Charles W. "Chuck" Colson is founder of Prison Fellowship, a Christian outreach ministry to the prison population of this country, as well as to ex-prisoners and crime victims. The "On Faith" panelist's daily radio commentary, BreakPoint, is aired daily on over a 1,000 radio outlets nationwide. Colson also is a syndicated columnist, lawyer, and author of 25 books, most recently The Faith (2008). He served as special counsel to the late President Richard M. Nixon (1969-73). After pleading guilty to a Watergate-related charge of obstruction of justice in 1974, Colson served seven months of a one to three-year federal prison sentence. His 1973 Christian conversion was documented in the internationally best-selling book and film, Born Again. He founded Prison Fellowship in 1976. In 1993, Colson was awarded the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion and donated the $1 million prize to Prison Fellowship. In the last 28 years, Colson has visited more than 600 prisons in 40 countries and, with the help of nearly 50,000 volunteers, has built Prison Fellowship into the world's largest prison outreach, serving the spiritual and practical needs of prisoners in 93 countries including the U.S.
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Charles W. "Chuck" Colson
Founder, Prison Fellowship ministry
Charles W. "Chuck" Colson is founder of Prison Fellowship, a Christian outreach ministry to the prison population of this country, as well as to ex-prisoners and crime victims.
The "On Faith" panelist's daily radio commentary, BreakPoint, is aired daily on over a 1,000 radio outlets nationwide.
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You are exactly right and I agree with you. Please ask these Islamists to send their senitized write-ups to Middle eastern news papers. Let the Arab mulsims read these untrue fabricated hypocritical version of islam. What good these write-ups going to do to these western readers? How this teaching will stop those Middle-eastern jihadis from blasting their suicide belts only to kill innocent men, women and children?
It is an interesting question, however, most Muslims don't reside in the United States, where free expression won't get them in serious trouble with senior family members, imams of their community and /or the authorities. It just isn't that easy because if any Muslim ever speaks out and the wrong person hears what it's said, then the outspoken person could risk severe or even deadly consequences from those of authority or even from a dangerous individual with the ability to abduct, torture or even kill that person. Despite monumental risks of speaking out. Muslims are speaking out, which is the bravest task since Galileo spoke out about the model of the universe that contradicted the Catholic Church's views of the Earth being at the center of the universe, which landed him in prison. I commend and praise all Muslims who possess the exceptional courage to speak out against those who use Islam as a pseudocause in order to fulfill their own personal agendas at the expense of the people.
I agree with many thing that you said but I have terrible problem when you say Islam is hijacked by 10-15% jihadi muslims. Fact is islam has not been hijacked rather those 15% muslims are trying to follow real islam taht was brought and established by Prophet Muhammad. Other 85% are either ignorant or just born in muslim family but never studied Quran or anything about real Islam, so they act like human being by nature. But in summary, we can say that at least 50-70% world's muslims directly or indirectly support those 15% jihadis. Consider even if you take 15% jihadis amongst 1.3 Billion muslims, that makes almost 250 millions jihadi terrrists around the globe. If just 100 million suicide bombers start their jihadi job then just think what going to happen to thispoor world.
Slavery, oppression of women are norms in Islam and even in your Christianity. Bible and Quran both allows slavery and women subjugation. So, a pure muslim or pure christian will, of course, oppress women or keep slaves for their own service. Anyway please read these articles on Islamic jihad to learn real Islam:
Mr. Colson,
I was just forwarded a commentary regarding Gen Pace's "removal" as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. If you were in fact the author, I commend you for the article. Too often politicans overstep their moral authority and make statements such as was attributed to Senator Reid.
Speaking for 2 generations of retired USAF and a grandaughter in the Coast Guard Academy, we say keep up the outstanding work!
May God bless you, Jack
Muslims speak out was one of the most intelligent and balanced views on Islam that I have read from the western media, yet. It was people speaking for them selves instead of Islamophobic views. Those Islamic leaders were clear and focused and protected the religion well, even though they had different views. It's shows the harmony of Islam that here we have a faith that can unite different views. I really enjoyed your paper, thank you.
Jililah, I need to get in touch with you. Your ideas are something that I have always wanted to express but couldn't find the right words or did not have enough knowledge. Moderate Muslims need a voice and I want to work with you to see if something substantial can be done. Please email me at hamidrizvi at gmail dot com
I think that all religions, including Muslims and Christians, contain three classes of people: fanatics, orthodox and secularizing faithful. We all agree that we know what Muslim fanatics want and we will fight that. We all like Muslims to be secularizing, because then we can engage with them through reason only. The problem, I think, is that we are not sure whether the orthodox Muslims can be reasoned with. We know that in Iraq, the elections produced a majority which went along with our values part of the way, though most of us believe that, left to their own devices, the majority Shia will probably devolve into a theocracy under some prominent mullah like al Sadr and Iran's theocratic influence. In Turkey, the most secular of Muslim states, the margin of maintaining secularism is small, as recent elections show. If the people of Soudi Arabia or Egypt were free to vote, chances are that they would not choose to be free in our sense of the word, but would choose theocracy under the shariat law. Iran -- well, we all know how Khomeini used his power to establish a theocracy. I find it hard to think that all these people are fanatics -- most of them are, I think, orthodox Muslims who want to be left alone to be under the rule of some religious leader.
Assuming that most American Muslims in the USA are orthodox, if they ever happened to be a majority, would they vote to establish a theocracy? Must we hope that Muslims become secularizing faithful in order to deal with them?
We need to know if orthodox Muslims still insist on converting non-Muslims by force, when they gain the upper hand as they once did and as some "Christians" once did. We need to know why orthodox Muslims do not allow conversion to other religious beliefs. Surely, these are not all fanatics! And we need to know if the subordination of women is something that orthodox Muslims want to allow in an ideal Muslim- dominated society, or not.
The discussion becomes irrelevant when it revolves around fanatics and secularists. We must discuss openly the majority beliefs, so we can determine any common ground that may exist. I really wonder whether most Muslims are comfortable with Western values. If they are not, then, we should pull up stakes and leave them be. They have the right to believe and practice whatever they want in their own lands. We must quit trying to tell other people that freedom is their God-given right, if they heard us and told us "NO Thanks". In our land, we must make sure that the political discourse is never dominated by people who are opposed to the Constitution. I hope that our President and others learned in Iraq that elections do not a democracy make. It takes something else, which some people want and some don't: freedom not only to vote, but also to be one's own person with all sorts of rights.
Jihadi Bombers are Driven by 'PARADISE 72' sensuous rewards- we the victims should combine & fight this menace- & suspect all-
The motive is to gain the fabulous sensuous pleasures & Rewards ( 72 virgins & all luxuries etc for each & their families too ) promised in the KORAN. To know more about it refer to the celebrated PENGUIN translation of Koran by NJ Dawood, or detailed commentaries in Google/Wikipedia (Houri). See Chapters (Sura/Verses) 56/(12 to 40),55/( 52 to 68),55/ (72to-74), 76/ (12 to 22), .This is the easiest way for dropouts, drifters, idlers & the terminally ill to pass off in great glory as “Martyrs “ & also get rewards for their families who only rejoice & never mourn their death. Now even educated youths are being brainwashed to be martyrs by using newer methods like- food & gas poisoning, nuclear & germ warfare, aircraft sabotage, ship & train blasts,car bombing etc- to get these tempting sensuous rewards in Paradise.They are not misguided youth but are DELIBERATELY doing so in the name of Islam.Even one such fanatic out of a thousand is enough to cause great harm . All of them are unmarried,overnight become highly devout,grow beards & prepare for martydom. Most of them are silent members of ‘SLEEPER CELLS ‘ ready to act on their own working secretly & even their closest relatives kept in the dark. ” ALL MUSLIMS ARE NOT TERRORISTS but ALL TERRORISTS are TURNING OUT TO BE MUSLIMS.” Is this not true ? Worldwide publicity should be given to this despicable hidden motive & the Radical Fundamentalist preachers must be made to condemn , denounce & deny these motives with banners & issue FATWAS -warning that their families will be outcasted , deported & lynched. They will never do it -as they are a party to it & actually exhort them in madrasas for Jihad and rejoice after the killings.-Your comments please---
Jihadi Bombers are Driven by 'PARADISE 72' sensuous rewards- we the victims should combine & fight this menace- & suspect all-
The motive is to gain the fabulous sensuous pleasures & Rewards ( 72 virgins & all luxuries etc for each & their families too ) promised in the KORAN. To know more about it refer to the celebrated PENGUIN translation of Koran by NJ Dawood, or detailed commentaries in Google/Wikipedia (Houri). See Chapters (Sura/Verses) 56/(12 to 40),55/( 52 to 68),55/ (72to-74), 76/ (12 to 22), .This is the easiest way for dropouts, drifters, idlers & the terminally ill to pass off in great glory as “Martyrs “ & also get rewards for their families who only rejoice & never mourn their death. Now even educated youths are being brainwashed to be martyrs by using newer methods like- food & gas poisoning, nuclear & germ warfare, aircraft sabotage, ship & train blasts,car bombing etc- to get these tempting sensuous rewards in Paradise.They are not misguided youth but are DELIBERATELY doing so in the name of Islam.Even one such fanatic out of a thousand is enough to cause great harm . All of them are unmarried,overnight become highly devout,grow beards & prepare for martydom. Most of them are silent members of ‘SLEEPER CELLS ‘ ready to act on their own working secretly & even their closest relatives kept in the dark. ” ALL MUSLIMS ARE NOT TERRORISTS but ALL TERRORISTS are TURNING OUT TO BE MUSLIMS.” Is this not true ? Worldwide publicity should be given to this despicable hidden motive & the Radical Fundamentalist preachers must be made to condemn , denounce & deny these motives with banners & issue FATWAS -warning that their families will be outcasted , deported & lynched. They will never do it -as they are a party to it & actually exhort them in madrasas for Jihad and rejoice after the killings.-Your comments please---
As we obviously have some Brotherhood supporters trying to put themselves forward as honorable advocates of democracy, lets look at some history:
The Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimun) also known as the Ikhwan is a good example of what we must protect ourselves against.
The Muslim Brotherhood (“MB”) organization describes itself as a political and social revolutionary movement; it was founded in March 1928 in Egypt by Hassan al-Banna, who objected to Western influence and called for return to an original Islam.
The Brotherhood is an expansive and secretive society with followers in more than 70 countries, dedicated to creating a global Islamic order that would isolate women and punish nonbelievers. Its members and supporters founded al Qaeda, as well as one “of the largest college student groups in the United States.”
The Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism, Juan Zarate, stated recently, “the Muslim Brotherhood is a group that worries us not because it deals with philosophical or ideological ideas but because it defends the use of violence against civilians.” In fact, The MB 1982 secret plan, (the Project) recently exposed, instructs all members locally and globally “To channel thought, education and action in order to establish an Islamic power [government] on the earth.”
The Muslim Brotherhood has historically and continues to actively pursue the establishment of a Muslim regime that will serve as the basis to re-establish the Caliphate, not only by defending violence against civilians, The current leader of the international Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammad Mahdi Akef, “recently issued a new strategy calling on all its member organizations to serve its global agenda of defeating the West. He called on individual members of the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide to not only join the “resistance” to the U.S. financially, but also through active participation.” In the MB Project (1982), Point of Departure instructs members,” To use diverse and varied surveillance systems, in several places, to gather information and adopt a single effective warning system serving the worldwide Islamic movement. In fact, surveillance, policy decisions and effective communications complement each other.”
In an interview to the London based Asharq Al-Awsat, an international Arab newspaper on December 11, 2005, Akef stated that “the Muslim Brotherhood is a global movement whose members cooperate with each other throughout the world, based on the same religious worldview - the spread of Islam, until it rules the world.”
To that end, Akef said, “the Muslim Brotherhood… are an all-encompassing Islamic organization, calling to the adoption of the great religion that Allah gave in his mercy to humanity.” Meanwhile, according to its leader, the MB is busily cementing its ties: “We are in the global arena, and we preach for Allah according to the guidelines of the Muslim Brotherhood.
All the members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the international arena operate according to the written charter that states that Jihad is the only way to achieve these goals.
“Ours is the largest organization in the world,” he said.
Akef emphasized, “A Muslim in the international arena, who believes in the charter of the Muslim Brotherhood is considered part of us and we are considered part of him.”
In earlier interviews,
‘Akef called the U.S. “a Satan that abuses the religion.”
He said: “I expect America to collapse soon,”
declaring, “I have complete faith that Islam will invade Europe and America.”
Although U.S. observers often view the Muslim Brotherhood as well as Hamas as less violent than al-Qaeda, the Brotherhood has long been actively supporting global jihadi efforts.
“Prior to the U.S.-led attack on the Taliban regime, the Muslim Brotherhood actually had training camps in Afghanistan where it worked with Kashmiri militants and sought to expand its influence in Central Asian states, especially Tajikistan.”
It is not surprising, therefore, that the Muslim Brotherhood reacted to Hamas’ January 2006 electoral victory as not merely as a local achievement, but “a victory of the Islamic nation in its entirety,” and as an expression of the concept that “the path of Islam is the true solution.”
As the parent of all Sunni and many other Islamist terrorist groups,
the MB, to deflect attention, uses its long-term strategy, known as “flexibility” (muruna) in Arabic.
This chameleon-like adaptation is tactical moderation with the ultimate objective of complete Islamization of society.
Indeed, the MB’s 1982 project calls on members “To reconcile international engagement with flexibility at a local level.”
