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It would be nice...

Reader comment on item: Israel's President Reflects Candidly on Islam

Submitted by Denis MacEoin (United Kingdom), May 8, 2006 at 17:36

It would be nice if Mr Katzav's well-intended remarks were, in fact, true; but they are just another case of an uninformed non-Muslim idealizing Islam. Bloodshed is a core feature of the Qur'an, and the fighting of wars, like the assassination of opponents, is a mainspring of the Prophet's life. It is a simple matter of a published text in one case, and of history as recorded by Muislim historians or set down in the books of Hadith in the other. Bravmann's study of the origins of Islam emphasizes the meaning of Islam as 'submission', from the verb aslama.

There really is little point in addressing Muslim leaders and telling them what they know to be false, that Islam does not counsel the shedding of the blood of non-believers until the earth belongs to God alone. Instead, Mr Katsav needs to identify and work with the small band of Muslim reformers who are trying ways out of this and other dilemmas. Islam is unique in its refusal to co-exist with other religions, and no amount of pretending otherwise will change things. We need to finance, succour, host, and, above all, protect reformers and provide the means of spreading their ideas through books, articles, videos, and whatever other means we can provide them with.

A few million pounds a year towards Ilamic reform might prove a wise investment, not just for Israel, but for the entire Western world. After all, the Saudis have been spending billions over decades to spread Wahhabi/Salafi through the world, while we have been sitting, engaging in 'dialogue' and inter-faith debate with people who couldn't care less what we say or think.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (24) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
He is right [20 words]Abdul MannanJul 27, 2008 23:26135754
Moshe Katsav [72 words]CassJul 23, 2006 16:4050673
The President of Israel is correct [289 words]S.H.Jun 20, 2006 20:4447971
suspension of disbelief [209 words]donvanMay 23, 2006 11:0146203
Shuvi, Shuvi, Israel [352 words]MalachiMay 20, 2006 18:3946031
Who Know's [177 words]BlackspeareMay 13, 2006 13:0345518
The "Purity" of Islam -- Why Katsav Is Right. [141 words]orange yonasonMay 10, 2006 00:4945215
Sorry to Disagree with the President of Israel [504 words]ron thompsonMay 9, 2006 18:5945179
Correction [130 words]MosheJun 7, 2006 11:1045179
On Katsav, religion, ideology, secularism, and the defense of liberal values [1179 words]Pro-Israeli DemocratMay 9, 2006 17:0545159
Bush has already commented [40 words]D WilliamsMay 9, 2006 13:1045113
Katsav's comment reflects moral relativism [67 words]JonathanMay 9, 2006 11:1445106
Moshe Katsav's comments on Islam [97 words]Kenneth S. BesigMay 9, 2006 09:5845100
The President of Israel is ignorant [158 words]f.shakkiMay 8, 2006 20:2545058
The Jew asked a question and Muslims of Islam were silent [4 words]SirsethMay 8, 2006 18:4545050
Violence and religion [211 words]rickMay 8, 2006 18:2245048
1Cult of Personality is Not a Religion [319 words]JoeMay 8, 2006 18:0145043
It would be nice... [275 words]Denis MacEoinMay 8, 2006 17:3645041
Israel's President Reflects Foolishly on Islam [99 words]JoelMay 8, 2006 17:1545040
What a crock [125 words]EskiMay 8, 2006 16:3545035
Judaism: Last Religion Standing [114 words]ShlomoMay 8, 2006 08:3545016
Learning about Judaism was interesting and I think Islam is making a mistake saying everybody was Islamic but Jesus was actually a Jew [85 words]JennyMay 8, 2006 23:5545016
Response to Shlomo [731 words]LactantiusMay 9, 2006 16:4545016
Response to Lactantius and Shlomo [68 words]MosheJun 7, 2006 15:3045016

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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".

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