Is there any kind of movement in Islam to create a separate sect that distances itself from the fringes?

Question

If you look at the comments to this news story: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/11/30/sudan.bears/?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail , you'll see people saying thing like "I am Muslim, I just want to say that these people do not represent me or Islam"

You'll also see people saying things like "See - they're savages! This proves that this is not a religion of peace"

That has to be so frustrating for all of the good people in the world who choose to follow Islam.

What sort of things are these people doing to distance themselves from the people who say that a schoolteacher should die because she let some kids name a teddy bear Mohammed?

Sure - mainstream Islam may very well be a peaceful, tolerant religion. The thing is that most people don't see that distinction, when the headlines are screaming craziness like this. They see 'Islam' or 'Muslim' & think that they are all the same.

What I'm wondering is what the followers of mainstream Islam are doing to let people know this - to let people know that they are different from the fringe fundamentalist groups in the news.

I believe that there are Christian sects that make an effort to distance themselves from the fundamentalist fringes within their religion. Church of Christ is the first one that comes to mind for me. And, the more Christian Unitarian Universalist groups.

Answer 1

I think it's the other way around: the extremists are doing a pretty good job of separating themselves from mainstream Islam.

But there are lots of Muslim organizations (especially in the UK at the moment) who are condemning the actions of the extremists. Lots of mainstream Muslims are teaching people about their interpretation of Islam. There are inter-faith dialogues going on all over the world.

But part of the responsibility for making these distinctions fall on the public and the media. We have to educate ourselves about what Islam is about, its main teachings, etc.

[And the same could be said about about all the various branches of Christianity. What are moderate Christians doing to distance ourselves from the hate-mongering fundamentalists?]

Answer 2

I agree with Combat Jesus, Americans depend too much on their media for information on world affairs. The same media that has lied over and over again about everything and yet americans continue to be spoon fed lies rather then get up and go search for the truth themselves.

Also i agree with Elissa, Muslims are doing a lot but just not getting the media coverage for that stuff. Muslims have been engaging in interfaith dialogues and have been reaching out to other communities and have been condemning any thing done in name of islam but is not part of Islam. The problem is the media again, they are bias and are quick to report negative news on islam/muslims and don't bother with postive news.

Britian muslims were first to condemn this and are already working on a petition to free the teacher. what has the islamophobes done other then mouth off and show their hateful ignorance on here?

West got too much of their dirty hands in Sudan and there is too much suffering there. have you forgotten the genocide of darfur that is going on in sudan? Western powers are showing their deeds there that they show in other 3rd world countries. The locals are oppressed and suffering and not happy, they will attack anyone that says anything against Islam, even if its a minor misunderstanding.

Understand the situation of the people and you'll understand their reasoning and actions. It has nothing to do with islam and everything to do with western meddling in muslim lands.

Answer 3

I am not a muslim, but the problem is not with the people who are muslim who need to distance themselves from that. Is it about your own personal outlook and what you receive from the media that affects your own personal opinion of islam.

You shouldn't rely on the news as your education about the world and the people that live in it. The news in any country of the world is filled with propoganda about what that particular place wants you to be believe and how they want you to feel.

Islam does not need a movement to create a seperate sect from those who give it a bad name, much in the same way that Christianity, Judaism, and any race or ethnicity does not need to create a seperate sect to distinguish themselves from the others.

Answer 4

There was, but they all got gunned down a few years ago... now one one wants to distance themselves for fear of death.

Answer 5

Religion is FALSE, follow CHRIST.

Answer 6

how about - "mainstream islam"

Answer 7

Ya Allah .......