Today, when the West focuses on Islamist terrorism, the MB usually refrains from publicly advocating violence. The MB’s 1982 Project, calls on its members:
“To master the art of the possible on a temporary basis without abusing the basic [Islamic] principles… we should not look for confrontation with our adversaries, at the local or the global scale, which would be disproportionate and could lead to attacks against the dawa or its disciples.”
As stated on its charter and its website:
the MB seeks to install an Islamic totalitarian empire, a worldwide Caliphate, through stages designed to Islamize targeted nations by whatever means available.
A principal danger of MB activities is that they are hidden behind “religious” ideology. Moreover:
this ideology dictates concealment (Kitman).
In fact saying, “we should keep hush-hush on things that are still in preparation.”
This ideology controls every aspect of life and seeks to impose that control on everyone.
In the end, the MB intends to overthrow all secular governments and impose Islamic law (Shari’a) worldwide, and it is diligently pursuing this goal.
In July 2005, former Kuwaiti minister of education Dr. Ahmad Al-Rab'i, wrote in the Arabic London daily, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat:
"The beginnings of all of the religious terrorism that we are witnessing today were in the Muslim Brotherhood's ideology."
Thus, on its website, the MB advocates,
“Establishing the Islamic government.”
“Building the Muslim state…Building the Khilafa…Mastering the world with Islam,”;
This would necessarily deprive Americans of their First Amendment, rights.
The first clause in the Amendment states there shall be “no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The First Amendment also upholds an individuals’ right to religious freedom.
But as determined by its doctrine, the MB would exploit that right—along with First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly—to actively seek the imposition of laws that would deny religious freedom to everyone else.
What a beautiful heartfelt and inspiring message. I cannot thank you enough. You are right, all people of faith, reason and moderation are kindred spirits united by a belief in the power of love. May God bless us all and give us strength.
Jililah
My heart goes out to you, and you have my prayers. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to be persecuted from within as well as from without. I am a Christian and would be willing to join you in a march for peace. You might be surprised at how many Christians would be willing to join you also! Moderate Muslims and moderate Christians have more in common than either do with the radical fundamentalists of their faith. It only makes sense that we work together for peace and justice. Remember the words of Reinhold Niebuhr, "Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by HOPE. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by FAITH. Nothing we can so, however virtuous can be accomplished alone, therefore we must be saved by LOVE." God bless you and give you courage.
Would you like Christianity to be defined by the actions of those who kill doctors who legally provide abortions, by Fred Phelps, by white supremicists, by David Koresh, by Jim Jones? Most Americans appear to define Islam by the actions of it's Christian equivelants.
The book of death aka the koran bases its authenicity on Mo's communications with that "pretty wingie flying talking thingie" fictional character called Gabriel who was borrowed from the Christians who borrowed "him" from the Hittite religion and other ancient cults.
Ironic how a peaceful fictional character ended up giving credence to a violent religious movement!!!!!
Thank you Tim - with all my heart I appreciate your support and that of others would join us in a MUSLIMS for PEACE march.
To be candid, I think the reason, you have not seen this is that we are sadly still a minority due to the great power and money of the corrupt Chicago Wahhabi/Salafi lobby that pretends to promote moderation and peace but is truly just a cover for the Shariah/Caliphate promoting Muslim Brotherhood.
If we organize a peace rally and few show, that would be even a worse media picture than the radicals with their successful rallies. To communicate this very important message to advocate peace and humanitarian aims for all, we must inspire all Muslim moderates which we are trying to do, but fact is - many are fearful, it seems. We would truly need to rally also the non-Muslim global peace activists to support us or our attempt could fail and send an even worse media message. It is sad but true that many Muslim moderates bury their head in the sand or look away fearing involvement.
This is why it was so deeply discouraging for me when I fought the radicals at my Mosque that the moderates did not step up and support me and the radicals that support the Brotherhood rallied big and made a strong case to have me thrown out as a troublemaker. We are really in an awful fix.
But hearing from good and openhearted people, like you, is encouraging and helps us strive forward despite the steep uphill climb.
Thank you Tim - Thank you so much!
Now that Pamela Taylor has established an annual convention for the pro-human rights Muslim moderates, I shall see if we can mobilize this group to a rally as you so wisely suggest.
Jililah and Jennifer, a world peace movement is a great idea. We are all for it. Below is a link to pictures of a march by Muslims in the streets of London after that cartoon was published. It is not exactly an example of support for free speech nor a peace rally but it is an image we all are familiar with.
Come to think I have never seen a picture of a Muslim march with moderates advocating peace. Is this because of bias in the media? Do Muslims only march when they feel insulted. And of course, it does not take much to insult a Muslim, does it?
I am cheering for you Jililah. And I say God bless Jeniffer. But then there is reality that hits me in the face. I would like to see you leading a march down the streets of Detroit for peace but then I would fear for you because this just might put a bullseye on your chest? When you hold your first peace rally let us all know, I promise to attend although my family would probably be worried sick about me getting my face on some terrorist hit list. I will also pay for transportation for one other person who would be brave enough to go with me to your first peace rally. Who knows thousands of moderate Muslims might just come out of the closet. I am waiting.
Our panelist wrote: "And as far as women’s rights, I can offer no explanation as to why women are discriminated against in Islam,..."
Can you explain why they are discriminated against in Christianity? See the Missouri Synod Lutherans for example.
Our panelist continues: "or for that matter why slavery is still justified. Is it because Muhammad had slaves? If we are created in the image of God, which certainly Abraham, the father of both faiths, believed, then how is it possible that we do not treat all human beings with the same respect?"
Why doesn't your imaginary friend want me to covet the male and female slaves of my neighbors?
I'm afraid that your super sky buddy doesn't have any problem with slavery.
M.Coloson,
When was the last time you spoke against "the just" war on Iraq? Or the brutal jewish fascism,racism,60-year military occupation of Palestine, jewish Apartheid imposed on Palestine? Or on the genocide of Bosnian Muslims?
Apparently all you are interested in is converting Muslims to Christianity? It looks like you failed to convert even one Muslim prisoner.Why go to Muslim countries to convert Muslims:save the expense and convert American Muslims.
It is truely regrettable that you ignorantly juxtposed Islam and Fascism-did you pick up that term from Richard Nixon or G Bush?
Had u made any effort to read recent posts by Muslim scholars on WP,you would not be uttering this nonsense at all.
The Southern Baptists who waged war against blacks during the Civil Rights movement and before. Every last one of them a Christian. There goes your stupid theory that Christians have been clean the last 200-300 years.
I am 46 years old, Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan (muslim). I was an immigration consultant in Canada and also member of Canadian Bar Association as part of my business , I had an office in New York.
During 2001 immediately after the Sept 11, event the US govt arrested me on Oct 25, 2001 on anonymous call, as a material witness for the 9/11 world trade centre terrorist attack. A detail investigation by the FBI and USA Naval intelligence dept was conducted and I was cleared, but even then govt put me in front of Grand jury , and I was cleared and the case was dismissed by the Grand jury of the US Federal Court .
Approximately after 2 weeks , before I was released from custody the US Govt imposed a new charges of Fraud and money laundering , under the advice of my attorney , I pleaded guilty and I was sentenced to prison for five years (which was four years more, what I pleaded). In which I had already spent 3 years in Detention jail, during the case , I had about 14 months left to finishing my sentence ,(instead of appealing, I preferred to applied for Treaty Transfer to Canada, because if the case is in the appeal, defendant is not eligible for transfer back to his home country).
While at prison, I learned from the case manager Miss Hause, that my citizen was incorrect in the FBOP’s (Federal Bureau of Prison) computer system as Pakistani instead of Canadian.
Its important to note , that all of my Canadian identifications (passport , citizenship card , S.I.N , Health card , Driving license etc) were under FBI’s possession, with a great deal of concern, I wrote a letter to the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo, N.Y to notify such mistake and requested them to fix this problem. This is especially important for Treaty Transfer back to Canada.
The Canadian Consulate official sent a letter to the jail to correct my citizenship status, however FBOP ignored the request and the citizenship status in the FBOP computer still reflect Pakistani instead of Canadian (Note:- I would be required to obtain visa to visit Pakistan) .In contrast , the deportation letter received from US Immigration dept, Contained the correct citizenship status of Canada.
At the hindsight, I believe that the FBOP intentionally left the citizenship as Pakistani, so that they could retained me at their facility, while the govt is planning to file new charges against me 3rd time.
Approximately six weeks before my released date on Jan 30 ,2006 I was notified by the FBOP that I was being transferred from Allenwood , PA to MDC (Metropolitan Detention Centre) in Brooklyn N.Y, it was explained to me, that the purpose of this transfer was in preparation for deportation back to Canada, (after few days, I signed the immigration deportation papers, with my consular Miss Chen).
But immediately after my arriving to MDC Brooklyn, I discovered during a phone call with my family in Montreal, that RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) official had contacted my sister and brother-in-law regarding the whereabouts of my wife and my current situation, there was no explanation given by the RCMP official to the purpose of the call and he left his phone number and asked my wife to call him back immediately, my wife called the RCMP official and left messages in his voice mail. Then the official contacted my brother-in-law again and had asked him to tell my wife not to call again, because there is nothing good nor anything bad.
Meanwhile the AUSA ( Astt United States Attorney) office Investigator and FBI brought me to their office to be interrogated without an attorney present, even AUSA told in the court to the judge on March 16, 2006 that he arranged attorney for me before my arrival from Allenwood PA to MDC Brooklyn, N.Y, on Transcript; page 11, Transcript line No: 14 to 23.
AUSA:-
He (Khalid Awan) was writ in the cause of a grand jury investigation. He clearly had criminal exposure. So to protect his interest I made an application to the duty magistrate for counsel to be appointed.
THE COURT:-
Initially he was brought here by a Court to testify before the grand jury?
AUSA:-
That is correct, Your Honour.
THE COURT:-
When he arrived here, you made arrangements for an attorney to be pointed to request him?
AUSA:-
Yes, Your Honour.
This interrogation started with the AUSA office Investigator stating that my family will be arrested in Canada if I refused to answer their questions.
At this point I am certain that my family is in great danger for reasons that I am not aware of. I was scared that my family would be harassed by these people along with the Canadian RCMP official, I strongly believe that the RCMP is doing this intentionally in collaboration with FBI official to further harass me to admit charges, that I never committed.
Without knowledge of the reasons why the Canadian RCMP agency was involved. I was surprised that RCMP official directly approached my family instead of me without proper explanation, and its also shocked for me, that how RCMP got the phone number of my family (because before my arrest, I don’t have any single record in any police dept, of any country).
I was intimated and pushed to the edge during this interrogation, I was determined to provide anything these USA officials wanted to make them happy even is the questions made no sense, because I want them to stop the harassment to my family.
On March 15, 2006 I completed the term of my imprisonment and was to be released from American Custody and deported back to Canada. Before that I was arrested again 3rd time, and charged with providing “material support to a foreign terrorist” and money laundering (to a organization and person, which are not designated by the USA govt and belongs to Sikh religion) , and with whom, I don’t have any single common interest, because we both are from different countries and different religions.
These charges emerged while I was still in prison and without the capability of providing any type of support. It was even difficult for me to get enough financial assistance to pay legal fees. I could not have provided any material support while I was in prison for five years and I could not launder any money because I did not have any.
AUSA filed three counts of indictment against me.
Conspiracy to provide material support.
Provide a material support to the foreign terrorist.
Money laundering to support terrorism.
(Please note, that in my previous case govt charged me for money laundering and fraud from Jan 1999 to 2002 and “its mentioned in the plea-agreement by the AUSA that no further money laundering charges will be brought against defendant from Jan 1999 to April 2002” even then govt indict me for money laundering from 1998 to Nov 2001 (Which is double Jeopardy and violation of 5th Amendment of U.S Constitution.)
In Oct 2006, during pre-trial hearing on the motion’s filed by my attorney the first two counts of my indictment were dismissed by the judge, stating that there is a lack of facts and figures.
After two weeks AUSA re-indicted me again. I believe this is a desperate act of the AUSA to cover up a huge embarrassment . Further this hastily drawn indictment was full of factual errors and creative legal theories.
Since I was first arrested by the American govt, I believe that I have been singled out, isolated `and discriminated against primarily because of my race and religion, in addition to the fact that I don’t know any information that the American govt is trying to pressure out of me.
I do not understand the American laws and this is what led to my pleading guilty in the first case. I have difficulty understanding the new charges also.
I have been charged under, section 2339(a) of Title 18 of the United States code, which makes it illegal to provide material support to a foreign terrorist.
Please understand, I am not a terrorist, I do not know any terrorist and I have had no connections with or to any known or unknown terrorist. I have been incarcerated for last 5 years and I had no money to provide or launder.
The law enforcement have in America is pressuring me to provide information to them that I really do not have or know. I am a Canadian Citizen and nearly all of my family is in Canada, including my wife and kids. I don’t know any information to tell them to help their investigation.
Because of this , I am being treated unfairly and my rights under the American constitution are being violated. I am being held here in further detention against my will for crimes which I could have never committed, because I was in prison.
I believe, that I am a victim of the discrimination that was outlined in the July 3, 2006 issue of Time magazine (Page 29, column 3). In this article section 2339(a) & (b) are discussed and criticized “as most suspects are charged under these two sections. However, the justice dept here in America admits that of the more than 218 guilty pleas that it has obtained, most are for minor investigation issues that are uncovered deeding the course of their terrorism investigation. This suggest, according to the article that the Attorney General’s office have is not concerned about the rights or fairness or the manner in which it achieves convictions for the people they arrest. Furthermore, criticizes have noted that one of the patterns to emerge from these domestic prosecutions is that suspect seen too incompetent to carry out the deeds they are accused of. The Deputy Attorney General acknowledges that the Dept of Justice’s goal is “ preventions through prosecution’s” and this is done with no regard for an individual’s rights.
