Americans like most westerners think of things as they are in a secular world. Whereas Muslims and especially extremist Muslims whether home grown or imported think within the strictures of Islam. What we abjure they embrace in the name of Allah.
Be it local or international, their overarching aim is the furtherance of worldwide Islam.
If it takes the destruction of western economies or the deaths of hundreds of thousands so be it.
One should ask why every endeavor by a muslim from the formal to the mundane,begins with the phrase "Bishmallah al-ramann, al-raheem" "In the name of God the compassionate and the merciaful" and then ask what we have in the west that compares.
Take a look at how we in the US begin trials and presidencies (vowing on a bible), what our school children pledge daily "one nation under God", our currency (in God we trust), our casual utterances (oh God, thank God, You sneezed? Bless you), our thanks for every award or returning soldier (I just want to thank God for ...), the start of many Americans' meals (thank you Lord for ...) -- our 'secular' world is brimming with references to 'our' God. Swap 'Christian' for 'Muslim' and 'God' for 'Allah' and you could paint the average Christian American with that same brush. Although in both cases, I think that's an awfully broad brush. There's quite a history of what lengths -- both well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning - that Christians have gone to to achieve the furtherance of worldwide Christianity.
I was outside the US for quite some time, and from a distance was able to see how very non-secular our country really is, despite the efforts of our forefathers to overcome the colonies origins as a something of a dumping grounds for religious zealots (my ancestors among those, so please don't take offense). Or more to the point, how non-secular our official policies are, legislating morality to a surprising degree: Why is my marriage something in which a government has any role? I'm not gay, but when I served my country, why would my sex life have been under government scrutiny if I were? Why are my medical choices of national concern? These are areas that should come up between me and my God, not me and my congressman. I don't elect my politicians to serve as my moral guardians (God forbid -and there's another common invocation), and my spiritual center is not a democracy.
Americans like most westerners think of things as they are in a secular world. Whereas Muslims and especially extremist Muslims whether home grown or imported think within the strictures of Islam. What we abjure they embrace in the name of Allah.
ReplyDeleteBe it local or international, their overarching aim is the furtherance of worldwide Islam.
If it takes the destruction of western economies or the deaths of hundreds of thousands so be it.
One should ask why every endeavor by a muslim from the formal to the mundane,begins with the phrase "Bishmallah al-ramann, al-raheem" "In the name of God the compassionate and the merciaful" and then ask what we have in the west that compares.
Take a look at how we in the US begin trials and presidencies (vowing on a bible), what our school children pledge daily "one nation under God", our currency (in God we trust), our casual utterances (oh God, thank God, You sneezed? Bless you), our thanks for every award or returning soldier (I just want to thank God for ...), the start of many Americans' meals (thank you Lord for ...) -- our 'secular' world is brimming with references to 'our' God. Swap 'Christian' for 'Muslim' and 'God' for 'Allah' and you could paint the average Christian American with that same brush. Although in both cases, I think that's an awfully broad brush. There's quite a history of what lengths -- both well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning - that Christians have gone to to achieve the furtherance of worldwide Christianity.
ReplyDeleteI was outside the US for quite some time, and from a distance was able to see how very non-secular our country really is, despite the efforts of our forefathers to overcome the colonies origins as a something of a dumping grounds for religious zealots (my ancestors among those, so please don't take offense). Or more to the point, how non-secular our official policies are, legislating morality to a surprising degree: Why is my marriage something in which a government has any role? I'm not gay, but when I served my country, why would my sex life have been under government scrutiny if I were? Why are my medical choices of national concern? These are areas that should come up between me and my God, not me and my congressman. I don't elect my politicians to serve as my moral guardians (God forbid -and there's another common invocation), and my spiritual center is not a democracy.
Two equally interesting and entirely divergent views. Thanks for both.
ReplyDeleteIn Islam even business meetings in the private sector begin with the Bishmallah, not so in the USA.
ReplyDeleteAs for your sex life, enjoy it.!!!