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Moderate followers make moderate religions

Reader comment on item: The Middle East Forum Debates Moderate Islam

Submitted by Alexandros (United Kingdom), Apr 1, 2014 at 08:27

Looking back in history, i think that the empirical analysis shows that moderate followers transform fanatic religions into moderate ones. So in our case we can't expect a moderate Islam to make moderate Muslims, but rather moderate Muslims to make a moderate Islam. it is not only Islam, it is all three monotheistic religions that work in the same way, in Christianity, people changed their opinions for life and existence and religion had to adjust, in Judaism again the moderate Jews differentiated the way they see life, even though the fanatic religious jews still exist, dressed up in their peculiar clothes and doing their thing.

The difference of Islam is that Islam is a system of governance in it's core, while the other two aren't, so this makes very hard the separation of state from religion. In Europe people earned democracy, because the state was successfully separated from the church. It is very hard if not impossible to do the same with Islam, but if it is ever going to be done, it the moderate Muslims who will succeed to do so. it is completely irrational and naive to believe that there are going to be moderate Islamic priests who are willingly going to drop their power in favour of a system that is going to reduce their power! Why would they do such a thing? As for the gay marriage that is given as an example, in my opinion this is probably a different question and i am affraid that it has nothing to do with modernisation of religions but the immediate interference of the state in religious issues...which could be effectively as dangerous as the religious state!

In any case and for the islamic world the best example for analysis is Turkey! Turkey supposed to be secular, Islam was moderate. All these assumptions proved wrong, especially after the last elections. The islamic fanaticism is deeply rooted in Islamists, even the effort of the Kemalists to destroy that power was worthless and probably had the opposite effects. This suppression of the religious sentiment enpowered the Islamic religion and the uneducated and poor masses of Turkey found support in their religion and this power was exploited, but an Islamic dictator intead of a secular one.

The mentality of those people can't be changed in the same way like in European countries or in America. His enemies tried to follow the examples of such countries so to beat him and organised PSOP against him like they would do in any other state, but they didn't etimate that the criteria of the Turkish people are different, they didn't estimate that Islamists and Europeans or Americans have different priorities, criteria, opinions, mentality! That's why they failed and the conspiracy theories of Erdogan along with neo-Ottomanism, Islamism and anti-semitic sentiments prevailed against financial scandals, lack of democracy and suppression of minorities! Equality and democracy are not a part of Islam and not only that, but they are considered as the enemies of Islam and Islam is the priority!

The Question i would like to ask Doctor Pipes is why America supports blindly the fanatics of Turkey and their aggressiveness, do they really want to rise from the dead a neo_Ottoman empire, an empire of submission, an empire that will want to go nuclear and collaborate strongly with Russia?

Submitting....

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".

Daniel Pipes replies:

That blind support for the AKP in Turkey is no longer so complete and is diminishing. Finally.

