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Will ordinary Muslims rejection of extremists hasten the end of terrorism?
Results so far:
| Yes | 49% | 161 votes | Total: 327 votes | |
| No | 51% | 166 votes |
Yes
by Robert C. Sage
Created on: October 06, 2007
Rejection of extremists by ordinary Muslims can only help lessen terrorism, but the real question is how to build their resolve to do so. It is understood that the great majority of Muslims are moderate and do not support terrorism, yet the extremists continue to grow their support. To understand this paradox, requires an understanding of the background of the extremist views and how to turn them on their head.
Unfortunately, many Muslims and non-Muslims alike misunderstand the meaning and true intent of the Qu'ran. In itself, Islam is a profoundly peaceful religion, based on Judeo-Christian roots and its true intent is fairness and justice. It provides for tolerance of other religions and promotes the rights of women and the weak or disadvantaged. There are misguided zealots in every religious tradition and their strength ebbs or grows, depending on the course of events. That is true in Islam too.
Acceptance of terrorists and intolerance increases when living conditions are miserable. When there seems to be no other way out, is when ordinary Muslims are at the highest risk for accepting extremists and terrorists in their midst. The lives of too many Muslims are full of hardship and despair. American-style occupations with military oppression tends to promote extremism. There is nothing inspiring to common Muslims in being subjugated by a stronger foreign power, especially one with strong ties to Israel and that is not Muslim.
Effective economic development and reconstruction is the only way to hasten the growth in strength of the views of moderate Muslims. They must see benefits that are real to them before they can be expected to reject extremists from their communities.
Ordinary Muslims must see their families' welfare to be improving, their town's security improving (since Saddam), their personal freedoms increasing before they can
be expected to support America by rejecting extremists. Otherwise, it is wishful thinking, without basis. Put yourself in their shoes.
Why would you confront anyone who might be dangerous or hold a grudge, unless you were confident in your future without the extremists? Bush and the neo-cons just don't get it. Instead of taking care to be sure that the professionals, middle and working classes see their lives improving, they are too busy just trying to stay alive to take principled stands against extremists. If you felt safer by helping the extremists, because there are too few Americans and you don't speak their language, what would you do?
The War on Terrorism requires serious review and reform, because it is not helping the Muslims in most cases. "Bait and switch" tactics will not work in the Middle East. Platitudes like democracy and freedom meaning nothing unless they are translated immediately into improved standards of living. Hezbollah and Hamas have grown in support in the Gaza and Lebanon due to taking care of the needs of the people. There is no substitute for that. Until America internalizes that truism, there is no hope for the War on Terror making headway in Muslim countries. The moderate Muslims must be see their interests are being pursued. It hasn't happened yet. The War on Terror is effectively a war against all Muslims. It must be changed or it only leads to more suffering for us all.
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No
by Rick Badman
Created on: August 27, 2009
Ordinary Mulims have opposed extremists for decades because they want to live normal lives without causing trouble. But I bet many of them admire the ones who are willing to fight the Jews and those who defend the Jews and Western interests in the Middle East. Also, many ordinary Muslims are afraid of extremists and won't dare openly oppose them.
In Iran, the people tried to vote in a "moderate" who was more like a terrorist who was a little nicer than those in charge of the country. You don't hear about protests anymore. And with the overwhelming support for the present leader of Afghanistan during the recent election, terrorism may come down to a low boil. But there is still enough time between now and winter for terrorists to inflict damage upon the people and the coalition troops.
As feared, Al Qaeda is attacking the cities in Iraq since we abandoned them. Obama didn't want to listen and the people of Iraq are paying the price for our premature evacuation. The police and military still needed time to prepare for our departure. But Obama opposed the war there and now we have massive bloodshed and destruction in certain cities like Baghdad.
The Muslim websites on the Internet seem to be full of cowards that don't have the fortitude to denounce the terrorists as servants of Satan who disgrace Islam. If Islam is supposed to be from God, why are those that seem to be servants of Satan mocking the wishes of Allah? He wants his people to live at peace with each other. I can understand why they would hate Christians like me since we spread a Gospel they don't understand and believe opposes the will of God. But in time they will see that Christians aren't devils just like most Muslims are not from the devil but decent people who want to live at peace in the world. I've met some of them that I admire.
But just like fanatics make so many religions, even Christianity, seem like an insane cult, extremists make Islam seem like a Satanic cult. But they are too lethal and have too many supporters to be stopped. At least we eliminated Saddam Hussein who funded extremists. But the extremists in Iran, Pakistan, India, Turkey, Sudan, and other places in the region and even in the West are the public face of Islam. That would be like having Ian Paisley be the public face for Christianity.
If it weren't for many of the teachings in the Koran, Islam might be considered a religion of peace. But contained in that book is the command to kill those who convert from Islam to Christianity and don't convert back. That is why the teenager in Florida who converted to Christianity doesn't want to returen to her family in Ohio. She knows what the Koran says and is scared she will be murdered by her dad for not converting back to Islam.
Maybe if there was enough of a public outcry against the extremists and some logic in the insane situation the extremists would be defeated and there might be peace in the region. But I'm afraid there will be no peace until Jesus returns to establish his kingdom in Jerusalem in Israel which will expand to the East all the way to Baghdad and to the north to Damascus since the Bible says the Jews will possess the gate of their enemy. Maybe then the ordinary Muslim will be at peace since he will have to accept Christians and Jews as friends instead of enemies.
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