January 16, 2009
ISLAM?
Those of us who live in South Florida have surely seen county buses adorned with large ads from a group known as Calling Islam. The ads feature the word "ISLAM?" on the side, with a statement running across the tops of the buses stating: "Islam: The message of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad". For perspective, the above web site has a good illustration of the bus ads
What's going on here? I started to put together a rather long post on this yesterday, but checking out the local media reports, it appears that the bus ads are beginning to garner plenty of attention and controversy. Basically, the ads and the Calling Islam web site are products of none other than CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations). At first, I was willing to give the ads a pass, which is my natural inclination in these matters since I'm a believer that Islam doesn't necessarily point to out-and-out terrorism. However, curiosity and good sense got the best of me, and after checking out the web site and looking a little into CAIR, the ads are little more than a publicity stunt to draw people to CAIR's cause (more on this later).
At the surface, it appears to be an attempt to educate non-Muslims about the true nature of Islam, and indeed the web site goes at lengths to point out that Islam doesn't condone terrorism. Once you go deeper into the web site and check out some of the articles, you begin to sense the true nature of CAIR and the ads. Nowhere on the site will you find ANY condemnation of groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, etc. A search query for "Osama Bin Laden" yielded a grand total of ZERO results. Sure, it's easy to say that Islam condemns terrorism, but you can only wonder how these folks actually define terrorism. The following passage from an article titled "Misconceptions" gives some clues:
Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees and livestock.
Hmmm. The waters are getting murkier, aren't they? If so, it's only because of groups like CAIR who are much more willing to blame Israel and the United States than those who are using the name of Islam to perpetrate heinous acts. Want proof of this? Go no further than one of the primary objectives of the ad campaign:
# Bring about positive awareness to our fellow Americans, about Islam and Muslims.# Empower the American Muslim community and share Islam with others.
# Respond positively to a mass distributed hateful message called "Obsession" DVD
The picture becomes much clearer once we understand a key motivator is to rebut a documentary that places the blame for most of our world's violence squarely on the shoulders of Islamofascism. CAIR would have none of that. Especially when there is strong suspicion about their ties to terrorist groups.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel has a story on anti-ad protests taking place today in Fort Lauderdale. First the Gaza protests, now this. Who would have thought we would see this in South Florida? While I'm not convinced that the ads should be banned (I have to wonder what would the reaction have been if it were a pro-Christian ad), it's a good thing that there are people in this part of the United States and the world that understand the not-so-thinly veiled attempt by CAIR to deceive people with these ads. Let the ads run, but also let people know the truth behind groups such as CAIR. CAIR may not be terrorists, but by turning a blind eye to the people that are causing the bloodshed and/or even tacitly supporting them, they can only be reasonably considered as a highly suspect organization that doesn't have our nation's security in mind. That's putting it nicely.
Check out the Calling Islam web site, make sure to dig around a little, and draw your own conclusions.
Posted by Robert M at January 16, 2009 02:48 PM
Comments
I don't like soft understanding when it is clear that a certain group does not have the best intentions.
Let's stp being polite and nice and tolerant. If a group does not condemn the behavior of Hamas and Hezbollah, that group is not a friend of free people everywhere.
My friends complain that I see things in black and white. It's true. I have no problem calling one thing bad behavior and another okay.
So, if anyone gives me one of those Israel is not so perfect lines, that person is off my list. If anyone gives me a yes, but, about Castro and company, that person is off my list. Where the Castro tyranny is concerned there is no but. They are bad, the end. If any group does not outright condemn the actions of violent groups who enjoy killing civilians, that group has nothing to say to me and it is off my list.
Enough with the rhetoric of tolerance for bad actors. Cair is a bad actor.
Posted by: honey ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.babalublog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 16, 2009 03:26 PM
Honey,
I'm with you all the way. I too don't see things in shades of grey.
Posted by: Firefly at January 16, 2009 06:50 PM
If you believe in God, then you know he OWNS the World and everything in it, HE OWNS you, me, and the trees,... yet you do not want to follow His RULES, you do not want to WORSHIP Him ALONE..
