I in other words any Muslim who reciprocates tolerance and mutual respect to non-Muslims is, by that faith's own commandments, being a "bad" Muslim.
Yeah, but American Muslim's feel a bit more free to interpret the Koran differently than other sects. Just like we have different sects of Christianity in America, with different interpretations of the Bible, Muslims have the same. There isn't a powerful caliphate dictating what a Good or a Bad Muslim is - as the Catholic Church did for Christians for centuries - threatening ex-communication if you disagreed. Islam is as fragmented as the Christian church is-- more so really. So while Bill is correct, and most Imams will say Later supersedes earlier, others will say different, and living and believing in America pretty much requires that. Religions do change and grow, adopt new doctrines and discard old - even if they aren't supposed to. Just look at how many Christian churches embrace homosexuality now. Yes, you can argue they aren't "really Christian" either, but that doesn't change the fact that they exist, or use the same text as the basis of their faith, and call themselves "Christian" (
S.I. Hawakawa wrote Language in Thought and Action and has many interesting thoughts on words, labeling and definitions- well worth the read )
An American simply isn't defined by geography- there are Americans scattered all over the world waiting for a chance to come home- Muslims among them. As Bill said, he would love to bring all of them in and kick these America haters out into the third world... that they are the best Americans you will find anywhere - they want to come here because they git it. I met a LOT of immigrants as Tea Parties -pissed because escaping Obamacrap like this was why they cut all ties to their motherland and came here. . America withstood the cultural melee of all of those 18th century immigrants because every one of them was ALREADY an American at heart - self selected to come here - without safety nets, without guarantees. Predominately those where the type of Muslims that started Mosques in America, and they worship differently because of it.
Yes, the Koran has seeds of violence in it. So does the Bible. Men took up Swords in Jesus' name during the Crusades. Where they "good Christians"? According to the Catholic Church at the time they were. I see Churches as tools- institutions invented my men to fill the needs of men, and like any tool they can serve their intended purpose, or become weapons. Is that a screw driver or a weapon? Is that a baseball bat or a weapon? Is that a vehicle for spreading the word of God, or a weapon to move men to commit atrocities? It all depends on those actually wielding the tool. When you blame Religion (Islam, Christianity whatever) for inciting violence you are blaming the tool. Its just like when the Liberals blame the guns for crimes and violence. Look at the people wielding the tools as weapons and you will see the actual guilty parties. Yes, it makes identification of evil harder, but that is the real world, and the cost of knowledge (to invoke Sowell) . There may come a point where gaining the knowledge is too costly, and we must make the economization that Muslum = Threat, and accept that will come with injustice towards certain individuals.just as we did with the internment of the Japanese, but I don't think we have reached that point yet.