I agree that these guilty of terrorism should be prosecuted . But as the above mentioned article suggest , innocent people should not be targeted because of their race or religion.
I am not a terrorist and I should not be targeted and treated unfairly and unjustly.
I need your assistance desperately in my case, as I believe that I am being treated unjustly here. I would like to send you my attorney’s contact information and provide you with legal documents related to my case, so that you may become more familiar with my situation.
Please also note, that I appeared in the court , for no guilty of my 2nd superseding indictment on Aug 02, 2006 and on Aug 03, 2006 FBOP officials placed me in the SHU (Segregation Housing Unit) out of these months, I placed in the SHU isolation from Jan 03, 2007 to March 6, 2007 for unknown “Pending Investigation” in these 215 days of my segregation and isolation, I don’t have a single phone call access to my family, no legal calls to my attorney and Canadian Council, my legal mail opened in my absence, no medical treatment for my injured shoulder (even I went for hunger strike for 3 and half day) I harassed by the various jail officials and lot of other problems too which already been submitted in the attention of the FBOP higher authorities, but no action taken on them, after writing the court, instead of receiving the response or any action on my complaints, jail officials removed /moved me from MDC federal facility to Nassau County Jail .
My suffering has gone on for far too long, and I need your help to bring my suffering to an end. I want to return home to my family, because my imprisonment was injustice and will remain a great injustice forever.
May God bless you and be with you in your efforts to champion the cause of human rights, and the suffering of innocent prisoners and restore hope, faith and love to peoples all over the world.
For those who post merely to cast Islam as evil, irrational and false, please let me point out that at various times in history, Islam was a progressive force that assisted the rise of culture in the West. One of Judaism's greatest sages is Maimonides. In Maimonides famous work, "Guide for the Perplexed," the harmony of past ages was noted in the forward of this book. (The paperback edition with bright red cover - do not have it in front of me now to provide better detail, but you can find it on Amazon and THIS is the kind of reading we all need to do for consciousness raising to occur) Anyway, in the forward, a letter that Maimonides wrote is spoken of and he refers to Muslim philosopher Ibn Rush'd (Averroes) who advocated rationalism, as "My Master Abd Allah Ibn Rush'd." Maimonides works were written after the death of Ibn Rush'd, so he used 'My Master' not in the context of a living mentor, but as an expression of respect for a philosophical body of writing that inspired his own. I believe that Thomas Aquinas was then similarly inspired by Maimonides. If you value the contributions of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and the Neoplatonists like Plotinus, Porphory and Iamblichus, it is good to realize that this body of work had become lost to Western culture and it was revived by Jewish and Arab scribes who translated the texts into Arabic and Hebrew, which were then translated to Latin and Greek leading to the 'Renaissance.'
OK - I hear you! You are asking, "What have Muslims done for us lately?" In truth, not much!
Islam is now in a period of intellectual stagnancy as Europe was during 'The Dark Ages."
But the haters of Islam need to face some facts. As obviously Islam will not be wiped from the face of the earth, as you wish, what would you next hope to see happen to current day Islamic culture? Hopefully you would answer that you would like to see a great consciousness raising in the Muslim world. The FACT that verses exist in the Qur'an which advocate a society establish around given human rights mandates, that have NOT been abrogated as often thought, gives Muslim a legitimate base for this REFOCUSING on the humanitarian model of Islam.
As a hater of Islam, if you cannot wipe Islam from the face of the earth - is not what the Muslim moderates are attempting to accomplish the next best thing for ALL OF HUMANITY?
Truly, the emotional hate posts here only express psychological immaturity. If you oppose violence, then help us find a viable solution based upon ISLAM'S OWN DICTATES rather then asking Muslims to forfeit their culture and become Western clones.
You can choose to help society reach a more humanitarian age or just boo and hiss from the sidelines. Can we not engage together in a vision that will uplift all concerned? Any reality is preceded by a vision. We may not be where you wish us to be but we are trying with everything we have to bring about a refocusing on the innate humanitarian aspects of Islam.
Humanitarian Qur'anic verses (ayah)?
Please see excerpt from Dr. Mansoor Alam's article below:
So what should be done now? Should we simply close our eyes to the Qur’an and allow these latter-day rulers and Imams to regurgitate the same old sectarian-based Shariah that was developed under dictatorial rule and which tramples on the most basic values of the Qur’an dealing with universal human rights, that among these are: sacrosanct right of the sanctity of human life (5:32); inalienable right of the freedom of choice (2:256, 18:29); right of tolerance for other faiths (22:40) and absolutely no compulsion in faith (2:256); right to conduct state affairs by mutual consultation (3:159, 42:38); universal right of human dignity (17:70); sacrosanct right of equal justice for all (4:58, 4:135, 5:42, 16:90) including enemies (5:8) and no bending of justice for anyone (if the Prophet was not above the law (6:15) then how can anyone else be?); right to hold positions based solely on merit (46:19); right of personal responsibility and accountability (53:38); right of ownership of the fruits of one’s labor and no free ride for anyone (53:39). Are these Qur’an-guaranteed human rights (to all men and women) to be found in our current practice of Islam anywhere not to say of the holiest place in Islam, the birth place of our Prophet (PBUH)?
Who else could be more responsible then for damaging the sacred heart of Islam in the name of Islam, in the name of the Qur’an, in the name of the Prophet (PBUH) than the twin forces of Muslim dictatorship and Muslim priesthood?
The situation has degenerated to such an extent that if one were to mention that above human rights are some of the most sacred in Islam; that our Prophet (PBUH) lived and implemented these rights in society; that an Islamic society is supposed to be constituted on the basis of these core rights at its heart; then surely it will raise many eyebrows and may even invite sarcasm from certain quarters with comments such as: “Have these human rights anything to do with Muslims and Islam?” These reactions are not out of place considering how Muslim countries have been mistreating and even killing their own people in the name of Islam.
The world is judging Islam by our practice of Islam, by observing the so-called practicing Muslims. No wonder we seem to be fulfilling the prophecy of the Qur’an by showing to the world by our own actions that Islam is a failure, that Islam is false (107:1-7)! Our failure to live up to true Islam is being seen as failure of Islam. We may think we are good practicing Muslims and that we will ultimately have the mercy and the blessings of Allah. All this is fine but what about the Qur’an and its emphasis on universal human rights? Is the Qur’an only for reciting to achieve mercy and forgiveness, mostly for the dead? Or, should its human rights also need to be implemented in human society?
As a matter fact these values are under siege in every Muslim country. Can we expect to get anywhere when Muslim societies trample on these rights while putting extraordinary emphasis on rituals? What would be more important to Islam in the eyes of Allah: performing its rituals or implementing its basic human rights?
The Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said that Muslim Ummah is like a body. When any part of the body is in pain the whole body feels it. That body seems to be in critical condition today. The only way to revive it is to go back to the basic Qur’anic values guaranteeing universal human rights and make them the foundation of Muslim society the way our Prophet (PBUH) did more than 1400 years ago when the rest of the world was living in barbarism and chaos as noted by many historians (e.g., J.H. Denison, Emotion as the Basis of Civilization). This is the real miracle of the Qur’an. This is the true Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) to practice (7:157).
For those who post merely to cast Islam as evil, irrational and false, please let me point out that at various times in history, Islam was a progressive force that assisted the rise of culture in the West. One of Judaism's greatest sages is Maimonides. In Maimonides famous work, "Guide for the Perplexed," the harmony of past ages was noted in the forward of this book. (The paperback edition with bright red cover - do not have it in front of me now to provide better detail, but you can find it on Amazon and THIS is the kind of reading we all need to do for consciousness raising to occur) Anyway, in the forward, a letter that Maimonides wrote is spoken of and he refers to Muslim philosopher Ibn Rush'd (Averroes) who advocated rationalism, as "My Master Abd Allah Ibn Rush'd." Maimonides works were written after the death of Ibn Rush'd, so he used 'My Master' not in the context of a living mentor, but as an expression of respect for a philosophical body of writing that inspired his own. I believe that Thomas Aquinas was then similarly inspired by Maimonides. If you value the contributions of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and the Neoplatonists like Plotinus, Porphory and Iamblichus, it is good to realize that this body of work had become lost to Western culture and it was revived by Jewish and Arab scribes who translated the texts into Arabic and Hebrew, which were then translated to Latin and Greek leading to the 'Renaissance.'
OK - I hear you! You are asking, "What have Muslims done for us lately?" In truth, not much!
Islam is now in a period of intellectual stagnancy as Europe was during 'The Dark Ages."
But the haters of Islam need to face some facts. As obviously Islam will not be wiped from the face of the earth, as you wish, what would you next hope to see happen to current day Islamic culture? Hopefully you would answer that you would like to see a great consciousness raising in the Muslim world. The FACT that verses exist in the Qur'an which advocate a society establish around given human rights mandates, that have NOT been abrogated as often thought, gives Muslim a legitimate base for this REFOCUSING on the humanitarian model of Islam.
As a hater of Islam, if you cannot wipe Islam from the face of the earth - is not what the Muslim moderates are attempting to accomplish the next best thing for ALL OF HUMANITY?
Truly, the emotional hate posts here only express psychological immaturity. If you oppose violence, then help us find a viable solution based upon ISLAM'S OWN DICTATES rather then asking Muslims to forfeit their culture and become Western clones.
You can choose to help society reach a more humanitarian age or just boo and hiss from the sidelines. Can we not engage together in a vision that will uplift all concerned? Any reality is preceded by a vision. We may not be where you wish us to be but we are trying with everything we have to bring about a refocusing on the innate humanitarian aspects of Islam.
Humanitarian Qur'anic verses (ayah)?
Please see excerpt from Dr. Mansoor Alam's article below:
So what should be done now? Should we simply close our eyes to the Qur’an and allow these latter-day rulers and Imams to regurgitate the same old sectarian-based Shariah that was developed under dictatorial rule and which tramples on the most basic values of the Qur’an dealing with universal human rights, that among these are: sacrosanct right of the sanctity of human life (5:32); inalienable right of the freedom of choice (2:256, 18:29); right of tolerance for other faiths (22:40) and absolutely no compulsion in faith (2:256); right to conduct state affairs by mutual consultation (3:159, 42:38); universal right of human dignity (17:70); sacrosanct right of equal justice for all (4:58, 4:135, 5:42, 16:90) including enemies (5:8) and no bending of justice for anyone (if the Prophet was not above the law (6:15) then how can anyone else be?); right to hold positions based solely on merit (46:19); right of personal responsibility and accountability (53:38); right of ownership of the fruits of one’s labor and no free ride for anyone (53:39). Are these Qur’an-guaranteed human rights (to all men and women) to be found in our current practice of Islam anywhere not to say of the holiest place in Islam, the birth place of our Prophet (PBUH)?
Who else could be more responsible then for damaging the sacred heart of Islam in the name of Islam, in the name of the Qur’an, in the name of the Prophet (PBUH) than the twin forces of Muslim dictatorship and Muslim priesthood?
The situation has degenerated to such an extent that if one were to mention that above human rights are some of the most sacred in Islam; that our Prophet (PBUH) lived and implemented these rights in society; that an Islamic society is supposed to be constituted on the basis of these core rights at its heart; then surely it will raise many eyebrows and may even invite sarcasm from certain quarters with comments such as: “Have these human rights anything to do with Muslims and Islam?” These reactions are not out of place considering how Muslim countries have been mistreating and even killing their own people in the name of Islam.
The world is judging Islam by our practice of Islam, by observing the so-called practicing Muslims. No wonder we seem to be fulfilling the prophecy of the Qur’an by showing to the world by our own actions that Islam is a failure, that Islam is false (107:1-7)! Our failure to live up to true Islam is being seen as failure of Islam. We may think we are good practicing Muslims and that we will ultimately have the mercy and the blessings of Allah. All this is fine but what about the Qur’an and its emphasis on universal human rights? Is the Qur’an only for reciting to achieve mercy and forgiveness, mostly for the dead? Or, should its human rights also need to be implemented in human society?
As a matter fact these values are under siege in every Muslim country. Can we expect to get anywhere when Muslim societies trample on these rights while putting extraordinary emphasis on rituals? What would be more important to Islam in the eyes of Allah: performing its rituals or implementing its basic human rights?
The Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said that Muslim Ummah is like a body. When any part of the body is in pain the whole body feels it. That body seems to be in critical condition today. The only way to revive it is to go back to the basic Qur’anic values guaranteeing universal human rights and make them the foundation of Muslim society the way our Prophet (PBUH) did more than 1400 years ago when the rest of the world was living in barbarism and chaos as noted by many historians (e.g., J.H. Denison, Emotion as the Basis of Civilization). This is the real miracle of the Qur’an. This is the true Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) to practice (7:157).
The USA went into Vietnam and bombed it into the stone ages. They used Napalm and Agent ORange and conventional bombs.
In Iraq and Afghanistan the USA has killed thousands and whenever civilians are killed the USA claims that they are terrorists or it comes up with a lame excuse to explain the deaths.
The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan is illegal. The USA has not brought peace. Instead it has brought instability and longlasting chaos.
It seems to me that those people who do not agree with you are denigrated by you as 'Christ-haters'. If you think that your remarks are fair and decent then I suggest that you think again.
The USA tried many times to kill Castro. It supported right wing insurgents in South America. It refused to stop Americans giving money to the IRA notwithstanding the pleas of the UK governments. All of these acts are terrorist acts. However, when they are initiated by the USA they are 'justified' but when others treat the USA in a similar manner then you regard them as appalling. Why is that?
The losses suffered by the USA on 911 are mild compared to deaths caused by the USA and the misery and killings suffered by others around the world. Look at Liberia, Rwanda, Sudan, Lebanon, The Paleastine, West Irian, East Timor.