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Reader comments (79) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
The Fallacy of moderate Islam [130 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
SkiltzOct 4, 2014 14:20218461
A water-downed version of "authentic Christianity" [415 words]FalcoSep 9, 2014 07:44217691
The purpose of religion is to control ourselves, not to criticize others [12 words]Nalliah ThayabharanJul 11, 2014 00:42215894
The Logic - Big Three [81 words]Mark DApr 14, 2014 21:42214475
1Manful try, Dr. Pipes [615 words]Kepha HorApr 8, 2014 17:56214377
The Middle East Forum Debates Moderate Islam [722 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Peter F.Apr 7, 2014 13:56214347
Human Interpretation of Christianity May be Moderated - Its Biblical Truth Does Not Change [659 words]M. ToveyMay 16, 2014 14:29214347
1Religion is an Opium [70 words]Nalliah ThayabharanApr 4, 2014 12:35214264
2How long have we got? [52 words]StavrosApr 2, 2014 01:58214190
2Ibrahim is right [101 words]Mahendra MathurApr 1, 2014 16:38214178
Islam doctrine too ingrained to change [148 words]BridgetApr 17, 2014 16:39214178
4Moderate Nazi could be solution. [658 words]PhiliorApr 1, 2014 09:23214176
Moderate followers make moderate religions [554 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AlexandrosApr 1, 2014 08:27214175
1"Moderate" Religion [160 words]Michael S.Apr 1, 2014 05:56214172
1Pipes and Ibrahim: Is Moderate Islam Possible [349 words]Richard BenkinApr 1, 2014 00:15214170
arab orthodoxy vs south-asian moderate [95 words]mythApr 2, 2014 06:03214170
1Pipes and Ibrahim: Is Moderate Islam Possible: Response [157 words]Richard BenkinApr 4, 2014 00:05214170
2You are misreading religion in India [204 words]dhimmi no moreApr 4, 2014 13:00214170
Misreading? Doubtful. [123 words]Richard BenkinApr 5, 2014 07:56214170
1Motivations and rocket science [429 words]dhimmi no moreApr 7, 2014 17:14214170
1Desert v. Monsoon Islam? [251 words]Peter HerzApr 8, 2014 18:06214170
Ibrahim and Pipes on Moderate Islam [270 words]Mark DMar 31, 2014 20:44214168
reformed or transformed? [345 words]FrankzMar 31, 2014 19:39214166
Moderate Islam [229 words]Dan SchnittkerMar 31, 2014 16:05214165
1Why Ibrahim is right [35 words]Roberto AlazarMar 31, 2014 12:23214162
historical analogies? [164 words]gayleMar 31, 2014 11:55214161
Time Heals [50 words]Jon, a Brit from EurolandMar 31, 2014 09:59214160
A True Dilemma [414 words]john w. mcginleyMar 31, 2014 09:52214159
Taking love for granted [125 words]John BMar 31, 2014 08:13214157
1Reformed Islam - and maybe Moderate Muslims [116 words]Dian KjaergaardMar 31, 2014 07:15214155
1Your Expectations [276 words]MoisheMar 31, 2014 04:31214154
Moderate Muslims "used as objects of derision" [38 words]RhetoricalGirlApr 14, 2014 18:20214154
Feminism & education will be the key (and the Noor soap opera as a bright spot) [334 words]PezDispenserMar 31, 2014 04:08214153
moderate muslims vs. moderate Islam [9 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MosheMar 31, 2014 03:08214152
Even if moderate Islam takes off, there will still be jihadists and Islamists galore [63 words]Yoel NatanMar 31, 2014 00:15214150
1Reinterpretation of scripture [180 words]Russ GoldMar 30, 2014 23:43214149
To be or not to be .......... [114 words]jon metesMar 30, 2014 22:31214148
5Rebuttal to Mr Pipes on 'Moderate Muslims' [424 words]IQ al RassooliMar 30, 2014 21:14214147
Milquetoast Moderation of Religion [849 words]M. ToveyApr 2, 2014 16:14214147
Islamic Moderation Greater in the Past [211 words]DaveMar 30, 2014 20:27214146
4A COMPLIMENT [176 words]DAVIDMar 30, 2014 20:03214145
Moderate Islam? [14 words]Paul SeverienMar 30, 2014 17:39214141
Moderate Islam ? [74 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JanaMar 30, 2014 17:22214139
Nothing human is fixed [86 words]Kingsley BeattieMar 30, 2014 16:35214138
2Reforming Islam??? [227 words]Carl GoldbergMar 30, 2014 16:32214137
Wrong analogy [176 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
aviMar 30, 2014 14:07214135
1Pipe's Error [129 words]Nathan DeutschMar 30, 2014 14:01214134
Ibrahim's viewpoint is more compelling. [292 words]Rich McMahonMar 30, 2014 13:36214133
How to save Muslims and the rest of us from Islam and other religions [423 words]A.T. HalmayMar 30, 2014 13:35214132
Do civilizations "progress" [181 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MARTIN KESSLERMar 30, 2014 13:12214131
"Moderate" sounds like "Luke Warm" [146 words]Tony PattersonMar 30, 2014 12:52214130
I admire optimism but... [265 words]Doug MayfieldMar 30, 2014 12:35214129
Dichotomy: Fundamental Muslims vs Moderate Muslims [430 words]Mike RamirezMar 30, 2014 12:16214128
1I believe change is possible [96 words]Robin RosenblattMar 30, 2014 12:09214126
1'change' possible - but for how long??? [38 words]Mohammed Wazir AhkspaidarApr 1, 2014 22:06214126
Islam is a community religion [96 words]Robin RosenblattApr 1, 2014 23:33214126
תודה [1 words]Robin RosenblattApr 3, 2014 23:56214126
1No Moderate Islam [73 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AndrewMar 30, 2014 11:54214124
Does Moderate Islam Really Exist? [211 words]M. ToveyApr 2, 2014 19:27214124
1From a British perspective [48 words]ECAWMar 30, 2014 11:31214122
Islam certainly does seem to be the problem [120 words]RaeApr 4, 2014 18:21214122
1Ideology first [47 words]ECAWApr 5, 2014 05:35214122
2The legacy of the the concept of "radical Islam" [159 words]Irving WeisdorfMar 30, 2014 11:18214121
Interpretation Changes Are Possible [317 words]Iftekhar HaiMar 30, 2014 11:13214120
Changing Islam [91 words]JIMJFOXMar 30, 2014 10:43214117
1Moderate Islam oxymoron? [102 words]Wallace SchwamMar 30, 2014 10:37214116
2Inmportant Debate to Have [254 words]Boston Tea PartyMar 30, 2014 10:35214115
1Here is an example of why Islam cannot be reformed [179 words]dhimmi no moreMar 30, 2014 10:11214113
Lev. 20:13 misunderstanding [143 words]New Class TraitorMar 30, 2014 09:49214112
1ISLAM IS ISLAM [93 words]Bob RosenMar 30, 2014 09:42214111
Assimilation effects [178 words]Duncan DruhlMar 30, 2014 09:15214110
What's in Your Pipe? [377 words]TL WinslowMar 30, 2014 09:02214109
1Q9:29 and abrogation and the fatal flaw in Sunni Islam is there is no Pope! [277 words]dhimmi no moreMar 30, 2014 08:53214108
1The Islamic "Pope" is the Kalipha [143 words]Mike RamirezApr 1, 2014 22:17214108
4حاميها حراميها or the thief is the one who is protecting it and Turkey is a vile country [889 words]dhimmi no moreApr 2, 2014 19:07214108
1Great explanation. Thanks! [179 words]Mike RamirezApr 3, 2014 23:50214108
2The amazing Oktar and his women [352 words]dhimmi no moreApr 5, 2014 11:36214108
1There is a difference between Jewish and Christian "holy books" and the Qur'an [240 words]Eric MacDonaldMar 30, 2014 08:52214107
1Truth is absolute [114 words]TBKMar 30, 2014 08:30214106

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