What
interfaith
dialogue?
By Stefania
A
Muslims
living in Western countries believe that interfaith dialogue between
them and Christians is a necessity because, they claim, there is a lot
of misinformation in regards to the attitude of Islam towards other
religions. If I am not mistaken Christians never had the necessity to
establish an interfaith dialogue with the Jews, the Buddhists
or anyone else. The reason is simple; while we recognize equality among
human beings without regard to their beliefs, Muslims preach
intolerance, discrimination and the superiority of their creed. The
concept of “diversity” based on religious belief is a prerogative of
Islamic societies. They don’t see human beings as individuals
with a cultural, historical and social background, but only as Muslims
or as Kuffar (Kafirs). We do
not call an Englishman “a protestant”, or an Italian “a roman
catholic”. We just call them British or Italian. Furthermore, emphasis
on religious differences implies an obstacle to a civil
coexistence, that would open the doors to discrimination and
intolerance.
Muslims
should understand, once and for all, that for Westerners, the word
“Christian” is not an identity but a belief system. Even the devote
Christians do not see themselves as separate from the world
community. On
the other hand Muslims
see themselves as distinct from the rest of mankind and adhere to a
strict religious apartheid. The separation of the Ummah (the Muslims)
and the Kuffar is an essential part of their belief.
They
claim that the monotheistic religions such as Christianity,
Judaism and Islam have a lot in common, and in Islam “the people of
the book” are deeply respected. Of course in practice this is never
the case, but what about polytheists or atheists? Aren’t they human
beings? Don’t they deserve respect? Let us assume that once the
Muslims increase in our midst they will honor their word and they will
respect the rights and beliefs of the Jews and the Christians. Let us
say they will not do with the people of book here what they did in their
Islamic paradise. Now, what would happen to the atheists, agnostics and other
infidels among us?
After
the Crusades and the Holy Inquisition, Westerners have opened their
minds and instead of following religious ideologies started to invest
their energies in science and knowledge. Should we go back and give the
religious people suzerainty over the non-religious people just to please
the Muslims among us? Should we discriminate against those who don’t
believe in one God or in any God at all, just because some people with a
totalitarian and theocratic vision of life have decided to immigrate
to the West? Besides; what is the meaning of “people of the book”?
Muslims
repeat often; “we deeply respect the people of the book”. This
specification is discriminatory in itself. Furthermore, such claim is
not true because to them, even the people of the book are unbelievers
and infidels. In fact Muhammad ordered the expulsion of all the
Christians and Jews from
Arabia
, so much for “deeply respecting the people of the book”.
Should
we consider an individual as a human being or classify him on the basis
of his religion? May be Muslims do not mind to be called “the people
of the Quran” instead of Egyptians, Saudis or Iranians, but not
everyone wants to wear the badge of religion all the time and live in a
religiously segregated world.
Just
to appear amicable with Westerners they claim
that Muslims, Christians and Jews, have a lot in common; like they
have the same God, believe in the same principles uphold the same values, have the
same aspirations, etc. Nothing
could be further from the truth. If that is the case then why Muslims
are not allowed to convert to Christianity or Judaism? Why they are threatened,
harassed or killed for apostasy? Moreover
according to the Quran, the Jews and the Christians are just as kuffar
as are the polytheists or atheists.
“Allah
Almighty” ordered Muslims not
to have personal friendship
with
Christians and Jews.
In
a court of law, a Christian man's testimony is worth half of a Muslim
man and a Christian woman's testimony is worth only a quarter.
Saudi Arabia
does not allow the worship of any other religion other than Islam. Jews
are not allowed in the kingdom and Christians are warned that they risk
arrest if they participate in private prayer gatherings. They are barred
from holding public offices, proselytizing among Muslims is prohibited
and punishable by death. Muslims cannot pray for a non-Muslim. Muslims
oppress minorities and so forth. Is this what they mean when they say
the “deeply respect the people of the book”?
But
do we really have the same principles, values and aspirations?
Muslims
are prone to violence, haughtiness, arrogance and revenge.
While they call for a dialogue, they divide the world into
two parts: Dar-al-Islam (the house of peace) and Dar-al-harb (the
house of war). To
achieve their goals they blow themselves and others up. They kill
non-Muslims because as Muhammad said, no Muslim will be held accountable
for killing a kafir. They spread terror among the “people of the
book”, and wish to subjugate them.
We
did not earn our freedom for free. We fought for it. We fought for our
rights, and we still fight to keep them. Islam is not just incompatible
with our values and principles; it actually rejects the whole idea of
democracy. We invest time and money for research, science and to gain knowledge while Islam suppresses it. Islam does not recognize any
knowledge that may contradict the Quran and since all the Quran is
contrary to science, Muslims reject all the modern science en bloc.
Therefore we do not have the same principles, values or aspirations that
Muslims claim.
At
this point I don’t see also the necessity of an interfaith dialogue.
As far
as I'm concerned behind
this so called “interfaith dialogue” lies a deep will to
proselytize. They want to tell people how beautiful Islam is and how it
is misunderstood. They hope to reach the hearths of Westerners. They are
not looking for a dialogue. They don’t want to learn about our
beliefs. According to them, we are all sinners. They couldn't care less about
our culture or traditions. They are just looking for an easy way to
impose their belief on us. Westerners should wake up. They must stop with
this nonsense respecting of a belief system that does not respect
anything that we stand for.
This
is not racism, like some Italian leftists would call it. Italy
has welcomed many immigrants who have integrated into the fabric of our
society and have enriched our culture with the own lives. There are
Philippines, Indians, South Americans and many others. What is happening with
Muslims is the clash of values. While we gave up the bigotries that are
part of all religious creeds, Muslims stubbornly cling to theirs and can’t let go. What dialogue would you have with a people who still
have the seventh century mentality?
|