The USA gave Indonesia 'permission' to invade and acquire West Irian and East Timor and the misery, killings and cruelty that has been meted out to these people is horrific.
Why don't you put 911 into perspective? Somehow I suspect that your knowledge of history is very poor and that you just do not like Moslems. I presume that Moslems are just as decent and just as indecent as we are and that Christians do not have a monopoly on kind decent thoughts and practices and that includes you.
The USA went into Vietnam and bombed it into the stone ages. They used Napalm and Agent ORange and conventional bombs.
In Iraq and Afghanistan the USA has killed thousands and whenever civilians are killed the USA claims that they are terrorists or it comes up with a lame excuse to explain the deaths.
The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan is illegal. The USA has not brought peace. Instead it has brought instability and longlasting chaos.
It seems to me that those people who do not agree with you are denigrated by you as 'Christ-haters'. If you think that your remarks are fair and decent then I suggest that you think again.
The USA tried many times to kill Castro. It supported right wing insurgents in South America. It refused to stop Americans giving money to the IRA notwithstanding the pleas of the UK governments. All of these acts are terrorist acts. However, when they are initiated by the USA they are 'justified' but when others treat the USA in a similar manner then you regard them as appalling. Why is that?
The losses suffered by the USA on 911 are mild compared to deaths caused by the USA and the misery and killings suffered by others around the world. Look at Liberia, Rwanda, Sudan, Lebanon, The Paleastine, West Irian, East Timor.
The USA gave Indonesia 'permission' to invade and acquire West Irian and EAst Timor and the misery, killings and cruelty that has been meted out to these people is horrific.
Why don't you put 911 into perspective? Somehow I suspect that your knowledge of history is very poor and that you just do not like Moslems. I presume that Moslems are just as decent and just as indecent as we are and that Christians do not have a monopoly on kind decent thoughts and practices and that includes you.
I agree with Mr. Colson that the so-call "moderate" Muslims have failed to denounce the horrific attacks acroos Europe and the Middle East, not to mention 9/11. It is true that some have spoken out but their numbers are too small & their influence not enough to garner media attention. However, I'm still amazed at the liberal, anti-Christian attacks comparing Christians to radical Islam. Yes, there were wars in the Old Testament, but Christ-haters fail to put these incidents in historial perspective. And many things that occured in the Bible (David having numerous wives, etc.)God allowed but did not approve of.
For you Christ-haters, can you name any attack by Christians in recent history comparable to 9/11? Please don't bring up the Crusades; I'm talking in the last 200- 300 years...
It is probably true that the radicals make as difficult as they can any reasoned discussions and attack anyone denouncing them. Do it anyway!
But first take back your family, your children. Do not let the jihadists take them from you. Muslim life is centered in the family so take it back from the killers. Then you can take back the Mosques and neighborhoods. If your eman has been sent from Saudi Arabia, send him back. If he is holding secret meetings in you Mosque, go with your neighbors to find out what he is teaching and expel him if his teachings are radical.
Take back your families, then your Mosques and then your neighborhoods.
Brought to you by the prolife christians who get all hysterical and weepy-eyed over a stem cell in a petri dish and then clamor for more war and torture. There was a direct correlation between church attendance and desire for war and torture. Thank god the Iraqs stopped the US cold or the prolifers would have been in Syria and Iran by now. You could make the argument that the Iraqis saved the world.
Monopoly is bad in business-especially in religious business
This may not be very hard to understand that how the religion of Almighty God has gone through the different phases of evolution and has remained ever progressive toward attaining its adulthood of conscious till it has reached the present day state that we find it in shape of Islam now. We also now know that how at every stage, there has always been a creed of devout followers who recognised the God's Plan and strictly adhered to the divinely teachings and were found striving very earnestly on the path of righteousness. But there have always been a bunch of hard headed, staunch group also present there, who after the demise or departure of their prophet; where remained strict to their rut of the time; they wilfully interpreted the divine teachings in favour of their own personal designs. In order to monopolise the religion, they turned their backs to the God's Plan and coerced others to believe in their type of understandings.
These shapes and designs are well visible in the earlier times before Moses*; where as it is seen more glaring after Moses*. After the departure of Moses; the Israelites had gone too far and even they failed to recognise their own Reformer; Jesus*. Later these straws were picked up by a few; the followers of Jesus and now we see that how that epoch of Christianity flourished and is able to engulf the entire world.
But water never stops flowing under the bridges; specially the flow of divine waters. This universe and planet earth on which we dwell belongs to One; Almighty; He is the creator and is a living God. He is omnipotent and the sustainer of all his creations. As said earlier, that as it has been a practice of some of the followers of old denominations; that soon after the departure of prophet ; they also tended to send the Almighty back to heavens and tried to took over the reins in their own hand; by twisting the divine words and became them selves the saviours.
The Christian in order to monopolise and save guard the worldly domains of their opulence…made Jesus* a god. Although after Jesus* the things turned and God sent down Muhammad*; the prophet who came with the divine book of wisdom; Koran. This book claims to be the book; confirming all the previous denominations and completes the 'Word of God' bestowed for the mankind. The Older denomination, in order to remain stuck with their, by gone days straight away rejected this. Present day Muslims are also trying their hard to spread the Word of God but are seen failing miserably. They are unable to deliver any vision to this World because; they have also rejected their own reformer; who came some hundred and seventeen years ago as the 'Promised Messiah'. Their promised Messiah, is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad* of Qadian (India) who came to guide them and also lead all the older denominations to the right path.
We are not living in the valleys of dead. This is a living planet and our God is a Living God. We can't say that this God Who used to speak for all the nitty gritty earlier has ceased to speak now and is quite ever since; No; Not at all. It is His show and His show must go on. If we want to live like rejected and dejected people; so it be. It's all our choice and at the same time, can keep on slinging mud on each other to spread anarchy and keep on living in misery.
I would leave you with two quotations from Bertrand Russell. He says:
1. An hear say or interpretations can "never be accurate, because (that one who interpret or delivers the message) he unconsciously translates (only) what he hears into something he can understand."
2. I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.
It is useless that Muslims "speak" and "interpret" the Koran in order just to conform to a demagogie pattern of virtuous easy western-like assertions :
Where is the International Moslem Religious Council, uniting in one unanimous reprobation and sentencing, the most important Mollahs, Ayatollahs and Imams of every Islam Country, who would have met, in the name of Allah the Benevolent and in the name of the virtuous Islam (that they claim) in order to proclaim in face of the World (and of all Medias) that they solennely condemn the robomartyrs who destroy, daily and sadically, innocent victims (including Moslems) ????
Of course there will be no Answer to this Question.
To all Free People of the World,
That is right. I said I am mad at the Middle East. Let me break this down for you folks. I am tired of the fighting and the killing and the dying. I am not suggesting that I want the US to bring our troops home. Unfortunately, as peace, love and happiness as that seems it would be a horrible mistake. And no matter what anybody says it is completely NOT feasible. Not only would that be the biggest military blunder of ALL OF HISTORY it would create tidal waves (scratch that, it would create: TSUNAMIS) of repercussions throughout the Middle East and the eventually in the West. Bad idea plain and simple, but I digress... My point is WE the American people, WE the western world, WE the free people of the world, who cherish and value our everyday simple and mundane lives, have got to stand up against this inhumane insane conflict. Not against the troops. Not against the WAR. Instead I suggest a huge peace movement to motivate and support those people of the middle east who are not radical. Those people who practice the good teachings of Allah and his prophet. These are the people who suffering. Their freedom of living a simple mundane life is being threatened by the radical factions that are igniting this conflict.
Do you remember the WE ARE THE WORLD campaign? The US and others banded together to bring an end to hunger in Ethiopia. What about the huge campaign going on now to bring awareness and stop the violence in Darfur? Heck, Bono practically single-handedly ended the violence in Ireland. But what are WE doing for the Middle East? Crying about bringing our troops home. The US should pull out, accept defeat, and let the Middle East handle its own problem. Right? WRONG!! People argue that we invaded Iraq for a number of self-serving imperialist reasons. None of which I believe. But at this point it no longer matters WHY we went in. The point is that are troops are there now and they have one purpose; to bring peace and stability to the region.
Let me give you a break down of what is going on in the region now. This is not a war of the US vs. Iraq. This is a war of Sunni vs. Shiite. And unfortunately the US ignorantly played a hand in inflaming this centuries old (about 1,300 years) conflict. When Muhammad died he did not have a plan of succession. The Sunnis believed that most qualified religious leader should become the new leader of Islam. The Shiite believed that the descendents of Muhammad were the rightful rulers. And there you have it, in a nutshell. The countries bordering the west of Iraq have a Sunni majority. Iran, which, borders the east of Iraq has a Shiite majority. Iraq is right in the middle! Now let's look at Iraq. The north of Iraq is inhabited by Kurds (separate ethnic group), the south of Iraq is Shiite and borders Shiite dominant Iran. The center of Iraq is Sunni and shares borders with its Sunni neighbors. The oil in Iraq can be found in the North (Kurds) and the South (Shiite), NOT in the center (Sunni). The water supply in the middle of this desert can be found in the North and the South, not in the center. So here we can quickly see why it is not so simple to just divide the country into 3 countries or republics.
So back to the Sunni vs. Shiite war. Whether or not Al-Qaeda had a significant presence in Iraq before 9/11 is no longer relevant to establishing peace. Leave that for the history books. But there was folly in the US invading Iraq. Bin Laden had expressed the basic goals of his terrorist activity as described in the MAY/JUNE 2007 Foreign Affairs article Al Qaeda Strikes Back by Bruce Riedel:
"He seeks to 'provoke and bait' the US into 'bleeding wars' throughout the Islamic world; ...The demoralized 'far enemy' would then go home, allowing al Qaeda to focus on destroying its 'near enemies,' Israel and the 'corrupt' regimes of Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia." That is one good reason why we can't pull-out. So this is the ultimate goal of Al-Qaeda. Do you see the end game? It is not the US. It is not the West. It is for ultimate control of the Middle East, with the US and the West to tired, broke and fed up to care. Sometime in 2003 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi fled to Iraq to prepare for the uprising against the US. In order to demoralize the US endeavor he 'focused on the fault line in Iraqi society'-Sunni/Shiite- with the GOAL of igniting a civil war. He did this by promoting the Sunni's to attack the Shiite (the previous powerhouse of Iraq, even though they were a minority). So al-Qaeda and the Taliban are supporting the Sunni side of the civil war they created. Now in steps Iran (Shiite majority), lending support, weapons, and training to its Shiite brothers in Iraq. [remember the US does not like Iran, so when you hear the news how Iran is fueling the war, keep in mind that that does not necessarily mean against the US, they are supporting the Shiites against the Sunni). OI! What a problem! Especially because the US is losing ground against the Taliban who are now thriving in northern Pakistan, Iraq and spreading into Europe.
OK PEOPLE WAKE UP!! Can you see that out troops can not win this? And we definitely can not bring them home. And nobody wants to send more. But this region is in an extremely perilous state. The hearts of people around the world go out to the impoverished, starving, diseased, and to victims of genocide. But what about the Middle East? Where is the compassion for the people who have to live IN this war? What about all those people who are not signing up for suicide missions, all those people who are afraid that the US might leave them? All those people who want peace and the ability to pursue happiness? Why don't we have huge fundraisers, rallies and concerts to promote unity of Islamic brothers? Can't we all just get along? It can start here, now at this very moment. We have many immigrants from the Middle East who left their beloved motherlands to seek peace and freedom in the US. Why don't we band together in a massive grass roots effort to support our immigrants? We can show them love and kindness, the true spirit of freedom and humanity. We can work with them to spread this idea to their families still in the Middle East. We should not turn our back on the problem there. It is not going to go away. It is not going to be solved with military might. There needs to be a change of spirit; strengthen those who feel weakened by war. Create a Muslim movement for peace. Enable the common man to stand and fight against the extremists that preach war and violence. The extremists and terrorists use this VERY tactic to promote their agenda and rally recruits. Let's use their tactic and against them. REACH OUT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND RECRUIT FOR PEACE!!!
I am serious guys. Do not just read this and think hmm that's nice. Start talking to your neighbors. Get to know them. Where are they from? Why did they choose to move here? What are their views about uniting a peaceful ISLAM? How can you work together to spread this idea?
What can you do to support our troops? You can help stop the spread of hate.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
All Comments (44)
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December 16, 2007 12:40 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 16, 2007 12:40
Respected Chuck:
You are exactly right and I agree with you. Please ask these Islamists to send their senitized write-ups to Middle eastern news papers. Let the Arab mulsims read these untrue fabricated hypocritical version of islam. What good these write-ups going to do to these western readers? How this teaching will stop those Middle-eastern jihadis from blasting their suicide belts only to kill innocent men, women and children?
SKM
August 11, 2007 7:48 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 11, 2007 07:48
It is an interesting question, however, most Muslims don't reside in the United States, where free expression won't get them in serious trouble with senior family members, imams of their community and /or the authorities. It just isn't that easy because if any Muslim ever speaks out and the wrong person hears what it's said, then the outspoken person could risk severe or even deadly consequences from those of authority or even from a dangerous individual with the ability to abduct, torture or even kill that person. Despite monumental risks of speaking out. Muslims are speaking out, which is the bravest task since Galileo spoke out about the model of the universe that contradicted the Catholic Church's views of the Earth being at the center of the universe, which landed him in prison. I commend and praise all Muslims who possess the exceptional courage to speak out against those who use Islam as a pseudocause in order to fulfill their own personal agendas at the expense of the people.
