I recently recieved an email forwarded to me from one of those well-meaning folks who constantly forwards stuff to his friends. I can't find an original author for this email, although it may be from this idiotic site. It's so full of misleading half-truths and outright lies it's hard to know where to begin responding. It reads pretty much like a KKK or Neo-Nazi rant about Jews or Catholics. So let's tear this apart bit by bit, shall we?
I'll indent the tripe, then respond as I go.
Can Muslims Be Good Americans?
This is Something every American needs to think
about, comprehend, and understand:
Coexistence of Judeo-Christian and Muslim Societies?
Many, especially in the News Media or Far Liberal Left
feel this is a complex issue that requires compassion
and understanding.
Here is some Food for thought (I call it the common
sense factor) ....
Bigoted or Not - Just read, think, and draw your own conclusions. The following are FACTS, not conjecture
or Media bullsh** .....
I love it when someone claims, without giving any evidence, that "these are FACTS."
The Simple Question is:
Can Muslims be Good Americans?
Can a devout Muslim be an American Patriot and a
Loyal American Citizen at the same time?
Consider these Simple Real Facts:
Real facts? As opposed to fake facts?
Bright boy here also seems to like repeating himself a lot. But let's move on to the meat of his penetrating analysis:
(1) Based on Theology - NO.
Because Muslim allegiance is to Allah, the moon
God of Arabia.
The moon God? Are you kidding me? The word "Allah" means "God." In Arab-speaking lands, Jews and Christians and Muslims all refer to God as "Allah." Because that's what the word means: God.
Muslims believe they worship the same exact God as the Jewish and Christian God. They worship the God of Abraham. They consider the Bible flawed but still a holy book.
(2) Based on Scripture (bible) - NO.
Because their allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (The Holy Koran, Muslim Bible).
First off, not all Muslims follow the "five pillars." Most Sunni do, most Shia do not. But either way, there's nothing particularly sinister about those pillars, which are:
1) Profess to believe that there is no God except for God, and that Muhammed was his messenger.
2) Pray to God at least five times a day, if it's practical and you can manage it.
3) Give alms ("zakat") to the poor. This is usually money, but can be food if you can't give money.
4) Fast from dawn to dusk for one month a year, known as Ramadan. This is only for adults, and not for people who are sick or elderly.
5) If practical, and you can afford it, make at least one pilgrimmage in your life to visit Mecca.
Those who believe in these five pillars say that if you meet them that makes you a Muslim regardless of just about anything else.
Ooh, that's real scary stuff there!
(3) Based on Geography - NO.
Because their allegiance is to Mecca, to which all
Muslims turn and face in prayer five times a day.
This is like saying Jews can't be good Americans because their allegiance is to Israel, or Catholics can't be good Americans because their allegiance is to the Vatican in Rome. Tripe, in other words.
(4) Based on Social Values - NO.
Because their allegiance to Islam forbids Muslims to
make friends with Christians, Jews, or Non Believers
referred to as Infidels.
Here we have not one, but two lies rolled together!
The Koran in parts says don't be friends with treacherous unbelievers, but then in other parts says God may give you friends among the unbelievers. Most Muslims I know interpret that to mean you shouldn't be friends with treacherous or deceitful unbelievers, but if unbelievers treat you honorably then you can be friends with them.
Furthermore, the word "infidel" is a Christian term. It was invented centuries ago by Christians to describe Muslims, Jews, idol-worshippers, and other non-Christians. Indeed, here's a lengthy quote from the King James Bible:
4 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (emphasis mine.)
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
That would be 2 Corinthians:14-17. (See also 1 Timothy 5:8 in the King James).
Gee, that's a pretty good rebuttal to this entire claim, isn't it? Because doesn't that say that Christians shouldn't be friends with unbelievers? Yes, if you take it literally that's exactly what it says. Indeed, it says people who aren't Christians are unclean and shouldn't even be touched, if you read it too literally.
The thing is, very few Christians believe such a thing. Because those verses need to be read in their proper historical context, and in the context of the rest of the Bible. Which is exactly how you have to take anything that's in the Koran: in proper historical context, and in the context of the full book and not just one or two verses. Duh!
(5) Based on Political Values or Alliances - NO.
Because all Muslims must submit to the Mullah
(spiritual leader), who teach annihilation of Israel
and the destruction of America, the great SATAN.
Bwahahahahahahahahaa!!! "Mullah" is not even found in the Koran, and most Muslims don't use that word. But it's not a bad word: it's a Persian term, used mostly in Iran, and it means "religious scholar" or "teacher." In other words, it's virtually identical to the word "rabbi," which is a Hebrew and Aramaic word that basically means: mullah!
