Islam and Violence

[ravan]

I'm not Muslim, Christian, or Jewish. All three religions want to either convert me or kill me.

So when the current Pope quotes a medieval source as saying that Islam is a violent religion, he was quoting history. He may or may not have mentioned that the Catholic church was just as violent at the time, although Jesus of Nazareth never advocated violence as a method of conversion.

But, when religion A says religion B is or was "violent", the stupidest thing to do is for religion B to respond... violently. If I say that all Christian Fundamentalists are murdering bastards for hunting down and shooting "abortion doctors", most Christians do not respond by calling for my death! If Pat Robertson says that all pagans practice eeeevil sacrifices, the last thing I would do is advocate sacrificing him to anything!

So why in the hell is the catholic Church and the western world putting up with this violent reaction to a supposed accusation of being a violent religion? It may not have originally been intended as a slam at the current state of Islam, but If the shoe fits, wear it!!

A proper response would have been something like "Excuse me? Could you clarify? Our religion isn't violent. You are mistaken. May God give you understanding." not "We shall break the cross and spill the wine ... God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome ... (May) God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen!"

As long as Muslims respond violently to any real or imagined verbal/written slur on Islam and Mohammed, the religion will be perceived as violent and unreasonable. As long as non-violent Muslims do not take their violent brethren in hand and teach them the way of peace, their silence and inaction means that they deep down agree with their more radicalized brethren.

The same goes for Christians, Jews, and "minority faiths" as well. If you don't stomp on or disavow your lunatic fringe, all observers can do is surmise that secretly you agree, and wish them success.

It's like the old joke: "Who says I'm a violent psychopath? I'll hunt them down and kill them!"

Comments

[raindrops.livejournal.com]

They're all barroom brawlers, just looking for a reason, for someone to look at them crosswise.

Such is the world.

[hravan.livejournal.com]

for once I'd say the pope had it right

islam is a violent tribal religion... as is judaism... and european xtianity

and just to prove it the reactionaries react...

how long I wonder before they see the heathens and humanists as a real threat?

[hephaestos.livejournal.com]

Well to be fair (and completely anecdotal on my part), I've never heard of Jews trying to convert anybody.

[heethen-crone.livejournal.com]

True that. It's unfair to lump Jews into that bucket on this issue.

[germankitty]

Well said.

I'm not Catholic (German Lutheran/Protestant, though) and certainly no fan of Benedict or any of the too-rigid anti-reform crowd currently ruling the Vatican (got a problem finding new priests? So abandon mandatory celibacy already and see what it gets you! The old chestnut that a priest shouldn't marry so he can concentrate fully on his flock doesn't hold up, IMO -- ministers, rabbis, imams and priests in just about every other religion/faith prove time and again that it can be done ... ahem. Sorry. *gets off soapbox*), but his quote was ill-advised at the very least. It's too obscure a reference to be understood by even reasonably-educated people without serious thought, and couched as it was in a very scholarly speech only exacerbated the problem.

Things weren't helped by the media; as I said elsewhere, "POPE SAYS MOHAMMED BROUGHT ONLY EVIL; ISLAM IS VIOLENT!" will always sell more copy/attract more viewers than "POPE CITES 14TH-CENTURY SOURCE THAT ISLAM WAS CONSIDERED VIOLENT; DISAGREES".

What made matters even worse is that Islamic leaders latched on to an easily-misinterpreted quote, took it out of context and sold it to the masses as, pardon the pun, gospel truth. Let's face it, a majority of Muslims world-wide unfortunately still are heavily riddled by both illiteracy and very little exposure to the world and other cultures. Naturally, they look to their political and spiritual leaders for guidance ... and often are sadly misled by them.

I can only hope that the apology/clarification helps smooth down the current tempest, and that sane minds will prevail. More people have been killed in the name of God/faith than by an atomic bomb; let's not start WW III over a stupid gaffe made by an old man who should've known better.

[silverstorm2013.livejournal.com]

Amen Sister,

>>If Pat Robertson says that all pagans practice eeeevil sacrifices, the last thing I would do is advocate sacrificing him to anything!

This does raise the question what would you sacrifice him too? I can't think or any power, Included most arc-demons who want his fat ass around.

[wulfmann.livejournal.com]

Cthulhu? :@þ