Gaybriel wrote on Nov 1
st, 2008 at 11:10pm:
Quote:Because it seems very obvious [to many who view ISLAM critically], that these virtuous, and rightly guided muslims, are keeping a very, very, low social profile.
In fact these real muslims appear to be totally invisible.
how would you like them to be visible? are the lives of regular australians visible? like in newspapers, on radio etc.
again- it's not a matter of any muslim being able to call up a newspaper and run a story on how they are down with australian justice system, or disagree with laws in saudi. these things simply don't sell.
and even when such stories are run (which is not often) they are seen by others as politically-correct, multiculturalist garbage. so it's lose-lose anyway.
How can muslims respond [positively, and reassuringly, within the Australian 'environment']?
By muslim clerics strongly affirming Australian values, when they speak to the media.
But it appears that
the truth is, that almost no Australian [muslim] cleric endorses the Australian lifestyle and Australian democratic values.
.....[though i admit, this
could be due to the reporting, and coverage given.
BUT I DOUBT IT.]
EXAMPLES...
Muslim outrage over Judeo-Christian valuesMay 19, 2007
MUSLIMS are outraged that prospective citizens will have to acknowledge the Judeo-Christian tradition as the basis of Australia's values system.
Australia's peak Muslim body said the proposed citizenship question - revealed in the Herald Sun - was disturbing and potentially divisive.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21760652-662,00.htmlAustralia a Muslim nation
October 08, 2006
AUSTRALIA is a Muslim nation, the head of Prime Minister John Howard's Muslim advisory board says.
Dr Ameer Ali says most Australians practise Muslim values but the Muslim community is being alienated and disadvantaged by Islamophobia.
Dr Ali said multiculturalism was Australia's destiny but Muslims, as latecomers, were being disadvantaged.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20545617-1702,00.html'Turn the world to Islam'
March 11, 2007
The faithful are told to obey only Sharia law.
....One book, Man-Made Laws Vs. Shari'ah,
urges Muslims not to "accept anything from their governments and rulers except sharia", stating any other system is heresy.
http://www.news.com.au/sundayheraldsun/story/0,21985,21359122-2862,00.htmlGaybriel,
Are reports such as these untrue, and are they
actually misrepresenting ISLAM in Australia?
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Gaybriel wrote on Nov 1
st, 2008 at 11:10pm:
but if you want to start you could go onto muslim forums like muslimvillage or aussie muslims. you could listen to talk back radio when things to do with islam are on- muslims will often call to lend their perspective. you could meet muslims in real life and ask their opinions on things.
if you feel that these voices in australia aren't super present, it could also be to do with the fact that they represent only 2% of the population
I have met Palestinians while travelling in Europe [some years ago], and we discussed their issues over Israel.
And i have spoken to many other ISLAMISTS, on a number of web forums.
I have found that without exception, ISLAMISTS won't admit any fault.
Even when you refer them to heinous crimes committed by muslims, their response always seems to be, to say the West is worse, and the actions by muslims are justified [sanctioned], because muslims are 'defending' themselves and ISLAM.
Their responses in debate are consistent.
ISLAM, good.
Everyone else, bad.
+++++++
Gaybriel wrote on Nov 1
st, 2008 at 11:10pm:
Quote:For as the Koran correctly states [/sarc off]....
"Those who believe and obscure not their belief by wrongdoing, theirs is safety; and they are rightly guided."http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/006.qmt.html#006.082and,
"Is he, then, to whom the evil of his conduct is made alluring, so that he looks upon it as good, (equal to one who is rightly guided)? For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So let not thy soul go out in (vainly) sighing after them: for Allah knows well all that they do!"http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/035.qmt.html#035.008All of you [thinking of becoming] wicked ppl, be warned!
Allah is watching you.
so the quran is bad because it encourages people to be good?
Gaybriel,
I am not concerned when the Koran encourages 'people' to be good.
But I am concerned about the dualism exposed within the Koran, which encourages muslims to be good,
to other muslims [exclusively].
e.g.
"...as a muslim....i must have *hatred* towards everything which is non-ISLAM."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maHSOB2RFm4The Koran is a hate manual, for a supremacist, political, ISLAM.The Koran should be banned under legislation covering hate material.
Q.
Why isn't it???A.
Because today, many, many, Australians are still ignorant of what ISLAM represents, and are ignorant of the hatred of non-muslims, which is espoused in the Koran and Hadith.I would dearly like to see that circumstance change.
+++++++++
Gaybriel,
I thank you for your reasoned response, to all of the points i made in my previous post.