There is only one country in the world--Iran--where by law Muslims are forced to obey mullahs, because a vicious group of renegades, led by the Ayatollah Khomeini, seized power in 1979. That is the only country in the world like that.
There are over one Billion muslims in the world. There are only about 68 million muslims in Iran. And by all accounts, most people in Iran hate the mullah regime and wish it would go away.
Okay, so let's go back to this retarded punk's crayon-fisted scrawlings. Here it gets even better:
(6) Based on American Domestic Values - NO.
Because Muslim Men are instructed to marry four
women, and beat and scourge their wives when
they disobey him. Muslim Women are brought
up to obey and consent to this social and religious
accepted practice (Quran 4:34).
The fourth book of the Koran, known as "The Women," says that a man may marry as many as four women, but only if he can do justice to all of them. And if he has any doubts about that, he should marry only one woman (Koran 4:3). Historically, this practice is usually only when a man is very rich, or, when a widow who has children at home needs a new husband and no single man is able or willing to marry her. In primitive, poverty-ridden societies, women and children with no man to provide for them are usually in serious trouble.
As for wife-beating: The Muslim site "Answering Christianity" has a very detailed rebuttal to Christians who claim the Koran endorses wife-beating, citing chapter and verse in the Koran and other Muslim sources. The short answer is that there is one controversial verse, which has multiple interpretations, which MIGHT make it okay to do this in extreme circumstances--MAYBE.
Compare to the bible: If you look through the Bible you'll find that many biblical figures had multiple wives, including Abraham, Jacob (also known as Israel), Judah, David, and Solomon. You'll also find parts of the Bible which say people should be stoned to death for blasphemy or adultery. Most Christians and Jews today don't take such instructions literally, and neither do most Muslims today.
(7) Based on Religion - NO.
Because Muslims are taught that no other religion
is accepted by Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256).
Gee. The translation I use says this:
[2.256] There is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error; therefore, whoever disbelieves in the Shaitan and believes in Allah he indeed has laid hold on the firmest handle, which shall not break off, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
All this says to me is that religion is voluntary, not compulsory (the Koran says that in more than one place) but if you believe in God and reject Satan then God will know and you'll be in good shape.
Jeez, someone should wipe the drool off of this great scholar's chin, put him in a playpen, and give him some blocks to play with.
But wait! There's more!
(8) Based on Intellect - NO.
Because Muslims cannot accept the American
Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles
and they believe the Bible to be corrupt.
Can you point me to the word "God" or "Bible" or "Christian" anywhere in the entire text of the Constitution? Here's a handy copy you can search through. And here's the Bill of Rights. Go on, show me where you find that, because I don't see it.
I do see this though, in my favorite amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
I've looked and I've looked and I've looked again, and I do not see any "except for Muslims" clause in there.
But I suppose this doofus thinks that anyone who isn't a Christian can't be a good American anyway. I bet he done gradjitated from the 4th grade, and that's how he knows so much!
(9) Based on Philosophical Principles and
Concepts - NO.
Because Islam, Mohammed, and the Quran do not
allow freedom of religion, thought, and expression.
Weeeheeheeheee! This is pretty funny coming right after Bright Boy cites a verse from the Koran that clearly says there can be no compulsion in religion--which sounds suspiciously like freedom of religion and thought to me!
(10) Based on Democracy - NO.
Because in democracy ISLAM can not exist!
The Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has been one of the world's foremost advocates of democracy, urging all Muslims to vote and be a part of the democratic process both in his homeland of Iraq (which is now a democracy) and around the world. He says voting and being part of democratic processes is a fundamental duty of all muslims. But I guess those Grand Ayatollahs don't know much about the Islamic faith huh?
Democratic nations dominated by muslims include Indonesia, Mali, Senegal, Turkey, Albania, Niger, and Nigeria--and nowadays, also Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lebanon. Someone had better tell all those people to give it up and go back to obeying their mullahs, huh? Crikey, this guy's a scream!
Oh by the way? The largest democracy in the world is India. Who's India's president? Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam--a Muslim! I guess someone better tell him that democracy can't exist in his religion, and he should resign and start obeying his nearest mullah, right?
Oh, but let's do go on with our Expert On Muslims, so we may learn more from his deep wisdom:
(11) Based on Schooling - NO.
