What Moderate Muslims?
OK, so let me get this straight. In the light of so many horrific and barbaric atrocities occurring overseas in the name of Islam recently, including home-grown Australians taking part, our Prime Minister makes a mild plea for all of us to be on the “same team”.
And he calls for changes to laws which will cut off dole payments to terrorists. Also, he says we need to stiffen our anti-terrorism laws to prevent Australians joining in overseas jihad, in part by making it an offence to travel to certain locations overseas.
As a result, there was a huge outpouring of support from the Islamic community, with numerous Muslim leaders publicly applauding the Prime Minister for his measured and sensible efforts to tackle the scourge of terrorism, and to make Australia a safer place. Yes the leaders came out in droves to sing his praises, as did tens of thousands of ordinary Muslims, all thankful for a wise and judicious leader like Mr. Abbott.
Then again, maybe not. My first two paragraphs are 100 per cent correct. Regrettably my third paragraph is 100 per cent incorrect. There were no mass shows of support for Abbott. There were no Muslim leaders saying “well done Tony”. There were no outpourings of gratitude from the Islamic community.
Indeed, we got the very opposite! Yes you heard me right. We did indeed get large numbers of Islamic leaders coming together to comment on this – but only to condemn it! Yes, the Muslim community – you know, the supposed majority of moderates out there – raised their voice, but only to condemn the Prime Minister and his very temperate proposals.
They actually made a public declaration of their disgust at Abbott’s efforts at curbing the sickening displays of barbarism we are now seeing on a daily basis from the Islamic State and other Islamic terrorist groups. Even more incredible is the fact that they issued this statement on the very day that IS posted a video showing the beheading of captured American journalist James Foley.
While the whole world is seeing how demonic the Islamic jihadists are, all our Muslim leaders can do here is condemn Abbott, instead of condemning these countless acts of pure evil. That tells us all we need to know really. Instead of banding together to issue a public statement condemning IS and all other terrorists operating in the name of Islam, they say nothing.
Instead, they come out and make a big stink about sensible measures to curtail terrorism! Go figure. This absolutely speaks volumes about where our Islamic community is at. Complete silence about major, daily acts of Islamic terror and bloodshed, but a very vocal condemnation of efforts to reduce it.
So how many leaders exactly signed this condemnation of Abbott and his sensible reforms? Five? Ten? Maybe 15? Nope. A full 80 names are there. Did you get that? We actually had 80 key Muslim leaders in Australia signing this document.
I would not have thought that we can have many more than 80 key Islamic leaders in this country. If so, then the great majority of Australian Islamic leaders and VIPs have all rejected this modest proposal, and have instead decided to push the agenda of Islam, rather than that of Australia.
And consider some of the absolute nonsense contained in the statement. It begins with these words: “We – the undersigned imams, activists, leaders, community organisations and student bodies of the Muslim community – denounce these proposals and the broader ‘war on terror’ regime within which they fit.”
Consider this paragraph: “The primary basis of these laws is a trumped up ‘threat’ from ‘radicalised’ Muslims returning from Iraq or Syria. There is no solid evidence to substantiate this threat. Rather, racist caricatures of Muslims as backwards, prone to violence and inherently problematic are being exploited. It is instructive that similar issues about Australian troops travelling abroad to fight or Jews travelling to train or fight with the Israeli Defence Force are simply never raised.”
“Trumped up”? “No solid evidence”? Um, I thought you guys were moderates who disapproved of violence and terror. Instead, you are trying to tell us that Islamic terrorism basically does not exist, and is just a beat-up by the kafir?! Denying that Islamic terrorism exists is hardly a reassuring way of showing your moderate credentials.
Let us get back to reality here. Simply consider one damning statistic. Since the September 11, 2001 Islamic terror attacks, we have had various other jihad attacks. So just how many have there been? I am glad you asked. To be precise, we have had 23,671 attacks committed by Muslims in the name of Islam in the past 13 years.
To break this down a bit, what do we find for the previous week? From August 9 – 15 there have been 40 jihad attacks and 3 suicide attacks, resulting in 1048 deaths and 348 critical injuries. That is one week my friends. Yet all our Australian Islamic leaders can tell us is that warnings about Islamic violence are “trumped up” and that this is all an exercise in “fear-mongering”.