August 6, 2007 9:54 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 6, 2007 21:54
Dear Charles W. Chuck,
I agree with many thing that you said but I have terrible problem when you say Islam is hijacked by 10-15% jihadi muslims. Fact is islam has not been hijacked rather those 15% muslims are trying to follow real islam taht was brought and established by Prophet Muhammad. Other 85% are either ignorant or just born in muslim family but never studied Quran or anything about real Islam, so they act like human being by nature. But in summary, we can say that at least 50-70% world's muslims directly or indirectly support those 15% jihadis. Consider even if you take 15% jihadis amongst 1.3 Billion muslims, that makes almost 250 millions jihadi terrrists around the globe. If just 100 million suicide bombers start their jihadi job then just think what going to happen to thispoor world.
Slavery, oppression of women are norms in Islam and even in your Christianity. Bible and Quran both allows slavery and women subjugation. So, a pure muslim or pure christian will, of course, oppress women or keep slaves for their own service. Anyway please read these articles on Islamic jihad to learn real Islam:
Here are some URL addresses:
1. Jihad in Islam: An exegesis.
http://www.islam-watch.org/SyedKamranMirza/exegesis_on_jihad.htm
2. Quran is the primary manual for Islamic suicide terrorism
http://www.islam-watch.org/SyedKamranMirza/TerrorManual.htm
I urge you to stop fooling and trying to learn islam.
SKM
August 5, 2007 7:51 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 5, 2007 07:51
Mr. Colson,
I was just forwarded a commentary regarding Gen Pace's "removal" as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. If you were in fact the author, I commend you for the article. Too often politicans overstep their moral authority and make statements such as was attributed to Senator Reid.
Speaking for 2 generations of retired USAF and a grandaughter in the Coast Guard Academy, we say keep up the outstanding work!
May God bless you, Jack
August 2, 2007 5:35 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 2, 2007 17:35
Muslims speak out was one of the most intelligent and balanced views on Islam that I have read from the western media, yet. It was people speaking for them selves instead of Islamophobic views. Those Islamic leaders were clear and focused and protected the religion well, even though they had different views. It's shows the harmony of Islam that here we have a faith that can unite different views. I really enjoyed your paper, thank you.
August 1, 2007 2:39 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 1, 2007 14:39
Jililah, I need to get in touch with you. Your ideas are something that I have always wanted to express but couldn't find the right words or did not have enough knowledge. Moderate Muslims need a voice and I want to work with you to see if something substantial can be done. Please email me at hamidrizvi at gmail dot com
August 1, 2007 1:45 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 1, 2007 13:45
I think that all religions, including Muslims and Christians, contain three classes of people: fanatics, orthodox and secularizing faithful. We all agree that we know what Muslim fanatics want and we will fight that. We all like Muslims to be secularizing, because then we can engage with them through reason only. The problem, I think, is that we are not sure whether the orthodox Muslims can be reasoned with. We know that in Iraq, the elections produced a majority which went along with our values part of the way, though most of us believe that, left to their own devices, the majority Shia will probably devolve into a theocracy under some prominent mullah like al Sadr and Iran's theocratic influence. In Turkey, the most secular of Muslim states, the margin of maintaining secularism is small, as recent elections show. If the people of Soudi Arabia or Egypt were free to vote, chances are that they would not choose to be free in our sense of the word, but would choose theocracy under the shariat law. Iran -- well, we all know how Khomeini used his power to establish a theocracy. I find it hard to think that all these people are fanatics -- most of them are, I think, orthodox Muslims who want to be left alone to be under the rule of some religious leader.
Assuming that most American Muslims in the USA are orthodox, if they ever happened to be a majority, would they vote to establish a theocracy? Must we hope that Muslims become secularizing faithful in order to deal with them?
We need to know if orthodox Muslims still insist on converting non-Muslims by force, when they gain the upper hand as they once did and as some "Christians" once did. We need to know why orthodox Muslims do not allow conversion to other religious beliefs. Surely, these are not all fanatics! And we need to know if the subordination of women is something that orthodox Muslims want to allow in an ideal Muslim- dominated society, or not.
The discussion becomes irrelevant when it revolves around fanatics and secularists. We must discuss openly the majority beliefs, so we can determine any common ground that may exist. I really wonder whether most Muslims are comfortable with Western values. If they are not, then, we should pull up stakes and leave them be. They have the right to believe and practice whatever they want in their own lands. We must quit trying to tell other people that freedom is their God-given right, if they heard us and told us "NO Thanks". In our land, we must make sure that the political discourse is never dominated by people who are opposed to the Constitution. I hope that our President and others learned in Iraq that elections do not a democracy make. It takes something else, which some people want and some don't: freedom not only to vote, but also to be one's own person with all sorts of rights.
August 1, 2007 2:52 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 1, 2007 02:52
Jihadi Bombers are Driven by 'PARADISE 72' sensuous rewards- we the victims should combine & fight this menace- & suspect all-
The motive is to gain the fabulous sensuous pleasures & Rewards ( 72 virgins & all luxuries etc for each & their families too ) promised in the KORAN. To know more about it refer to the celebrated PENGUIN translation of Koran by NJ Dawood, or detailed commentaries in Google/Wikipedia (Houri). See Chapters (Sura/Verses) 56/(12 to 40),55/( 52 to 68),55/ (72to-74), 76/ (12 to 22), .This is the easiest way for dropouts, drifters, idlers & the terminally ill to pass off in great glory as “Martyrs “ & also get rewards for their families who only rejoice & never mourn their death. Now even educated youths are being brainwashed to be martyrs by using newer methods like- food & gas poisoning, nuclear & germ warfare, aircraft sabotage, ship & train blasts,car bombing etc- to get these tempting sensuous rewards in Paradise.They are not misguided youth but are DELIBERATELY doing so in the name of Islam.Even one such fanatic out of a thousand is enough to cause great harm . All of them are unmarried,overnight become highly devout,grow beards & prepare for martydom. Most of them are silent members of ‘SLEEPER CELLS ‘ ready to act on their own working secretly & even their closest relatives kept in the dark. ” ALL MUSLIMS ARE NOT TERRORISTS but ALL TERRORISTS are TURNING OUT TO BE MUSLIMS.” Is this not true ? Worldwide publicity should be given to this despicable hidden motive & the Radical Fundamentalist preachers must be made to condemn , denounce & deny these motives with banners & issue FATWAS -warning that their families will be outcasted , deported & lynched. They will never do it -as they are a party to it & actually exhort them in madrasas for Jihad and rejoice after the killings.-Your comments please---
August 1, 2007 2:37 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 1, 2007 02:37
Jihadi Bombers are Driven by 'PARADISE 72' sensuous rewards- we the victims should combine & fight this menace- & suspect all-
The motive is to gain the fabulous sensuous pleasures & Rewards ( 72 virgins & all luxuries etc for each & their families too ) promised in the KORAN. To know more about it refer to the celebrated PENGUIN translation of Koran by NJ Dawood, or detailed commentaries in Google/Wikipedia (Houri). See Chapters (Sura/Verses) 56/(12 to 40),55/( 52 to 68),55/ (72to-74), 76/ (12 to 22), .This is the easiest way for dropouts, drifters, idlers & the terminally ill to pass off in great glory as “Martyrs “ & also get rewards for their families who only rejoice & never mourn their death. Now even educated youths are being brainwashed to be martyrs by using newer methods like- food & gas poisoning, nuclear & germ warfare, aircraft sabotage, ship & train blasts,car bombing etc- to get these tempting sensuous rewards in Paradise.They are not misguided youth but are DELIBERATELY doing so in the name of Islam.Even one such fanatic out of a thousand is enough to cause great harm . All of them are unmarried,overnight become highly devout,grow beards & prepare for martydom. Most of them are silent members of ‘SLEEPER CELLS ‘ ready to act on their own working secretly & even their closest relatives kept in the dark. ” ALL MUSLIMS ARE NOT TERRORISTS but ALL TERRORISTS are TURNING OUT TO BE MUSLIMS.” Is this not true ? Worldwide publicity should be given to this despicable hidden motive & the Radical Fundamentalist preachers must be made to condemn , denounce & deny these motives with banners & issue FATWAS -warning that their families will be outcasted , deported & lynched. They will never do it -as they are a party to it & actually exhort them in madrasas for Jihad and rejoice after the killings.-Your comments please---
August 1, 2007 2:35 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on August 1, 2007 02:35
As we obviously have some Brotherhood supporters trying to put themselves forward as honorable advocates of democracy, lets look at some history:
The Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimun) also known as the Ikhwan is a good example of what we must protect ourselves against.
The Muslim Brotherhood (“MB”) organization describes itself as a political and social revolutionary movement; it was founded in March 1928 in Egypt by Hassan al-Banna, who objected to Western influence and called for return to an original Islam.
The Brotherhood is an expansive and secretive society with followers in more than 70 countries, dedicated to creating a global Islamic order that would isolate women and punish nonbelievers. Its members and supporters founded al Qaeda, as well as one “of the largest college student groups in the United States.”
The Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism, Juan Zarate, stated recently, “the Muslim Brotherhood is a group that worries us not because it deals with philosophical or ideological ideas but because it defends the use of violence against civilians.” In fact, The MB 1982 secret plan, (the Project) recently exposed, instructs all members locally and globally “To channel thought, education and action in order to establish an Islamic power [government] on the earth.”
The Muslim Brotherhood has historically and continues to actively pursue the establishment of a Muslim regime that will serve as the basis to re-establish the Caliphate, not only by defending violence against civilians, The current leader of the international Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammad Mahdi Akef, “recently issued a new strategy calling on all its member organizations to serve its global agenda of defeating the West. He called on individual members of the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide to not only join the “resistance” to the U.S. financially, but also through active participation.” In the MB Project (1982), Point of Departure instructs members,” To use diverse and varied surveillance systems, in several places, to gather information and adopt a single effective warning system serving the worldwide Islamic movement. In fact, surveillance, policy decisions and effective communications complement each other.”
In an interview to the London based Asharq Al-Awsat, an international Arab newspaper on December 11, 2005, Akef stated that “the Muslim Brotherhood is a global movement whose members cooperate with each other throughout the world, based on the same religious worldview - the spread of Islam, until it rules the world.”
To that end, Akef said, “the Muslim Brotherhood… are an all-encompassing Islamic organization, calling to the adoption of the great religion that Allah gave in his mercy to humanity.” Meanwhile, according to its leader, the MB is busily cementing its ties: “We are in the global arena, and we preach for Allah according to the guidelines of the Muslim Brotherhood.
All the members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the international arena operate according to the written charter that states that Jihad is the only way to achieve these goals.
“Ours is the largest organization in the world,” he said.
Akef emphasized, “A Muslim in the international arena, who believes in the charter of the Muslim Brotherhood is considered part of us and we are considered part of him.”
In earlier interviews,
‘Akef called the U.S. “a Satan that abuses the religion.”
He said: “I expect America to collapse soon,”
declaring, “I have complete faith that Islam will invade Europe and America.”
Although U.S. observers often view the Muslim Brotherhood as well as Hamas as less violent than al-Qaeda, the Brotherhood has long been actively supporting global jihadi efforts.
“Prior to the U.S.-led attack on the Taliban regime, the Muslim Brotherhood actually had training camps in Afghanistan where it worked with Kashmiri militants and sought to expand its influence in Central Asian states, especially Tajikistan.”
It is not surprising, therefore, that the Muslim Brotherhood reacted to Hamas’ January 2006 electoral victory as not merely as a local achievement, but “a victory of the Islamic nation in its entirety,” and as an expression of the concept that “the path of Islam is the true solution.”
As the parent of all Sunni and many other Islamist terrorist groups,
the MB, to deflect attention, uses its long-term strategy, known as “flexibility” (muruna) in Arabic.
This chameleon-like adaptation is tactical moderation with the ultimate objective of complete Islamization of society.
Indeed, the MB’s 1982 project calls on members “To reconcile international engagement with flexibility at a local level.”
Today, when the West focuses on Islamist terrorism, the MB usually refrains from publicly advocating violence. The MB’s 1982 Project, calls on its members:
“To master the art of the possible on a temporary basis without abusing the basic [Islamic] principles… we should not look for confrontation with our adversaries, at the local or the global scale, which would be disproportionate and could lead to attacks against the dawa or its disciples.”
As stated on its charter and its website:
the MB seeks to install an Islamic totalitarian empire, a worldwide Caliphate, through stages designed to Islamize targeted nations by whatever means available.
A principal danger of MB activities is that they are hidden behind “religious” ideology. Moreover:
this ideology dictates concealment (Kitman).
In fact saying, “we should keep hush-hush on things that are still in preparation.”
This ideology controls every aspect of life and seeks to impose that control on everyone.
In the end, the MB intends to overthrow all secular governments and impose Islamic law (Shari’a) worldwide, and it is diligently pursuing this goal.
In July 2005, former Kuwaiti minister of education Dr. Ahmad Al-Rab'i, wrote in the Arabic London daily, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat:
"The beginnings of all of the religious terrorism that we are witnessing today were in the Muslim Brotherhood's ideology."
Thus, on its website, the MB advocates,
“Establishing the Islamic government.”
“Building the Muslim state…Building the Khilafa…Mastering the world with Islam,”;
This would necessarily deprive Americans of their First Amendment, rights.
The first clause in the Amendment states there shall be “no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The First Amendment also upholds an individuals’ right to religious freedom.
But as determined by its doctrine, the MB would exploit that right—along with First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly—to actively seek the imposition of laws that would deny religious freedom to everyone else.
July 31, 2007 7:22 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 19:22
Report Offensive Statements, says WAPO.
