Islam in America - Political & Religious Aspects

[LovetoGiveRoses]

Most people who are Islamic in America seem to be kind law-abiding citizens.

There seems to be something amiss with the political-religeous admixture as practiced in many parts of the world. Admitadely, this seems to be far more political that religeous, but it is under the banner of religion.

What do you think?

Today's Washington Times: Arnaud De Borchgrave

In the 1960's there were less than 20 mosques in America. Now there are more than 2,000, a number that keeps growing much faster than new churches or synagogues. Saudi Arabia's Wahhabi clergy provides the driving missionary zeal...and most of the funding..

Another section:

Less than 12% of American muslims are of Arab descent. Native born African Americans account for roughly 42% and immigrants from south Asia 24%. The others came to the US from more than 100 countries.

This is interesting....

Islam is gaining an impressive number of American converts in proson. Almost all of them African Americans, but political correctness has inhibited investigative reporting on the phenomenon.

This is a bit alarming...

A retired warden at the DC prison in Lorton, said not from attribution, that Muslim chaplains (mostly sent here from Arab countries in a sort of "missionary" role) had done a good job of calming violence prone inmates. But few, if any, believe Osama Bin Laden was responsible for 9/11. What do they believe? That the US and Israel planned it as a pretext to launch a crusade against Islam.

Al Qaeda training manuals captured in Afganistan were not teh only evidence that America's black prisoners had been targeted as potential recruits. Politico-religeous extremists in Pakistan such as Sami ulHaq and Faxrul Rehman, have convinced themselves that "in the next 10 years, Americans will wake up to the existance of an Islamic army in their midst - an army of jihads who will force America to abandon imperialism and listen to the voice of Allah". .....

Rev. Louis Farrakahn is the head of the Nation of Islam in the US.

Europe is not immune from this either....

Many of the Imams who run Britains 500-odd mosques show no restraint at Friday prayers as they open the sluice gates of anti-American vitriol.....between 1989 and 1999 Europes Muslim population more than doubled to 14 million.

Regardless whether the cause of the trend of violence perpetrated by many muslims leaders and some of their followers is rooted in their religion or not, their behaviors is cause for concern.

 

[Anais Dahl]

I do not know enough about Islam to say anything about it. But I do know enough about Louis Farrakahn to say he is evil and probably psychotic. That man is frightening. That is all I know.

 

[LovetoGiveRoses]

Thanks for your comments. Louis Farrakhan is a power to be wary of.

 

[medjay]

Most people who are Islamic in America seem to be kind law-abiding citizens.

There seems to be something amiss with the political-religeous admixture as practiced in many parts of the world. Admitadely, this seems to be far more political that religeous, but it is under the banner of religion.

Of course Islamic Americans are kind and law abiding. It's because this is not a religious issue. Because a group of people in one part of the world are acting up doesn't justify blanket anti-Islamic sentiment.

Radicals and zealots hide behind the banner of Islam the same way Christians commit heinous acts in the name of the cross. It's easy to use religion as a smoke screen for political agendas because average people are happy to follow knee-jerk emotional reactions.

The reasoning: Extremeists commit horrible acts---> They do it in the name of Islam: Therefor Islam is evil!!! This thought process is childish and ignores the millions of peace loving muslims across the planet.

Islam, like any other religion, has its ugly chapters. I'm sure most of todays Christians don't want to be associated with the slave trade or Native American genocide. It's time to lay off Isalm bashing and focus on the real issue: Criminals and low-lifes who shamelessly adopt Islam for their own agendas.

 

[LovetoGiveRoses]

What do you think is a practical course of action to "protect" our homeland from those who would do harm?

What do you think of this recruitment crusade that is going on in our prisons? Is it religious or political? Is it beneficial or harmful? Does it represent a threat?

 

[celiaKitten]

*repeated post*

These are the things that come from following blindly. No religion is *correct*. No religion is *right*. If you honestly believe yours is, you're fooling yourself.

There are parts of every religious text that are questionable. Writings are usually influenced by the culture of their time, in one way or another.

Simple point: if you ever follow anything or anyone without question, then you're in a whole heap of trouble.

 

[LovetoGiveRoses]

Re: *repeated post*

These are the things that come from following blindly. No religion is *correct*. No religion is *right*. If you honestly believe yours is, you're fooling yourself.

There are parts of every religious text that are questionable. Writings are usually influenced by the culture of their time, in one way or another.

Simple point: if you ever follow anything or anyone without question, then you're in a whole heap of trouble.

There are many people in this world who will follow blindly and they are a force to be reconed with. Are you recommending that we go on a large scale campaign to reach out to Louis Farrakhan's followers and tell them that they shouldn't follow him blindly? What are you suggesting?

 

[Sixth]

Thanks for your comments. Louis Farrakhan is a power to be wary of.

He’s actually banned from entering the UK due to anti-Semitic speeches he’s made.

 

[medjay]

What do you think is a practical course of action to "protect" our homeland from those who would do harm?

What do you think of this recruitment crusade that is going on in our prisons? Is it religious or political? Is it beneficial or harmful? Does it represent a threat?

The practical way is to behave the same way we always have; maintain a strong defense and treat criminals like criminals. The important thing is not to get dragged into a bogus "Holy War" because that is what they want. Then, everyone loses.

As far as the "recruitment crusade", I hesitate to call it that. You have to remember that Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam differs from the teachings of fundamental Muslims. Black people have been finding Islam in prison for years, some successfully using it as a crutch to develop discipline, education and a spiritual foundation. I personally don't care for Farrakhan and look at the NOI as just another cult but, for the most part they do more good than harm. I wouldn't be concerned about them because they're prone to do more harm to one another than anyone else (look at Malcolm X).

Islamic fundamentalists are as different from the NOI as night and day. There is no potential army of black ex-cons ready to fly another fleet of planes into the rest of our buildings.

 

[celiaKitten]

I'm merely suggesting that people need to think for themselves, and question everything you're told.

*sigh* making a campaign to *reach out* to his followers would be as useless as making a campaign to *reach out* to fanatic Christians. People love to be a part of a group and feel that they're right.

There is no solution for those.

 

[LovetoGiveRoses]

The practical way is to behave the same way we always have; maintain a strong defense and treat criminals like criminals. The important thing is not to get dragged into a bogus "Holy War" because that is what they want. Then, everyone loses.

As far as the "recruitment crusade", I hesitate to call it that. You have to remember that Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam differs from the teachings of fundamental Muslims. Black people have been finding Islam in prison for years, some successfully using it as a crutch to develop discipline, education and a spiritual foundation. I personally don't care for Farrakhan and look at the NOI as just another cult but, for the most part they do more good than harm. I wouldn't be concerned about them because they're prone to do more harm to one another than anyone else (look at Malcolm X).

Islamic fundamentalists are as different from the NOI as night and day. There is no potential army of black ex-cons ready to fly another fleet of planes into the rest of our buildings.

Personally, I agree with you that we ought to continue to treat criminals like criminals. I think the administration is working hard to keep this from becoming a holy war which is why they brought in Islamic leaders from the US to participate in the last State of the Union address. I wonder what else they're doing? Surely there's lots of things going on that we're not aware of through newspaper reporting.