since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the president yesterday visited Washington's oldest mosque, the Islamic Center, where Muslims from 75 nations gather to worship. Mr. Bush marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by praising Islam as a hopeful religion of mercy and tolerance.

"Islam affirms God's justice and insists on man's moral responsibility," said the president, flanked by a half-dozen imams. "Islam gave birth to a rich civilization of learning that has benefited mankind."

The overture to Muslims came four days after religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said Mr. Bush "ignores history" by not acknowledging that Islam is "violent at its core."

[hoosierskypilot]

O.K. Think with me here. These people think that God approves of someone strapping on C-4, going into a market and blowing himself up just to kill and maim innocent women and children. Then, the perp believes, he's going to be transported to a whorehouse in eternity? Where's the morality in that?

[goldstategop]

President Bush passed up a major opportunity to challenge Muslims to clean up their own house. More's the pity and the one thing Islam did not need is flattering praise of a morality it does not possess. Pat Robertson is right and President Bush should have told those at the mosque its time for Islam to begin its own Reformation and demonstrate to the rest of the world its truly civilized, tolerant, and peaceful.

[xJones]

I can only hope he's trying to kill them with kindness. But right now I'd vote for the straightforward Putin over Bush, if it were possible.

[I'm ALL Right!]

Bleeeechh..pthpthpth!!! I have a terrible taste in my mouth.

[constable tom]

As Bill the (dead) Cat used to say, "Ack".

[america-rules]

Bush isn't in a bar talking to his buddies on how he's gonna trash these people - he's the voice of 250 Billion on US !

Think about it !

[goldstategop]

I wonder if a homocide bomber would pause to take measure of the President's remarks that Islam should represent integrity, honesty, and morality before proceeding to blow himself up with the innocents around him. If Islam truly reflects these virtues the rest of the world has yet to see them.

[A CA Guy]

Got to see through the window on this folks. If Bush comes out and says that this is a religion with big problems, then he turns the whole thing into a religious war crusade.

We can't fight this on 40 fronts, so expect him so pat them on the back while removing terror a bit at a time.

Some of the people he may be patting on the back now may eventually tapped on the shoulder to be held accountable for terror.

I think Bush knows this as well, but has to PLAY THE GAME for the sake of America and our troups.

We want to keep as much control and things going UNER OUR TERMS.

[A CA Guy]

"Under" Our Terms .....was to be the last words.

[2sheep]

>President Bush yesterday removed his shoes, entered a mosque and praised Islam for inspiring "countless individuals to lead lives of honesty, integrity, and morality."

The Islamization of America continues...here a little, there a little.  Bush is preferring a strange god to the G~d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  No man can serve two masters, not even Bush.

[ccmay]

I agree... Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggy' while you look for a big rock... W is a master...

-ccm

[RLK]

George Stephanopoulos called the disagreement "a theological dispute which is driving a political wedge between President Bush and some of his conservative Christian allies."

------------------------------

It's not a matter of theology. It's a matter of Bush being just plain Jimmy Carter certifiably nuts. Next week mayby he'll take two more wives and wear a dishtowell on his head.

[RLK]

"Under" Our Terms .....was to be the last words.

-------------------------

I think it may be our last words.

[goldstategop]

This is one issue I disagree vehemently with our President on just as I opposed his misguided signature of CFR and reject his attempts to extend an amnesty to illegal aliens in our country. Where the President is dead wrong I don't hesitate to speak out and let the chips fall where they may.

[Lion's Cub]

"Islam gave birth to a rich civilization of learning that has benefited mankind."

He must be reading the Wahhabi textbooks. That certainly doesn't jive with real history. In fact, it is an absolute lie.

[RLK]

He must be reading the Wahhabi textbooks. That certainly doesn't jive with real history. In fact, it is an absolute lie.

