Your current perception of Muslims

[Lycos]

A good friend of mine and I have been having a discussion about muslims in general, and I'm pretty shocked by her responses. This will be anonymous, but I am currently just trying to get a feel for what the general population thinks.

[Shiz]

The other perception I have is that the majority that do not want to destroy everyone else are, for some reason, reluctant to tell the minority to STFU.

[Raveneye]

If you watch any news media outside of the U.S. it becomes pretty apparent that the vast majority of Muslims would be perfectly happy either living a Western lifestyle within their own nations or just being left alone to live life as they see fit.

It is only a minority who are either religious zealots or politically motivated (to maintain their own considerable power base) who wish to see everything non-Muslim brought low. Because conditions in many Muslim countries are less than ideal for the majority of the populace, that populace will follow anyone with the means and the authority to give them what they need to survive. This creates a perception that most Muslims are radical extremists and want to kill Westerners.

The sad truth is that Muslims have been fighting amongst themselves for far longer than they've been fighting against the West. We are just a convenient scapegoat for a lot of their animosity, and we make it easy to hate us sometimes too. The fact is, if we dissapeared from the picture, they'd go right back to killing one another with even greater abandon.

[deepfred]

3 kinds of people; those who know; those who know they don't know; those who don't know they don't know. i know i don't know.

[DirkDarkBlade]

and those that don't know they know.

[Aananla]

I don't know enough Muslims to say with any certainty whether they want to kill me or not.

[jefspendar]

well, wouldn't limit the group to just muslim extremists. anyone that hates enough to kill for it has a few screws loose IMHO. religion just presents another convenient rationalization for the crazies' behavior. granted, there are some people that need to go but that usually finds a way of handling itself. believe it is beyond the power of men to eliminate hatred in this world.


jef

[Sylvene]

A minority of muslims want to destroy everyone, including other muslims that are not part of their specific minority.

[leng]

What SIlvene said.

Also, there are a large number of dispossessed, displaced and otherwise downtrodden people in the middle and far east who blame the west (frequently with some justification) for their condition. Many of these people are muslim and politically motivated fanatics use this as an additional lever to whip up anti-western feelings.

[Andrea]

I don't know enough Muslims to say with any certainty whether they want to kill me or not.

Agreed.

[Draknor]

Agreed.

Same here. I'd like to believe it's a small minority.

[Kiir]

A minority of muslims want to destroy everyone, including other muslims that are not part of their specific minority.

This is my belief as well. But since it wasn't an option I went for the minority wanting to destroy everyone who isn't a Muslim.

[noptov52]

I have quite a few muslim friends and contacts who have varying opinions of the US, but none which approach hatred. There are those in the muslim community (here and abroad) who do outright hate America, I've met several, but they are the extreme and the minority. A lot of my muslim friends say their families back in the Middle East hate the US primarily because they think that the US hates them and that we are out to destroy the muslim faith. I think many Americans hate muslims for largely the same reasons. Both sides constantly hear from their authority figures that the other side wants nothing less than their absolute destruction.

[Greebo]

The problem with perception of the muslim community is that, while most of them want to live peaceful lives, they do not publicly condemn the acts of violence and terror perpetrated by those who claim to share their faith. Until the leaders of the Muslim Community at large publicly confront and condemn the leaders of the extremist groups, they will continue to be percieved as being in silent support of the violence.

[Asharad]

The only Muslims I know work for me in some way or another, so they may want to kill me, but probably not for religious reasons.

Although actually, they are all millionaires so maybe not.

I actually laugh cause I picture them getting the call that it is time to start up the sleeper cell and them being like, "Yeahhh..about that. I've got a golf game in the morning and I've gotta take the kids to soccer practice in my lexus so...maybe no jihad today."

[deepfred]

while most of them want to live peaceful lives, they do not publicly condemn the acts of violence and terror perpetrated by those who claim to share their faith.

christians or muslims?

[Greebo]

christians or muslims?
Muslims. How many Christian terror groups can you name that are active in the present day?

[Lycos]

Christian Identity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Identity) movement
KKK
Army of God (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_God) [3] (http://www.armyofgod.com/) right wing terrorist groupThere is a radical element to every religion.

[Greebo]

Fair enough, but what is the response of the Christian community leaders to the acts of violence compared to that of Muslim leaders?

[Charinida]

Lately, I've been trying to avoid religion and politics by hiding in my lil' worlds of Aden and Azeroth (and the Star Wars universe)... :* For the past many years...

At work, in my working department (can't say for the other areas), we have one muslim (at least I think he is). Most of us think he's crazy at times. Then again, he's Canadian wanting to be a US citizen. :D He doesn't eat pork. Not sure about drinking and the prayers.

A lot of the taxi drivers here are mid-easterns or africans.

Overall, my perception is slightly marred. Seeing Farrahkhan, watching CNN news of the events over there and other stuff...

And I still don't have enough info... Other than the fact that they (the radicals) like to kill it seems. Why don't the general populance protest more on the killings of their own folks? Police recruits, educators, common folks doing their grocery shopping...

hrmm... Can't really vote...

[Lycos]

Lately, I've been trying to avoid religion and politics by hiding in my lil' worlds of Aden and Azeroth (and the Star Wars universe)... :* For the past many years...

At work, in my working department (can't say for the other areas), we have one muslim (at least I think he is). Most of us think he's crazy at times. Then again, he's Canadian wanting to be a US citizen. :D He doesn't eat pork. Not sure about drinking and the prayers.

