WHAT DESERTION TELLS US ABOUT APOSTASY

DESERTION FROM THE ARMED FORCES HAS LONG BEEN A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY DEATH.

ESPECIALLY IN A TIME OF WAR.

IN ISLAM, APOSTASY IS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH.

APOSTASY MIGHT BE DEFINED AS DESERTING ONE'S FAITH.

ISLAM IS THE ONLY RELIGION THAT HAS THIS AS A BASIC TENET AND COMMON PRACTICE.

SINCE THE HOLOCAUST, SOME JEWS CONSIDER RELATIVES WHO MARRY OUTSIDE THEIR FAITH TO BE "DEAD" - IN A FIGURATIVE SENSE AND THEY SHUN THEM, BUT THEY DO NOT LITERALLY KILL THEM.

IS ISLAM, THESE "DESERTERS" ARE KILLED - OFTEN BY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO DO SO TO REGAIN THEIR "ISLAMIC HONOR".

I THINK THIS REVEALS HOW ISLAM IS MORE LIKE A MARTIAL CREED THAN A RELIGION.

AFTER ALL, IF FAITH IS AN ACT OF CONSCIENCE, THEN HOW CAN ANYONE BE COERCED TO BECOME A MEMBER OR REMAIN A MEMBER OF A CERTAIN FAITH OR CERTAIN SECT?

MUSLIMS WHO ARE CONVERTED UNDER THREAT OF VIOLENCE OR DEATH ARE MORE LIKE UNWILLING CONSCRIPTS INTO AN ISLAMIC ARMY THAN CONVERTS TO A "RELIGION OF PEACE".

A "RELIGION OF PEACE" CANNOT BE ONE WHICH THREATENS DEATH TO ANYONE WHO WISHES TO LEAVE THAT RELIGION; NOR CAN A "RELIGION OF PEACE" BE ONE WHICH USES VIOLENCE AND THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE TO GAIN ADHERENTS.

SUCH AN ORGANIZATION IS A MARTIAL ONE, NOT A RELIGIOUS ONE.

IT IS A GANG OR ARMY, NOT A RELIGION.

IT SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.

WE DON'T DO SO AT OUR PERIL.