------------------------

I don't think he's reading anything. He's just plain stupid. I've been saying that since 1999

[Lion's Cub]

I've got news for you--those who have attacked us (already multiple times) have done so in the name of their stinking moon god. THEY made it a religious war. The "peaceful" muslims not only failed to object, they spewed forth condemnation of the victims. They are the enemy, and they are already fighting us on 60 fronts. Ignoring that reality won't make it go away.

[goldstategop]

Sugarcoating the enemy and pretending he shares our values will never force him to see himself for who is and begin reforming his threadbare, decayed and barbaric cannibal cult into a true religion. Muslims are performing human sacrifices and the President has the temerity to honor them as one of us. I can't think of any gesture more at odds with the times and the world in which we live.

[goldstategop]

How one longs for the days of Hernan Cortes who destroyed the Aztecs utterly after he witnessed the depth of their depravity during his forays into Mexico. The storming of Tenochtitlan was one of Western civilization's finest hours.

[A CA Guy]

Never said we were ignoring them, I said he is playing them because they can't be taken on 40 fronts at once.

Some of these nations would collapse regarding their terrorism out of fear alone if we rip Iraq a new one.

So after that it gets easy.

We can't even wipe out humanism in our own country, how do we wipe out the moon god in another?

[Lion's Cub]

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggy' while you look for a big rock

It isn't diplomacy that is needed here.

[jeremiah]

Let's see, Reagan visits a political school in the USSR, circa 1982. He praises the communist party, for giving focus, and teaching morality to its adherents. Although he acknowledged that a few had taken the totalitarian words in Karls book to the extreme, those followers were in the minority. Saying "Communism is a govt of peace", he called on Americans to refrain from judging the whole of communism, by the actions of Stalin.

If the above were true, would Reagan have been the president he is seen as today? Would we have won the cold war? GW is a spineless NDBF.

[jeremiah]

You sound like the Dems when criticising Reagan for calling the Soviets the "evil empire". By your logic, he should have praised Gorby, and encouraged Americans to understand and tolerate. Open your eyes, GW is an appeaser, he is trying to fight a paper tiger in Saddam, and ignoring the beast of Islam in general.

[Thorondir]

What the frick!!!!!?!?!?!?!?

"Yeah, just pet the nice doggie. Ignore its foaming, snarling mouth and crazed fear of water. Just pet it and sing to it and it will be nice to us."

iSLAM is a filthy, murderous, irrational, bloodthirsty, satanic death-cult hellbent on our annihilation. What a stupid spineless, ball-less Neville Chamberlan we have for PresiDUNCE! What the blazes is wrong with this frickin' moron? What is causing his fear/hatred of the truth?

[expatguy]

As much as I hate to say this, but I am really not impressed with George Bush's handling of this problem.

Is he pretending to be an idiot or is he just living in denial?

Seriously, What is it gonna take before Americans realize that ISLAM is not your friend?

Bush says that we are not at war with Islam, but Islam IS at war with us. What will it take before people realize this? Will it be too late?

[Thorondir]

...but Islam IS at war with us.

Human civilization had better wake up and get as serious about its survival as the seventh century savages are about our annihilation!

[grania]

This is (#1) one issue I disagree vehemently with our President on just as (#2) I opposed his misguided signature of CFR and (#3) reject his attempts to extend an amnesty to illegal aliens in our country.

You're not a believer in "three strikes and you're out"?

[goldstategop]

Do you want to strike him out now?

[grania]

Do you want to strike him out now?

I'd like to see him hit a few important ones (control borders, send illegals home, protect individual rights and a PBA ban) out of the park for our team...the Social Conservative team.

[RLK]

Is he pretending to be an idiot or is he just living in denial?

------------------------

He's not pretending, he's the real thing. He also lives in denial.

His supporters will move heaven and earth, and will devise the most bizarre theories in attempts to explain it away. They are as bad as the Clinton followers in this respect.

[RLK]

Do you want to strike him out now?

----------------------------

He is out. The only thing we can do is hope to minimize the damage this lamebrain will do, and I don't know whether that is possible.

