MODERATE MUSLIMS IN PAKISTAN

Some Pakistani singers got together to do a song that would help communicate the message that not all Muslims are radical terrorists. The song is entitled, "This is Not Us". It is a beautiful song, take the time to watch and listen. It gives me hope.

BANNED BY PBS: MUSLIMS AGAINST JIHAD--A REVIEW

"Muslims Against Jihad" didn't air on Saturday like it was originally supposed to because of the late breaking news on the Jessie Davis case. Instead, Fox News aired it Sunday night. It was extremely well done and very eye-opening.

The question is often asked, "Why don't moderate Muslims speak out more against radical Muslim extremists?" The documentary shows the reasons why, many of them are terrified and afraid to speak out because of what might happen to them. It showed many Muslims in Europe, especially Denmark, who would try to break away from Islamic extremism only to live in fear for their lives.

The Koran states: First of all guidance, advice, and admonition, then, banishment from the bed and then 'beat them'. When the Koran presented this verse, it did not present it for all cases, but for one case out of all ways of female behavior-the case of disobedience.

The above quote was taken directly from a clip that they showed that aired on an Islamic channel that Europeans were able to access from the Middle East. Basically, it says men don't beat your wife in all cases of bad behavior, only when she disobeys. The whole concept makes me shudder to think about how oppressive it would be to live in a extremist Muslim home.

One of the things I have never understood about U.S. feminists is why they aren't speaking out more about how atrociously women are treated in the Middle East and other countries. The documentary showed how women who flee arranged marriages or who try to flee abusive relationships are often at risk of losing their lives.

Islamic Honor Killings

Islamic Honor killings are where the men in the family, whether it be a father, brother or Uncle are ordered to kill a female relative for a transgression that she has committed. One Pakistani man who lived in Denmark was ordered by his father to kill his sister. Why? Because she wanted to divorce her husband. He refused to do it so his father sent men to try and kill him also. The man said that Islamic honor killings aren't necessarily taught, it is just an unwritten rule in the culture. In Denmark there are crisis centers set up for Muslim women who are fleeing abusive treatment and/or arranged marriages.

Even though there is fear for their lives, more and more women and men are leaving the extremism and speaking out. One such man, Abdel Malik who lives in France was recruited into an extremist group that turned out to be actively involved in terrorism. At first they had him luring in others and then they actually wanted him to commit an act of terrorism. He refused to do it. Instead, he was just starting a rap singing career and after 9/11 he began speaking out against the extremism in his music.

Throughout the airing of the documentary E.D. Hill was talking to producer and director Martyn Burke, and Executive Producer Frank Gaffney. They both talked about the blatant liberal bias at PBS. Early on Martyn Burke was told by PBS to fire Frank Gaffney and another partner because they were conservatives. They asked Burke, Don't you check into the political backgrounds of the people you work with? Burke said he didn't and he refused to fire them. PBS fought them all along the way and when this documentary along with its companion film, Islam vs. Islamists was done they complained that they were alarmist. They showed them to an extremist Muslim group and of course they didn't like them.

As a result, PBS refused to air "Muslims against Jihad" and its companion piece "Islam vs. Islamists" will only be available through Oregon Public Broadcasting. If you live in Oregon check it out, and hopefully Fox News will re-air Muslims Against Jihad if you missed it. It is well worth your time.

Giving Up Religious Supremacism

Winds of Change is discussing a post by Ali Eteraz. His thesis is that we need to give up partisanship. That no political philosophy is better than another. Split the differences.

Ali says:

I cannot in clean conscience engage against religious supremacism and exclusion if I engage in ideological supremacism and exclusion.

Sure you can.

For the most part it is impossible to tell whether belief in God A or God B or God Ba has more merit.

However, one can measure the results of one ideology over another. Capitalism vs. Communism for instance. Or Self Government vs. Despotism.

Modern man has advanced through differentiation. You know reason. Occam's Razor and all that. We have rules for judging differences. In size. In weight. Even in opinion.

I'd hate to give all that up just so you can feel good about giving up religious supremacism.

Cross Posted at Power and Control and at Classical Values