Posted by Dan Ewert : 3/19/2003 03:51:00 PM (Archive Link)
I’ve been giving the topic of Islam some thought lately. I’ve stated in the past that I don’t particularly trust Islam because of its history and especially its invocation in recent terrorist activities. Now, there are good Muslims out there, to be sure. There are Muslims who believe the extremists are morally bankrupt and that their version of Islam is baseless and theologically heretical. These Muslims will go to their grave declaring Islam is a religion of peace. I have no reason to doubt them since I’m no Islamic scholar. My concern, though, is not theological. If some say Islam truly is a peaceful religion, then I’ll believe them; I’d rather like to think that it is. Islam in the real world, though, is increasingly non-peaceful. Despite what the religion’s true nature is, the form that’s taking hold and growing in influence is militant and dangerous. You have imams declaring Jews to be pigs that are fit for the slaughter and that tragedies against the U.S. are divine acts of Allah; you have Saudi Arabia outlawing churches and Bibles and enforcing the death penalty for those who convert away from Islam. There are known radical elements in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and even France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Even here in the U.S., we have a respected professor who stands accused of supporting Islamic terrorism.

You may say these are only the voices that speak loudest and are therefore the ones being heard. Very well. But if that’s the case, then I’m not the only one hearing them. The young, the masses, and the easily influenced are hearing them also and hearing them more; voices of moderation are drowned out. As such, worldwide Islam and especially middle-eastern Islam is becoming more and more militant. This isn’t accidental. The Wahhabi sect of Islam is the official religion inside Saudi Arabia and the country has been aggressively exporting it around the world. Wahhabism is a sect that developed in the early 1700’s and it advocates (among other things) the killing of men, women, and children (Muslim and non-Muslim alike) in pursuit of true, i.e. it’s own version of, Islam. Using oil money, Saudi Arabia sends their clerics to other countries or brings clerics from other countries for training and sets up organizations in other countries defending Islam in general. And here is where I think there’s a big problem.

Islamic groups in America and elsewhere, whether they be extremist, moderate, Saudi-funded, or not, go to great lengths to defend Islam carte blanche. There is a denial about what is happening to their religion. This is expected of the extremist groups, of course, but moderates are joining in as well. Instead of speaking out against the growing militancy of Islam and Saudi funded Wahhabism, they denounce critics who would dare to do so. Such people are accused of being bigots and intolerants who are trying to incite anit-Arab or anit-Muslim violence. These condemning Muslims are only concerned with criticism and ignore the growing threat in their own religion. Instead of denouncing critics, they need to say that there is a problem in Islam. They need to speak out against fundamentalist Islam and the Wahhabi front groups. They need to preach true, peaceful Islam and use their dollars to combat Saudi influence in the world.

Demanding tolerance is not the answer in fighting anti-Islamic sentiments. Doing so and not condemning the extremist elements that exist within the religion are only postponing problems. As these fundamentalist philosophies are allowed to take a greater hold over Islam, intolerance among the populace will only increase. Considering the violent doctrines that are inherent in these philosophies, and the likely actions that will follow from them, such intolerance will not be unjustified. It is absolutely necessary and essential that the moderates and the true Muslim believers defeat those who distort their religion. They need to defeat them in the school of thought and in the public eye in Saudi Arabia and other countries. The growing power and influence of the extremists is a threat to Islam and it’s time moderates stop ignoring the fact.