[lavaroise]

What next Mr. President, women wear veils and we grow beards? Is that morality? I am afraid the President is on an iconoclastic crusade following Islam's. The President should let the churches and mosques debate in a sanctuary, he risks mixing terror war and religion, the exact thing he is trying to avoid.

[wotan]

The first commandment of God to man is "Be fruitful and multiply". Genesis 1:28 KJV.

Christians don't follow it.

Muslims do.

That's why a bunch of camel-riding ragheads barely out of the 13th century are a serious threat to Western civilization.

[lavaroise]

He is out. The only thing we can do is hope to minimize the damage this lamebrain will do, and I don't know whether that is possible.

So far he's been killing a bunch of islamists, let us face it. He may be lamebrain in words but he does have some guts to do what he does. He does his job so far and it is a difficult one.

[Consort]

Move this stuff to the Religion Forum.

[FreedomPoster]

Did you not read the "while looking for a rock" part?

The U.S. military is a shell of its former self due to 8 years of the Sinkmeister. One domino at a time, and we've got to keep the other quiescent in the meanwhile.

Now, if we're still hearing this crap in 2006, all bets are off. But for now, it's a delaying tactic meant for the consumption of this Islamic world to keep them disunited.

[RLK]

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggy' while you look for a big rock.

-------------------------

Don't try that with a rabid dog because it won't give you time to look for rocks. Islam is a rabid dog following a lunatic prophet.

[RLK]

I see little concrete evidence to support your contention. Who are you, Presidente Fox?

[Lion's Cub]

We don't have to take on all 40 at once.

We start right here on the homefront by securing our borders. We stop importing muslims. We make it clear to those who are already here that terrorists will not be coddled and that terrorism will no longer be a spectator sport here.

Some of these nations would collapse regarding their terrorism out of fear alone if we rip Iraq a new one.

I agree that removing Hussein is likely to have some positive impact in that we can interrupt a source of the terrorist funding, at least temporarily; and we can certainly reduce the number of WMDs arrayed against us. I am not as sure as you that it will have any positive impact whatsoever on moderating muslims.

We can't even wipe out humanism in our own country, how do we wipe out the moon god in another?

I'm not necessarily worried about wiping it out. God gave us all free will, and muslims can choose to be muslims--as long as they are contained and not allowed to war aginst the rest of the world -- including Israel.

[Texas_Jarhead]

BARF!!!!!

Head in the sand BUMP

[Lion's Cub]

The first commandment of God to man is "Be fruitful and multiply". Genesis 1:28 KJV.
Christians don't follow it.
Muslims do.
That's why a bunch of camel-riding ragheads barely out of the 13th century are a serious threat to Western civilization.

That's an interesting observation--and one I really hadn't thought about before.

[RLK]

The first commandment of God to man is "Be fruitful and multiply". Genesis 1:28 KJV. Christians don't follow it. Muslims do. That's why a bunch of camel-riding ragheads barely out of the 13th century are a serious threat to Western civilization.

-----------------------------

This isn't about a baby-making and out-breeding contest. It's about defeating a madness disguised as a religion. The defeat will be done with guns, not with beds.

[ex-Texan]

I agree. But it still may have very serious consequesces.

Ergo: this is just one possible scenario

[tm22721]

We'll see if Bush is still praising Arabs after he is Saddamized.

BUMP

[RaceBannon]

This is a disgrace, and just another reason for Christians to stop calling this man a Christian. Islam is not a moral religion. Either Bush is a fool, or he is playing a game with politics.

[RaceBannon]

Bush isn't in a bar talking to his buddies on how he's gonna trash these people - he's the voice of 250 Billion on US !

Bush is supposed to be a Christian. Where is his Christian faith in an all powerful God, who is supposed to be the ONLY God? Where is Bush calling on us to believe and trust God in this fight?

This type of talk is a seriously mixed message, and a bad one at that.

