1. Allah’s sanction & approval for the jihad that (therefore) cannot fail

(A bit of a tough sell, however, that Allah would approve the Koran’s version of Himself.)

2. The depravity & corruption of “western” culture making its underbelly soft and vulnerable and, therefore, susceptible for the long haul agenda of just & righteous Islam occupying every corner of the Earth…

That’s true.

CAIR (council on American Islamic relations) and other so called charitable Islamic organizations may well (still) be in the business of raising money for jihadists under the pretense of charity.

Raising the flag of Islamophobia is probably their most common device or tool.

It makes inroads into a society weakened by notions of political correctness and an eagerness to please, aka an eagerness not to offend.

Inducing fear or “phobia” is, actually, the point.

However, it’s perfectly alright to acknowledge that you may well have been Islam neutral or even Islam ignorant prior to events of the last 6 years (actually extending back several decades) but no longer feel that way.

Jules, we could really use Preview.

That depends on what goal one is servicing, doesn’t it? I don’t think the goal is dialogue. I think it is a device used to stop dialogue.

RebeccaH said: I don’t know what else to call it. I am indifferent to the religion itself, but the actions of some of the religion’s practitioners have made me mistrust and, yes, fear them in some circumstances. I find myself growing uncomfortable when I see one board the plane I’m on, and at the same time, I know how unfair that is.

Is it unfair? Is your mistrust, and even your fear, irrational? Have we not all been given reason to mistrust and fear Muslims? If those vast majorities of Muslims had stood up and unequivocally disavowed bin Laden and AQ, made a flat statement against Islamic terror all over the world, and stood up for this country, would you feel the same way? It isn’t the acts of terrorists that have made me come to a general mistrust of Muslims in this country, but their own actions–and lack of actions.

RebeccaH said:

I don’t think pride ought to enter into it. You have come to a rational conclusion based on available information. Those who yell “Islamophobia” count on your moral discomfort at drawing such a conclusion, and do what they can to make anyone coming to that conclusion feel like they’ve done something wrong–or unfair.

WE aren’t the ones defining individuals by their religion. Until we see American Muslims stand up for this country and against the barbarity being perpetrated in their name, we have no choice but to stay alert in the company of Muslims. If they allow terrorists, and those who preach terrorism to hide in the plain site of their society, what choice have they left us but to watch what they do? What other course has been left to us?

Islamophobia implies more than just fear of Islam. A phobia connotes an irrational, baseless, fear. Our growing mistrust and fear of certain circumstances are decidedly not irrational or baseless. I guess my point is that we ought not to allow that term into honest discussions about Islam and the followers of Islam. In using it, we allow the enemy to control the discussion and focus our attention on a false moral idea. It is precisely the moral ground we own that must be protected, rather than allow a group of people who have no idea of the conceptions of liberty or individualism, or the rights based on these concepts, to use our moral rectitude and innocence against us.

These people are barbarians, but they aren’t stupid. And, unfortunately, even the crudest propaganda is works with some. While I’ve been aware of most of the propaganda, I think it is time to make myself aware of what exactly the enemy is counting on, and explicitly define the methods they are using.

Imagine being a Muslim living near one of the (apparently proliferating) radical mosques, especially gaining a toehold in some of Britain’s northern cities.

Where “the sisters” (aka the dumb women things who have limited rights of inheritance, whose voice is less than half that of a man’s and who are supposed to make your tea and have your babies) …the sisters choose to remain completely covered.

Imagine being “a sister” in one of those regions. My God, uncover, and your brothers and your uncles and even your own father might have to see fit to slaughter you to protect the family’s honoUr.

You, as a Muslim, would have a certain Islamophobia yourself.

But, generally, grand all encompassing terms like “I-phobia” and “Homophobia” (fear of man !?) don’t serve the dialogue.

Thanks so much for posting this, especially the link to MEMRI. They were thoughtful enough to list the urls of the videos they were so up in arms (pardon the phrase) about.

I have not laughed so hard in years! I watched them over and over!

The truly funny thing is, a guy named Maplethorpe dunks a crucifix in piss, and our own National Endowment for the Arts not only defends him, but heaps money on him to continue his “groundbreaking art and message.” But if you do that to the *prophet*–or the koran–or a cartoon–well, _that’s_ offensive and oppressive of their just and holy religion and they must petition to stop it!

Anyway, thanks for the much-needed laugh.

–Chuck

This isn’t something I’m particularly proud of. I like to think there are Muslims who want to denounce the ignorance and violence of Islamic fundamentalists, and that they’re largely being marginalized and ignored by ideologues in the MSM, or pressured into silence by the dangerous radical minority. But this isn’t at all clear.

Maybe before I depart this mortal coil I’ll be able to go back to seeing them as just fellow citizens. I hope so.

FWIW, I imagine islamic terrorists and their active supporters whenever I I find myself broadbrushing Muslims. It helps to focus my targeting.

RebeccaH, about your use of the term “Islamophobia”: Why did you use it? What does it mean to you?

I’m asking because I’ve noticed how certain terms come to be used, and how such terms can be used to focus attention. Islamophobia is a term used by Muslims to guilt-trip innocent and honest infidels, those of us for whom justice is important. We don’t like to be unjust to another individual by thinking of an individual as nothing more than a member of a group. The term puts any criticism into a category of unjust irrationality.

Where we might consider the term to broadly mean “fear of Islam”, but even that doesn’t really define the concept. Do you fear Islam? From what you said, I think you mean that you struggle not to mistrust all individual Muslims simply on the basis of his or her religion. Is that what Muslims mean when they cry “Islamophobia”?