The Weeks Review

IS ISLAM BEYOND REDEMPTION?

Anyone who has ever been to this site knows I have no small degree of antipathy toward toward Islam. The more time that goes by, this antipathy does not abate and I state this unapologetically. While I have no strong feelings against any of the worlds other major, or minor religions, I am forced to make an exception to Islam due to its ever increasing radicalization, lack of reason or tolerance and ever increasing levels of barbarous behavior on the part of Muslims. I have said this, in this space, many times and in many ways.

So, why am I saying it again? Because it needs to be said, over and over, until people wake up from their love affair with cultural coexistence long enough to understand that some cultures do not share our "we are the world" mentality. In their view, they are the world and our culture is an evil to be overcome and replaced by Islamic law and Islamic culture and they are determined to achieve this goal by any means necessary.

Yes, I know many would say that "you cannot judge all Muslims by the acts of a radical few." The fact is that a conservative estimate places the world's Muslim population at about 1 billion, and growing at a rate of 2.9% per year. As to how many of these could be considered "radicalized" Muslims, estimates vary but the figure that I've heard bantered about is in the neighborhood of 10% worldwide, more in some countries less in others. This would indicate that we may well have some 100 million radicalized Muslims but, just for the sake of argument, let's say that only 10% of that figure could be considered truly dangerous. This gives us 10 million, so if saying that "you can't judge the many by the few" let's you sleep better at night, so be it. Personally, I think it's pretty significant figure.

While I am sure that there are a great many perfectly peaceful Muslims, men and women of goodwill who practice their faith in harmony with God and their fellow man, the religion as a whole seems to be a remnant of the past that the civilized world has long moved beyond. Much like its followers, Islam has seen little change, and no reformation in 1,400 years. Tragically for them, none seems to be forthcoming, Muslim leaders seem even more intent on moving backward rather than forward. They demand tolerance from us but show none toward us. They remain silent while their brothers kill and maim innocent Jews, Christians and even fellow Muslims in the name of their faith. They say that they are a religion of peace while at best condoning and at worst enabling the most barbaric forms of war upon the most innocent of victims.

Here in the west, far too many of us wax philosophically about tolerance while these enemies of tolerance use our goodwill against us. Even after all we have been through, we still cannot seem to identify an enemy that stands in full view before us, clearly stating their nefarious intentions!

It's clear that we are in the midst of a war that will determine the survival of our civilization. Call it a religious war if you will, as that is how it has been foisted upon us by the Islamic fascists. The fact remains that it is a struggle in which we must prevail. The only other option is a marked change in the nature of the Islamic culture that will bring it in line with the other religions of the world that have set aside their primitive and violent pasts.

So how does one change Islam from without when it shows no interest in changing from within? Well, cessation of the practice of bending over backwards to appease their every whim and demand would be a start. Every western nation must begin by making it clear that certain behaviors will simply not be tolerated. Preaching hate and inciting violence in mosques will not be tolerated. Consorting with known terrorist groups will not be tolerated. Violence against women will not be tolerated. These people must be made to feel isolated and their countries must be made to feel isolated as well. "Outreach" programs simply play into their victim mentality, they don't need "outreach", they need to be told in no uncertain terms that if they are to become members of our society, they will have to conform and respect our customs. Is that not the way it is in Islamic countries? They make no attempt whatsoever to accommodate the customs of westerners and failure to conform to their social order is harshly penalized. If they choose not to conform to our societal structure, they are welcome to leave. Tolerance is a two way street and I do not think that reciprocity is too much to ask. Freedom of religion is one thing, but when that religion becomes a means and motive for mayhem it is no longer religion, it is sedition.

To assume that Islam, as a whole, bears no responsibility for its radicalized believers is sheer folly. For far too long putative Islamic leaders have whined incessantly about "Islamophobia" while casting a blind eye toward their brethren who speak and act in the most un-Godly of ways and wage their "holy war" in a most unholy manner. The fact is that Islam, in its current state is the problem. Islamic apologists continue to speak of the "religion of peace" but I see nothing but butchery in its past, present and immediate future. I see the rhetoric of so-called Muslim leaders continually dialed up, not down. Their reaction toward even the mildest criticism is met with vitriolic displays of indignation and, in many quarters, calls for increased violence and execution of the critics. If Imams can condone and foment violence as they speak to the faithful at mosques throughout the world, then they can do the opposite. Regrettably, they have no incentive to do so, because they have succeeded in convincing us that the radicals do not speak for Islam though Islamic moderates seem to have little taste for rebuttal.

In short, until the voices of reason within Islam cry louder than the voices of violence and death, I can only assume that the "religion of peace" is, in fact a religion of brutality. History has left me unconvinced and the events of each passing day leave me more so.