-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
At the Peace Conference Scandinavia 2013 held is Oslo, Norway, nine Shaykhs (Islamic leaders) spoke about the values of Islam to a claimed attendance of over 4000. The chairman of Islam Net, Fahad Ullah Qureshi addressed the question of Islamophobia in western media.
As shown in the video, Qureshi asked the audience, who were common Sunni Muslims, if they “supported stoning or whatever punishment Islam or prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) commanded for adultery or any other crime.” The audience was virtually unanimous in their support for these punishments.
The organizers of the conference then ask the key question:
Now what does that tell us? Either all Muslims and Islam is radical, or the media is Islamophobic and racist in their presentation of Islam.
According to this reasoning, since most Muslims hold these views, they can’t be extremists. They might not be extremists when compared to other Muslims, but they are extremists when compared to those who support the concept of basic human rights.
The freedom to use one’s own mind to justify or reject beliefs is the most fundamental of human rights. When one must conceal their non-belief for fear of death or imprisonment, that individual feels isolated from human society.
Of the seven countries where atheism is punishable by death, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Mauritania, and the Maldives, all have established Islam as the state religion. For atheists, Islamophobia is a rational belief.
To those who project western mores onto Muslim societies, this video should exhibit the folly of such fanciful efforts. This video is the perfect argument for secularism, James Madison’s “perfect separation” between church/mosque and state. Without the power of the state, these Shaykhs can be fearlessly dismissed as fools. With the power of the state, they are fools to be feared.
As written by the organizers of this conference, the problem is not “Radical Shaykh,” it’s Islam.
H/T: Sam Harris, Jonathan MS Pearce, Max Fisher, Barry Duke, IHEU(pdf).
I am new to Jonathan Turley and am fast becoming a big fan. I love how he seems unbound to party affiliations and more dedicated to the truth. Now I find this blog and see discourse on the subject that most concerns me: political Islam. Again, the ability to see the truth is stunning in all the articles linked as well. Resolution 16/18 is something to be very afraid of. And if Hitlery Clinton (who’s Benghazi cover up should have her in jail not in office) should get elected, she will do all she can to implement it. And whatever may be left of the Constitution after Obama will be obliterated. Mr. Turley, I am so glad I found you. I have a little more hope for humanity.
How do you think the rest of the world perceives the United States sanctioning the use of the electric chair for capital punishment?
Seems like you’re throwing stones from a glass house…
@mespo Radicalism is endemic in the Sam Harris cult? Good to know.
Its not fried chicken daddy, its Shake N Bake.
Good work, Nal. I saw this video on the Sam Harris website and was amazed and appalled. Radicalism is endemic in this cult and we had better understand that.
Oh, and that Bush thingy…
‘End Times’-seekers book Bush as keynote
I like the comment about the only solution being to keep religion out of government. Don’t forget to add Israel to that list; these guys have Israeli Jews as first class citizens & Palestinian Arabs as a second or inferior class. Christianity has gone through its radical periods, culminating in the Spanish Inquisition. Mainstream Islam is still very radical & edged on by those in the west trying to profit or gain power from conflict. The Jews were minding their own business (except for the elite suppressive families that were or are part of the Illuminati) but Hitler & the German psychiatrists woke them up & now a lot of them are trying to emulate Hitler.
Enjoy Persia: