The true nature of Islam

Submitted by Robert H Yauger (United States), Aug 1, 2006 at 15:35

I have some academic background and have recently been reading heavily about the Mideast (Pipes, Lewis, etc.), largely because my son just spent a year in Iraq as an engineer officer. Hezbollah may be a finger in the crisis du jour, Syria perhaps a hand, Iran perhaps an arm, but certainly not the brain. What I don't quite understand and what the media don't cover is the true nature of Islam and the influence of Muslim clerics (Latin-laden word) on the masses. I suspect that influence is more pervasive than is represented.

We live in a secular society and civilization where everyone has a right to an opinion. The salient question, being ignored, is how do we cope with a religiology that does not recognize that right to opine, and will use any means necessary to suppress and deny it? How does one separate the liars from the truthtellers? Very similar to our problem with Communism, but potentially much more dangerous. Even fanatic Communists were not inclined to strap on homicide belts.

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