Why do people see Islam as a terrible religion?

Question

Do they realize that the media is LYING to them? I got to talk to a Muslim person today. He was a very good man and he started an organization that helps parents reconnect with their families after they get out of prison. He told me he used to live on the streets and he did drugs and was constantly drinking. Then, he found Islam and it helped him put his life together and work to help others. He explained and showed me that Islam is NOT a religion of violence or killing but a one of peace. He also told me the Muslim extremists are actually enemies of Islam because they give the religion a bad reputation. He spoke truthfully from his heart and really opened my eyes today. Why can't most Americans look past the ranting fools in our media who think they know everything about the religion when they are not Muslim, stop judging Muslims and actually listen to a Muslim person and hear the truth from a person who would know best?

Answer 1

unfortunately your are right about the media- you never hear of all of the humanitarian work that they do.
there is a big group of both Islamic people and mormon people that send huge shipping containers full of clothes blankets and food to the poorer countries.
i wish that people could hear about that instead of the extremists blowing people up.

Answer 2

I agree that many Muslims think that way and I wish all did but that is not the case. Those who are violent in their ways base their actions on the Koran and believe truly that they are the real Muslims and do a much better job of proving it with their holy writings. Note how many times they prove and teach their ways and how very very little it is contested by the so called peaceful Muslims. There is almost no leading Islamic teachers openly proving from their writings that they are the correct followers of Islam. Also note how they refuse to label the current violent Islamic groups as terrorists. Why? I'm afraid that the current battle of who is the true followers of Islam is being easily won by the terrorists.

Answer 3

I'm sure that there are some good Muslim people. However, I suggest that your read some history of the religion before you make up your mind & start preaching to others who may know a bit more about it than just talking to some man on the street! May I suggest that you read the life of Muhammad & how he started the Islamic religion? That just might give you a better idea of the religion & how they view people who do not accept the teachings of Islam.

Answer 4

Aside from what the books and media tells to you, individual one on one encounters can prove this stereotype really true than unheard of to some degree.

For example, there's a car shop around the corner from a muslim temple. I was having my car serviced and decided to go take a stroll around the block. It was on a weekend and all the companies between the temple and the shop closed. Followers will park and walk all the way from around the block to attend prayer. Well, I happened to have a nice gold necklace on that day and was unarmed. I passed a younger gentleman on his way to mosque as I was almost back to the shop; walking through an empty parking lot 2 doors from the shop, and he flashed a handgun in the front of his britches at me as we passed each other. After being shocked from what just happened and what could of, we kept walking our separate way.

Okay now... the falicy here is that I could of got jacked for my gold chain at gunpoint, being he and I knew that we were the only ones in that parking lot at the time. So does that portray him "technically" as an angel of salvation; if anything, here just because he didn't hold me up?? That's pathetic if that's what they have to do to consider themselves as an active member of their religion. As for me that day, I've never been a big fan of asking for trouble when the other person's got a gun and I don't.

Answer 5

Asalamu Alaikum (meaning peace be apon you.)

I agree with you. Thank you for realizing that Islam is a peaceful religion. Please do not listen to the people who hate Islam. They're just saying bad things about it, when it hasn't done anything wrong. The man you talked to must have been very smart. And the things he said is true. I really do appreciate you for doing this, and I'm saying this deep inside my heart. The Quran, is a wonderful book, and is very unique. It is written in a way that no one else in the world can write like it. If you study Arabic, and you know a lot about the Quran, you will understand. When you listen to it, it
cleans your heart, even if you don't know what it means. Try listening to it. I promise you, that it will sound so beautiful. Again, I really appreciate you for doing this, and ignoring the people who are disrespectful. I hope that God will send blessings apon you. Thank you so much!!!

PS: I am an Arab woman. Did you know that the word Islam in Arabic means peace?

PPS: Since you talked to a muslim man, I suggest to talk to a muslim woman and ask her about her life as a muslim. Ask her about being proud to wear a scarf. Ask her is she a proud muslim. I promise you, if you talk to a kind and honest Muslim woman, then she will say that she is proud to be a muslim woman and that she doesn't feel tortured. Because I'm proud of being a muslim woman and I have absolutely nothing against it.

ONE MORE THING: Don't listen to the people who say that the Quran teaches you to kill, because they obviously haven't even read the Quran, and they are making things up. Go up to any muslim and ask them to recite to you surat al-fatiha, and ask them to translate it to you.

Answer 6

Could not agree with you more. I guess people just believe what they want to believe and what the idiot box tells them. I am a Muslim and I wish nothing but peace and harmony in this world. As for Morganie xo's list of events, firstly let me remind her that it was the americans themselves who created the taliban to fight with the russians. Secondly does she have any idea how many innocent lives were lost when the Allied forces carpet bombed metropolitan cities of Afghanistan and Iran. I could make an even bigger list of those victims. Lets not judge an entire religion and its followers by the actions of a few misled ones.

Answer 7

Because things like this happen everyday,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7096814.stm

I don't think Islam is terrible religion but when governments commit human rights abuses in the name of Islam, this does not help. To be honest I think these backwards Governments do more harm to Islam than terrorism does. Politics and religion need to be separated and I believe this is even stated in the Qur'an.

Edit: For those who use the Qur'an to point out Islam's malevolence, read the Old Testament. The Old Testament is full of controversial verses.

Answer 8

America is in the grip of some Christians that want to demonize anything that threatens them. The reality of another path to God, or Allah, another name for the same beautiful Being, is way too threatening.

Religion or not, terrorists do things for political reasons and would just use another reason to justify killings if they had to. There are cultural reasons behind this. They are sick people, period.

Many Christians (the largest strongest religious group in America) don't see the hypocrisy in generalizing about all Muslims because of the extremists (it is the same as assuming that *all* Christians are bad because so many shame Christ)

There will continue to be conflict until both Christians and Muslims evolve beyond needing religion to access Allah/God. Allah/God sees them all as His children regardless of religion.

Answer 9

Islam need to step up and clean it's own house. They have done almost nothing to curb extremism and stop the spread of radical forms.

It is also a very authoritarian religion, more than most and that makes it more attractive to fundamentalism and extremism

News media only report bad news as a rule, but you are not hearing about other religious groups blowing things up. Maybe because they are the only group using terror to promote/defend their religion.

Answer 10

I agree with you 100%. I am a Christian, and don't know a lot of Muslims or a whole lot about the religion. It is just sad to me that the few are what is focused on. I guess I can empathize with this since I am a minority and I understand how the media can portray and hype up the bad about a specific group of people, whether it is a race, religion, club, whatever.