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Can Islam shake off the extremists?

gsa

Well-Known Member
It can shake off extremists, but we should not be confused by terms like "moderate Islam." The text is itself extreme, and giving up scriptural infallibility is required(as it was with Christianity, for that religion to be civilized).
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
It can shake off extremists, but we should not be confused by terms like "moderate Islam." The text is itself extreme, and giving up scriptural infallibility is required(as it was with Christianity, for that religion to be civilized).

That is the problem. Scriptural literalism is not specifically part of Christian beliefs. It is inherent in Islam.
The Quran was cutting edge morality 1400 years ago. It helped produce one of worlds premiere cultures. But it is incapable of improvements due to the belief that it is the perfect and final Word of God. The belief that Muhammad is the perfect model of behavior is nearly as bad. Islamic culture cannot escape 7th century ethics. Ethical improvements like Christendom adopted in the last few centuries isn't really possible in islam without a shift of beliefs as fundamental as Christians agreeing that Jesus Christ did not really resurrect after the crucifixion.

Tom
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Can Islam shake off the extremists?

Islamic extremism is self-destructive (that is the core attribute of evil), so the good news is that it eventually will.

The bad news are that Islam itself may well not survive the process, at least in a recognizable form. Worse still, I expect it to be a long, conflicted, painful process.

Literalism is just too inherent to Islamic practice for it to easily heal itself.
 

Smart_Guy

...
Premium Member
Are even moderate Muslims trapped into silence by the Koran?

No.

Islam itself has more than enough to shake extremests, but a religion does not do a thing on its own. Its followers are the ones with the physical power to do it. But they simply don't.

I'm afraid I cannot talk in length about it, giving where I am from and in right now. I'm afraid those in my position can't do a thing (no, it is not the Quran that's trapping us) + those who have the power to do something but don't wanna do it.
 

Godobeyer

the word "Islam" means "submission" to God
Premium Member
I have a real life experience

I hope all you understand and believe in :

I am Algerian , Algeria dropped in serious wave of terrorism in 1992 until 2000 , after election won by Islamic party, this election rejected by the Army leaders .

Most of Algerian are Muslims .We fought terrorists , and it's cost about 100 000 victimes .

We fought them by two methods :

1-Idealogy : show them the real Islam , which deny all their opinions (fatwas) that made by extrem scholars .
2- by force : Algerian army and patriots

So now Algeria is clean and peace .

thanks to God and to our Army forces .
 

gsa

Well-Known Member
That is the problem. Scriptural literalism is not specifically part of Christian beliefs. It is inherent in Islam.
The Quran was cutting edge morality 1400 years ago. It helped produce one of worlds premiere cultures. But it is incapable of improvements due to the belief that it is the perfect and final Word of God. The belief that Muhammad is the perfect model of behavior is nearly as bad. Islamic culture cannot escape 7th century ethics. Ethical improvements like Christendom adopted in the last few centuries isn't really possible in islam without a shift of beliefs as fundamental as Christians agreeing that Jesus Christ did not really resurrect after the crucifixion.

Tom

Maybe less fundamental than that, but close. Scriptural infallibility has been part of Christianity, just not literalism, and the text was always less inherently violent (NT that is).

The problem with infallibility is that the language just has too much inherent power over believers, and is too capable of a fundamentalist turn.
 

Smart_Guy

...
Premium Member
I don't really know as I can't see what they are having in their minds, but which kind of Muslim do you prefer, their kind or the one disapproving of them?
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
I don't really know as I can't see what they are having in their minds, but which kind of Muslim do you prefer, their kind or the one disapproving of them?
That goes without saying. I am however worried about how to approach people who feel sincerely justified.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Hmm...I don't think any large group can completely free itself of extremism, so I'd have to go with 'No'. Not like Christianity ever has been able to. Make a group large enough, and with enough diversity, and it's going to have it's nutbags, frankly.
I suspect the true issue is more around what the 'average' Muslim believes.

Obviously, with a group so large there is enormous variance, and even talking about Muslims as a single group is possibly unhelpful. But I'm more worried about issues like apostasy and equal rites for all than I am full-on extremist violence. I think these 'lesser' issues actually normalize a lot of behaviours, and promote unhealthy methods for dividing the world up into righteous and unrighteous. This shortens the distance to more extreme language and behaviour.
 
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Smart_Guy

...
Premium Member
I really like you SG. So I won't even talk to you honestly. I don't want what happened to Raif Badawi and many other Muslims to happen to you.

But our inability to talk freely due to Muslim morality does inform my opinion of Islam.

Tom

I like you too :blush:

I wouldn't say it is due to Muslim morality ( I mean, I'm Muslim. Does my morality cause that too?)... I'm afraid I can't comment any further.

That goes without saying. I am however worried about how to approach people who feel sincerely justified.

Isn't that a good reason to forget about the notion "true" Muslims and start talking good and bad Muslims? Unless you believe good Muslims don't exist, which leads that you believe I'm a bad Muslim, then I guess I cannot say anything more.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Isn't that a good reason to forget about the notion "true" Muslims and start talking good and bad Muslims?

Probably. I can live with such a goal. I believe I can live even better with such a reality.

Unless you believe good Muslims don't exist, which leads that you believe I'm a bad Muslim, then I guess I cannot say anything more.

I would like to hope to be at least a bit wiser than that.

Or, who knows, maybe someday you will be what passes for a bad Muslim? :)
 

Servant_of_the_One1

Well-Known Member
We will shake off the extremism,its not part of islam to be extremist. However if that means we will lay down weapons, surrender to the zionists and every invader then you are living in a dreamworld. There are sincere mujahideen who are protecting the unprotected ones, and there are extremists who harm muslims more than invaders do.
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
I feel it they want people to respect their beliefs, they have a lot of work to do, they must realize that they cannot blame people for thinking they are an evil religion, this also applies to all religions with extremist.
 

Warren Clark

Informer
There will be extremists on all sides as long as there is a side to take.
There will always be a muslim extremist just as there are always christian extremists. (Like Michelle Bachmann)
 

leibowde84

Veteran Member
I know this is of
I have a real life experience

I hope all you understand and believe in :

I am Algerian , Algeria dropped in serious wave of terrorism in 1992 until 2000 , after election won by Islamic party, this election rejected by the Army leaders .

Most of Algerian are Muslims .We fought terrorists , and it's cost about 100 000 victimes .

We fought them by two methods :

1-Idealogy : show them the real Islam , which deny all their opinions (fatwas) that made by extrem scholars .
2- by force : Algerian army and patriots

So now Algeria is clean and peace .

thanks to God and to our Army forces .
I know this is off topic, but your quote below your comments is a bit off. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. So, Jesus was just saying "God" in the same way that Christians and Muslims do today. But, most often, Jesus seems to refer to God as "father".
 
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