My golly, have there been hooligans here?? We adults are too delicate to take the tough talk that has been swirling around the site?????
Pardon me, but things have gotten much tamer in the last couple of months actually.
BUT
I find Colson's statements offensive much of the time. This one, for instance.
"Why don't moderate Muslims speak out?" asks the plaintive Colson.
Why don't you listen, Chuck? They speak out all the time.
And the last thing ANYONE needs is a moral lecture from Chuck COlson.
July 31, 2007 5:07 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 17:07
Dear DG
What a beautiful heartfelt and inspiring message. I cannot thank you enough. You are right, all people of faith, reason and moderation are kindred spirits united by a belief in the power of love. May God bless us all and give us strength.
July 31, 2007 3:45 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 15:45
Jililah
My heart goes out to you, and you have my prayers. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to be persecuted from within as well as from without. I am a Christian and would be willing to join you in a march for peace. You might be surprised at how many Christians would be willing to join you also! Moderate Muslims and moderate Christians have more in common than either do with the radical fundamentalists of their faith. It only makes sense that we work together for peace and justice. Remember the words of Reinhold Niebuhr, "Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by HOPE. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by FAITH. Nothing we can so, however virtuous can be accomplished alone, therefore we must be saved by LOVE." God bless you and give you courage.
July 31, 2007 2:55 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 14:55
Would you like Christianity to be defined by the actions of those who kill doctors who legally provide abortions, by Fred Phelps, by white supremicists, by David Koresh, by Jim Jones? Most Americans appear to define Islam by the actions of it's Christian equivelants.
July 31, 2007 2:21 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 14:21
A "to the pointer":
The book of death aka the koran bases its authenicity on Mo's communications with that "pretty wingie flying talking thingie" fictional character called Gabriel who was borrowed from the Christians who borrowed "him" from the Hittite religion and other ancient cults.
Ironic how a peaceful fictional character ended up giving credence to a violent religious movement!!!!!
July 31, 2007 12:57 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 12:57
Thank you Tim - with all my heart I appreciate your support and that of others would join us in a MUSLIMS for PEACE march.
To be candid, I think the reason, you have not seen this is that we are sadly still a minority due to the great power and money of the corrupt Chicago Wahhabi/Salafi lobby that pretends to promote moderation and peace but is truly just a cover for the Shariah/Caliphate promoting Muslim Brotherhood.
If we organize a peace rally and few show, that would be even a worse media picture than the radicals with their successful rallies. To communicate this very important message to advocate peace and humanitarian aims for all, we must inspire all Muslim moderates which we are trying to do, but fact is - many are fearful, it seems. We would truly need to rally also the non-Muslim global peace activists to support us or our attempt could fail and send an even worse media message. It is sad but true that many Muslim moderates bury their head in the sand or look away fearing involvement.
This is why it was so deeply discouraging for me when I fought the radicals at my Mosque that the moderates did not step up and support me and the radicals that support the Brotherhood rallied big and made a strong case to have me thrown out as a troublemaker. We are really in an awful fix.
But hearing from good and openhearted people, like you, is encouraging and helps us strive forward despite the steep uphill climb.
Thank you Tim - Thank you so much!
Now that Pamela Taylor has established an annual convention for the pro-human rights Muslim moderates, I shall see if we can mobilize this group to a rally as you so wisely suggest.
Best Regards, Jililah
July 31, 2007 11:17 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 11:17
Jililah and Jennifer, a world peace movement is a great idea. We are all for it. Below is a link to pictures of a march by Muslims in the streets of London after that cartoon was published. It is not exactly an example of support for free speech nor a peace rally but it is an image we all are familiar with.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/muslimprotest.asp
Come to think I have never seen a picture of a Muslim march with moderates advocating peace. Is this because of bias in the media? Do Muslims only march when they feel insulted. And of course, it does not take much to insult a Muslim, does it?
I am cheering for you Jililah. And I say God bless Jeniffer. But then there is reality that hits me in the face. I would like to see you leading a march down the streets of Detroit for peace but then I would fear for you because this just might put a bullseye on your chest? When you hold your first peace rally let us all know, I promise to attend although my family would probably be worried sick about me getting my face on some terrorist hit list. I will also pay for transportation for one other person who would be brave enough to go with me to your first peace rally. Who knows thousands of moderate Muslims might just come out of the closet. I am waiting.
July 31, 2007 10:19 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 10:19
Our panelist wrote: "And as far as women’s rights, I can offer no explanation as to why women are discriminated against in Islam,..."
Can you explain why they are discriminated against in Christianity? See the Missouri Synod Lutherans for example.
Our panelist continues: "or for that matter why slavery is still justified. Is it because Muhammad had slaves? If we are created in the image of God, which certainly Abraham, the father of both faiths, believed, then how is it possible that we do not treat all human beings with the same respect?"
Why doesn't your imaginary friend want me to covet the male and female slaves of my neighbors?
I'm afraid that your super sky buddy doesn't have any problem with slavery.
July 31, 2007 9:43 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 09:43
JENNIFER - BLESS YOUR HEART!
A world peace movement could help the Muslim moderate minority overcome the radicals and potentially bring hope and peace to us all.
Jililah
July 31, 2007 9:06 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 09:06
M.Coloson,
When was the last time you spoke against "the just" war on Iraq? Or the brutal jewish fascism,racism,60-year military occupation of Palestine, jewish Apartheid imposed on Palestine? Or on the genocide of Bosnian Muslims?
Apparently all you are interested in is converting Muslims to Christianity? It looks like you failed to convert even one Muslim prisoner.Why go to Muslim countries to convert Muslims:save the expense and convert American Muslims.
It is truely regrettable that you ignorantly juxtposed Islam and Fascism-did you pick up that term from Richard Nixon or G Bush?
Had u made any effort to read recent posts by Muslim scholars on WP,you would not be uttering this nonsense at all.
July 31, 2007 9:04 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 31, 2007 09:04
Sorry, forgot to throw slavery in there...thousands died pre-Civil War as well. Perpetrators? Christians.
July 30, 2007 4:02 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 30, 2007 16:02
The Southern Baptists who waged war against blacks during the Civil Rights movement and before. Every last one of them a Christian. There goes your stupid theory that Christians have been clean the last 200-300 years.
July 30, 2007 8:54 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 30, 2007 08:54
Dear Sir / Madam
I am 46 years old, Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan (muslim). I was an immigration consultant in Canada and also member of Canadian Bar Association as part of my business , I had an office in New York.
During 2001 immediately after the Sept 11, event the US govt arrested me on Oct 25, 2001 on anonymous call, as a material witness for the 9/11 world trade centre terrorist attack. A detail investigation by the FBI and USA Naval intelligence dept was conducted and I was cleared, but even then govt put me in front of Grand jury , and I was cleared and the case was dismissed by the Grand jury of the US Federal Court .
Approximately after 2 weeks , before I was released from custody the US Govt imposed a new charges of Fraud and money laundering , under the advice of my attorney , I pleaded guilty and I was sentenced to prison for five years (which was four years more, what I pleaded). In which I had already spent 3 years in Detention jail, during the case , I had about 14 months left to finishing my sentence ,(instead of appealing, I preferred to applied for Treaty Transfer to Canada, because if the case is in the appeal, defendant is not eligible for transfer back to his home country).
While at prison, I learned from the case manager Miss Hause, that my citizen was incorrect in the FBOP’s (Federal Bureau of Prison) computer system as Pakistani instead of Canadian.
Its important to note , that all of my Canadian identifications (passport , citizenship card , S.I.N , Health card , Driving license etc) were under FBI’s possession, with a great deal of concern, I wrote a letter to the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo, N.Y to notify such mistake and requested them to fix this problem. This is especially important for Treaty Transfer back to Canada.
The Canadian Consulate official sent a letter to the jail to correct my citizenship status, however FBOP ignored the request and the citizenship status in the FBOP computer still reflect Pakistani instead of Canadian (Note:- I would be required to obtain visa to visit Pakistan) .In contrast , the deportation letter received from US Immigration dept, Contained the correct citizenship status of Canada.
At the hindsight, I believe that the FBOP intentionally left the citizenship as Pakistani, so that they could retained me at their facility, while the govt is planning to file new charges against me 3rd time.
Approximately six weeks before my released date on Jan 30 ,2006 I was notified by the FBOP that I was being transferred from Allenwood , PA to MDC (Metropolitan Detention Centre) in Brooklyn N.Y, it was explained to me, that the purpose of this transfer was in preparation for deportation back to Canada, (after few days, I signed the immigration deportation papers, with my consular Miss Chen).
But immediately after my arriving to MDC Brooklyn, I discovered during a phone call with my family in Montreal, that RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) official had contacted my sister and brother-in-law regarding the whereabouts of my wife and my current situation, there was no explanation given by the RCMP official to the purpose of the call and he left his phone number and asked my wife to call him back immediately, my wife called the RCMP official and left messages in his voice mail. Then the official contacted my brother-in-law again and had asked him to tell my wife not to call again, because there is nothing good nor anything bad.
Meanwhile the AUSA ( Astt United States Attorney) office Investigator and FBI brought me to their office to be interrogated without an attorney present, even AUSA told in the court to the judge on March 16, 2006 that he arranged attorney for me before my arrival from Allenwood PA to MDC Brooklyn, N.Y, on Transcript; page 11, Transcript line No: 14 to 23.
AUSA:-
He (Khalid Awan) was writ in the cause of a grand jury investigation. He clearly had criminal exposure. So to protect his interest I made an application to the duty magistrate for counsel to be appointed.
THE COURT:-
Initially he was brought here by a Court to testify before the grand jury?
AUSA:-
That is correct, Your Honour.
THE COURT:-
When he arrived here, you made arrangements for an attorney to be pointed to request him?
AUSA:-
Yes, Your Honour.
This interrogation started with the AUSA office Investigator stating that my family will be arrested in Canada if I refused to answer their questions.
At this point I am certain that my family is in great danger for reasons that I am not aware of. I was scared that my family would be harassed by these people along with the Canadian RCMP official, I strongly believe that the RCMP is doing this intentionally in collaboration with FBI official to further harass me to admit charges, that I never committed.
Without knowledge of the reasons why the Canadian RCMP agency was involved. I was surprised that RCMP official directly approached my family instead of me without proper explanation, and its also shocked for me, that how RCMP got the phone number of my family (because before my arrest, I don’t have any single record in any police dept, of any country).
I was intimated and pushed to the edge during this interrogation, I was determined to provide anything these USA officials wanted to make them happy even is the questions made no sense, because I want them to stop the harassment to my family.
On March 15, 2006 I completed the term of my imprisonment and was to be released from American Custody and deported back to Canada. Before that I was arrested again 3rd time, and charged with providing “material support to a foreign terrorist” and money laundering (to a organization and person, which are not designated by the USA govt and belongs to Sikh religion) , and with whom, I don’t have any single common interest, because we both are from different countries and different religions.
These charges emerged while I was still in prison and without the capability of providing any type of support. It was even difficult for me to get enough financial assistance to pay legal fees. I could not have provided any material support while I was in prison for five years and I could not launder any money because I did not have any.
AUSA filed three counts of indictment against me.
Conspiracy to provide material support.
Provide a material support to the foreign terrorist.
Money laundering to support terrorism.
(Please note, that in my previous case govt charged me for money laundering and fraud from Jan 1999 to 2002 and “its mentioned in the plea-agreement by the AUSA that no further money laundering charges will be brought against defendant from Jan 1999 to April 2002” even then govt indict me for money laundering from 1998 to Nov 2001 (Which is double Jeopardy and violation of 5th Amendment of U.S Constitution.)
In Oct 2006, during pre-trial hearing on the motion’s filed by my attorney the first two counts of my indictment were dismissed by the judge, stating that there is a lack of facts and figures.
After two weeks AUSA re-indicted me again. I believe this is a desperate act of the AUSA to cover up a huge embarrassment . Further this hastily drawn indictment was full of factual errors and creative legal theories.
Since I was first arrested by the American govt, I believe that I have been singled out, isolated `and discriminated against primarily because of my race and religion, in addition to the fact that I don’t know any information that the American govt is trying to pressure out of me.
I do not understand the American laws and this is what led to my pleading guilty in the first case. I have difficulty understanding the new charges also.
I have been charged under, section 2339(a) of Title 18 of the United States code, which makes it illegal to provide material support to a foreign terrorist.
Please understand, I am not a terrorist, I do not know any terrorist and I have had no connections with or to any known or unknown terrorist. I have been incarcerated for last 5 years and I had no money to provide or launder.
The law enforcement have in America is pressuring me to provide information to them that I really do not have or know. I am a Canadian Citizen and nearly all of my family is in Canada, including my wife and kids. I don’t know any information to tell them to help their investigation.
Because of this , I am being treated unfairly and my rights under the American constitution are being violated. I am being held here in further detention against my will for crimes which I could have never committed, because I was in prison.
I believe, that I am a victim of the discrimination that was outlined in the July 3, 2006 issue of Time magazine (Page 29, column 3). In this article section 2339(a) & (b) are discussed and criticized “as most suspects are charged under these two sections. However, the justice dept here in America admits that of the more than 218 guilty pleas that it has obtained, most are for minor investigation issues that are uncovered deeding the course of their terrorism investigation. This suggest, according to the article that the Attorney General’s office have is not concerned about the rights or fairness or the manner in which it achieves convictions for the people they arrest. Furthermore, criticizes have noted that one of the patterns to emerge from these domestic prosecutions is that suspect seen too incompetent to carry out the deeds they are accused of. The Deputy Attorney General acknowledges that the Dept of Justice’s goal is “ preventions through prosecution’s” and this is done with no regard for an individual’s rights.
