Best way to increase understanding between Islam and the West?

Question

This fiasco over the Pope's 9/12 speech (admittedly one of his most boring and obtuse) is indicative that there is more emotion than reason in the reaction. It was the same thing after the 9/11/01 attacks. Tom Friedman (of the NY Post) went to the Phillipines and Indonesia to ask Muslims what they thought of the attacks. A number of them denied that they even happened in the first place - some said that they happened, but the Jews were behind it. When Friedman asked where they heard that, the response was that something on the internet told them that no Jews showed up to work on 9/11/01.

So there's ignorance, and ignorance breeds violence. How do we end the ignorance?

BTW, if you believe there were no Jews killed in the 9/11/01 attacks, I lost a fraternity brother - Darren - who was Jewish. He was killed in the Pentagon.

Answer 1

The best way is to continue shining the love light on them (Muslims).

Also, shining the light reveals what is hiding in the darkness.

Islamic fundamental extreemist are the terrorist of 9/11. Also, the ones rioting, killing a nun, threatening Christians lives because the Pope said a truth, are revealing the condition of thier heart. Obviously they need God's love desperately.

Answer 2

It can't work. One must understand the middle-eastern mindset. (I have some friend in the "sandbox now.") They carry a grudge and they will carry it to the grave. It is their way of life. All these factions are killing each other in Iraq because Saddam is not there to quell them. Decades old family offense are being repaid in retribution. It's a "Saving Face" and "honor my name" thing brought about by pride.

If they could learn to FORGIVE, there would be less death and killing. Forgive means giving up my right to repay you for hurting me. Unfortunately, FORGIVENESS is not in the Koran.

Answer 3

Unfortunately, there will never be peace on this earth until Christ's return. Christians are commanded to deliver the gospel to everyone with the hopes that they come to follow Christ. Muslims are also ordered to convert everyone, with some passages stating convert or die.

Answer 4

Who wants to understand them? I don't. Tell them to go back to where they came from. Islamic countires Morocco, Sudan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Yemen, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazackstan, Uzbeckistan, Azerbajian, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Somolia, Oman, Kuwait, Turkey, Syria, Lebonnan, Turkmenistan...

Does anyone think that they do not have a country to worship in? I don't want to understand them. I want to leave them out of what we do. I want them to leave us alone. I want them to buzz off.

We are taking oil, but they are the ones getting rich of it.... That is commerce. When we get something else, we can finally be done with them.

Answer 5

There is no way that the followers of the three paths of Abraham, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, will ever come together in harmony. These paths are destroying the world and destroying lives. Maybe the best thing to do is to stop allowing for these religions to recruit new members.

Answer 6

You won't end the ignorance because its been bred over many years. More to the point to the people fighting this 'war' are not interested in finding out more about other people, they just think they are right and thats that.

Answer 7

The antidote for ignorance is education.

Answer 8

Understanding?

Genocide perhaps - with their souls freed from their bodies they can go and visit God and ask "how come" in person.

Answer 9

hundreds of Muslims died on 9/11 too.

Answer 10

"Say: we believe in God and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il: Isaac, Jacob and The Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus and the Prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another, among them, and to God do we bow our will (in Islam)." (Qur'an, Al-Imran 3:84)