Saturday, March
3, 2012
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hey, I added you on facebook because I wanted to demonstrate Christian love
and friendship and openness. This is an invitation to get to know me before
you write me off as stupid. I know
I'm young, but I would like to be given a chance and listened to. Sincerely, Bradley |
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“And
stupidly you claim that the President’s job is to promote peace. That is not
his job. If you lack even that understanding then foreign policy is not your bag.
Go write a folk song.” Well, any
apology from me to you for that would be insincere. “Go write a folk song”
still makes me smile. I have
taken a look around your pages and know as much as that tells. Like Rob (his
words if not his intent) I too hope you don’t get beheaded. Ten years and one
month ago, less than five months after 911, Daniel Pearl was made to identify
himself for a video camera and then kneel before it.
KSM then hacked away with a knife until he was able to hold Daniel’s head by
the hair dripping over his body. You were perhaps in the fifth grade at the
time, but Rob, Dave and I remember that video vividly. It was our
introduction to our enemy. They had masterfully exploited seams in our public
transportation system. For a hundred thousand of cost to them, they had
killed thousands of us, caused us billions of damage and fundamentally
changed our society, our culture and our sense of security. But they were not
contrite; they were not hiding. Instead KSM had a video made of himself sawing off the head of an American Jewish
journalist. Bastards. There is
dispute about how we have responded, but no rational American can doubt that
we had to respond. We are locked-up on spaceship Earth with those crazy SOBs
and there was no place for us to run. The only alternative to violence was
conversion to Islam. We are now ending the first battles of the religious war
that will characterize the first part of the 21st Century. Korea, Vietnam and
the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan were the three great battles of the Cold
War. Rob, Dave and I have living memory of two of them. There is evil in the
world. Turning the other cheek is an admirable personal trait but it is not a
feasible state policy. The President of the United State is not the President
of the World. His job is not, and cannot be, world peace. American interests,
and especially “providing for the common defense” of Americans is his first
duty. Happily,
the interest of our country in preserving international order and protecting
western civilization has global benefits. Innocent third parties around the
world benefit for the peace that results from our
self-interest. Those who would kill us because we stand in the way of global
Islam reject that order and that civilization. If they squat in caves in Tora Bora and die without killing, they can have their
miserable lives. But if they come for us, we have no choice but to meet them.
We will soon extricate ourselves from Afghanistan but the greater religious
war will continue. For the
neighborhood, Oman (where you are) is relatively developed and stable. You
are fortunate to have that front-row seat. The two great oil-rich powers,
Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Persian Iran are the greatest potential threats
to world peace, now that stateless terrorists have been reduced by our
efforts. The serial apologies we have made for the most recent Koran nonsense
have made us appear a softer target to the Arabs and Persians. Consequently,
one of those two great powers is more likely to be the next battlefield of
this religious war. At least that is what Rob, Dave and I fear. P.S. So
that you can appreciate the context of the heated reactions to Dave’s
original wall post: Yesterday we learned that a Chicago Marine was killed in
Afghanistan. The DoD has a policy of withholding
their press release until 24 hours after the family is notified, but we also
know that six American warriors have been killed in reaction to this Koran
nonsense. His name was Conner Lowry. You should know his name because he died
for you. |
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I
appreciate your words, Donald. I'm skeptical about this being a religious
war. Religion and politics were not meant to because they have a tendency to
spoil each other. I think it's important to remember that America is NOT a
"Christian" nation- it is a nation that guarantees freedom of
religion. Islam does not support terrorism either. This is a war against
terrorists and we have to understand that the countries that these terrorists
reside don't necessarily want US soldiers there, but they put up with them in
a fight against terrorism. But it's understandable that if we do something
that is perceived as an insult, that the citizens would react. I would
understand that even if it wasn't in relation to religion. Afghanistan
doesn't REALLY want us there, but they also don't want terrorism and they
value our help. But it's not a religious war, it's a
free country fighting terrorism. The problem is that terrorism is a tactic,
not a concrete group of people or a political nation. |
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And naturally,
if you do something and someone takes it as an insult, you apologize. |
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that said- I do appreciate Connor
Lowry and all soldiers. I support troops, I don't support the governments
that take them away from their families to fight wars that I feel are unjust. |
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After
reading your words over and over again, more carefully each time, I
appreciate your intent, your wisdom, and your willingness to take the time to
discuss this with me. I would still just say that this is not a religious
war, and in no way should be labeled as one. Christians and Muslims can get
along. There is nothing about the two religions that states that we should
hate each other. The media would like us to believe that there is, but there
isn't. This is a political battle between the United States and terrorists.
It's unfortunate that innocent, peace-loving Muslims take the blunt of our
war against a significant minority within the Muslim faith. It's important to
note the difference between Islam and Islamism. Islam is a religion. A
practical religion, and the Muslims of our world
would prefer to practice their religion, uninterrupted by the western world.
