Posted on Jan 16, 2015
Do the actions of the Islamic State represent Islam?
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There are a lot of stories about small populations of extremists that are attributed to the practice various religions. Some examples being members of the Conservative Right Wing, AKA Right Wing Nut Jobs, the WBC activists, or the Christian anti-abortionists of the 80s. But, many stories indicate that Islam is a religion of peace and the religion is not responsible for the acts of a few.
There are estimates that around 15% of Muslims are extremists, which equates to Millions of people. They do not just ban together for a single causes (like abortion issues). They do not get prosecuted for crimes (like anti-abortion types who bombed or killed). They are raised to hate culturally in the name of their religion (albeit with some deception). It is a real, deeply ingrained, belief system that they value enough to die for.
It saddens me. Having met so many honest, decent people in various parts of SWA and in the US; they are being lumped into a single label of Muslim which heightens individual threat assessments.
Do they really represent Islam, even though they say they do?
There are estimates that around 15% of Muslims are extremists, which equates to Millions of people. They do not just ban together for a single causes (like abortion issues). They do not get prosecuted for crimes (like anti-abortion types who bombed or killed). They are raised to hate culturally in the name of their religion (albeit with some deception). It is a real, deeply ingrained, belief system that they value enough to die for.
It saddens me. Having met so many honest, decent people in various parts of SWA and in the US; they are being lumped into a single label of Muslim which heightens individual threat assessments.
Do they really represent Islam, even though they say they do?
Islam
ISIS
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 21
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They do not. My wife is Muslim and has yet to kill my infidel self. Neither have any of my inlaws. Down to its roots (my experiece from a Christian upbringing and the last 11 years of exposure to Islam), I believe Islam is more tolerant and charitable, almost as much as Judiasim. Again, my opinions based on my experiences.
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LT (Join to see)
SFC Jens Randolff I'm not really sure how you want me to react to that. It does not a thing for the conversation and is frankly judgemental to a group of people (my wife and inlaws) that you have never met.
With that here are my thoughts on how you think I should respond: I'm glad you can read and pick out Qur'an verses that suit your argument, maybe?
Or more realistically that you can find and anti-Islam website and do a masterful cut and paste job?
Did you want me to launch into the long list of similar items that make Christianity not peaceful, per literal interpretation of the bible?
How about discuss how Richard Dawkins might have some good ideas, but his execution is terrible, because no one should be ridiculed for their beliefs?
If you think you are one of the few truly enlightened ones in understanding Islam without being a Muslim, good for you. If you just want to spew your cleverly (questionably) disguised hate, by all means do so. I'll protect that right of yours to the grave, but I am asking you to please not do it in response to my posts.
Edit: Added "a" to "not thing" in the first paragraph.
With that here are my thoughts on how you think I should respond: I'm glad you can read and pick out Qur'an verses that suit your argument, maybe?
Or more realistically that you can find and anti-Islam website and do a masterful cut and paste job?
Did you want me to launch into the long list of similar items that make Christianity not peaceful, per literal interpretation of the bible?
How about discuss how Richard Dawkins might have some good ideas, but his execution is terrible, because no one should be ridiculed for their beliefs?
If you think you are one of the few truly enlightened ones in understanding Islam without being a Muslim, good for you. If you just want to spew your cleverly (questionably) disguised hate, by all means do so. I'll protect that right of yours to the grave, but I am asking you to please not do it in response to my posts.
Edit: Added "a" to "not thing" in the first paragraph.
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LT (Join to see)
SFC Jens Randolff , I love to read. I used to read just about everything I could get my hands on. About five years ago I started steering clear of all religious doctrine books because in almost no circumstance could I relate what I was seeing, actionwise with what I was reading. So for the invitation to actually list Bible verses promoting violence, I will decline (it always sucks to get called out on my sarcasm!), because I do not want to crack that book open again and I will not just cut and paste passages (not a dig at you) without verifying them first.
I don't find the need to label people as anything other than human. If they sincerely give a label to themselves I will acknowledge it move forward. It is not my job to decide if they are what they say they are. Going back to my initial post, MY EXPERIENCE with Muslims (in Jordan, Oman, UAE, Bangladesh and Yemen) was that they were more charitable and peaceful than any other demographic I've interacted with, even moreso than my EXTREMELY Christian family.
A lot of people like to spout off percentages or hard numbers about how many "Islamic Terrorists" there are. If the main body of the religion says that IS is not following the teachings of their proclaimed religion and my personal experiences back that up, I agree with it. If you feel it necessary to tell people that they are not conducting themselves IAW their professed religion, that is freedom of speech. I just think written word leaves out a lot of tradition, which at it's heart is a much larger driver of Muslim action. With only very small changes to the script "Fiddler on the Roof" could have been about a Muslim village. Tradition!
About your last statement, I think I feel where your coming from. For me though, it would be "I detest all religions" for similar reasons, in addition to hypocrisy. However, just because I detest a religion I don't hate the people who practice it. Which is what I think you were getting at (the not hating the people, just the practice).
I don't find the need to label people as anything other than human. If they sincerely give a label to themselves I will acknowledge it move forward. It is not my job to decide if they are what they say they are. Going back to my initial post, MY EXPERIENCE with Muslims (in Jordan, Oman, UAE, Bangladesh and Yemen) was that they were more charitable and peaceful than any other demographic I've interacted with, even moreso than my EXTREMELY Christian family.
A lot of people like to spout off percentages or hard numbers about how many "Islamic Terrorists" there are. If the main body of the religion says that IS is not following the teachings of their proclaimed religion and my personal experiences back that up, I agree with it. If you feel it necessary to tell people that they are not conducting themselves IAW their professed religion, that is freedom of speech. I just think written word leaves out a lot of tradition, which at it's heart is a much larger driver of Muslim action. With only very small changes to the script "Fiddler on the Roof" could have been about a Muslim village. Tradition!
About your last statement, I think I feel where your coming from. For me though, it would be "I detest all religions" for similar reasons, in addition to hypocrisy. However, just because I detest a religion I don't hate the people who practice it. Which is what I think you were getting at (the not hating the people, just the practice).
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LT (Join to see)
SFC Jens Randolff I agree! (to disagree) I think I'd have no problem enjoying a beer with you. All the best to you and yours as well!
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Nope they dont, I am a 20 year old muslim and the only factual representation of young muslims that I can think of is that we all love chipotle.
In all seriousness, I think that percentage is a bit high.
In parts of the country it is engrained to not like the western world, but its not because of religion its because of cultural differences and bad history between nations.
In all seriousness, I think that percentage is a bit high.
In parts of the country it is engrained to not like the western world, but its not because of religion its because of cultural differences and bad history between nations.
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CW5 Jim Steddum
Yeah, The estimated percentages are all over the place; 15% was conservative on what I found. Doesn't everyone love Chipotle? Maybe thats the common ground! :)
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SPC (Join to see)
Maybe chipotle could be the great mediator between extremists and everyone else.
Although sir, I am not interested in negotiating with terrorists and Idont many service members are either.
Although sir, I am not interested in negotiating with terrorists and Idont many service members are either.
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SGT Justin Singleton
I agree that ISIS does not represent Islam, but I am curious SPC (Join to see) if you are US born? I ask only because I am a historian and a biblical scholar, and I see a huge difference in "American Christianity" and historical Christianity and even Biblical Christianity (meaning that American socio-economic concepts have skewed the religion). Is it possible that the same has happened within Islam?
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The only problem I see is that 98% of the peaceful Islams will not do anything against the extremists. They are so afraid that they will not even say it's wrong!
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