(Islamophobia Watch) -- Those behind a sign posted in front of their northwest Gainesville church, proclaiming in red letters "Islam is of the devil," say it's a way to express their religious beliefs and is a message of "a great act of love."Ah, Florida! How I so very much regret that, on the one occasion in which I visited your state, I had no time at all to visit charming Gainesville. I'd love to say that I might someday come, but, honestly, chances are slim.
(CNN) -- In protest of what it calls a religion "of the devil," a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Florida, plans to host an "International Burn a Quran Day" on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The Dove World Outreach Center says it is hosting the event to remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam... --Read the whole sorry story here.
Nothing disgusts me more than the kind of bigotry displayed by the Dove World Outreach Center. I've ended decade-old friendships rather than tell a person twice that I don't care to hear any anti-Muslim bigotry.
Are there Tea Party people out there who will condemn this idiocy? How about Sister Sarah? Or Rush? How about Drum Major Newt? Or that up-and-comer Eric Cantor?
I'm not holding my breath...
If there are any Tea Party people who have open minds, I tell you now that Islam is not your enemy. If you hold the view that Islam is dedicated to destroying your way of life, such fears can easily be dispelled.
Take a look at Burkina Faso in western sub-Saharan Africa. The population of 15 to 16 million is some 60% Muslim, 20% Catholic, and 20% other, according to Wikipedia. It is one of the poorest countries in Africa, with very few resources.
But, you know what? Muslims and Christians live side by side without any "clash of faiths" bullsh*t messing things up.
My wife, Maty, as I have mentioned many times on this blog, lived in Burkina Faso for most of her life. She is a practicing Muslim. But she attended a Catholic school in Ouagadougou.
One of the biggest events in Maty's lifetime was when Pope John Paul II came to Ouagadougou in late January of 1990. Schools and work places were shut down. People lined the streets all along the route to the football stadium, which they packed to capacity and beyond, to pay their respects to the leader of more than a billion Christians. This, in a country that is 60% Muslim.
So, you see, Tea Party people, Muslims and Christians live side by side peaceably. They even go so far as to respect and honor each other! It is possible! You see? Just like they do in Turkey and Greece and Senegal and Iran and Pakistan!
Anyone who tells you that Islam is your enemy is either an ignoramus or is trying to distract you from something else.
Islam is not your enemy.
8 comments:
If only it were just Tea Party goons:
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/bad-for-the-jews/
It is not fair to generalize ANY religion or political party. There are both radicals and wonderful people in groups such as Islamists, tea partiers, and independents. (Interesting word!) It is the individuals- radical people who are willing to hurt others- that we need to worry about. One crazy person can do so much harm. Sad.
It depends what you mean by enemy. Islam as a religion in general wishes for as many people as possible to be Islamic. I think Islam is simply, fundamentally wrong, and therefore I do not wish for more people to be Islamic, but rather I would wish for there to be fewer Islamic people.
So I am opposed to Islam. Does that make Islam my enemy? I'm prepared to have a truce, that each of us can believe what we believe without threat of violence or intimidation, and each of us can express our opinion about the other position.
There are places where this truce is not agreed to, places where religion is banned, and places where expressing my beliefs about Islam is forbidden. I would consider both places to be my enemy.
My head hurts just reading that last comment.
I am a Muslim and proud to be one.
I do not to be Islamic, whatever that means.
This stuff just borders on bigotry.
One in five people in the world is a Muslim.
Islam is one of the Abrahamic religions.
So I guess it follows that comments like these also do not want to see more Jews and Christians.
Onward!
Ridwan
Yes, I don't want to see more Jews or Christians, or Hindus, or Wiccans or anything else that are beliefs based on what I think is made up nonsense. This is in the same way that I want fewer people to believe that evolution isn't true, because I want people to believe things that are true.
Mr Binmore:
Re:
"Yes, I don't want to see more Jews or Christians, or Hindus, or Wiccans or anything else that are beliefs based on what I think is made up nonsense."
We all want to rule the world don't we?
Whether you belong to Islam, Christianity or have faith in the secular creed ...
Thus drive for power certainly exists in the darkness of my heart, but I should prefer to emulate Mr Cariaga's aspirations here ...
Both religious people above didn't understand my point at all. The beliefs of Islam, Christianity and Atheism are all incompatible with any of the other beliefs. If you believe one is true then you must think the other two are false. I am an Atheist. The only other thing you need to have my position is that people should believe true things rather than false things.
Every time there is a Church or a Mosque I know there is a building dedicated to the advancement of the belief that I am wrong. Every time somebody prays they are establishing a belief that I am wrong. Every time someone says to be tolerant of religion it means being tolerant of people saying I am wrong. Imagine being told to be tolerant of Republicans or Democrats, that to say you wish they believed differently was being intolerant, power-hungry, and possibly bigoted?
So, in being opposed to religion what do I do? I simply say, in public forums where commentary is invited, what my beliefs are. What are the responses by religious people? That I'm a bigot or have a lust for power.
Well said, Dade.
Post a Comment