I agree that these guilty of terrorism should be prosecuted . But as the above mentioned article suggest , innocent people should not be targeted because of their race or religion.
I am not a terrorist and I should not be targeted and treated unfairly and unjustly.
I need your assistance desperately in my case, as I believe that I am being treated unjustly here. I would like to send you my attorney’s contact information and provide you with legal documents related to my case, so that you may become more familiar with my situation.
Please also note, that I appeared in the court , for no guilty of my 2nd superseding indictment on Aug 02, 2006 and on Aug 03, 2006 FBOP officials placed me in the SHU (Segregation Housing Unit) out of these months, I placed in the SHU isolation from Jan 03, 2007 to March 6, 2007 for unknown “Pending Investigation” in these 215 days of my segregation and isolation, I don’t have a single phone call access to my family, no legal calls to my attorney and Canadian Council, my legal mail opened in my absence, no medical treatment for my injured shoulder (even I went for hunger strike for 3 and half day) I harassed by the various jail officials and lot of other problems too which already been submitted in the attention of the FBOP higher authorities, but no action taken on them, after writing the court, instead of receiving the response or any action on my complaints, jail officials removed /moved me from MDC federal facility to Nassau County Jail .
My suffering has gone on for far too long, and I need your help to bring my suffering to an end. I want to return home to my family, because my imprisonment was injustice and will remain a great injustice forever.
May God bless you and be with you in your efforts to champion the cause of human rights, and the suffering of innocent prisoners and restore hope, faith and love to peoples all over the world.
Sincerely,
KHALID AWAN
FBOP NO. 50959-054
The court will be on 12 September 2007.
July 30, 2007 4:14 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 30, 2007 04:14
For those who post merely to cast Islam as evil, irrational and false, please let me point out that at various times in history, Islam was a progressive force that assisted the rise of culture in the West. One of Judaism's greatest sages is Maimonides. In Maimonides famous work, "Guide for the Perplexed," the harmony of past ages was noted in the forward of this book. (The paperback edition with bright red cover - do not have it in front of me now to provide better detail, but you can find it on Amazon and THIS is the kind of reading we all need to do for consciousness raising to occur) Anyway, in the forward, a letter that Maimonides wrote is spoken of and he refers to Muslim philosopher Ibn Rush'd (Averroes) who advocated rationalism, as "My Master Abd Allah Ibn Rush'd." Maimonides works were written after the death of Ibn Rush'd, so he used 'My Master' not in the context of a living mentor, but as an expression of respect for a philosophical body of writing that inspired his own. I believe that Thomas Aquinas was then similarly inspired by Maimonides. If you value the contributions of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and the Neoplatonists like Plotinus, Porphory and Iamblichus, it is good to realize that this body of work had become lost to Western culture and it was revived by Jewish and Arab scribes who translated the texts into Arabic and Hebrew, which were then translated to Latin and Greek leading to the 'Renaissance.'
OK - I hear you! You are asking, "What have Muslims done for us lately?" In truth, not much!
Islam is now in a period of intellectual stagnancy as Europe was during 'The Dark Ages."
But the haters of Islam need to face some facts. As obviously Islam will not be wiped from the face of the earth, as you wish, what would you next hope to see happen to current day Islamic culture? Hopefully you would answer that you would like to see a great consciousness raising in the Muslim world. The FACT that verses exist in the Qur'an which advocate a society establish around given human rights mandates, that have NOT been abrogated as often thought, gives Muslim a legitimate base for this REFOCUSING on the humanitarian model of Islam.
As a hater of Islam, if you cannot wipe Islam from the face of the earth - is not what the Muslim moderates are attempting to accomplish the next best thing for ALL OF HUMANITY?
Truly, the emotional hate posts here only express psychological immaturity. If you oppose violence, then help us find a viable solution based upon ISLAM'S OWN DICTATES rather then asking Muslims to forfeit their culture and become Western clones.
You can choose to help society reach a more humanitarian age or just boo and hiss from the sidelines. Can we not engage together in a vision that will uplift all concerned? Any reality is preceded by a vision. We may not be where you wish us to be but we are trying with everything we have to bring about a refocusing on the innate humanitarian aspects of Islam.
Humanitarian Qur'anic verses (ayah)?
Please see excerpt from Dr. Mansoor Alam's article below:
So what should be done now? Should we simply close our eyes to the Qur’an and allow these latter-day rulers and Imams to regurgitate the same old sectarian-based Shariah that was developed under dictatorial rule and which tramples on the most basic values of the Qur’an dealing with universal human rights, that among these are: sacrosanct right of the sanctity of human life (5:32); inalienable right of the freedom of choice (2:256, 18:29); right of tolerance for other faiths (22:40) and absolutely no compulsion in faith (2:256); right to conduct state affairs by mutual consultation (3:159, 42:38); universal right of human dignity (17:70); sacrosanct right of equal justice for all (4:58, 4:135, 5:42, 16:90) including enemies (5:8) and no bending of justice for anyone (if the Prophet was not above the law (6:15) then how can anyone else be?); right to hold positions based solely on merit (46:19); right of personal responsibility and accountability (53:38); right of ownership of the fruits of one’s labor and no free ride for anyone (53:39). Are these Qur’an-guaranteed human rights (to all men and women) to be found in our current practice of Islam anywhere not to say of the holiest place in Islam, the birth place of our Prophet (PBUH)?
Who else could be more responsible then for damaging the sacred heart of Islam in the name of Islam, in the name of the Qur’an, in the name of the Prophet (PBUH) than the twin forces of Muslim dictatorship and Muslim priesthood?
The situation has degenerated to such an extent that if one were to mention that above human rights are some of the most sacred in Islam; that our Prophet (PBUH) lived and implemented these rights in society; that an Islamic society is supposed to be constituted on the basis of these core rights at its heart; then surely it will raise many eyebrows and may even invite sarcasm from certain quarters with comments such as: “Have these human rights anything to do with Muslims and Islam?” These reactions are not out of place considering how Muslim countries have been mistreating and even killing their own people in the name of Islam.
The world is judging Islam by our practice of Islam, by observing the so-called practicing Muslims. No wonder we seem to be fulfilling the prophecy of the Qur’an by showing to the world by our own actions that Islam is a failure, that Islam is false (107:1-7)! Our failure to live up to true Islam is being seen as failure of Islam. We may think we are good practicing Muslims and that we will ultimately have the mercy and the blessings of Allah. All this is fine but what about the Qur’an and its emphasis on universal human rights? Is the Qur’an only for reciting to achieve mercy and forgiveness, mostly for the dead? Or, should its human rights also need to be implemented in human society?
As a matter fact these values are under siege in every Muslim country. Can we expect to get anywhere when Muslim societies trample on these rights while putting extraordinary emphasis on rituals? What would be more important to Islam in the eyes of Allah: performing its rituals or implementing its basic human rights?
The Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said that Muslim Ummah is like a body. When any part of the body is in pain the whole body feels it. That body seems to be in critical condition today. The only way to revive it is to go back to the basic Qur’anic values guaranteeing universal human rights and make them the foundation of Muslim society the way our Prophet (PBUH) did more than 1400 years ago when the rest of the world was living in barbarism and chaos as noted by many historians (e.g., J.H. Denison, Emotion as the Basis of Civilization). This is the real miracle of the Qur’an. This is the true Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) to practice (7:157).
July 29, 2007 10:46 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 29, 2007 10:46
For those who post merely to cast Islam as evil, irrational and false, please let me point out that at various times in history, Islam was a progressive force that assisted the rise of culture in the West. One of Judaism's greatest sages is Maimonides. In Maimonides famous work, "Guide for the Perplexed," the harmony of past ages was noted in the forward of this book. (The paperback edition with bright red cover - do not have it in front of me now to provide better detail, but you can find it on Amazon and THIS is the kind of reading we all need to do for consciousness raising to occur) Anyway, in the forward, a letter that Maimonides wrote is spoken of and he refers to Muslim philosopher Ibn Rush'd (Averroes) who advocated rationalism, as "My Master Abd Allah Ibn Rush'd." Maimonides works were written after the death of Ibn Rush'd, so he used 'My Master' not in the context of a living mentor, but as an expression of respect for a philosophical body of writing that inspired his own. I believe that Thomas Aquinas was then similarly inspired by Maimonides. If you value the contributions of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and the Neoplatonists like Plotinus, Porphory and Iamblichus, it is good to realize that this body of work had become lost to Western culture and it was revived by Jewish and Arab scribes who translated the texts into Arabic and Hebrew, which were then translated to Latin and Greek leading to the 'Renaissance.'
OK - I hear you! You are asking, "What have Muslims done for us lately?" In truth, not much!
Islam is now in a period of intellectual stagnancy as Europe was during 'The Dark Ages."
But the haters of Islam need to face some facts. As obviously Islam will not be wiped from the face of the earth, as you wish, what would you next hope to see happen to current day Islamic culture? Hopefully you would answer that you would like to see a great consciousness raising in the Muslim world. The FACT that verses exist in the Qur'an which advocate a society establish around given human rights mandates, that have NOT been abrogated as often thought, gives Muslim a legitimate base for this REFOCUSING on the humanitarian model of Islam.
As a hater of Islam, if you cannot wipe Islam from the face of the earth - is not what the Muslim moderates are attempting to accomplish the next best thing for ALL OF HUMANITY?
Truly, the emotional hate posts here only express psychological immaturity. If you oppose violence, then help us find a viable solution based upon ISLAM'S OWN DICTATES rather then asking Muslims to forfeit their culture and become Western clones.
You can choose to help society reach a more humanitarian age or just boo and hiss from the sidelines. Can we not engage together in a vision that will uplift all concerned? Any reality is preceded by a vision. We may not be where you wish us to be but we are trying with everything we have to bring about a refocusing on the innate humanitarian aspects of Islam.
Humanitarian Qur'anic verses (ayah)?
Please see excerpt from Dr. Mansoor Alam's article below:
So what should be done now? Should we simply close our eyes to the Qur’an and allow these latter-day rulers and Imams to regurgitate the same old sectarian-based Shariah that was developed under dictatorial rule and which tramples on the most basic values of the Qur’an dealing with universal human rights, that among these are: sacrosanct right of the sanctity of human life (5:32); inalienable right of the freedom of choice (2:256, 18:29); right of tolerance for other faiths (22:40) and absolutely no compulsion in faith (2:256); right to conduct state affairs by mutual consultation (3:159, 42:38); universal right of human dignity (17:70); sacrosanct right of equal justice for all (4:58, 4:135, 5:42, 16:90) including enemies (5:8) and no bending of justice for anyone (if the Prophet was not above the law (6:15) then how can anyone else be?); right to hold positions based solely on merit (46:19); right of personal responsibility and accountability (53:38); right of ownership of the fruits of one’s labor and no free ride for anyone (53:39). Are these Qur’an-guaranteed human rights (to all men and women) to be found in our current practice of Islam anywhere not to say of the holiest place in Islam, the birth place of our Prophet (PBUH)?
Who else could be more responsible then for damaging the sacred heart of Islam in the name of Islam, in the name of the Qur’an, in the name of the Prophet (PBUH) than the twin forces of Muslim dictatorship and Muslim priesthood?
The situation has degenerated to such an extent that if one were to mention that above human rights are some of the most sacred in Islam; that our Prophet (PBUH) lived and implemented these rights in society; that an Islamic society is supposed to be constituted on the basis of these core rights at its heart; then surely it will raise many eyebrows and may even invite sarcasm from certain quarters with comments such as: “Have these human rights anything to do with Muslims and Islam?” These reactions are not out of place considering how Muslim countries have been mistreating and even killing their own people in the name of Islam.
The world is judging Islam by our practice of Islam, by observing the so-called practicing Muslims. No wonder we seem to be fulfilling the prophecy of the Qur’an by showing to the world by our own actions that Islam is a failure, that Islam is false (107:1-7)! Our failure to live up to true Islam is being seen as failure of Islam. We may think we are good practicing Muslims and that we will ultimately have the mercy and the blessings of Allah. All this is fine but what about the Qur’an and its emphasis on universal human rights? Is the Qur’an only for reciting to achieve mercy and forgiveness, mostly for the dead? Or, should its human rights also need to be implemented in human society?
As a matter fact these values are under siege in every Muslim country. Can we expect to get anywhere when Muslim societies trample on these rights while putting extraordinary emphasis on rituals? What would be more important to Islam in the eyes of Allah: performing its rituals or implementing its basic human rights?
The Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said that Muslim Ummah is like a body. When any part of the body is in pain the whole body feels it. That body seems to be in critical condition today. The only way to revive it is to go back to the basic Qur’anic values guaranteeing universal human rights and make them the foundation of Muslim society the way our Prophet (PBUH) did more than 1400 years ago when the rest of the world was living in barbarism and chaos as noted by many historians (e.g., J.H. Denison, Emotion as the Basis of Civilization). This is the real miracle of the Qur’an. This is the true Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) to practice (7:157).
July 29, 2007 10:39 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 29, 2007 10:39
Dear Dennis,
The USA went into Vietnam and bombed it into the stone ages. They used Napalm and Agent ORange and conventional bombs.
In Iraq and Afghanistan the USA has killed thousands and whenever civilians are killed the USA claims that they are terrorists or it comes up with a lame excuse to explain the deaths.
The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan is illegal. The USA has not brought peace. Instead it has brought instability and longlasting chaos.
It seems to me that those people who do not agree with you are denigrated by you as 'Christ-haters'. If you think that your remarks are fair and decent then I suggest that you think again.
The USA tried many times to kill Castro. It supported right wing insurgents in South America. It refused to stop Americans giving money to the IRA notwithstanding the pleas of the UK governments. All of these acts are terrorist acts. However, when they are initiated by the USA they are 'justified' but when others treat the USA in a similar manner then you regard them as appalling. Why is that?
