modernizing Islam

Submitted by Jerrold L. Terdiman M.D. (United States), Sep 24, 2004 at 12:50

Dear Mr. Pipes,
Yours is an excellent article, one that I hope many people will understand to open their eyes. From the Judea-Christian point of view of the west it is extremely difficult to accept that radical adherents of a major world religon can foster evil and promote hostility, violence, destruction, conquest or death, towards all non muslims (including helpless women and children). This is imperialism under the auspices of Allah.

However, this is the stark reality of the history of the Islamic jihad from the time of the 7th century. It continues to this day-(apologists' claims to the contrary.) They assert that world wide terror is the response to a wide variety of grievences perpetrated against Muslim peoples.

I am convinced that the jihad can be suppressed by superior military force (as has been shown in previous centuries) but cannot be ultimeately defeated. I do not think it is possible to "modernize" radical Islam. We must be strong and, above all, be alert to the true nature and magnitude of this global threat.

Jerrold L. Terdiman M.D.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".