can someone please tell me what is going on?

Question

Everytime I get the story down pat about how peaceful, loving and gentle the muslims are, I read a newspaper or hear a newscast and then I get all confused. I hope Bush brings democracy to these peole in the next few weeks. I think they need it. I know he can do it. They are very receptive to peaceful and loving solutions to their problems.

Answer 1

What you need to understand about Islam is that the Koran says anyone who is not a believer in Islam is an infidel and therefore an enemy of every Muslim. It also teaches that those who kill infidels, even by giving their own lives, will be rewarded by Allah when they get to Heaven. Not even peace-loving Muslims can argue that they are told by their own religious tome that all non-Muslims are their enemies and that anyone who refuses to convert to Islam is to be killed. That is why we will always have certain Muslims who will kill Americans for no other reason than the fact that we are non-Muslim. And don't count on democracy solving the problems in Iraq -- there are so many religious and military factions fighting amongst each other RIGHT NOW for power that the chances of democracy enduring in Iraq are slim. That's not cynicism -- it's reality.

Answer 2

Just as there are different denominations of Christianity there are also different branches of Islam. Most of these branches are peaceful as are most Muslims. A small number of what are called Fundamentalist Moslems are violent. The problem really is that the Qur'an is divided into two very different parts. The Qur'an is divided into Meccan and Medinan verses. The Meccan Verses teach peace and tolerance. The Medinian Verses are far more violent in nature and discuss violent Jihad. Some Moslems, the violent ones for example, think that the Medinian Verses take precedence because they were written later. Others think they were only describing the political situation at the time they were written. At that time, early Moslems were being attacked. How the Qur'an is interpreted differs depending on the branch of Islam in the same way how the Bible is interpreted depends on the denomination of Christianity. The Ahmadiyya Moslems believe the more violent Medinan verses of the Koran only applied when people in Arabia worshipped idols; thus they do not believe in violent jihad.

Answer 3

u r confused that every person in the so called Muslim world is the same... we are atheists, boozers, druggies, liberals, KKKs, believers, sceptic's, philosophers, dreamers debauches, warmongers, family people, lovers and loonies like any place in the world. Only that our conditions are different than where you stand.

If people would have their way and if there was not out side interference, if history were a bit different, we would have thrown over all shahs and established democracies long back. But observe more minutely, how the cold war and tussle between Allies and the Communist block effected the region. You keep forgetting our undemocratic Shahdoms were your allies during that period and it was US that ensured that these regimes are deeply entrenched and not thrown out of power by various left movements. Those days US feared the Red more than religious bigots.

One wonders if the Communists would have at least been more pro people, socially progressive and at least freed us from the yoke of Capitalist colonialism.

Answer 4

First of all, you are listening to the media - newspapers and most of the broadcast news is pretty biased. They are out to sell papers and make rating and some have polotical agendas. You are not going to get a straight story from listening or reading only them. If you truly want to be informed, you need to start delving and listening to the people who have been in the thick of it without heavy bias. My son-in-law, who spent time in Iraq as a national guardsman opened my eyes. Some people are against us but most are for us. The media reports all the shooting and riots but never mentions all the good that the soldiers are involved in - like rebuilding schools, rebuilding hospitals, interacting with children. They don't tell the stories of how children would rather have pens and pencils from the soldiers than candy bars because school is more important to them. But here is the big rub...for those behind the fighting and riots, they are radical religious fanatics and they have recruited some true patriots of their country using misinformation/propaganda. On the other side is the US with altruistic intentions but also a political agenda and propaganda of its own.

And I will tell you again to delve yourself. Don't take me at my word. Things may have changed since my son-in-law returned. Talk to others. I have talked to many who served in Iraq. I believe my picture is clearer and cleaner than anything the media is trying to feed me. You should go to the source as I have.

Answer 5

First of all, it is not Bush's job to bring democracy to anyone. Democracy is letting the people who are being governed make decisions for themselves. Democracy is not defined, "hey, we are the USA, let's bring democracy to the world" As for Muslims being peaceful, well, they will also tell you that war in support of Allah is peaceful . . . sounds alot like Bush, "war to create a democracy benefits everyone". So, maybe Bush is a muslim? He doesn't support women's rights, he doesn't support stem cell research, he uses the environment to as he pleases while the rest of the world suffers - yeah, Bush must be a muslim!

Answer 6

Dont get confused. Muslim is not a one man army. People are different and so muslims are from each other. Also some of the stories are media created. Yasser Araffat, who had recieved nobel prize for peace was one of the founder of Hamas in Palestine. How the media, US and Israel have managed to make Hamas as a terrorist group now?

Answer 7

Actually, I'm not sure if messing with their political system was the best idea, especially since nobody asked us to. I'm concerned for the fact that they are sitting right in the middle of a number of other countries that are pro terrorism. I believe we may be turning them into sitting ducks--a bullseye for all the surrounding pro terrorists to hit relentlessly. We may have done nothing more to improve their lives as it stands or we could be making it worse for them in the end. People were killed daily by suddam and his regiment. Now they could be killed daily by other terrorist groups.

Answer 8

Well I wish we could too,but unfortunatly, every religion has has a fundimentalist off shoot and the muslims have a few. Sadly that's whats standing in their way of peace. We can't give it to them. They need to learn to fight for what they believe for just like we did!

Answer 9

The Muslims do not want good education. They want to study only in Madrasas, where only religious studies and 'hate others' are taught. They want to live in stone age. If such is their mentality, no one - even ALLAH- can change them.

Muslims and PEACE are the opposite words.

Answer 10

You dont read or hear about people OBEYING the law - that is normal (and boring for 'news'); you dont read or watch people going to the supermarket or the park - you hear about those that murder, rob and create 'excitement' - news is about sensationalism wherever it is. still, I am glad I live in a 'boring' neighborhood!