Can Modern Islam Win Over the Islamic Fanatics? (Kingdom, America)

[Sunstone]

Whither goes Islam? Will the moderates and modernists win out? Or will the radical fanatics return Islam to the middle ages? What do you think?

[Jayhawker Soule]

Not in the forseeable future.

[Omer]

Hi Jayhawker and Sunstone;

There are many organisations and volunteer movements in the world working for world peace and establishing bridges between religions and cultures, seminars and conferences are being held, schools and cultural centers are being opened. I think you would find certain answers to your questions if you check out this site of a modern islamic scholar of Turkey, here's the link: www.en.fgulen.com

Peace

[robtex]

To see that we have to look at the cultural context where the religion is practiced and go country by country. Countries which are theocracies, monarchies and dictatorships have little to no chance of stopping fundamentalists if the govement is conguent with their actions. I think as a race most people do not desire or want war death and destruction but the bigger question becomes, within the context of their culture and goverement are they in a position to have influence on their society and goverment?

I think alot of the middle eastern countries for example are guilty of "silent condoning". By not openlying contesting the actions of suicide bombers or assassins they are either content with the actions or ambivalent thus condoning the actions by default.

As americans we could bridge the cultural gap by looking at our attitude towards Christian white supremacits groups which our goverment and many of our people show the same ambivalent attitude towards until one of them blows up a building or shoots someone.

[YmirGF]

It is not likely that the moderates will win. I have noted that Muslims are very reluctant to criticize their brothers, as the Muslim experience is one directly linked to God. If I read it correctly, they feel they have no right to question the faith of a fellow Muslim, even if they consider that faith to be somewhat extreme. Faith is between the Muslim and Allah, and as long as one sticks to the honored Five Pillars, everything is dandy. Muslims are welcome to correct me if I am wrong.

I also have thought about Robtex's comment about a theocracy. Tell me, just how do you remove a group like in Iran once they are in power? They do not allow real opposition to their thinking, and so any alternatives will simply be more of the same. In Saudi Arabia it is illegal to practise any religion other than Islam (I think... though I could be wrong), so again, just how do you dislodge them in a political vaccuum?

[michel]

Originally Posted by YmirGF

It is not likely that the moderates will win. I have noted that Muslims are very reluctant to criticize their brothers, as the Muslim experience is one directly linked to God. If I read it correctly, they feel they have no right to question the faith of a fellow Muslim, even if they consider that faith to be somewhat extreme. Faith is between the Muslim and Allah, and as long as one sticks to the honored Five Pillars, everything is dandy. Muslims are welcome to correct me if I am wrong.

I also have thought about Robtex's comment about a theocracy. Tell me, just how do you remove a group like in Iran once they are in power? They do not allow real opposition to their thinking, and so any alternatives will simply be more of the same. In Saudi Arabia it is illegal to practise any religion other than Islam (I think... though I could be wrong), so again, just how do you dislodge them in a political vaccuum?

I agree;

The WWL ranking

For the third year in a row, the complete lack of religious freedom in North Korea has positioned it first on the

World Watch List. The strict Islamic kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to hold the second position. Vietnam has

risen one place to position three, followed by Laos in fourth place. Due to the continued pressure on believers in

Iran, the country is in fifth place again this year. The Maldives remain sixth, followed by a new country in seventh

place: Somalia. Christian converts from Islam are paying a high price for their new faith, especially in rural parts

of this most lawless country in the world. There was no change in the status of religious freedom for Christians in

Bhutan, which continues to hold position eight. In China, holding ninth place, the government increased control

of religious activities during 2004. The top ten is concluded by a new number ten: Afghanistan, where the status

of religious freedom deteriorated mostly because of the influence of Islamic extremists.

Islam is the majority religion in five of the top ten countries:

Saudi Arabia,Iran, Maldives, Somalia, Afghanistan...............

I think Jayhawker is right.

[YmirGF]

Pity that our resident Muslims have not offered a counterpoint to negate these concerns.

[Flappycat]

In the past, we have won over cultures by adopting their mythology and ideas into our culture, mixing them with our ideas, and creating a tradition of mutual feedback in which we seperated the wheat from the chaff, making us stronger. I think that, if we took a liking to some of their holidays and traditions, they'd come back with taking some to our modern ideas.

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

I have a strong feeling that in the Islamic world the "extremists" as we call them are not looked down upon to the extent that we in the West would like to think. Only if and when the average Muslim takes a strong dislike to the actions, tactics and ideas of the terrorists. It appears that currently this is not the feeling throughout the Muslim world.

B.

[Flappycat]

Originally Posted by YmirGF

Normally I would agree Flappycat, but frankly, you do not know a lot about Islam, do you? Read the fine print.

It's worked in the past. We get new plots for our Hollywood productions, and their kids are corrupted with good ideas. The Muslims are no worse than we were fifty years ago, partner.