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Avoid temptation to connect shootings to faith
The Fort Hood shootings present Americans with two choices about how they think about American Muslims. One choice is reactive and negative, taking a horrible act of one American Muslim, Major Nidal Hasan, and saying that he represents all American Muslims. Another choice is reflective and constructive, refusing to universalize harmful actions of one person to an entire faith group.
Given the widespread, harmful stereotypes of Muslims and our culture of fear, many non-Muslim Americans will be tempted by the first choice. Some Christian Right leaders, politicians and pundits will rhetorically inflame public opinion, demonizing Muslims and distorting the teachings of Islam.
An authentically Christian and civil path is to avoid the rush to judgment that connects violence to faith and to resist the temptation to speak hatefully about one of the members of the Abrahamic faith tradition.
Hasan's actions no more represent Islam than the killer of an abortion doctor represents all anti-abortionists or a pedophile Baptist preacher represents all Baptists. People of faith rightly understand that it is unfair when those outside their faith assert that the misguided individual represents their house of faith.
Over the past year, we have been working on an hour-long documentary, "Different Books, Common Word: Baptists and Muslims," that will begin airing on ABC-TV stations in January 2010. We have discovered that members of both religions share a common word found in the Bible and Qur'an--love for neighbor. We tell five different stories about how goodwill Baptists and Muslims in America are engaged in interfaith dialogue and action.
These stories and an ongoing partnership with the leadership of the Islamic Society of North America keep me from thinking that Hasan's actions represent Islam. They surely do not.
In fact, ISNA posted a statement on its Web site in which ISNA and other Islamic organizations denounced "the incident in the strongest terms possible" and offered "their deepest condolences to the victims and their loved ones."
The ISNA statement and my experience tell me that American Muslim leaders are deeply grieved about what has taken place and that they reject such actions.
By
Robert Parham
|
November 6, 2009; 1:26 PM ET
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Posted by: caroljmcvey | November 9, 2009 3:13 PM
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As Fort Hood Tragedy Unfolds, Obama Is Politician in Chief
Friday, November 6, 2009 9:19 AM
By: Frank Gaffney Jr.
Perhaps the president publicly handled this attack as he did because he was unsettled by the fact that the alleged shooter is a devout Muslim, Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who evidently adheres to the theo-political-legal program authoritative Islam calls “Shariah.”
Actually, Shariah not only justifies such violence but also demands it.
To cite but one example of the requirement for individual Muslims to wage jihad, Shariah expert Andrew Bostom observes that the influential Ottoman cleric, Sheikh Shawish, wrote in 1915:
“To whoever kills even one single infidel of those who rule over Islamic lands, either secretly or openly, there is a reward like a reward from all the living ones of the Islamic world. And let every individual of the Muslims in whatever place they may be, take upon him an oath to kill at least three of four of the ruling infidels, enemies of Allah, and enemies of the religion. He must take upon him this oath before Allah Most High, expecting his reward from Allah alone, and let the Muslim be confident, if there be to him no other good deed than this, nevertheless he will prosper in the day of judgment and we ask the Most High to extend the People of the Faith by the favor of their Lord.”
In short, the Fort Hood “outburst of violence” (to use the president’s formulation), looks like the first successful incident of jihadist mass murder in America since 9/11. This could not be a message happily conveyed by a chief executive committed to “outreach to the Muslim world” and so deprecating of his predecessor, who had managed for seven years to prevent such incidents here in America.
Posted by: alfiefinnell | November 7, 2009 12:19 AM
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In Praise of U.S. Constitutional Law
Here is a passage from The Cave XVIII (p.290) in the Yusuf Ali translation of the Qu'ran, the cover of which appeared to be featured online with the initial photos of the event. Ostensibly, this text was among the belongings of Nidal Malik Hasan.
"Say, "The truth is from your Lord" let him who will believe, and let him who will reject (it): for the wrong-doers We have prepared a Fire whose (smoke and flames), like the walls and roof of a tent will hem them in: If they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!(verse 29).
The use of the first person plural is capitalized "We" as if to signify Divine Law. Yet the followers of Islam will all agree that that THERE IS BUT ONE GOD WHO "CANNOT BE JOINED WITH OTHER GODS." So, this presents a theological paradox and mystery.
One might easily extrapolate an allowance in these verses for the individual "believer" to act alone on behalf of the "We" that is professed as the Deity of Islamic faith, and that the punishments exacted by the "believers" might be accepted without consultation or direction.
Yet, before rushing into judgment on this matter, keep in mind that Christianity is not without its own problematic verses. In Luke chapter 12 verses 51- 53 we read Christ's warning: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled.... Did you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, but Division." (The NIV Study Bible, 10th Anniversary Edition. Editor, Kenneth Barker. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1973) Note: some editions of The Holy Bible prefer the "red-letter" words of Christ as recorded in the Gospel of Luke printed in the following manner, "Did you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, (I have come to bring) but the sword." Clearly these verses seem to defy the "Peace of Christ" that we greet fellow Christians with in services and mass. Again, the sacred verses present a seeming paradox and mystery.
Because religious beliefs can be so mysterious and so easily misinterpreted and misunderstood, it is best, sometimes, to reserve our judgments on this aspect of the terror, tragedy, and/or crime that caused so much pain to honorable U.S. service members at Fort Hood. Perhaps it is best not to jump to conclusions, until the facts about the case have been thoroughly examined and reviewed by impartial jurors.
We the people cannot always agree on the discernment of Divine law, but we are blessed with a secular law that requires all citizens to be treated as "innocent until proven guilty." And we the people know that this law is good and just.