A lot of the taxi drivers here are mid-easterns or africans.

Overall, my perception is slightly marred. Seeing Farrahkhan, watching CNN news of the events over there and other stuff...

And I still don't have enough info... Other than the fact that they (the radicals) like to kill it seems. Why don't the general populance protest more on the killings of their own folks? Police recruits, educators, common folks doing their grocery shopping...

hrmm... Can't really vote...


I would put you in the I don't know category. :D

[Lycos]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I have been thinking of working with a mosque somewhere in Baltimore to help others out our way to better understand muslims and their religion for a while now.

But last week, I got a very disturbing email from a close friend who is conservative, but I thought a little more open minded. She shocked me into thinking that maybe I should make some progress in getting our church to move on my idea a little more. So, this gives me a general idea of where most people are thinking. It's helpful to know when discussing with my pastor as to what might be helpful to our congregation.

Again, thanks! :D

[Caranthir]

It's not Islam we need to worry about, it's Wahhabism and the like.

[Tulenyre]

1) Nuke em till the glow

2) Nuke em till the middle east turns into a glass factory.

3) Tell em all to goto hell so they can nuke each other, thus saving us the trouble of nuking them.

What ?

:eek:

[shadowgate]

Careful there, next thing you know Bush will nominate you for the UN position! :P

[leng]

I've been watching a documentary on Christian Fundamentalist "Last Day" believers, mainly in the US. These guys are really scarey, and I mean that seriously. They predicate their actions on the absolute truth of their interpretation of Revelations, with a few other random bits of Medaeval and later apocalyptic prophecy thrown in. Their aim is to further gods will by bringing on the apocalypse, to which end they are fanatical in their support of the most blatant Israeli expansionism, expect and want war between Israel and its neighbours, regard the UN as the antichrist, regard global warming as a good thing (or at least an inevitable thing not to be mitigated or avoided in any way). Unfortunately they have some rich and powerful backers and an unholy influence on US foreign policy.

To be honest, Muslim terrorists may kill a few thousand people but these loonies would destroy the planet if they had their way and are far more dangerous than most terrorist groups, or even states.

[Lycos]

Yup, one of the other reasons I want to do the bible study on the Book of Revelation in the Fall. :D I love that stuff. The fun part is watching all the biblical scholars tear that stuff apart! :mrgreen:

[DirkDarkBlade]

IIRC (and I may not) Revelations was written by Paul while/after he'd been imprisoned on an island for several years. Many believed he'd lost his mind while on the island. Including Revelations was very contriverial when they decided what books to include in the Bible.

Also, some credit Revelations as the first Sci Fi book (time travel in both directions).

[Lycos]

IIRC (and I may not) Revelations was written by Paul while/after he'd been imprisoned on an island for several years. Many believed he'd lost his mind while on the island. Including Revelations was very contriverial when they decided what books to include in the Bible.

Also, some credit Revelations as the first Sci Fi book (time travel in both directions).

You're thinking of John. Originally they thought it was John.

But there are theories now that it wasn't John. Probably another person because the original text is of a different style in which John wrote in. But like all things biblical, it is more of a mystery than we would prefer. :D

[Sylvene]

But like all things biblical, it is more of a mystery than we would prefer. :D

The Bible. Technically it is what is known as a "secondary source" by researchers. Translated from Hebrew to Greek, from Greek to Latin, from Latin to Olde English, from Olde English to Modern day English. Did I get the steps right? :P

Oh... don't forget the King James version where he chucked out the parts he didn't like. The language is beautiful though. :D

[DirkDarkBlade]

Yes John...I'm terrible with names.

[Lycos]

The Bible. Technically it is what is known as a "secondary source" by researchers. Translated from Hebrew to Greek, from Greek to Latin, from Latin to Olde English, from Olde English to Modern day English. Did I get the steps right? :P

Oh... don't forget the King James version where he chucked out the parts he didn't like. The language is beautiful though. :D

Yes, and from what I have been told. I have not looked into it as much. But what I have been told is that the bible is an apologetic text. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apologetics So, as a historical document it is not valid as proof. You need other pieces outside of the religion to coroborate with it. Meaning that the bible is trying to prove something, so you can't take it on face value as a historical text. That's my understanding.

[DirkDarkBlade]

The Bible. Technically it is what is known as a "secondary source" by researchers. Translated from Hebrew to Greek, from Greek to Latin, from Latin to Olde English, from Olde English to Modern day English. Did I get the steps right? :P

Oh... don't forget the King James version where he chucked out the parts he didn't like. The language is beautiful though. :D
Some of the translations (I can't remember which) actually went back to the older manuscripts (in Hebrew and Greek) and retranslated them into modern English.

[leng]

You're thinking of John. Originally they thought it was John.

But there are theories now that it wasn't John. Probably another person because the original text is of a different style in which John wrote in. But like all things biblical, it is more of a mystery than we would prefer. :D
Now they think it was another John, not the apostle. The John gospel is very Greek but Revelations is Hebrew. In fact, it makes pretty good sense as a diatribe against the Roman empire from a dispossessed palistinian Jew (7 heads = 7 Roman emperors, mark of the beast = emperors head on roman coinage, 666 is what you get when you use hebrew numerology to translate Nero into a number). The rather florid images are put down to the use of hallocinogenic mushrooms on the island (apparently you can still get them).