What we perceive as oppression is actually a choice to live a life of modesty
and humility, and love for one another. Islamism is a political ideology,
much like Communism and Democracy are political ideologies. The United States
tries to spread democracy, the Soviet world tried to spread communism, and
the parts of the Islamic world try to spread Islamism. When a group tries to
spread their political ideals forcefully on others, it ends in violence. But
that's not Islam, that's Islamism. The majority of Muslims would say that if
a person claims to be a Muslim, and kills innocent people, then he is NOT a
true Muslim, because the teachings of Islam would call for peace, hospitality
and love. That said, the number of Muslims who are
actually suspected of terrorism is about .03% of the world's Muslims. That's
a pretty small percentage, but as with all things, the squeaky wheel gets the
oil. The same could be said about the so-called Christians that force
democracy through war on the Muslim world. The American brand of democracy
only fits alongside the cultural values and norms of American society- to try
and force our perception of democracy on the Muslim world won't work, and if
we continue to try and force it on people that don't want it, they will
react. You mention how we're stuck on planet earth with "these SOBs"
in your words- well look at it from their side, they're stuck on earth with
us, and they have no choice but to react if we try to spread the American
Empire the way we continue to do. That said, if we really are
"stuck" on planet earth with individuals we don't agree with,
wouldn't be alot better if we got along with those
individuals despite differences? |
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The
day-by-day war news is full of small details. It’s easy to miss the forest
with so many trees in the way. A group of prominent Afghans met with the
President of Afghanistan yesterday, Friday. After the meeting they faced the
press to underscore their concern for: “this
crime and inhumane, savage act by American troops” Naturally
this is of great concern to all Americans who wish for our troops to act
honorably. This “inhumane, savage act” is a special concern for the American
military leaders and their civilian controllers as it compromises our very
purpose for being in Afghanistan. The
prominent group was a council of clerics and the “crime and inhumane, savage
act” was the insensitive disposal of jailhouse contraband. Korans were used
to smuggle messages into a POW prison so they were confiscated. They were
accumulated with other papers and all the literature was then incinerated.
All SOP. But then
Afghan laborers found the charred remains and a week of nationwide violence
has left 30 dead including American troops caught-up in the violence.
Naturally, we are gushing apologies. The council of clerics continues: “the
apology for this evil act can never be accepted” They say
the five American soldiers involved “must be publicly tried and
punished." This is perfectly understandable when view through a
cross-cultural lens. In our culture, if you bump into a stranger as you both
enter a grocery store, you apologize. It is routine and there is no shame in
it. But among the tribes of the Afghans, an apology is like pleading guilty
in court. Has
anyone noticed that our agenda is being governed by these primitive,
suspicious cavemen? We are not there spending blood and treasure to glorify
Islam. And that is the Achilles heel of counter-insurgency. We want to leave
Afghanistan a stable democracy, and maybe an ally. To do that, we must relate
to them in the context of their own culture. And to do THAT, we must
prostrate ourselves before their Muslim sensibilities. Vietnam
was incomprehensible to many people. Why did 58,178 Americans die? For South
Vietnam’s rice crop, perhaps? No. Vietnam was a battle in the Cold War. From
the end of World War II until the Berlin Wall came down, we struggled to
contain Communism. The great struggle of the early 21st Century is the
containment of Islamism. Just as
“peaceful coexistence” proved impossible then, so is it again. Were it not
for the windfall fortune of oil they would be fighting only among themselves,
and starving. Instead, with the money and technology of the west they have
lashed-out. We are entitled to self-defense. This is
not about the mistreatment of some Korans. We should not have offered any
apology except the modest one that we offer in our culture for an unintended
slight. This is not about the apologies. And this is damn sure not about
punishment of the American soldiers at the jail. This is
about the role of international Islamist aggression. They know this is one
battle in a holy war. We are foolish if we do not recognize that too. The
difference is that they want to impose while we want to coexist. But when
they push, we must push back. Because if we don’t, they will keep pushing. I think
you and I might fundamentally agree. But Islamists take their inspiration and
their authority from Islam. The only reason we can’t call this a “religious
war” is because Americans don’t think we should fight one. Fine. You and I
can call it a defensive war of religious imperialism. I don’t
care about Korans in Afghanistan. I care about buildings in New York City. http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/03/02/afghanistan-korans-idINDEE82109620120302 |
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the term "religious war"
was first used by Christian Crusaders. The word "Jihad"- just in
case that's what you're referring to as a religious war, doesn't actually
translate to "holy war" in Arabic. It translates to "the
struggle" and actually refers to the struggle to maintain a faith in
light of an immoral world. In that case, Christians "jihad" every
day. The secondary definition refers to a defensive war strategy. Which is actually an ancient version of the "Just War
Theory" that Christians came up with years later. We would agree
