This thread began with some discussion of information on Islam and jihad from a book by Dr Mark Gabriel (who does not write under his Arab name due to reasons of personal security) and looked at the some of the components of Islam - the 5 pillars, salvation by works (or faith and works), submission to Allah, and of dhimmitude as a measure to manage non-believers. To discredit the author (because one does not agree with his writings) with no proof presented for such claims is no discredit at all.
The imperialism of Islam and its steady encroachment into our western civilization over the past half century whereby Muslim populations are now seeking to assert their own religious ideals and ideology to dominate host nations has become a serious concern. Higher birth rates of Muslim compared with non-immigrant populations, resistance to assimilation by Muslims, exploitation of host tolerance through ideals of multiculturalism and pluralism, an assumed superiority of Islam by Muslims together with hypersensitivity to criticism, pressure for host appeasement to offset threats of violence - all these have combined with the expressed encouragement and blessing of the Islamic Council of Europe (and in America, similar responses come from the Council of American-Islamic Relations whose officers are on record as stating they want Islam to dominate and shar'iah law installed nationally) to highlight our concerns regarding this extremely aggressive ideology.
While the western world has reeled at the 9/11 attack on the WTC and subsequent acts of terrorism against the west, unrelenting persecution of Christians, Jews and other non-Muslims have continued and increased in Islamic countries under the ruthlessly violent expression of Islam. It is appreciated that not all Muslims follow this form of Islam, many prefering to focus on what they see to be the peaceful inspiration of Islam. This dichotomous nature of Islam has been highlighted on this thread where Aviatrix has shared, not only her abhorrence of the atrocities commited in the name of Allah, but assertions that "true Islam" is nothing but peaceful and the other Islam is not Islam at all. If only all Muslims aspired to those values as she does, there may be little problem - but the reality of world events cannot be ignored, and the Islam that murderously pushes for world wide submission to Allah is the one whose actions speak far louder than the silence of its shadow, the form of the other.
Opinion alone is not enough to convince where reality must be seen as the truth. I have provided references and links to support the points I have made, that Islam does sanction this violence and have an agenda, that of achieving world dominance and submission to Allah. The Qur'an does contain a great many violent surah, and their directions are "real time" and being acted upon as a legitimate interpretation.
Islam is the most Warlike religion
A Danish language researcher has spent over three years analyzing the original texts of ten different religions, and concludes that the Islamic texts stand out by encouraging terror and violence to a larger degree than other religions do. Four years after the terror attacks at the World Trade Center, Danish linguist Tina Magaard presents an analysis that questions Islam's relationship with terror, violence and Holy War.
Islamic texts encourage terror and fighting to a far larger degree than the original texts of other religions, concludes Tina Magaard. She has a PhD in Textual Analysis and Intercultural Communication from the Sorbonne in Paris, and has spent three years on a research project comparing the original texts of ten religions. “The texts in Islam distinguish themselves from the texts of other religions by encouraging violence and aggression against people with other religious beliefs to a larger degree. There are also straightforward calls for terror. This has long been a taboo in the research into Islam, but it is a fact that we need to deal with," says Tina Magaard. Moreover, there are hundreds of calls in the Koran for fighting against people of other faiths. “If it is correct that many Muslims view the Koran as the literal words of God, which cannot be interpreted or rephrased, then we have a problem. It is indisputable that the texts encourage terror and violence. Consequently, it must be reasonable to ask Muslims themselves how they relate to the text, if they read it as it is," says Tina Magaard.
Aviatrix, it is obvious that we have a very different view of Islam. You as a Muslim want to persuade me that it is peaceful, the religion of peace and tolerance. You want me to think of what I have researched and studied to be nothing but lies despite all that I have read and seen that verifies the views I express here. You call them lies, as though I am either lying or are deceived. I know I am neither. I cannot be persuaded by listening to your words in the light of the reality of world events, in light of the violence that is really does exist in the Qur'an despite your protestations, of the violent history of Islam known for its "bloody borders", and of the continuing threat to western civilization by a very clear agenda to bring about universal submission to Allah and the rule of shar'iah law.
Yes, I have viewed and read all of your links. I have listened to your arguments - and your significant avoidances as well. I believe you have been taught by those who do not wish you to be disillusioned by the truth, and they have persuaded you to deny it rather than to open your eyes to it. Our dialogue is now going around and around in circles and getting neither of us, nor anyone else, anywhere. I respectfully suggest that we agree to disagree. And beyond this point, we go no further here as I am now locking the thread.
Judah (moderator)