Well I certainly am afraid all right. Nearly 24,000 jihadist attacks in 11 years! And did you get the rest of that remarkable claim? Australian troops and Israelis Defence Force troops are in the same camp! Yes, they routinely engage in suicide attacks, assaults on markets and schools, regularly engage in beheadings, and customarily proclaim death to unbelievers.
Yep, got that. So, condemn Abbott, and make excuses for the terrorists. And this from our “mainstream” Muslim community.
Um, so where are all these moderate Muslims? I am still waiting to discover them. Even a handful would do.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/muslim-groups-reject-new-terror-laws/story-fn3dxiwe-1227031083861?nk=f42ca8e9ce354ff85a14ae314faa4731
http://islaminaustralia.com/2014/08/20/muslim-community-denounces-anti-terror-law-proposals/
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
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I see Australia suffers from many of the same psychosis as Canada does. Do Australian Christians get targeted by “hate speech” laws? In Canada we can get charged, fined and jailed if we criticize Islam or homosexuality too loudly.
Thanks Bill. Yes Australia has plenty of idiotic laws which effectively target Christians, but they are called “equal opportunity” laws or “anti-discrimination” legislation, or “racial and religious vilification” laws, etc. And they are getting worse as time goes on, although I think two of the worst countries in all this madness are Canada and Holland.
And yes, just as soon as Australia goes down the diabolical path of legalising homosexual marriage then things will get much worse, as I just this morning testified and documented to a Senate Committee hearing on this topic.
You can’t have things both ways….either we are Australian and we are all united to create a safer country or we are not!
If you want a good primer on Islam as a religion and political force, you would be hard-pressed to go past the book “Beyond Opinion” edited by Ravi Zacharias, one of the world’s foremost Christian apologists.The Chapter of the book, “Challenges From Islam” is written by Sam Soloman. Sam lecture extensively and teaches post-graduate courses for nationals from Muslim countries and , as a human rights activist he represents persecuted Christians in many countries. The chapter introduces doctrine of “Abrogation” in the Qu’ran which shows why there’s contradictions its message which explains the difference in interpretations between peaceful and violent Muslims, both obeying the same book. Also discussed is the doctrine of “Takkiya” which sanctions lying to or deceiving others to advance the cause of Islam or to preserve its good name. Based on doctrines such as this, can there truly be any way of coming to a consensus with or dealing a treaty with Islam?
Hi Bill
I believe the now yawning abyss the Western world now finds itself in – namely the lack of any true morality, is the vacuum in which terrorist groups such as the completely barbaric ISIS have been able to fill and use to its advantage.
As long as we have weak kneed Western leaders – President Obama comes to mind, these people will continue to grow strong. The great difference between the present struggle of good against evil and World War II was the majority of the allied leaders then had the sense of right and wrong. They had not been manipulated by a leftist socialist ideology as we have now. Just imagine how the fight against Hilter and the Nazis would have turned out in the present era. We’d have the lefties shouting from the rooftops – oh no, we can’t fight the Germans or bomb them; we’d be killing too many civilians. Unfortunately when there’s a fight against evil, innocent people are bound to suffer or be killed. War is not good in any sense. However sometimes we have to engage in it to defend ourselves for the benefit of our survival against a deadly enemy. Conversely, if we had the leaders of the Second World War now, do you think they would be standing by and letting the Islamic terror spread across the world? I don’t think so. Because our morality now has become so warped we have not the courage or the belief in our own good anymore and a belief in a higher being to give us that courage.
Keep up the good work Bill. I read your website reguarly.
God bless
Elizabeth
Is it not a matter of public record that Australian citizens travelled to Afghanistan to fight with the Taliban in the early 2000’s, and then planned acts of terrorism when they returned home? It seems to me we definitely need these laws. We would be naive to think that there is no danger of terror attacks occurring in Australia.
Regardless of what these Moslems say, unless there is outright condemnation of this genocide and repudiation of jihad they all still have blood on their hands.
Yep! Now watch as they run roughshod over the top of our emasculated Politicians and lame-stream media. In a society where idiocy prevails, rational thinkers are tarred and feathered with the buzz-words of the 21st Century: “racist”, “discriminatory”, “intolerant”…
Good on you for employing un-common sense Bill!