Submission, Restricting our Free Will, is a core fundamental way of showing that we are thankful to this GOD who gave us our health, wealth, and safety. In the time of each prophet, each of them submitted their will and desires to the revelation from God, hence they are submitters. As far as labels, was Abraham a Jew or a Christian? Was Jesus a Jew or a Christian? Where did the label Jew or Christian come from : (from wiki)
Christian = Christ follower (therefore Abraham is not a christian, nor is Christ a christian)
Jew = From tribe of Judah
(Abraham was before, could not be, Christ's mother, Mary was from the tribe of Judah, so he's technically a Jew)
Muslim = One who submits to the Law of God (in his time)
(Abraham submitted, numerous evidences, Jesus submitted, )
But I have to give you one point... These prophets were not Islam in the sense of Five times day prayer, fasting of our time (sunrise to sunset), charity of our wealth, and pilgrimage to Mecca..
However they all had a system of religion which they all submitted to the 10 commandments.. especially the first one or second... that none has the right to be worshipped.. except Yahweh, Allah (we do not worship the MOON GOD..duh!)
As for the prophets, Muslims are not allowed to distinguish between one and the other. In third chapter, verse 83, after a long discussion about Mary, Jesus and How Jesus is not a divine being (Adam was created more miraculously then Jesus).. God has Muslim profess the following to Jews and Christians:
(83. Do they seek other than the religion of Allah, while to Him submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly. And to Him shall they all be returned.) (84. Say: "We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrahim, Isma`il, Ishaq, Ya`qub and Al-Asbat, and what was given to Musa, `Isa and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one another among them and to Him (Allah) we have submitted.'') (85. And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.)
Jesus is not dead, he is a Jew who submitted, was raised up, and will come back to lead a time of peace on this Earth, Muslim are too awaiting for him.. we believe in his Miracles, his Virgin Birth, but we do not say he is 1 of 3, he is The Word of God, Most Honoured by God, and he will lead the world to Peace, May God grant him Peace
IF anyone reading this is anyway interested in Islam, Wiki it, Google it, -- get the biased Muslim pitch to join Islam, then compare it to the trash you read here... http://www.islamtomorrow.com/
Posted by: Syed AHmed at January 16, 2009 07:37 PM
Until adherents to Islam IRREVOCABLY, UNEQUIVOCALLY, TOTALLY, and COMPLETELY reject (first) al-Taqiyya, (second) violent Jihad, (third) slavery, and (fourth) its treatment of women, there is no further need for conversation. Those precepts and behaviors are crucial in how the educated -- not politically correct and deluded -- citizens of the West view Islam. The ball has always been in your court, not in ours.
Posted by: Universal Spectator at January 16, 2009 08:49 PM
Ah, so that's why FLPD and BSO had the mounted crowd control units setting up all around downtown Fort Lauderdale today.
South Florida is plenty weird enough already without any of this shit: can't they take it somewhere else?
Posted by: Dave J at January 16, 2009 10:24 PM
www.faithfreedom.org
photos ect... of the religion of peace in er... "action".
places and numbers of those murdered worldwide due to Islamic attacks since 9/11.
Posted by: marc in calgary at January 17, 2009 01:10 AM
Islam, aside from being a very bad and failed attempt to imitate Judaism, is not really a religion as much as it is a system of social and poltical order wrapped up with a concept of god. (Not capitalized because it's not the true God, mind you.)
When we study it and realize that the Islam of the Q'uran is not a religion per se, but a social contract imposing itself by force, we'll stop the "religion of peace" mantra. So-called moderate Muslims who are peaceful will make good neighbors, but they're not adhering to the teaching of Mohammed ~ just like the Spanish inquisitors didn't remotely come close to adhering to the Bible. My house is barely 15 minutes from a very large and prosperous Muslim community ~ got mosques in my neighborhood too. And they're quiet and cliquish - until someone gets picked up for suspected illegal activity; then, they get loud and the colors come out in the wash. I'm sick of giving these people a pass.
Posted by: Gigi at January 17, 2009 05:46 PM