criticism of Islam

On By Rick McIn government, Islam, travel

If you read this blog regularly you know I am pro-Islam.

I have had nothing but wonderful experiences travelling in the Muslim world and am mortified at the stupid things I see in the Western media.

That said, there are aspects of Islam with which I disagree including these listed on the (locked down) Wikipedia page:

  • The use of fatwas to punish violations committed by Muslims (e.g. the death edict against British writer Salman Rushdie).
  • Apostasy in Islam, which is punishable by death under Islamic Law (in some countries).
  • Human rights abuses by the Taliban and other fundamentalist governments.
  • The use of violence by Islamist militant organizations as a means of spreading Islam.
  • The state of women’s rights in muslim societies. (Especially disallowing girls to attend school.)
  • The censorship of criticism of Islam (e.g. Muhammad Cartoons).

    • I don’t list the current debate about whether the religion was historically more spread by the sword than Christianity. It is an unimportant issue. Ancient history. A hot button which diverts attention from the far more important issue of women’s rights.

    Certainly there are many Muslim societies that have evolved past all of these (often exaggerated) criticisms.

    The good works of Islam far outweighs the bad.

    Of course I also disagree with some of the traditions of other religions, especially Catholicism and Hinduism. (Lets save those for future posts.)

    Now unlike some religious defenders, I welcome criticism of my point of view. If you believe I am wrong please post a comment below.

    0 thoughts on “criticism of Islam”

    1. Dana's avatar Dana

      Well, you finally posted it! I knew you would. You are one of the minority of Westerners to have had the experience of travelling in this world and thus experiencing the good. The problem as I see it, is if these extremists are few and the minority, then why are their leaders not stepping up to the plate and decrying these unacceptable, assinine and violent behaviours?

      Reply

    2. Many Islamic leaders have decried the violence, but I agree those declarations have not been widely publicized nor believed by the Western public. Nor myself.

      We are yet to find the Islamic Gandhi — someone to take a leadership position for Muslims against change by violent means.

      But how would Canadians react if the USA descended on Ottawa? I expect there would be an underground Canadian terrorist resistance who felt that violence was the fastest, easiest, cheapest way to move the occupier out.

      The strategy of defending ourselves against Islamic extremists by putting troops in Muslim countries obviously does not work. We need to try other ways.

      Lets try other ways with Iran and North Korea, for two. There is no difference between them so far as I can see though one is Islamic, the other not. Both have threatened the West and both deserve action for those threats.

      Kooky Chavez in Venezuela can be ignored.

      Reply

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