Because Muslims believe it is more important to
learn the ways of ISLAM and to learn to read Arabic,
because the Holy Koran (Muslim Bible) is written in
Arabic. Also that education is not necessary for
women. That only schools run and controlled by
Islamic Law are for teaching their children.
Which muslims believe this? Where exactly? Since liberating Iraq from Saddam, and liberating Afghanistan from the Taliban, we've seen countless schools opened up in those countries to teach kids reading, writing, arithmetic, history, etc. And, girls go to school just like the boys. In fact, here's one of my favorite pictures from Iraq:
Those would be MUSLIM girls, in a school their MUSLIM parents sent them to, which smiling American GIs are visiting. And it's a school where their MUSLIM teachers teach things like reading, writing, geography, and arithmetic.
I happen to know more than one muslim with a college degree--and none of them has a degree in Arabic or the Koran! What are the odds??
Tell us more, O Wise Sage of The Mysteries of The Mohammedans:
Facts -
1) Every Muslim government is either dictatorial
or autocratic.
...except for India, Indonesia, Mali, Senegal, Albania, Turkey, and a half dozen others besides (see above), this is so very true!
2) Spiritually, no way, because when we declare
"One Nation Under God," the Christian's God is
loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred
to as our heavenly father, nor is he ever called
love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.
"And spend in the way of Allah and cast not yourselves to perdition with your own hands, and do good (to others); surely Allah loves the doers of good." (Koran 2:195)
"Surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves." (Koran 2:222)
"Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (3:31)
"Those who spend (benevolently) in ease as well as in straitness, and those who restrain (their) anger and pardon men; and Allah loves the doers of good (to others)." (3:134)
I could go on but why bother? No, the Koran doesn't refer to God as the "heavenly father." But love, compassion, mercy, and benevolence are all ascribed to God over and over again. The 99 names of God mentioned in the Koran include "Peace and Blessing," "The Subtly Kind," "The All Forgiving," "The Bountiful, the Generous," and "The Loving, The Kind" (more right here.)
But let's get back to our crack investigative reporter who's done so much to expose the "real Islam." This time he descends into utter depravity, and I can't even joke about it:
3) That Muslim children are warriors of Islam and can be sacrificed in the name Allah (God).
That young girls, often times 10-years-old are
forced to marry and have sex. This is strictly
forbidden in any Western culture or society.
Muslim men would be imprisoned for being
Pedophiles.
A totally insane and hateful lie. There's just no other way to say it. I'm almost rendered speechless. The only part that appears to be true is that 10 is the lowest acceptable age for a girl to marry. You'll find that many civilizations of the past, including Christian ones, held that kids could get married as soon as they hit puberty, which is often around age nine or ten. If you read Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette, in the original, Juliette was about 13 and getting a little past her prime. The world changes, standards change.
The rest of this is otherwise just the most sick and demented garbage of this whole pathetic rant. I'd like to stop here, but let's move on:
4) Therefore after much study and deliberation ....
perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL
MUSLIMS in this country (the one that gives
us our Freedoms, the one we love, and the one
who protects us from evil and those who wish
to see our way of life destroyed and replaced
for their own values and demented concepts).
CONCLUSION -
MUSLIMS obviously cannot be both good Muslims
and good Americans. Call it what you wish ... it's
still the truth. If you find yourself intellectually
in agreement with the above, perhaps you will
share this web page with your friends. The more
AMERICANS who understand this, the better it
will be for our great country, the United States
of America (USA).
So, as you can read, interpret, understand, and
observe just in the violence throughout the Muslim
World which is now encroaching upon our society
and way of life ...
That the war is bigger than we know.
Time for some actual facts.
1) I work every day with Muslims, most of them immigrants who came here wanting the same thing most immigrants do: to worship as they choose without fear, to get good jobs, to establish homes, to become part of the American dream.
2) There are Muslims serving right now in the United States armed forces, fighting for these freedoms we hold dear.
3) United States armed forces are now fighting shoulder to shoulder with native Muslim forces in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in the Phillipines, and in several other countries besides that you don't hear about. Native Muslim forces working with U.S. forces to kill terrorists. Got it?
4) The vast majority of victims of terrorist attacks today are muslims, which is why so many muslim nations are our allies in this struggle.
So, you know what all that means?
If you spread slanders like these about our Muslim friends, allies, brave soldiers, and fellow citizens, you are a traitor. More to the point, you are an enemy propagandist. By spreading filth like this, you allow the Osama bin Laden supporters to say, "see how the Americans hate us and spread filthy lies about us?"
Seriously, this is just despicable.
