Myth of Muslim Condemnation of Terrorism


My latest, a long, kind of forthright piece about the Myth of Muslim condemnation of terrorism, is up at Huffington Post.

I am one of those people who doesn't believe it is necessary for a Muslim -- any Muslim -- to ever have to pass the "litmus test" of condemning terror. If someone wants to do it, as we say in Punjabi, sut bismilla ji aya noo (by all means!). Otherwise, he or she has no ethical imperative to do anything except not engage in terror themselves. I think from 2001 to 2006 Muslims have "informed" about their condemnations enough. Their guilt is now being preyed upon to prop up rabidly anti-Muslim cottage industries.


Ali Eteraz October 10, 2007 - 3:58pm

with some of the content of your piece. I was disappointed that you would compare membership in a biological (ethnic) group with membership in a belief (religious) group. It is clearly ridiculous to hold all redheads responsible for the comic failings of Carrot Top. But intelligent people disagree over whether members of a group defined by a belief bear any responsibility to comment on the actions of a significant fraction of this group, particularly when these actions seem to be at least partially motivated by this belief (I refer here to segments of the Koran which, at the very least, are dangerously ambiguous as to what justifies murder). If I believe in Communism, I sure as heck had better be prepared to condemn the USSR. Religious profiling is a difficult issue for me, as the clearest link between terrorists seems to be their belief in Islam. I think all religion is dumb, but it does seem to me that some have more lethal followers than others.
I do agree with you that our population and media are pathetic in their grasp on matters of Islam, but that doesn't mean that all those who are wary of the religion are ignorant bigots.

Charles Harris October 10, 2007 - 10:50pm

are in fact either ignorant (to some extent) or - well, not bigots, that word has a specific and precise meaning, but prejudiced to some extent.

You might want to examine the chain of reasoning that got you to such a statement.


"The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential."

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Escher Sketch October 10, 2007 - 11:20pm

I am wary of Islam, a belief, not Muslims, a people. I am wary of racism, greed, and neo-conservatism, all beliefs. I am wary of Islam because this belief necessitates the embrace of a text (Koran), which endorses murder.
There is no special rule that says all (religious) beliefs are equally moral; if they were, that would be an amazing coincidence, don't you think? Again, I think any belief founded upon faith is flawed and ultimately intolerant, since it stifles intellectual debate and honesty.
I am wary of Islam in particular because of it's powerful footing in the world, and the fact that (without creative interpretation of the Koran) there is no contradiction between being a good Muslim and killing innocent people in some cases. I am not concerned with, say, Devil worshippers because there are like ten of them.
No one would call me prejudiced if I said I was wary of Communism in particular, or Humanism in particular. A religious belief is just a belief, and does not merit special protection against addressing its faults.

Charles Harris October 11, 2007 - 12:26am

I can understand a belief in a particular religious view, it requires faith. But I don't hold the view that one can believe in racism, or greed, or political positions.

Its not a special rule, but by definition all religious beliefs are equally moral. Regardless of which religion one subscribes to, that person will hold that their position is 'moral', and for them it is so. It begs the question, how does one quantify the morality of all religions? If you are religious at all your bias will corrupt the comparison. If you harbor no religious faith whatsoever, then your own sense of right and wrong, however derived, will hold sway. Each is equally bigoted and in a detached view, equally moral.

In my view, to bear "responsibility to comment on the actions" of others who are like minded, in this case Muslims concerning militant Muslims, is not imperative at all. One can only be held responsible for one's own actions on any level, not that of others. Individuals have no control over other persons without their consent.

Followers in both Christianity and Islam appear to fall into two basic groups, if I can be allowed to categorize in such a way. One is rule oriented and has an outward, imposing aspect. The other is focused more internally as a personal guide to ones own 'perfection', to be judged only by God.

Religion is protected only insofar as civility will allow, for 'faults' and 'beliefs' are purely in the eye of the beholder.

ww October 11, 2007 - 10:34am

"by definition all religious beliefs are equally moral"

Sorry, no. If the sacred text of the religion of the flying spaghetti monster consistently says don't kill, while that of the flying lasagna monster says killing is justified, the former is more moral. If you really believe that we can't even establish a basic morality of our actions towards others because everything is "purely in the eye of the beholder", then I don't know what to tell you. I make certain assumptions when commenting on this site, like that you will understand English, that you have access to a computer, and also that you would agree that killing is generally wrong.

Charles Harris October 11, 2007 - 10:52am

say killing is ok? We try not to make assumptions here or to put words in others mouths.

Tina October 11, 2007 - 11:09am

.. all the assumptions you would like. That's a personal issue.

What is clearly not an assumption though, is your leap to the idea that I may "really believe that we can't even establish a basic morality of our actions towards others."

Morality is a word we use to describe a set of values that defines what is right and what is wrong. Society has a long established track record of defining "a basic morality of our actions towards others." The basic moral set comes to be by agreement.

Why do we call the color red, 'red'? Because we agree to. No more, no less. It works the same for the word 'moral'. The "flying spaghetti monster" sect (red) will think their view is moral. The "flying lasagna monster" sect (blue) thinks their view is moral. To each it is. I can infer from your comments that you would be more closely aligned with with the "flying spaghetti monster" sect (red). (However, justifiable killing is not defined --capital punishment, war, personal defense, etc.) Each sect is not looking at the same color and calling it something else. Each sect sees its own color. Red and blue are both moral, or immoral, depending.

If we can't agree on word definitions then we can't communicate. There cannot, by the generally accepted definition of the word 'moral', be an absolute set of defining rules for what is moral and what is not. There will never be total agreement across the board. 'Color' is a noun, a visible attribute. Easily agreed upon. 'Moral' is an adjective (as we are using it here), relating to principles of right and wrong. Again, easily agreed upon. But, what each of us considers to be right or wrong defines our principles, not the word 'moral', and only for ourselves, not others.

ww October 11, 2007 - 12:18pm

World's future hinges on peace between faiths, Islamic scholars tell Pope

Guardian Unlimited, By Martin Hodgson, October 11

More than 130 prominent Islamic scholars have written to Christian leaders around the world, calling for greater understanding between the two religions and warning that the world's future may depend on peaceful relations between Muslims and Christians.

Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, have been sent copies of the document, which focuses on the shared beliefs of the religions, such as the worship of one god, and the requirement to live in peace with one's neighbours.

The letter says: "Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world's population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians."

The 29-page document [PDF] argues that the basis for this understanding can be found in the religions' common principles: "Love of the One God, and love of the neighbour."

[...]

The Institute said: "This historic letter is intended by its 138 signatories as an open invitation to Christians to unite with Muslims over the most essential aspects of their respective faiths - the principles of love of one God and love of the neighbour.

"It is hoped that the recognition of this common ground will provide the followers of both faiths with a shared understanding that will serve to defuse tensions around the world."


"Vanity, Vanity, all is Vanity."

Raja October 11, 2007 - 8:50am

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