Do Americans think that a total lack of religion would stop Muslims from killing and terrorist attacks?

Question

I have noticed we all quote John Lennon's "Imagine", but do you understand what an atheist is to a Muslim?

Answer 1

Nope.

But don't you think we'd have a much better chance of stopping terrorism if we were on the same side against it as the civilized modern western world?

By taking up sides with the Christians fundamentalists (yes, and their home-grown terrorists), the Bush administration has pretty much undermined any effort against global terrorism.

We could have turned the global response to 9/11 into a unifying force that would have launched a great mission against the use of violence for political gain. But tragically, George Bush was President, and he took up sides with religious fundamentalism instead of against it.

Have you noticed what an atheist is to a Christian fundamentalist?

Answer 2

I am an Atheist, and I will not quote that song. If you pay attention to all of the lyrics, he turns mankind into a god to worship, and I hardly feel that my individual rights are compatible with submission to whatever the "brotherhood" decides I'm worth.

No, that would not stop them from killing.

One of the things to keep in mind is that not all Muslims are in the Middle East. They range all across southern Asia, as well, yet those areas have fewer attacks, fewer training camps (if any), and fewer terrorists.

The Middle East culture is not all lovey-dovey and peaceful. It is rampant with tribal identities and intermittent warfare. Religion, including, but not limited to, Islam, provided bonds between some tribes, and these alliances were used to defeat and subjugate others. Over time, more and more people came under the sway of the religion, either through conquest, or by imitation to avoid conquest. The old tribal hatreds are still there, and still cause problems. Remove the religion, and all you get is a media that's scrambling to tell people the backdrop of the new conflict.

Answer 3

Well as a Muslim i can tell you what an atheist is to me. Its simply a person of no faith, i dont feel anything specific toward them one way or another. I dont spend my day disliking them or liking them. I know plenty of atheists my own brother is one. I dont feel anything different toward them than i do anyone else. I treat people at face value not what there faith is or lack of. Does that clear up what "an atheist is to a Muslim" or do yo need more clarification?

Answer 4

First, terrorists don't kill because of religion - most (if not all) are incidentally Muslim, but are seeking political and solcial agendas.
Second, John Lennon's Imagine does not include the additional lyrics.

Answer 5

One needs religion to convince themselves that doing something insane, IE flying a plane into a building, is a good thing to do.

Answer 6

Religion has nothing to do with it...Some People like to kill and they will use any excuse to do so....Just seems religion has gotten stuck in the middle....

Answer 7

If there was no religion there would be no muslims...

Answer 8

Thanks for the generalization.