with the idea of defensive war. But I think you should know that only Muslim
extremists use the "holy war" definition of "jihad". This
is wrong- it's wrong in Islam, it's wrong in
Christianity. It's only a religious war if we allow ourselves to believe that
the fundamental ideals of Islam are what's powering the evil behind
terrorism, when in actuality, is a poor interpretation of Islam that powers
Islamist terrorism. Liken it to the Westboro
Baptist Church and their angry, violent protests. |
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So to
call conflict in the middle-east a "religious war" is to ignore the
fundamental principles of both Christianity and Islam- both of which share
the most important commandment "Love the Lord your God with all of your
heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself" -
this commandment is present- and taken very seriously- in both religious
practices. |
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American
is a Christian nation. The “establishment clause” (from which flows so much
misunderstanding about “separation of church and state”) only says that our
government may not establish a favored religion. All the founders were
Christian and more than 4 out of 5 Americans today identify themselves as
Christian. We are secular in form; Christian in fact. That is why they target
us for jihad. Christians
and Muslims do not look at the role of religion the same way. Indeed,
“freedom of religion” (meaning tolerance) is uniquely American. Certainly it
is good that an American is in Oman trying to understand Muslims. But take
care that hey not recruit you or reduce you to their tool. Jihad is a
religious war with those who are unbelievers in the mission of Muhammad. It
is an incumbent religious duty, established in the Koran and in the
Traditions as a divine institution, and enjoined specially for the purpose of
advancing Islam and of repelling evil from Muslims: http://pxxq.com/AllahuAkbar2.htm |
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considering what I know about Jihad comes
from the mouth of an individual who studies at the Institute of Sharia
Studies in Oman, and the information I gather here comes from the minds and
mouths if Islamic scholars themselves, I'm pretty skeptical of the
credibility of that article. |
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It's
amazing that peaceful dialogue with a real Muslim turns upside-down the
perceptions of Islam we're handed down by the media. |
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The Holy
Quran, like the Bible, can be interpreted in hundreds of different ways. Just
because the media tells us that Islam is a violent, militant religion that
seeks to destroy the west doesn't make it true. Have a peaceful conversation
with any Muslim and you'll understand things from my point of view. They love
peace as much as we do. And peace for them means not having the US occupy
their land and telling them how to live. |
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read the story behind the common word.
You'll find it interesting. |
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Okay. I
have looked at A Common Word and now I feel I need a shower. Look, when
you needed to be disabused about jihad I created a webpage to lay it out for
you. You immediately dismissed it as “media” so fast that you could not
possibly have read it. If you had, you would have seen that the authority for
it is the most respected Dictionary of Islam. I was answering the question,
“What do Muslims believe ‘jihad’ means?” Your
instant reaction was that you have had conversations with people that have
given you a different impression. As a guest student in Oman, I am not
surprised that you have gotten that impression. So you had answered the
question, “What impression of Islam to these people, in
this circumstance, want me to have?” Then you
provided the link to a self-confessed propaganda website created in recent
years for the purpose of gently establishing the “precedence of Islam”. No
doubt there is theological overlap between Christianity and Islam. No doubt
the academics and religious functionaries who author it feel they are doing
God’s work. And no doubt they are, from the Islamic perspective. It
answers the question, “What can we tell gullible Christians so they will
lower their guard?” Shamelessly
they admit, “this is a Theological document and the problems between Jews and
Muslims are essentially political” so they excuse themselves from even
attempting that bridge-building. Iran is going to have a nuclear weapon soon
because our president is not peace-loving enough to stop them. When the
Second Holocaust is an accomplished fact, I am sure that you will join with
Muslims everywhere announcing that “what’s done is done” and praying for the
absence of any retaliation “in the interest of peace.” So the
muftis advance jihad with their website outreach to Christians while Ahmadinejad
advances jihad with uranium centrifuges. The same Ahmadinejad who invaded the
American Embassy in Tehran and held American diplomats hostage throughout the
Carter Administration – which is how long this recent anti-American jihad has
been going. Note well
that he promptly released them when the fearless Ronald Reagan was
inaugurated. I am
quite sure that you have a good heart as I am sure that Joe Muslim wishes
peace. But those (perhaps few) Muslims who wish to kill me just because I am
infidel are the ones who must be addressed. If you and Joe truly wish peace,
then you can have it because Americans, and
Christians generally, wish no new crusade. I am
concerned, however, that jihad will in fact be a fixed feature of the 21st
century and that Iraq and Afghanistan will be only the first of several
battles. And I don’t think there is much we
Christians can do to avoid that. |
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except actually be Christians and love others.
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