Violence in the world today

One of my readers posted a comment to my previous blog saying: "You wrote that your next series of blogs will be about 'attacks on life.' Since this is sort of a related topic, I'd like your thoughts on the current violence by Muslims against the lives of many innocent people over this cartoon." I begin by saying THANK YOU for posting a comment on the blog. I value greatly insights and opinions from my readers so I don't spend all the time rambling like a loon in my blog posts. I encourage other readers to post your comments as often as you'd like. You can do it anonymously and I would enjoy your opinions.

Now, in response to my reader's request, I was planning on writing this blog entry on abortion, but I will postpone that entry until next time in order to give my views on the current rioting. I am by no means an expert on the Islamic faith. I am taking a class here at the seminary on world religions and we just began discussing the Islamic religion. That being said, I will give a few of my feelings on this current situation.

First, I deplore the actions of these rioters. While they are rightly upset over these improper and inconsiderate cartoons, responding with attacks, riots and killings not only seems to prove the point of the cartoonists but also depicts Muslims as barbaric and hateful. From all I have read on the Islamic faith, the Koran and Muhammad preach peace, justice and and faith in God. These rioters are not a fair representation of the Islamic faith, from what I can tell. Rather, these are the 'squeaky wheels that get the oil' or in this case, the extremist 'Muslim' activists that are getting the attention because of their actions.

Secondly, from what I have learned, the vast majority of Muslims are holy, devout and very prayerful people who live their faith daily and who seek only to do good in the name of God. Unfortunately, these rioters as well as the terrorist extremists who are stirring up and encouraging these riots are not good Muslims or even good role models. The Koran speaks of compassion, mercy and love, but these extremists show hate, anger and vengefulness. True Muslims offer help to the poor, oppressed and needy. The extremists offer violence, havoc and their own personal gain.

Lastly, I read alot of various city newspapers online from all over the country. I often glance through the editorial section of these papers, usually looking for editorials on faith or Catholicism. Interestingly, I came across an editorial in the Los Angeles Times in which the author tends to agree with what I have just pointed out. What is even more interesting is that this editorial writer is an American Muslim with Pakistani ancestry. You can read his article here: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ijaz18feb18,0,6492979.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

My final thoughts on the current riots, demostrations and killings are that the Muslim faith is being greatly distorted and abused by these people. Secondly, these rioters are not even living the faith they claim to be 'defending' and are actually doing as much irreverance to Muhammad as the cartoonists did. Lastly, The rioters are not defending their faith, but using this incident as an excuse to commit acts of terror and violence on Westerners, again contrary to the true followers of the Islamic faith.

That's the way I see things. I would value anyone else's opinion or insights on this topic. I will continue my series of 'attacks on life' in my next blog post with a discussion of abortion. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 16:03 | link | comments (4) |
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Comments:

#1  21 February 2006 - 18:18

 

I just wanted to add an addition to my post on the Islamic faith. In the book I am reading on Islam, there is a quote that supports my comments of this blog:
...for every one of you did We appoint a law and a way, and if Allah had pleased He would have made you (all) a single people, but that He might try you in what He gave you, therefore strive with one another to hasten to virtuous deeds; to Allah is your return, of all (of you), so He will let you know that in which you differed (5:48)
This is a quote directly from the Quran and denotes religious tolerance in the Islamic faith. The Prophet himself, Muhammad, said the following words, "Will you then force men to believe when belief can come only from God?"
Those who use Islam as an excuse to commit violence and murder on non-believers, deny the very faith that they claim instructs them to commit these acts.
Comments, thoughts, insights...?

crossman

#2  21 February 2006 - 18:25

 

I know I am kind of talking to myself here by posting these comments, but I am trying to incite some dialogue here and I am also fascinated by how the Islamic faith is so distorted for personal revenge.
I have heard Islamic extremists reference the jihad as their reason for their terroristic actions. In reading on the jihad or holy war, I found a couple of interesting points.
1) The true definition of jihad, is identical to the Christian definition of a just war. We would NEVER consider terrorism as just and true Muslims do not either.
2) A jihad or any war by Muslims is to spare women, children and the elderly. Terroristic acts, such as 911 and suicide bombers, are indiscriminate in who they kill. Again, this is not an act in defense of the Islamic faith, rather a misuse of a peaceful religion.
Comments, insights, thoughts...?

crossman

#3  21 February 2006 - 19:53

 

Hi,I've been reading your blog for some time now, and I'm glad to see that ther's someone like yourself who does not regard the entire Islamic faith as terrorist. I thought maybe, you may be intertested to read what the CCC say about Islam; maybe you may have already read this because you're a seminarian.

The CCC Par. 841 tells us that "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."

Anonymous

#4  21 February 2006 - 19:56

 

However, a response I received from a 'Traditional' Catholic mentioned:

Regardless of what the Catechism says, the fact is that the Muslim is quite clear that we do not worship the same God. Despite my anti-Muslim beliefs, I do have Muslim friends. One day, one of them asked me what Christians believe. I could think of nothing better than reciting the Nicene Creed. When I got to "And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made", my friend Muhammad would have turned white if he could (he is of Nigerian descent and very black!). He asked me if all Christians or only Catholics believed this. I had to be honest and tell him that, while this was the historic faith of Christianity, many protestants and modernist Catholics no longer believed it. To him, as a devout Muslim, what I had just recited was blasphemy, worthy of the death penalty under Shariyah.

Despite the modernists' attempts to cover up the fact, to a devout believing Muslim (or a Jew for that matter) the concept of the Most Holy and Divine Trinity, the central concept of our theology, is false and the rankest blasphemy which must be eradicated from the face of the earth.

Anonymous

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