On Friday, 50 Muslims were murdered It increasingly appears to have been a lone gunman, armed with two semi-automatics and a shotgun. He livestreamed his rampage for the world to see, including him shooting someone right after being greeted as "Brother." It was odd to watch him carefully use his turn signal as he drove to the first mosque. This atrocity occurred, not here in the US, but in faraway New Zealand. The town, ironically enough, is called Christchurch. Since this shooting, there have been attempts to blame the Internet, Donald Trump and a rise in white nationalism. What this really about is hatred, the face of evil. In this case, it was in the form of Islamaphobia. Not too long ago, here in the US, it was hatred of Jews. Eleven of them were killed in prayer at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
What makes us like this?
Instead of giving you the answers the right and left will provide nonstop over the next few weeks, I want to talk about something else. It's something I've seen on the evil Internet. It's a Turkish television series called Ertugrul, which I have been binge-watching on Netflix. It's the most popular program in Turkey, but is also appreciated by Muslims in the West. For once, they are portrayed as the good guys. What I like most about the show is the decency and yes, tolerance, displayed by many of the characters.
Called a Turkish Game of Thrones, the program is set in 13th century Turkey. It involves a small tribe of nomads who are squeezed on one side by the Knights Templar and on the other by Mongols. The lead character is Ertrugrul. He would father Osman, founder of the Ottoman Empire.
It's historical fiction, but several things about the program defy the stereotypical view of Muslims. In this admittedly idealized version of history, I have been struck by their basic decency and compassion.
It includes a spiritual mentor, Ibn Arabi, a mystic who actually existed. I have sought out some of his work. He has said intolerant things like this:
Beware of confining yourself to a particular belief and denying all else, for much good would elude you - indeed, the knowledge of reality would elude you. Be in yourself a matter for all forms of belief, for God is too vast and tremendous to be restricted to one belief rather than another.And this:
Do not praise your own faith exclusively so that you disbelieve all the rest. If you do this you will miss much good. Nay, you will miss the whole truth of the matter. God, the Omniscient and the Omnipresent, cannot be confined to any one creed, for He says in the Quran, wheresoever ye turn, there is the face of Allah.What also strikes me about the show is the deep spirituality of many of these nomads. The phrase "Inshallah" (if God wills) is repeated more than any other.
This program is a stark contrast to the common Western images of Muslims as homicidal maniacs who slice off heads the way I peel an orange. This has become ingrained in our culture.
Obviously, there are evil Muslims just as there are evil persons in any religious group. To take the actions of a few misfits, however, and brand an entire religion, is illogical.
The real problem is not Donald Trump, the Internet or whatever side of the gun debate you endorse. The real problem is us. Intolerance, whether from the right or the left, makes people ugly. We must do better.
Inshallah.
27 comments:
Of course this is a Muslim produced fantasy drama, and there may be truth and propaganda, No one doubts there are good people among the Muslim population. the question is when they are in power are they tolerant of others? and Can they be good Muslims and integrate into western christian society? or will there be a never ending struggle to make their way a life the predominate one.
5:19AM and 6:02AM, Thumbs up!!
I see the Lehigh Valley Haters are up early this morning.
"...In this admittedly idealized version of history,...."
When I was in the Army, we called this type of thing "Rumors and propaganda".
Looks like you got suckered hook, line and sinker by the Al Jazzeria channel Bernie...
Elsewhere in the world on the same day as the shootings at the mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, the following slaughters by hate-filled bigots occurred
* At least 13 civilians have died in fresh attacks in Mozambique’s volatile northern Cabo Delgado province where Islamists have terrorized villagers in remote communities for more than a year, local sources said Saturday. (From Agence France-Press)
* At least six people were killed as suicide bombers dressed in women’s attire attacked people fleeing the Islamic State’s final holdout zone in Syria. (From the South China Morning Post)
* Boko Haram attacked a Christian Village in Nigeria, killing one person, abducting two sisters, and destroying the village church and six houses. (From persecution.org)
Taking time zone differences into account, this occurred at about the same time as the Christchurch shootings. All of these killings on both "sides" are tragedies, it just seems however that one has to look very hard in the mainstream news feeds to find them.
Reads like Ibn Arabi was an Aquinas-like figure for Islam. It's too bad his flavor of Islam didn't carry the day. Perhaps it will, one day. I also think a caliphate with land and arms and structure is more than a few misfits. Jefferson studied the Koran to come to a deeper understanding of Islam and its adherents. He then started shooting them, because he realized the Arabis were the exception that proved the rule about Islam and its role in governing. Maybe things will change. History says probably not.
May all there God's take there souls, killer and killed. That is not left or right but up or down!
A lot of the Muslim haters here and elsewhere make the mistake of assuming that bc some Muslims are evil, it necessarily follows that all are. This same logical error could just as easily apply to Christians,Jews and Hindus. You are prejudiced and this is based on misunderstanding and fear.
