Wish I'd written this:
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I think I can understand where the brother-in-law is coming from. But I honestly don't think you can separate the man from his religion. There are simply too many acts of violence committed in the world by Islamic groups of some kind or other. I'm thinking of the violence of al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and now, ISIS, as well as the many "lone wolf" acts of terrorists. We have enough problems in America with our extreme right-wing terrorists like McVeigh, or the shooter in Planned Parenthood, or just the wackos, like Adam Lanza, but now, to be attacked in our own homes and workplaces by people who have been "radicalized" by Islamic jihadists?
I don't hate Muslims as people, nor do I wish them any harm, but I have to be honest and say I don't want them as my neighbors. Why? Their values, particularly their political values, are not compatible with our liberal and democratic values. They cannot assimilate, if they take their religion seriously. How can they say they value Freedom of Speech, when living "infidels" were attacked, some even killed, over some silly cartoons in a Danish newspaper?
And how about Freedom of Thought? Any American can change his religious orientation that he received in his childhood. Death is not a penalty for thinking, among us. But if an adult Muslim challenges his faith, or even tries to leave it, it is considered a terrible sin and crime, deserving of death.
Knowing these things, how can I welcome Muslims as my neighbors?
I don't think we should accept any more Muslim immigrants or refugees, excepting only young orphans. I know this will mark me as an "Islamophobe" but I don't say this just because of 9/11 or this slaughter in California. Islam is not a religion of Peace. Buddhism and Jainism are religions of peace, but not Islam. I have no use for any of the 3 Abrahamic religions, but Islam is undoubtedly the worst of the lot.
"God is great!" they scream as they shoot women and children, or carve up human beings as if they were slaughtering pigs. What kind of monstrous god do they worship? Yes, I know, you see the very same violence in the OT of the Christian Bible, but the difference is that we Americans don't believe we should consider slaughter as an act of worship, and we no longer try to live by the ethics of the ancient Hebrews. Islam has never been "de-fanged;" Judaism and Christianity have been, and that's the major difference today. Islam needs a Reformation and Enlightenment. They didn't have those things to civilize them.
So, yes, the religion is a problem, no matter how you try to talk around it. The only real "moderate" Muslims we can count on are those who have been secularized, who are what we might consider "cultural Muslims," because they don't take their religion seriously anymore. Those who do take it seriously either become terrorists, or are always in danger of being "radicalized." But how can we distinguish them? Islam needs to be reformed before believers in liberal and democratic ideas can really trust its adherents.
I don't hate Muslims as people, nor do I wish them any harm, but I have to be honest and say I don't want them as my neighbors. Why? Their values, particularly their political values, are not compatible with our liberal and democratic values. They cannot assimilate, if they take their religion seriously. How can they say they value Freedom of Speech, when living "infidels" were attacked, some even killed, over some silly cartoons in a Danish newspaper?
And how about Freedom of Thought? Any American can change his religious orientation that he received in his childhood. Death is not a penalty for thinking, among us. But if an adult Muslim challenges his faith, or even tries to leave it, it is considered a terrible sin and crime, deserving of death.
Knowing these things, how can I welcome Muslims as my neighbors?
I don't think we should accept any more Muslim immigrants or refugees, excepting only young orphans. I know this will mark me as an "Islamophobe" but I don't say this just because of 9/11 or this slaughter in California. Islam is not a religion of Peace. Buddhism and Jainism are religions of peace, but not Islam. I have no use for any of the 3 Abrahamic religions, but Islam is undoubtedly the worst of the lot.
"God is great!" they scream as they shoot women and children, or carve up human beings as if they were slaughtering pigs. What kind of monstrous god do they worship? Yes, I know, you see the very same violence in the OT of the Christian Bible, but the difference is that we Americans don't believe we should consider slaughter as an act of worship, and we no longer try to live by the ethics of the ancient Hebrews. Islam has never been "de-fanged;" Judaism and Christianity have been, and that's the major difference today. Islam needs a Reformation and Enlightenment. They didn't have those things to civilize them.
So, yes, the religion is a problem, no matter how you try to talk around it. The only real "moderate" Muslims we can count on are those who have been secularized, who are what we might consider "cultural Muslims," because they don't take their religion seriously anymore. Those who do take it seriously either become terrorists, or are always in danger of being "radicalized." But how can we distinguish them? Islam needs to be reformed before believers in liberal and democratic ideas can really trust its adherents.
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