The following is a response to an entry that I regretfully stumbled upon in the blogmosphere sometime last year. The author was spewing her frustration over a hospital that officially recognized Islamic dietary prescriptions within its kitchen facility. In addition to criticizing the hospital administration policy, she took the opportunity to write some very hateful comments regarding Islam in general based on her own misunderstandings. What follows is my reply...
Have any of you actually known, personally, a single Muslim? Before passing judgment on anyone, you ought to at least know and understand them. This cannot be done through he said/she said channels but only through actual experience.
As to the issue of halal meat being the exclusive choice at hospitals, I don't see a problem with that. Are you familiar with what halal meat is? I'll assume you do not. Halal is a method of slaughtering an animal wherein it is recognized that the life being taken belongs to God and thereby an acknowledgement of thanks must be demonstrated. It's not akin to kosher standards as practiced by Orthodox Jews and by Jesus himself, peace be upon him.
Regarding the sale of pork and other things prohibited for Muslims, it should be noted that under Islamic/Shari’a law, these things apply to Muslims only. This is due to the fact that Islam tolerates other faiths. If Christians are not forbidden alcohol within the constructs of their own faith, an Islamic state must allow them their right to produce and sell alcohol amongst themselves; the same is true of the consumption of pork.
As for implying that all Muslims are terrorists, again, I ask, have you ever sat down and talked with one? You seem to espouse the same baseless hatred toward Muslims that those shouting “death to America!” have for you. Neither of you know one another, yet both of you hate. How can this be? Sheer ignorance.
As for Muslims who seem to lock themselves into their own shells, consider for a moment what happens when they try integrating. When a Muslim woman, for example, goes out in public, she knows she's being judged without cause. People are standoffish and often times rude out of their own prejudice. I'm sure you can relate. When Muslims read things like the current entry, of course they're standoffish. If you found yourself in a place where people displayed open distain for westerners you'd probably not feel very comfortable yourself.
The commentator who referenced the Qur'an, did so inaccurately. First, one has to take the entire chapter into consideration when quoting a verse. In this case, it begins with condemning those who have killed previous prophets of God. It goes onto to warn Muslims to be mindful when befriending non-believers- this does not refer to Christians and Jews but to non believers in God and in some cases excludes Hindus and Buddhists− it basically refers to the non-religious or those who are hostile to believers in God. Further, “befriending” in this case also relates to having authority over the individual. It goes onto state "Indeed he who acts likewise [as non believers in God, acting carelessly], he has nothing to do with God." It is in no way a prohibition from befriending non-Muslims.
As for Muslim countries, most were created by the west at the close of WWII. Corrupt? Without question. But let's not throw stones. Not only are own countries likewise not on the straight and narrow, who props their dictators up? Who trained bin Laden? Who gave Saddam bio weapons? Why is Egypt the second largest recipient of US financial support, followed by Israel? Even the Taliban was taking handouts by the US a few months prior to 911.
Extremist groups can be found within any group of people; let us not forget Hitler, the abortion clinic bombers, Milosevic, or the people in our own countries who murder, rape, and rob their own neighbors. There is no doubt that Islam has its share. But why is it that there has become such anti-western sentiment in recent years?
Rather than become the very thing that you distain, why not actually try to solve the problem by understanding the vicious cycle that you are currently contributing to? Until real dialogue can take place, there will be no end to the madness that is plaguing us all. Throwing more punches will not solve anything.
Have any of you actually known, personally, a single Muslim? Before passing judgment on anyone, you ought to at least know and understand them. This cannot be done through he said/she said channels but only through actual experience.
As to the issue of halal meat being the exclusive choice at hospitals, I don't see a problem with that. Are you familiar with what halal meat is? I'll assume you do not. Halal is a method of slaughtering an animal wherein it is recognized that the life being taken belongs to God and thereby an acknowledgement of thanks must be demonstrated. It's not akin to kosher standards as practiced by Orthodox Jews and by Jesus himself, peace be upon him.
Regarding the sale of pork and other things prohibited for Muslims, it should be noted that under Islamic/Shari’a law, these things apply to Muslims only. This is due to the fact that Islam tolerates other faiths. If Christians are not forbidden alcohol within the constructs of their own faith, an Islamic state must allow them their right to produce and sell alcohol amongst themselves; the same is true of the consumption of pork.
As for implying that all Muslims are terrorists, again, I ask, have you ever sat down and talked with one? You seem to espouse the same baseless hatred toward Muslims that those shouting “death to America!” have for you. Neither of you know one another, yet both of you hate. How can this be? Sheer ignorance.
As for Muslims who seem to lock themselves into their own shells, consider for a moment what happens when they try integrating. When a Muslim woman, for example, goes out in public, she knows she's being judged without cause. People are standoffish and often times rude out of their own prejudice. I'm sure you can relate. When Muslims read things like the current entry, of course they're standoffish. If you found yourself in a place where people displayed open distain for westerners you'd probably not feel very comfortable yourself.
The commentator who referenced the Qur'an, did so inaccurately. First, one has to take the entire chapter into consideration when quoting a verse. In this case, it begins with condemning those who have killed previous prophets of God. It goes onto to warn Muslims to be mindful when befriending non-believers- this does not refer to Christians and Jews but to non believers in God and in some cases excludes Hindus and Buddhists− it basically refers to the non-religious or those who are hostile to believers in God. Further, “befriending” in this case also relates to having authority over the individual. It goes onto state "Indeed he who acts likewise [as non believers in God, acting carelessly], he has nothing to do with God." It is in no way a prohibition from befriending non-Muslims.
As for Muslim countries, most were created by the west at the close of WWII. Corrupt? Without question. But let's not throw stones. Not only are own countries likewise not on the straight and narrow, who props their dictators up? Who trained bin Laden? Who gave Saddam bio weapons? Why is Egypt the second largest recipient of US financial support, followed by Israel? Even the Taliban was taking handouts by the US a few months prior to 911.
Extremist groups can be found within any group of people; let us not forget Hitler, the abortion clinic bombers, Milosevic, or the people in our own countries who murder, rape, and rob their own neighbors. There is no doubt that Islam has its share. But why is it that there has become such anti-western sentiment in recent years?
Rather than become the very thing that you distain, why not actually try to solve the problem by understanding the vicious cycle that you are currently contributing to? Until real dialogue can take place, there will be no end to the madness that is plaguing us all. Throwing more punches will not solve anything.
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