Hadn’t really come across the JihadWatch folks before, but had to share this insightful gem from Robert Spencer:
There is no reliable way to distinguish peaceful Muslims from those who may be inclined at one time or another to commit violence in the name of jihad and Islam. I’ve gotten a lot of criticism for saying this over the years from people who have never bothered to point out how exactly they do propose to distinguish between the two camps.
I know how Robert feels! I have the same problem with hate-mongers. How do you distinguish peaceful hate-mongers from those who may be inclined at one time or another to commit violence in the name of their hate-mongering? What a knotty conundrum!
2 responses to “Jihad Watch”
No, I’m sorry – Spencer is right. What he is saying is what Ayan Hirsi Ali has been saying for a while – effectively that peaceful Muslims are really Muslims who do not follow Islam to the letter. The extremists, particularly the violent ones, ARE the true Muslims – they are doing simply what the Koran commands of them.
I am a liberal, card-carrying member of the ACLU, feminist, environmentalist, committed democrat, but I cannot deny that what we are seeing with regards to Islam, not just in the middle east but also in Europe, is a dangerous development which, if taken to its goal, means that Fascism will once again reign. I am anti-fascist, so I am with Spencer on this one.
Hmmm. I’m none of those things, I’m afraid. Still I wonder what would Mr Spencer say about my easy-going Roman Catholic friends?
All religions make their accommodations. Look at the range of practice within Judaism and Christianity. Even Mormonism has had to tow the line in the US! (Let’s not include Scientologists yet.)
I’m not religious, but I do see very many people who can square their Islamic beliefs with justice, tolerance, and respect for individual rights. I think you’ll find they are the overwhelming majority. Good on them.
I also see terrorism conducted in the name of animal rights and anti-abortion campaigns (and in the case of the Unabomber, the anthrax attacks, the Washington sniper and the Atlanta bombing – by sociopaths).
I await Spencer’s Sociopath Watch…