Daniel J. Pipes

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Does it matter?

Reader comment on item: [Finding Moderate Muslims:] Do you believe in modernity?
in response to reader comment: Phew! I failed.

Submitted by Ahmed (United Kingdom), Jun 21, 2006 at 20:38

On a more serious note, why should it matter to anyone else that:

  • I believe warfare is acceptable in today's world. So does my prime minister and your president.
  • I don't accept the validity of other religions. I don't expect a non-Muslim to believe that Muhammad (pbuh) is God's messenger so why do you want me to accept your religion as valid?
  • I don't unreservedly pledge alledgiance to the government I live under. If a Labour government is in power, I don't expect Liberal Democrat supporters to support the government unreservedly.
  • I don't see Ahmadis, United Submitters etc. as Muslims. Some Protestants say Catholics aren't Christians, surely they have a right to say so?
  • I believe Islam is important for Westerners (like myself) as well. That's not to say I knock on doors though!

I don't claim to be a "moderate" Muslim, I believe the Qur'an is the literal word of God and that believing otherwise makes you a non-Muslim. That shouldn't make me an enemy. I follow the laws of the country I live in just as much as the average person. I don't believe they are the best set of rules possible (I'm pretty sure the majority of the population agree with me there) but I abide by them. I don't think Islam can be so easily split into militant and moderate.


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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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