do western countries really understand Islam?

Answer 1

Most people don't thoroughly understand Islam.

Most of them are peaceful that love God. And a few of them are radical extremists that use the name of God to murder.

Overall, most of its billion members are peaceful.

Answer 2

Does any country really understand another's culture, religion etc? Think about it, does the East understand the West?
If Islam is to be understood in the West why not explain what Islam really stands for? This could overcome the prejudice and mistrust that people have because the only exposure most Western people get to Islam is the terrorism aspect discussed in the press.

Answer 3

How can anyone understand Islam. You don't understand it yourselves. Some of you preach peace, others want to convert us all. Then there are those who want a holy war every five minutes. This world will never be an islamic world because most of us arn't interested in religion, we want a peacefull life for our families and not be constantly preached to by anyone or any religion. A religion that celebrates the deaths of innocent women and children has no place on the planet . Understand Islam it's a mystery to me as it so obviously is to many of it's supporters who use it for different reasons some peaceful some not !!!!!!

Answer 4

I don't think Western countries are really interested in understanding Islam so long as Islam has a standing order to murder those who are not Muslim in said Western countries.

Answer 5

One must have a wider look here. First European explorers few centuries ago who were travelling to the so called Orient, were the first who brought us back the view of the people unknown to the majority of the west of those times - the Europe. These discourses were not many times positive, but have tried to portray Islam and its people in not a really positive light, so I guess the roots of understanding Islam by the west lie somewhere here. Then of course there we have power relations, west (US mostly, also Europe) dominates the rest for about 200 years now, which means - colonies and exploitation of natural resources, also in the Orient. Of course on these journeys westerns were not really interesting of knowing the Islam as it is, Muslim were of course fighting back, and were labelled as 'bad, violent', etc. To make it short, I do not think that western countries do know Islam, neither I think they are interested to. If so, then we would see less conflicts and wars, we would try to negotiate, have more talks. I might sound naive, but I think west tries to introduce democracy (western product) where it does not fit, where values are completely different. This is for me one of the reasons why the west is so much in conflict with the Islam. West is ignorant, but forgets that its power is in decline.

Answer 6

Yes , we understand them only too well , with their Agenda for Preaching Death and Destruction to the Infidel , Terrorist Bombing ,Their intention to Establish an "Islamic State" across the world with their Demented Religious Leaders who are determined to Control and Destroy the Free World , to Impose their Rotten , Twisted ways upon all of us . Yes , Western Countries do understand them very well , ---- as they are soon to find out in a very convincing way - The sooner the Better for the whole of the "Free World"

Answer 7

I'm sure many of the other answers will help to make my point.

Not really, but it isn't an isolated phenomenon, all religions are misunderstood and vilified in areas in which they are not widely practiced (and sometimes even in areas where they are)

So it can be said that the Western world misunderstands Islam, but does the Middle East understand Judaism? Or do Israelis understand Buddhism? (the list goes on)

Answer 8

When will Islam really try to understand western countries and thought.

Answer 9

I dont think western countries understand Islam and neither do we want to understand Islam.

Answer 10

Do people of Islam really understand Westerners?

Answer 11

We understand that a zealous few spoil it for the majority. We are tolerant of most things but when immigrants to the west start ranting about non existant discrimination and promoting terrorism the line has to be drawn. If these people want to live in a country controlled by illiterate mullahs under sharia law then let them go to a country where that regime exists.