Monday, September 8, 2008

The title says it all...

From Slate:

What's the difference between Palin and Muslim fundamentalists? Lipstick

A theocrat is a theocrat, whether Muslim or Christian.

By Juan Cole

Oh. My. G-d! Read the article if you can stomach it, at Slate. So the Muslim theocracy is equivalent to the Christian theocracy. Hmm. Let’s see, point-by-point:


How does Islam deal with non-believers? From the Koran: 4.89 : They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah's way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper.

Slay them wherever ye find them and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. - 2:191

If you should die or be killed in the cause of Allah, His mercy and forgiveness would surely be better than all they riches they amass. If you should die or be killed, before Him you shall all be gathered. - 3:157-8

But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever you find them. - 4:89

Allah will humble the unbelievers. Allah and His apostle are free from obligations to idol-worshipers. Proclaim a woeful punishment to the unbelievers. - 9:2-3

Fight those who believe neither in God nor the Last Day, nor what has been forbidden by God and his messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, even if they are People of the Book, until they pay the tribute and have been humbled. - 9:29 (another source: ) The unbelievers are impure and their abode is hell. (another source: ) Humiliate the non-Muslims to such an extent that they surrender and pay tribute.

O Prophet! Make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites. Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end. - 9:73

When you meet the unbelievers, smite their necks, then when you have made wide slaughter among them, tie fast the bonds, then set them free, either by grace or ransom, until the war lays down its burdens. - 47:4


How does Christianity, or Judaism, or any other religion you know of deal with non-believers? Certainly not like this!


How about making friends? From the Koran: 5.51: O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.


If I’m not mistaken, the other religions have no similar rule. The point of this is, Islam is unlike other religions. While Judaism and Christianity (the basis of our culture) has a small set of Commandments, the theology is primarily a personal mindset helping to define the individual’s relationship with the Creator. Islam is very different. It commands the adherent in inflexible, violent ways of personal, societal, military, criminal, civil, and every other aspect of life.


There are no moderate Islamists, because Islam punishes apostasy with death -- except in this country, since Sharia law is (thankfully) not in effect. But if Islam gains strength here, so-called moderates would become orthodox, for fear of punishment.


So the statement “A theocrat is a theocrat, whether Muslim or Christian” is made either in ignorance of the realities of Islam, or were written to deceive. You decide which.

2 comments:

robert verdi said...

they were despicable, all of them. It will make victory in 2012 that much sweeter.

Pilgrimsarbour said...

Actually, I wanted to respond to your comment over at Hot Air about Kahless (in the German/Muslims article). In Klingon lore, he was, in fact, a real person, though highly exaggerated. I seem to recall an episode (either TNG or DS9) where the Klingon High Council created a clone from Kahless' DNA. So he had to have been "real."