Is there any place in the world where the Adherents to the Teachings of The Prophet are HAPPY-?
Stand at the 9-11 memorial and tell the families of 3,300 about your pain-
You need to check the final book Bernie that they do not talk about killing everyone that is not muslim!- This is the devil himself clothed as a sheep-
Change our customs to fit them- NEVER! If they don't like it here call Allah and move back to the pit you crawled out of!
Our system of government and society is based upon Judeo-Christian tradition woven from The Ten Commandments through the Magna Carta and into our Constitution. Our civil system is based on human rights bestowed by our Creator - not man. Christians, concurrently, are called upon to give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. It is difficult to reconcile this with Islam, where all human transactions are governed by Islamic law, and making agreements with infidels can result in a believer's loss of paradise in the after world. I know several fine and loving Muslims. But even they admit there's a fundamental disconnect with the way Islam manifests in civil governments vs western democracies. I don't know the answer. There probably isn't one. The hatred is depressing, but not new. This problem is 1400 years old.
Muslims have been intolerant of other religions for centuries. Their hatred of anything not of their culture, such as our constitutional republic, is normal for them. Every time one comes in the United States it's an invader.
Just listen to Representative Ilhan Abdullahi Omar if you need an example.
Your comments are based on a complete misunderstanding of both the Constitution and Islam.
It's just been announced that the killer today in the Netherlands is a Muslim male from Turkey.
I am surprised Bernie as your up on alot of things-
Look into Europe and see how well that muslim ruse is going- If you think we have welfare cheats now? wait till they keep arriving-
Most of the muslims do not work and want a free ride ask France! we are supposed to grant a religion that wants anyone not muslim killed ? I do not think so-
do not be so naive-
Where exactly do they get along and are welcomed? everyone is suppose to change for them- let them fit in here not change us
It's why in Europe, the Muslims immigrate to those nations with generous welfare systems, such as France, Germany and Sweden. Not many go to Poland, Hungry or the Czech Republic. Austria simply won't allow them in. They never assimilate, and they demand that the natives accommodate their culture. In London, there are neighborhoods that are ruled by Sharia, and functionally not under British law.
Yeah we want that here. Don't we ?
Thumbs-up to Bernie's 8:00 a.m. reply. It is bigotry plain and simple to assume that because a few Muslims commit heinous acts, all do. And your decision to call another human being a "savage" says more about you than it does about anyone else.
The shooter in New Zealand is a white man. Yet I haven't heard anyone express concern about the danger of all the armed white men (myself included) among us. Why is that?
I agree with you Bernie; the problem is intolerance, fear and hate. I would add that this is stoked in many instaances by religious extremists. Your column seems to have fallen on deaf ears judging by the response.
11:10 Hateful bigots come in all colors, ethnicity and cultures. Don't play identity politics with murderers.
Read the quran and then you will understand why you should be very weary of the devil in lambs suit. Are the muslims happy anywhere in the world? The answer is NO because everywhere is supposed to confirm to that "prophet". Go check out how everywhere they are how unhappy they are with "infidels". Very dangerous to our christian and jewish beliefs-
We are entering a new Dark Ages. As a frog in boiling water, we'll be admonished to "tolerate," all the way to the end. Decline is easy. Explaining and rationalizing it is a bit more tricky. Thus, Bernie. Those of us who hate nobody, lest we be un-Christian, are still called haters for raising the slightest concern. The last time Muslims invaded Europe, it didn't end well. This time isn't going very well, either. History repeats.
Never forget 9-11
1;55,
good point
Please, spare us your sanctimonious babble about the Turks. If you have lost family members murdered during the Armenian Genocide, then you can speak about how wonderful those murderers are. And, unlike the Germans, the Turks won't even accept that it happened. Whenever the US or anyone mentions it, those bastards threaten to cut relations and threaten surrounding countries. I do not take morality lessons from murderers.
Like other who hate the US, you want to place the blame on us. Typical.
It appears you have been suckered by the Islamic propaganda. You are now a puppet of the Muslim spin machine. Look at their countries. No laws except religious fanaticism. They still stone women, cover them up and behead people.
Please keep your propaganda to yourself. They are intent on people adhering to their ways. It is part of their belief system.
Unfortunately the east and west have differently views on life and government. We are following the Greek example of freedom and democracy. The Islamic world is opposed to freedom and democracy.
WE have been at war for 2500 years. What has changed?? Sadly, it would appear nothing.
Uh, Lee was always a villain. Jefferson and Washington were both flawed as individuals (and Jefferson more so than Washington) but are still generally regarded as having had a positive influence through their role in creating modern democracy. Columbus was a monster who was such a tyrannical governor of the new spanish colonies that the king and queen of Spain stripped him of that role.
Bernie, why are you leaving all these obviously racist posts up?
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