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Disagree with #6

Reader comment on item: Foreword

Submitted by Anon (United States), Jul 21, 2018 at 15:38

"Marginalize Islamism and help strengthen moderate Islam."

Dr Pipes is a prominent scholar and thinker on these topics but I have to respectfully disagree with him here. Its a noble thought and a sign of an open mind but also wishful thinking to think that the West can accommodate a "moderate" Islam because these aspects are never static and it is only a matter of time before radicalism takes root in any muslim society. The active ingredient in the inevitable turn towards radicalism is the fact that Muslims generally believe that their religion, civilization and culture are superior to every other and must always prevail. They further believe that any of the inevitable problems in the society they live in can only be cured by a turn towards pure and fundamentalist Islam. This is also how the Taliban or ISIS have gradually come into existence and how virtually every Muslim society is within striking distance from radicalism even in places that are generally far removed from Arab politics like Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and so on. Kashmir was considered to be an example of a moderately muslim society but in the last 30 years they have ethnically cleansed all non muslims from Kashmir and ISIS flags are a common sight in Kashmir.

The belief that becoming more Islamic will bring utopia is a dangerous path from where there is no return. First these societies turn to some version of shariah and then when there is no sign of the promised utopia - they conclude that they need to become even more religious and fundamentalist (because they haven't been Islamic enough) and this then becomes a vicious never ending cycle that has given us some of the most hideous forms of barbarism humankind has ever seen. Unfortunately this process never happens in reverse because that would be tantamount to an admission that Islam is not the best civilization, culture or religion.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (16) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Moderate Islam? No problem. [18 words]Neville BarnesSep 28, 2018 19:53245100
3Disagree with #6 [321 words]AnonJul 21, 2018 15:38243833
I also disagree with #6 (and an experiment with Bible and Quran) [457 words]PrashantAug 24, 2018 23:03243833
Hypocrisy [109 words]Sohel BahjatJul 17, 2018 13:00243768
2Islam and its victims! [313 words]dhimmi no moreJul 15, 2018 14:29243743
There Is No Moderate Islam But There Could Be [64 words]David RyanJul 13, 2018 20:04243719
1Most Enduring Foe. [229 words]Reynald de ChatillonJul 13, 2018 02:12243713
2When the context is worse than the verse [205 words]PrashantJul 14, 2018 17:15243713
Global Cage Match - There Will Be No Survivors - Only Escapees [384 words]M ToveyJul 16, 2018 16:43243713
The Qur'an and Tafaseer (pl of Tafsir) al-Qur'an are full of disasters! This time Allah looking for a woman! [277 words]dhimmi no moreJul 17, 2018 07:18243713
Beyond Terror [141 words]Judith DaviesJul 13, 2018 00:37243710
Wilder's book on Islam ought to be taught in British high-schools, at least among other texts on the subject of Islam. [118 words]AnonJul 12, 2018 20:14243708
Anne Waters [23 words]JohnJul 12, 2018 19:47243707
Anne Marie Waters [157 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Dennis MiddlebrooksJul 12, 2018 19:08243706
3To save our world we must criticize Islam [242 words]PrashantJul 13, 2018 23:46243706
Facts too long denied [30 words]Darlene CasellaJul 12, 2018 17:04243702

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