The losses suffered by the USA on 911 are mild compared to deaths caused by the USA and the misery and killings suffered by others around the world. Look at Liberia, Rwanda, Sudan, Lebanon, The Paleastine, West Irian, East Timor.
The USA gave Indonesia 'permission' to invade and acquire West Irian and East Timor and the misery, killings and cruelty that has been meted out to these people is horrific.
Why don't you put 911 into perspective? Somehow I suspect that your knowledge of history is very poor and that you just do not like Moslems. I presume that Moslems are just as decent and just as indecent as we are and that Christians do not have a monopoly on kind decent thoughts and practices and that includes you.
July 29, 2007 10:15 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 29, 2007 10:15
Dear Dennis,
The USA went into Vietnam and bombed it into the stone ages. They used Napalm and Agent ORange and conventional bombs.
In Iraq and Afghanistan the USA has killed thousands and whenever civilians are killed the USA claims that they are terrorists or it comes up with a lame excuse to explain the deaths.
The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan is illegal. The USA has not brought peace. Instead it has brought instability and longlasting chaos.
It seems to me that those people who do not agree with you are denigrated by you as 'Christ-haters'. If you think that your remarks are fair and decent then I suggest that you think again.
The USA tried many times to kill Castro. It supported right wing insurgents in South America. It refused to stop Americans giving money to the IRA notwithstanding the pleas of the UK governments. All of these acts are terrorist acts. However, when they are initiated by the USA they are 'justified' but when others treat the USA in a similar manner then you regard them as appalling. Why is that?
The losses suffered by the USA on 911 are mild compared to deaths caused by the USA and the misery and killings suffered by others around the world. Look at Liberia, Rwanda, Sudan, Lebanon, The Paleastine, West Irian, East Timor.
The USA gave Indonesia 'permission' to invade and acquire West Irian and EAst Timor and the misery, killings and cruelty that has been meted out to these people is horrific.
Why don't you put 911 into perspective? Somehow I suspect that your knowledge of history is very poor and that you just do not like Moslems. I presume that Moslems are just as decent and just as indecent as we are and that Christians do not have a monopoly on kind decent thoughts and practices and that includes you.
July 29, 2007 10:15 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 29, 2007 10:15
I agree with Mr. Colson that the so-call "moderate" Muslims have failed to denounce the horrific attacks acroos Europe and the Middle East, not to mention 9/11. It is true that some have spoken out but their numbers are too small & their influence not enough to garner media attention. However, I'm still amazed at the liberal, anti-Christian attacks comparing Christians to radical Islam. Yes, there were wars in the Old Testament, but Christ-haters fail to put these incidents in historial perspective. And many things that occured in the Bible (David having numerous wives, etc.)God allowed but did not approve of.
For you Christ-haters, can you name any attack by Christians in recent history comparable to 9/11? Please don't bring up the Crusades; I'm talking in the last 200- 300 years...
July 29, 2007 9:39 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 29, 2007 09:39
It is probably true that the radicals make as difficult as they can any reasoned discussions and attack anyone denouncing them. Do it anyway!
But first take back your family, your children. Do not let the jihadists take them from you. Muslim life is centered in the family so take it back from the killers. Then you can take back the Mosques and neighborhoods. If your eman has been sent from Saudi Arabia, send him back. If he is holding secret meetings in you Mosque, go with your neighbors to find out what he is teaching and expel him if his teachings are radical.
Take back your families, then your Mosques and then your neighborhoods.
July 29, 2007 9:15 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 29, 2007 09:15
Brought to you by the prolife christians who get all hysterical and weepy-eyed over a stem cell in a petri dish and then clamor for more war and torture. There was a direct correlation between church attendance and desire for war and torture. Thank god the Iraqs stopped the US cold or the prolifers would have been in Syria and Iran by now. You could make the argument that the Iraqis saved the world.
July 29, 2007 12:09 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 29, 2007 00:09
Paganplace,
You have been successfully brainwashed by the politically correct media and our anti-Christian God educational institutions.
July 28, 2007 5:47 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 28, 2007 17:47
Paganplace,
You have been successfully brainwashed by the politically correct media and our anti-Christian God media.
July 28, 2007 5:45 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 28, 2007 17:45
Monopoly is bad in business-especially in religious business
This may not be very hard to understand that how the religion of Almighty God has gone through the different phases of evolution and has remained ever progressive toward attaining its adulthood of conscious till it has reached the present day state that we find it in shape of Islam now. We also now know that how at every stage, there has always been a creed of devout followers who recognised the God's Plan and strictly adhered to the divinely teachings and were found striving very earnestly on the path of righteousness. But there have always been a bunch of hard headed, staunch group also present there, who after the demise or departure of their prophet; where remained strict to their rut of the time; they wilfully interpreted the divine teachings in favour of their own personal designs. In order to monopolise the religion, they turned their backs to the God's Plan and coerced others to believe in their type of understandings.
These shapes and designs are well visible in the earlier times before Moses*; where as it is seen more glaring after Moses*. After the departure of Moses; the Israelites had gone too far and even they failed to recognise their own Reformer; Jesus*. Later these straws were picked up by a few; the followers of Jesus and now we see that how that epoch of Christianity flourished and is able to engulf the entire world.
But water never stops flowing under the bridges; specially the flow of divine waters. This universe and planet earth on which we dwell belongs to One; Almighty; He is the creator and is a living God. He is omnipotent and the sustainer of all his creations. As said earlier, that as it has been a practice of some of the followers of old denominations; that soon after the departure of prophet ; they also tended to send the Almighty back to heavens and tried to took over the reins in their own hand; by twisting the divine words and became them selves the saviours.
The Christian in order to monopolise and save guard the worldly domains of their opulence…made Jesus* a god. Although after Jesus* the things turned and God sent down Muhammad*; the prophet who came with the divine book of wisdom; Koran. This book claims to be the book; confirming all the previous denominations and completes the 'Word of God' bestowed for the mankind. The Older denomination, in order to remain stuck with their, by gone days straight away rejected this. Present day Muslims are also trying their hard to spread the Word of God but are seen failing miserably. They are unable to deliver any vision to this World because; they have also rejected their own reformer; who came some hundred and seventeen years ago as the 'Promised Messiah'. Their promised Messiah, is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad* of Qadian (India) who came to guide them and also lead all the older denominations to the right path.
We are not living in the valleys of dead. This is a living planet and our God is a Living God. We can't say that this God Who used to speak for all the nitty gritty earlier has ceased to speak now and is quite ever since; No; Not at all. It is His show and His show must go on. If we want to live like rejected and dejected people; so it be. It's all our choice and at the same time, can keep on slinging mud on each other to spread anarchy and keep on living in misery.
I would leave you with two quotations from Bertrand Russell. He says:
1. An hear say or interpretations can "never be accurate, because (that one who interpret or delivers the message) he unconsciously translates (only) what he hears into something he can understand."
2. I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.
July 28, 2007 10:23 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 28, 2007 10:23
Colson says that "extremists have hijacked the faith".
Pot, meet kettle.
July 28, 2007 10:16 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 28, 2007 10:16
It is useless that Muslims "speak" and "interpret" the Koran in order just to conform to a demagogie pattern of virtuous easy western-like assertions :
Where is the International Moslem Religious Council, uniting in one unanimous reprobation and sentencing, the most important Mollahs, Ayatollahs and Imams of every Islam Country, who would have met, in the name of Allah the Benevolent and in the name of the virtuous Islam (that they claim) in order to proclaim in face of the World (and of all Medias) that they solennely condemn the robomartyrs who destroy, daily and sadically, innocent victims (including Moslems) ????
Of course there will be no Answer to this Question.
See NATAN PAPER :
http://jerusalem-4thtemple-natan.blogspot.com
July 28, 2007 4:43 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on July 28, 2007 04:43
To all Free People of the World,
That is right. I said I am mad at the Middle East. Let me break this down for you folks. I am tired of the fighting and the killing and the dying. I am not suggesting that I want the US to bring our troops home. Unfortunately, as peace, love and happiness as that seems it would be a horrible mistake. And no matter what anybody says it is completely NOT feasible. Not only would that be the biggest military blunder of ALL OF HISTORY it would create tidal waves (scratch that, it would create: TSUNAMIS) of repercussions throughout the Middle East and the eventually in the West. Bad idea plain and simple, but I digress... My point is WE the American people, WE the western world, WE the free people of the world, who cherish and value our everyday simple and mundane lives, have got to stand up against this inhumane insane conflict. Not against the troops. Not against the WAR. Instead I suggest a huge peace movement to motivate and support those people of the middle east who are not radical. Those people who practice the good teachings of Allah and his prophet. These are the people who suffering. Their freedom of living a simple mundane life is being threatened by the radical factions that are igniting this conflict.
Do you remember the WE ARE THE WORLD campaign? The US and others banded together to bring an end to hunger in Ethiopia. What about the huge campaign going on now to bring awareness and stop the violence in Darfur? Heck, Bono practically single-handedly ended the violence in Ireland. But what are WE doing for the Middle East? Crying about bringing our troops home. The US should pull out, accept defeat, and let the Middle East handle its own problem. Right? WRONG!! People argue that we invaded Iraq for a number of self-serving imperialist reasons. None of which I believe. But at this point it no longer matters WHY we went in. The point is that are troops are there now and they have one purpose; to bring peace and stability to the region.
Let me give you a break down of what is going on in the region now. This is not a war of the US vs. Iraq. This is a war of Sunni vs. Shiite. And unfortunately the US ignorantly played a hand in inflaming this centuries old (about 1,300 years) conflict. When Muhammad died he did not have a plan of succession. The Sunnis believed that most qualified religious leader should become the new leader of Islam. The Shiite believed that the descendents of Muhammad were the rightful rulers. And there you have it, in a nutshell. The countries bordering the west of Iraq have a Sunni majority. Iran, which, borders the east of Iraq has a Shiite majority. Iraq is right in the middle! Now let's look at Iraq. The north of Iraq is inhabited by Kurds (separate ethnic group), the south of Iraq is Shiite and borders Shiite dominant Iran. The center of Iraq is Sunni and shares borders with its Sunni neighbors. The oil in Iraq can be found in the North (Kurds) and the South (Shiite), NOT in the center (Sunni). The water supply in the middle of this desert can be found in the North and the South, not in the center. So here we can quickly see why it is not so simple to just divide the country into 3 countries or republics.
So back to the Sunni vs. Shiite war. Whether or not Al-Qaeda had a significant presence in Iraq before 9/11 is no longer relevant to establishing peace. Leave that for the history books. But there was folly in the US invading Iraq. Bin Laden had expressed the basic goals of his terrorist activity as described in the MAY/JUNE 2007 Foreign Affairs article Al Qaeda Strikes Back by Bruce Riedel:
"He seeks to 'provoke and bait' the US into 'bleeding wars' throughout the Islamic world; ...The demoralized 'far enemy' would then go home, allowing al Qaeda to focus on destroying its 'near enemies,' Israel and the 'corrupt' regimes of Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia." That is one good reason why we can't pull-out. So this is the ultimate goal of Al-Qaeda. Do you see the end game? It is not the US. It is not the West. It is for ultimate control of the Middle East, with the US and the West to tired, broke and fed up to care. Sometime in 2003 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi fled to Iraq to prepare for the uprising against the US. In order to demoralize the US endeavor he 'focused on the fault line in Iraqi society'-Sunni/Shiite- with the GOAL of igniting a civil war. He did this by promoting the Sunni's to attack the Shiite (the previous powerhouse of Iraq, even though they were a minority). So al-Qaeda and the Taliban are supporting the Sunni side of the civil war they created. Now in steps Iran (Shiite majority), lending support, weapons, and training to its Shiite brothers in Iraq. [remember the US does not like Iran, so when you hear the news how Iran is fueling the war, keep in mind that that does not necessarily mean against the US, they are supporting the Shiites against the Sunni). OI! What a problem! Especially because the US is losing ground against the Taliban who are now thriving in northern Pakistan, Iraq and spreading into Europe.
OK PEOPLE WAKE UP!! Can you see that out troops can not win this? And we definitely can not bring them home. And nobody wants to send more. But this region is in an extremely perilous state. The hearts of people around the world go out to the impoverished, starving, diseased, and to victims of genocide. But what about the Middle East? Where is the compassion for the people who have to live IN this war? What about all those people who are not signing up for suicide missions, all those people who are afraid that the US might leave them? All those people who want peace and the ability to pursue happiness? Why don't we have huge fundraisers, rallies and concerts to promote unity of Islamic brothers? Can't we all just get along? It can start here, now at this very moment. We have many immigrants from the Middle East who left their beloved motherlands to seek peace and freedom in the US. Why don't we band together in a massive grass roots effort to support our immigrants? We can show them love and kindness, the true spirit of freedom and humanity. We can work with them to spread this idea to their families still in the Middle East. We should not turn our back on the problem there. It is not going to go away. It is not going to be solved with military might. There needs to be a change of spirit; strengthen those who feel weakened by war. Create a Muslim movement for peace. Enable the common man to stand and fight against the extremists that preach war and violence. The extremists and terrorists use this VERY tactic to promote their agenda and rally recruits. Let's use their tactic and against them. REACH OUT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND RECRUIT FOR PEACE!!!
I am serious guys. Do not just read this and think hmm that's nice. Start talking to your neighbors. Get to know them. Where are they from? Why did they choose to move here? What are their views about uniting a peaceful ISLAM? How can you work together to spread this idea?
What can you do to support our troops? You can help stop the spread of hate.
Sincerely,
Jennifer