[Adder]

In the homicide bom-ber's twisted mind he has the integrity, the intellectual honesty and the spiritual righteousness on his side. Unfortunately, that type of fervor went out along about the time of the Crusades. Even the most zealous Christian sect does not engage in such behavior or even thought processes.
Rather than publicly condemn those branches or sects of Islam that promote and encourage such fanaticism, I only hear silence from the mosques, publicly at least. I wish Bush would stop trying to suck up to these people and either remain silent or privately question the imams as to what is going on. I haven't heard him defend the Catholic Church as a "moral religion" in the wake of the abuse scandals. Why not? Its the same sort of thing, imho. He needs to stop pandering to these people. I am sure in some circles, such as the Saudi royal family, it could be seen as groveling.
He should stop preaching to us about what a wonderful religion Islam is....we see the results of its teachings. It ain't a pretty sight.

[William Terrell]

The whole article . . .

For the second time since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the president yesterday visited Washington's oldest mosque, the Islamic Center, where Muslims from 75 nations gather to worship. Mr. Bush marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by praising Islam as a hopeful religion of mercy and tolerance.

"Islam affirms God's justice and insists on man's moral responsibility," said the president, flanked by a half-dozen imams. "Islam gave birth to a rich civilization of learning that has benefited mankind."

The overture to Muslims came four days after religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said Mr. Bush "ignores history" by not acknowledging that Islam is "violent at its core."

In an interview with The Washington Times last month, Mr. Robertson said he understood the president's political need for support from the Muslim world in the war on terrorism, but said the president should not speak about Islam as a religion and that he "is not elected as chief theologian."

The conservative commentator accused the president of succumbing to "political correctness" by praising the religion of terrorists who attacked America on September 11.

Mr. Robertson repeated that accusation on ABC's "This Week." The host, former Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos called the disagreement "a theological dispute which is driving a political wedge between President Bush and some of his conservative Christian allies."

That characterization was disputed yesterday by the White House.

"This may be an area where they disagree," a senior administration official said of Mr. Bush and his conservative Christian allies. "But there are areas of agreement."

The director of the Islamic Center, Abdullah Khouj, praised the president's visit and told him that it demonstrated "the value of human tolerance, a virtue taught by Islam and practiced here in America."

The president's visit came one day after a Pew Foundation poll found widespread anti-Americanism in some Muslim nations. With the United States preparing for war with Iraq, the administration is eager to mitigate rising tensions on the "Arab street."

White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Mr. Bush "acknowledged the United States has a job to do and we have to bring people together between the United States and the Muslim world."

To that end, Mr. Bush praised American Muslims for "upholding our nation's ideals of liberty and justice in a world at peace."

"Millions of our fellow Americans practice the Muslim faith," said Mr. Bush, a born-again Christian. "They lead lives of honesty and justice and compassion."

Mr. Robertson first criticized Mr. Bush in The Washington Times interview last month.

When Mr. Stephanopoulos reminded him of this quote, Mr. Robertson refused to back down from his assessment of the president's view of Islam.

"It ignores history," he said. "Any student of history knows that it's not a peaceful religion."

"It's violent at its core," he said. "There is absolute virulent hatred of Jews, and the idea that every Jew has got to be killed before the culmination of the age. That's what Islam teaches, and I think that's violent."

Other conservative religious figures have spoken out in recent months against Mr. Bush's frequent statements about the peaceful nature of Islam, including the Rev. Franklin Graham and the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the latter of whom called Islam's prophet Muhammad a "terrorist."

Deputy White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan disagreed.

"The president believes that America is a nation that welcomes people of all faiths — Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and many others," he told The Times. "He's made it very clear that the war on terrorism is not a war about religion. It's a war about good vs. evil."

Mr. Bush is not the only administration official making overtures to Muslims in recent weeks. Others who have participated in Ramadan events include National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans and Treasury Secretary Paul H. O'Neill.

[Monty22]

This is very depressing. islam won a great deal with 9/11.. this just encourages them to attack more and more, since Bush is praising it as being good, each time it attacks us. Pretty sick.

[texson66]

ACK!