Why aren't Muslims speaking out? Options

[radhikaeatsraman]

I was having a discussion with my uncle and my father about the current situation with terrorism and the Middle East. During the discussion, I kept emphasizing that the majority of Muslims are good people and probably don't support terrorists and their actions. But then they said that they're all keeping quiet, and that by doing that, they're indirectly supporting it. By ignoring it, it's going to continue.

Then, they went on to say that in order for the terrorists to commit these acts, they need money for weapons and other equipment. Who provides it? Right after 9/11, millions of Muslims across the US were caught having connections to al-Qaeda, and many of them are in prison for it.

So why aren't "good Muslims" speaking out? Is it because of fear, or are they quietly supporting it?

[TeeNage_WasTeLan...]

You say I am SillaKilla? Haha. Why just because I am continuing an argument that he stopped? I can't agree with another member? If I am really SillaKilla why wouldn't I just use that account?



This argument is pointless. I am going to stop because I don't want to argue with someone who's opinion cannot be changed. You are obviously a stout Christian very devoted to your religion. You keep repeating the same things without ever addressing what I really stated. You won't even admit that there's a possibility that God doesn't exist. All you say is you know it because "you pray to him". Well, if I pray to a mythical god and I believe he responds to me that doesn't mean that he really exists. I actually am a Chrisitian too, but I am willing to accept that there may be alternative supreme beings. I don't BELIEVE that there are, I'm just open to the fact that it is possible. Let me ask you this... did you really CHOOSE to follow Christianity, or is it just the religion you were raised to follow? Be honest too, because I'm curious.


You 'warned' me? What is that supposed to mean?

[*kryogenix*]

You say I am SillaKilla? Haha. Why just because I am continuing an argument that he stopped? I can't agree with another member? If I am really SillaKilla why wouldn't I just use that account?

I suspected you were sillakilla420 after observing several common factors that are associated with ghost accounts. I asked a member of the staff do a check (since I believe having duplicate accounts is against the rules), and indeed, your IP addresses matches with sillakilla420. If you would like concrete proof of this, I can ask a staff member to show everyone. I don't understand why'd you do something like that, unless you wanted to make it seem like there were people other than yourself standing up for your ideas.

This argument is pointless. I am going to stop because I don't want to argue with someone who's opinion cannot be changed. You are obviously a stout Christian very devoted to your religion. You keep repeating the same things without ever addressing what I really stated.

You 'warned' me? What is that supposed to mean?

You're getting it all wrong. I'm not changing my opinion simply because you are not convincing me. I've had my position on certain issues changed over message board posts before. Just because you haven't presented a good arguement doesn't mean that I'm stubborn. You've been doing this the entire debate; when you fail to present a good arguement, you start attacking me instead of the arguement. That's not how it works.

You won't even admit that there's a possibility that God doesn't exist. All you say is you know it because "you pray to him". Well, if I pray to a mythical god and I believe he responds to me that doesn't mean that he really exists. I actually am a Chrisitian too, but I am willing to accept that there may be alternative supreme beings. I don't BELIEVE that there are, I'm just open to the fact that it is possible.

How can you be open to other gods when God gave us the first commandment? Second, this arguement does not work in this scenario because Allah is the same god as the Christian and Jewish God.

Let me ask you this... did you really CHOOSE to follow Christianity, or is it just the religion you were raised to follow? Be honest too, because I'm curious.

Yes, I chose Catholicism. I didn't choose when I was baptised, my sponsors chose for me. But when I went through the sacrament of Confirmation, I made the choice on my own.

Why do you think I try to study theology so much? This doesn't happen unless you are constantly questioning and testing yourself.

Kryo, you're using lingo like "staw man" and "ad hominem abusive." Okay, you know your fallacies, but other posters might not. It seems as if you're trying to intimidate through the use of language so that you come out on top. But if you really wanted sillakilla, teenage wasteland, and the rest of the members to understand and adopt your point, you wouldn't be so impatient and quick to apply this lingo.

I'm sorry, I suppose I'm giving him too much credit. Those terms are pretty much understood by the Debate regulars, but I got too caught up in the arguement to realize he's a new guy. I guess the fact that he called me a kid made me think he was older and therefore more mature and wiser. I guess I was off.

Quite frankly, I'm tired of sillakilla420. His posts are rude, pretentious and convoluted. I can speak calmly to yourself and most of the other posters here, but either he's trolling on purpose, or he just doesn't know how to carry out a civil debate.

3. "Peaceful" Muslims generally do not speak out against terrorism because (a) they're afraid, and (b) they're just not politically active.

a) I've asked this question, and it's been left unanswered. Why are Muslims afraid to stand up against radical Islam? If the leadership and the majority are against it, what need is there to be afraid?

b) There are politicall active Muslims, but I don't think they're doing anything about it. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, Louis Farrakhan is a powerful Muslim leader, but instead of being a good role model, he's a controversial figure.

[innovation]

a) I've asked this question, and it's been left unanswered. Why are Muslims afraid to stand up against radical Islam? If the leadership and the majority are against it, what need is there to be afraid?

The leadership isn't necessarily against it. Dr. Sultan (from CA) spoke out against Islamic militancy through an interview, and she has received multiple death threats from clerics and other Islamic leaders.

b) There are politically active Muslims, but I don't think they're doing anything about it. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, Louis Farrakhan is a powerful Muslim leader, but instead of being a good role model, he's a controversial figure.

Well, you have to realize that it's very difficult to actually initiate something, since many Islamic nations (e.g. Syria, Saudi Arabia, etc.) are closed societies in which the people have little political efficacy. The first step to reducing the indoctrination of Muslims into militancy is literacy. Next, the international community must pressure Islamic governments to provide their citizens with civil and political rights. Because it's so difficult for other nations to intervene, however, the empowerment of civil society is crucial in producing change--but currently, millions remain illiterate (i.e. unable to read the Qur'an), are deprived of their basic human rights, and are basically indoctrinated into obeying the clerics through public education, suppression of the media, etc. The creation of a more open society in which citizens themselves are empowered (think Orange Revolution) is a vital prerequisite to reducing the prevalence of Islamic militancy.

There is some progress, however. According to the Washington Post, the number of Muslims who support terrorism/Bin Laden has declined. However, more Muslims feel that religion is playing an increasing role in politics--and they see this as a good thing. But this doesn't mean that they support the clerics, or that they support terrorism. According to the Post:

The survey results indicate that growing numbers of Muslims differentiate between what they consider the peaceful influence of Islamic values in politics and the use of religion to justify attacks. "The people who see Islam playing an important role in political life are the ones most worried about extremism," Kohut said.

In summary, Muslim support for terrorism is decreasing, but regime change and the establishment of an open society are still critical to reducing terrorism.