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Friday, July 13, 2012

What Is Islam?

There has been some discussion in Defense/Intelligence/Law Enforcement/Homeland Security Circles about teaching about Islam.  Unfortunately, it has tended to polarize into two camps, at different ends of the issue.  One camp sees all Muslims in a secret plot to impose Sharia on the US.  The other extreme believes that Islam is a religion of peace and nothing in Islam, anywhere, offers a danger to us.  As the author of the article linked below points out, some on this second extreme tend to think of religion as a minor factor in society and it's principles as fairly flexible.

US Air Force Major Mark Jacobsen, has written about this in the latest issue of Armed Forces Journal.

I think this passage captures his proposed solution:
Genuine dialogue is rare, and government educators are often caught between extreme anti-Islamic voices and aggressive lobbying by Islamic organizations to silence criticism of Islam.

There is only one way out of this dilemma, and fortunately it is the most intellectually honest one:  to understand the battle for American perceptions of Islam, to map out the topography of the debate and to teach students to critically analyze rival arguments.  Such a program would teach the basics of Islamic history and sources of doctrine, then explore how they have been interpreted and used by various groups throughout history.  Instead of searching out and identifying one “true” meaning, it would explore the manifold meanings suggested by Islam’s friends and foes alike.  It would also explore possible reasons why various groups embrace the meanings they do.
We do need to better understand Islam, and most important, while not thinking of it as being like Protestantism, recognizing that there is no one Islam.  Saudi Arabia and Iran do not think alike.

Regards  —  Cliff

  Major Jacobsen is a C-17 Aircraft Commander, a "Trash Hauler" in Air Force argot.  The Kiwis say "Truckee".

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

And yet a significant percentage of AQ terrorists and much of their support is in and from Saudi Arabia. Not to sound facetious, but based on this "analysis" could it be that we've killed many of the "good" kind of Muslims. Maybe we should have asked in advance.

It does seem that Islam has a manifest objective to become the ONLY religion in the world. How they accomplish that goal may differ from camp to camp, but the end state seems to be the same. Frankly, I don't think it is a good thing for any group...particularly a "religious" group to want to become not only the dominant, but the sole group...unless of course you happen to be a member of that group.

As many towns and cities across the western world have discovered, Islam doesn't "accommodate." Ask the non-Muslims in Michigan about "diversity" and "accommodation" in their towns that have now become Islamic strongholds.

Or is this somehow "time for Americans to pay for all their transgressions against ______ people?"

I am not by any means an advocate of racism, but I sure don't want to be the focus of it either. I don't buy into me or my kids or grandkids needing to somehow make reparations to some other group of folks for some transgression that occurred beyond my grasp in both time and place. Sorry...I just don't buy into it....and will vigorously resist those who say I should "understand."

If someone wants to live in peace along side me.....great...welcome to the raft.

Jack Mitchell said...

Neal, reparations?

I've got a bridge to sell you.

*head shake*

C R Krieger said...

Neal has just read (or has read about) a report from the University of Arizona, done on Taxpayer money, laundered through the Office of Naval Research (ONR), which says the Islamic extremists are just misunderstood and oppressed and are only seeking justice, using the language and tools they know.

Regards  —  Cliff

Jack Mitchell said...

It sounds like his online subscription to 'Black Panther Watch' is gettting the best of him. ;v)