There is an ongoing slander campaign against Islam, claiming that it is a religion that promotes violence and hinting that it seeks world conquest. Before you buy the malarkey that is being produced by people with their own agendas or prejudices or who are just plain ignoramuses, follow these few suggestions.
Compare the history of Islam with the history of Europe, which for centuries was called Christendom. An objective look will show you that Christendom wins by a landslide when it comes to violence and wars. After all, Europe and its offspring did not come to dominate the world, including the Islamic countries, because they practiced the gentle virtues of Jesus.
As for the common practice of cherry-picking Scripture from holy writings and presenting it out of context, just check out what Christians call the Old Testament. There you will find God advocating a double standard of morality, condoning slavery, ordering the Israelites to commit genocide and committing infanticide himself on a mass scale. I don’t believe you will find anything comparable in the Qur’an.
The word “jihad,” which is so over-used these days, has, like a lot of words, more than one meaning. It means basically to struggle, but this can be personal or spiritual, or a peaceful political struggle. Only if Islam is attacked are Muslims required to defend it. As for that obnoxious propaganda term “Islamo-fascist,” just recall that fascism is a European invention by nominal Christians. To my knowledge, the only fascist governments ever to exist on this planet were all European and nominally Christian.
Another canard is that Islam promotes forced conversion. Not so. Even when the Arab empire was expanding, rarely were any of the conquered people forced to convert. The Qur’an even forbids it, as I recall. Naturally, once Muslims were in charge, a lot of people decided it was in their own self-interest to convert, but this is just one of the sleazy aspects of human nature.
I remember when Florida elected its first Republican governor of the 20th century. I saw plenty of people crawl out from under their rocks and convert to the Republican Party, drawn by the smell of patronage. With some rare exceptions, human beings always act in what they perceive, rightly or wrongly, to be in their self-interest.
It was Christian Europe that slaughtered the Jews, and nothing remotely resembling the Holocaust is to be found in the history of Islam. In fact, during the past, when Jews were being persecuted by Christian Europe, they frequently fled to and found sanctuary in the Muslim countries. Until Israel was established, practically every Muslim country had sizable Jewish populations dating back centuries. And there are still Jews and Christians in some Muslim countries.
A final suggestion is that when you hear some individual radical Muslim being quoted, just remember he is one of a billion people and speaks only for himself and his small following. And be wary of the quotations he uses, for they are often deliberately fabricated or distorted. If Muslims really desired to conquer the world, don’t you think it’s strange that we’ve been living in peace with them for nearly a millennium and a half, except for those times when we attacked them (the Crusades, the European colonial movement and our invasion of Iraq)? Don’t forget either
that some of the countries the Bush administration calls allies are themselves Muslim –- Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, etc.?
You have nothing to fear from Islam. The al-Qaida movement is a tiny percentage of Muslims and wouldn’t be the force it is except for the fact that the Bush administration has gone out of its way to make all of Osama bin Laden’s propaganda become true. 
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4 responses to “Do Not Be Fooled By Propaganda”
hey Richard. u said Muslims cant live with out their religion. well if u only knew that Islam covers all aspects of life. not just the spiritual aspect but economically. politically and socially. having said that good chance that those Muslims u saw are not practicing Islam the right way because if u knew anything about Islam u would know that when Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was getting persecuted in Mecca he and his followers did not run around protesting instead they practiced their religion and increased their faith. Now. u say that we need to realize a bunch of things well friend that comment just says it all, u have no idea of Islam, its principles, its teaching, its beauty and perfection. Forget history ? ha ! u cant run away from the past, u have to learn from it and look forward to a better future. By the way The Quran is perfect no one i mean NO ONE has found a single mistake, Muhammad is the perfect example for humanity and before u start accusing the Holy Prophet of profound things read his authentic biography if u are sincere. Islam has withstood the test of Time, The Roman, Byzantine, Persian empires and has withstood all criticism, attempts wether militarily or diplomatically to wipe out Islam. It has withstood The Christian onslaught of Crusades, Jewish Attempts from within the capital of Islam to assassinate the Prophet, Idoltars attempts to crush the muslims when they were 1,000 heavily armored well trained against 300 muslims with the shirts on their backs. and friend i guarantee u there is nothing that u people throw at us that we have not already overcome. and on that i say Peace be upon u.
I read your comments here how islam is not wanting to take over the world or to create dominance.
I live in Australia and whilst islamic supporters are in a minority, it is disturbing to see how muslims can’t live without their religion and are completely dominated by it…almost like a bunch of kids following some unintelligent leader.
Christians are more accepting. We don’t run amok when someone critizes the pope. Not even when a turk tried to assassinate him. Imagine this in the muslim world when we look at the madness within that was created when someone dared publish some cartoons.
It is time muslims stop being oppressed from within. It is time muslims started thinking for themselves. It is time muslims realize they can think for themselves and can enjoy a wonderful life without being told what to do…it is called freedom.
Forget history. That has happened…gone!!!! Start living in the real world and you might shake the reputation of being considered the most despised and disgusting group that ever walked this earth.
It was happened to see the AHLI ZINA’s site while Iam searching for some information about Islam, Though Iam Muslim By birth, I Always try to get more knowledge about Islam, Inthat search it is happened to see that pig comments in his site, I even don’t know until now such pigs are preparing anti Islamic sites, and pouring such offensive words Aganist MUHAMMED SALLALLAHU ALAIHI WA SALLAM AND ISLAM . No Muslim will forgive that basterd who made such comments,What I believe is if Ahli zina see his own hisory of his forefathers and mother he will come to know definitely he is a product of zina.He is not to that reach to see the history of Islam, Islam is Far superior than one can narrate its goodness and trueness Islam is a true religion, And MUHAMMED SALLALLAHU ALAIHIWASALLAM IS THE TRUE MESSENGER OF ALLAH JALLA JALALAHU.
Regards,
M.A.RAWOOF
Yes ! Anti Islamic people vigorously build an opinion to the whole world that all crimes ever occurred in mankind history for the last 1000 years should be imposed upon Muslim and Islam.
Like in my country Indonesia, although, Christians country, such as Netherlands (we call it Belanda) ever colonized us, robbed our wealths, raped our women, killed our ancestors for 350 years. But after we got our freedom day at 17 august 1945, neither Muslim political parties ever indicated to drive away native or foreign Christians people from Indonesia nor there was a single people who poured their angers to Christians people by cut their throat off.
But, Christians people live happily and safely and enjoy the freedom that they never fought for in Indonesia. But what Indonesia Muslim get from several of them now ? Their filthy words in the Indonesia.faith freedom forum of A(h)li (Z)ina.