Far be it for this blog to wade into the controversy over the plan to build the 'Ground Zero' Mosque in Manhattan. But now that everyone, right up to President Obama, has put in his two cents' worth, I feel this piece, written by Daniel Greenfield, is a must-read - as it makes some very pertinent points about religious freedom (with thanks: Wally):
Obama has made the case for Islam in America, on the grounds that America's religious diversity promotes the religious freedom of all. Islam no less than any other belief system. Yet if introducing Islam into America promotes religious freedom, then why is there no religious freedom in the Muslim world? Why are churches firebombed in Malaysia because Christians presumed to use the word Allah? Why are non-Muslims forbidden to enter the city of Mecca, from which Jews and Christians were ethnically cleansed by Mohammed? Why are Coptic Christians being oppressed and humiliated by the Egyptian government? Why are Muslims murdering Buddhist teachers in Thailand? There are a thousand examples, all of which add up to a single conclusion-- Muslims demand religious freedom, yet are not willing to give it to others.
This has ominous implications for the prospects of religious freedom in America. Nor is this a theoretical issue. Jews are fleeing European cities in record numbers because of Muslim persecution. The recent case of Malmo, highlights the fact that Islam actually threatens religious diversity. Simply to protect themselves, Malmo's 650 Jews were forced to spend half a million Kronor a year. The situation is much the same across Europe, as Jewish institutions are forced to become fortresses. What the Nazis did not succeed in accomplishing in Europe, the rise of Islam seems to be doing.
Nor are Christians safe, they are simply in the majority for now. But Christians and other religions were once in the majority in the Middle East. Until they were massacred and repressed by the tidal wave of Islam. Today the religions that were once a majority, whether it is Jews in Israel, Christians in Byzantium or Zoroastrians in Persia, have become oppressed minorities. Some may take comfort in the notion that "It can't happen here." But the fate of Europe's Jews, shows that it can happen here. And that it is happening here.
Religious freedom requires that the religions which enjoy it, agree to tolerate each other. If they do not, instead of religious freedom, there is a religious war.
Looking at the religious map of the world today, Islam has grown in non-Muslim countries, while non-Muslims continue to dwindle in Muslim countries. And even the number of non-Muslim religious believers in non-Muslim countries dwindles, when Muslims are introduced into the equation. If Islam were a fish in a fish tank, it's clear that it would be a piranha. If you put it into the fish tank, very soon you have a lot of Islamic piranhas and only a handful of other fish that survive, only because the piranhas need to keep some of them alive in order to feed on them (My emphasis -ed). If you don't like that picture, take an honest look at the Muslim world, with its dominant Muslim caste and inferior non-Muslims living in the cracks of their walls, and draw a better one.
Read article in full
here's a piece about whom else "they" are after - this figure of roughly 20 % shows up so often that I am beginning to think there might be a kind of critical mass reached when the nutters hid 20 % - our German muslims dominating the conversation are also said to be 20 % of our muslim population (thank heavens not yet 20 % of all of us)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?266157
"War On The Kafirs
The broad Sunni-Shia division does not explain all of it
Most Sunnis adhere to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. Only 5 per cent of the country’s population belongs to the Ahle Hadith sect or Wahabis.
The Sunnis are subdivided into the Barelvi and Deobandi schools of thought
The Deobandis and Wahabis consider the Barelvis as kafir, because they visit the shrines of saints, offer prayers, believe music, poetry and dance can lead to god
Barelvis constitute 60 per cent of the population. Deobandis and Wahabis together account for 20 per cent
Another 15 per cent are Shias, again considered kafir and subjected to repeated attacks
Since 2000, the Sunni-Shia conflict has claimed 5,000 lives
Others considered kafir are the religious minorities—Christians, Ismailis, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, Ahmadias, etc, who account for 5 per cent of the population
So, 20 per cent of the population effectively considers the remaining 80 per cent as kafir"
Silke
Thanks Silke, very informative. The breakdown reflects the composition of the Muslims of Turkey, where the Barlevis (aka Allevis) form a substantial proportion. Incidentally, they also consume alcohol, to add to their sins in the eyes of the Wahabis.
ReplyDeleteThe Deobandis I think are the Wahabis of the Indian subcontinent.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for your informative article. One thing I would like to mention the rapid growth of Islamic fanaticism in India. There were many historical Hindu temples in India which were destructed by Islamic empires. It would not be an exaggeration if I say there are more than 150000 temples destructed by fanatics right from the 1200 AD. There are many mosques in holy cities of India but not any Hindu temple in Mecca. I agree with you, they dwindle others in their countries and give eggs in the country where they are minor and talk about Religious Freedom. If religious freedom has to be there, I would like to see Saudi celebrating Diwali, Shabbat and Christmas.
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