Friday, February 20, 2015
Islamic Crime of the Week: an interlude
I will not post a "crime of the week" this week, not because there's no material, but because there are a few other matters that need attention, in particular, Barack Obama's recent speeches on Islam and terror, and Vladimir Putin's war. But this is probably a good time for a quick break and reflection on what it is all about. What's the point of "Islamic Crime of the Week?"
It's pretty obvious that most Muslims are not terrorists. And there would be no sense writing multiple posts explaining that terrorism is wrong. It's also obvious that there are forms of Islam that are enlightened and extremely pro-freedom. But it's also clear that there are forms of Islam that are authoritarian or totalitarian and completely incompatible with a free, liberal, decent society. The purpose of "Islamic Crime" is to show this and to show that this is the Islam not of just a few extremists, but at the very least a substantial minority of Muslims, and very possibly the majority. And that kind of Islam is something we do need to make war against. Whether it be intellectual war, or sometimes the real physical thing, it is imperative that freedom of thought, freedom of speech and other expression, and freedom to live according to one's beliefs be protected, including from sharia.
So far this feature has demonstrated that in countries where law is based on the Koran, Islam leads to executing gays and nonbelievers, torturing those who speak out against religious authority, punishing people who own dogs, forcing pre-teen girls into "marriages," and legal rape -- not as rare, one-off events, but as widespread practices involving millions of people in multiple countries and cultures on different continents. I'm going to quantify this. Before I am done, I expect to be able to show that at least 1 in 8 Muslims believe in executing anyone who leaves the Muslim faith. It may turn out to be closer to 1 in 4. When it comes to other kinds of violence against non-believers and apostates, I think I'll be able to show that the numbers are higher.
What's the point? This isn't written for Muslims; I expect they already know what ideas are circulating in Islam (and besides, I'd be shocked if I had any Muslim readers). (Heck, I'll be shocked if I actually have any readers.) It's written for another group entirely: the advocates of political correctness, mostly on the left but certainly not entirely, who really do drink the "Islam is a religion of peace" Kool-Aid™.
There are very good people who are Muslims. There are forms of Islam that support individual rights, freedom, and peace. But Islam, far more than any other religion, is also infected with authoritarian, brutal, oppressive strains that are completely incompatible with civilization. These strains are not the Islam of a few"violent extremists" and terrorists, but very common versions, and very possibly the dominant versions, accepted by the majority of Muslims today. I'll establish that by the time this series is finished.
It's pretty obvious that most Muslims are not terrorists. And there would be no sense writing multiple posts explaining that terrorism is wrong. It's also obvious that there are forms of Islam that are enlightened and extremely pro-freedom. But it's also clear that there are forms of Islam that are authoritarian or totalitarian and completely incompatible with a free, liberal, decent society. The purpose of "Islamic Crime" is to show this and to show that this is the Islam not of just a few extremists, but at the very least a substantial minority of Muslims, and very possibly the majority. And that kind of Islam is something we do need to make war against. Whether it be intellectual war, or sometimes the real physical thing, it is imperative that freedom of thought, freedom of speech and other expression, and freedom to live according to one's beliefs be protected, including from sharia.
So far this feature has demonstrated that in countries where law is based on the Koran, Islam leads to executing gays and nonbelievers, torturing those who speak out against religious authority, punishing people who own dogs, forcing pre-teen girls into "marriages," and legal rape -- not as rare, one-off events, but as widespread practices involving millions of people in multiple countries and cultures on different continents. I'm going to quantify this. Before I am done, I expect to be able to show that at least 1 in 8 Muslims believe in executing anyone who leaves the Muslim faith. It may turn out to be closer to 1 in 4. When it comes to other kinds of violence against non-believers and apostates, I think I'll be able to show that the numbers are higher.
What's the point? This isn't written for Muslims; I expect they already know what ideas are circulating in Islam (and besides, I'd be shocked if I had any Muslim readers). (Heck, I'll be shocked if I actually have any readers.) It's written for another group entirely: the advocates of political correctness, mostly on the left but certainly not entirely, who really do drink the "Islam is a religion of peace" Kool-Aid™.
There are very good people who are Muslims. There are forms of Islam that support individual rights, freedom, and peace. But Islam, far more than any other religion, is also infected with authoritarian, brutal, oppressive strains that are completely incompatible with civilization. These strains are not the Islam of a few"violent extremists" and terrorists, but very common versions, and very possibly the dominant versions, accepted by the majority of Muslims today. I'll establish that by the time this series is finished.