Now that the “moderate” Muslims have shown their true colours, perhaps all those apathetic Aussies who think Islam is not a threat to our way of life and safety will wake up. In our dreams.
Thanks again, Bill, for this timely and insightful article. I was so angry when I heard this on the news, that I was seriously thinking of writing my own blog on this topic. i could not do better than your take on this, so please just accept my thanks and encouragement. Another very insightful book on the rising threat of radical Islam is “Blindsided” by Dr Michael Youssef, an Egyptian by birth. He pastors Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, and his daily program “Leading The Way” airs on the Vision Radio Network in Australia. God Bless!
From the SMH – We cannot allow the terrorists to frighten the population and spur their representatives to such an extent that governments don’t act sensibly, proportionately and with due recognition that overreach can easily demonise the overwhelming majority of law-abiding Muslims.
Mr Abbott’s claim on Thursday that a beheading “could happen in countries like Australia” was an attempt to justify tougher laws against home-grown terrorism. The Herald accepts Australia needs to debate new measures.
But warnings such as Mr Abbott’s may backfire by creating panic, giving IS an inflated sense of importance and empowering disenfranchised individuals who might see an opportunity to recruit others and/or commit crimes.
In addition, inflammatory treatment risks stigmatising all Muslims and a backlash against innocent people.
The Herald accepts there is a debate to be had about Mr Obama’s approach to Syria and Iraq, as well as the failed attempt to free Mr Foley and other captives.
But the New York Post accompanied its beheading front page with an editorial that said, “That’s it, nothing? No serious plan for US action??… many Westerners who may soon return to their homes to carry out their plans for a worldwide caliphate. Only America can counter this scourge. And only by leading from the front.”
The graphic image became a weapon in the ideological battle the New York Post is waging against the Obama administration. The coverage also served to generate publicity and, presumably, more sales.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/journalist-james-foleys-beheading-epitomises-evil-of-islamic-state-20140821-106m2a.html#ixzz3B0xCGeHS
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/journalist-james-foleys-beheading-epitomises-evil-of-islamic-state-20140821-106m2a.html#ixzz3B0wyitIu
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/journalist-james-foleys-beheading-epitomises-evil-of-islamic-state-20140821-106m2a.html#ixzz3B0wiVpbh
The response from our leaders and commentators to the “cultural divide” issue with the West and Islam, reminds of the expression used by CS Lewis in the Aboltion of Man
“We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”
He described those who’s persevering devotion to truth, a nice sense of intellectual honour, cannot be long maintained without the aid of a sentiment… It is not excess of thought but defect of fertile and generous emotion that marks them out. Their heads are no bigger than the ordinary: it is the atrophy of the chest beneath that makes them seem so.
Oh Bill, you’re being kind to the Muslims!
Actually, there have been 23,671 attacks that resulted in deaths. There are various attacks not included in that number, such as ones in which nobody died, or died well after the attack from injuries received, and so on. See http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/TheList.htm for how the figure is derived.
That’s shocking, Philip…
Would that the Main Stream media would pick this article up Bill.
It is not possible for Islamic teaching to produce such Christian virtues needed to be a level-headed, reasonable, moderate human beings. The Prime Minster has entertained a vipers brotherhood which can only demonstrate snake like tendencies. The quicker he gets out of their influence the safer Australia will be.
It is the Muslem’s duty as directed by Muhammed to reclaim the world for his/their god. According to their doctrine, we are all born Muslim, its only our parents environment, culture etc. that make us non-Muslim and they are ordered to do so by whatever means possible. The Muslims of Australia know this and will be doing carrying out their duty one way or the other. The Muslim faith is about salvation through works and the rewards of their heaven are achieved through effort – they will not stop and will use our system and freedoms against us. Its only when all are “reverted” back to the faith that a true state of Islam will exist.
It is the command of Jesus that Christians must make disciples of all men- but this is to be done through the lived example of the faithful, through the testament of the saved and the grace of God. We know of our reward as saved men and women, we just need to bring as many along with us as possible, but not, through any means necessary.
The battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of darkness.
We are in WW 3 already and most of the western world does not see this. A barbarous religion is gradually filling in the gulf of the multicultural mess that was never going to work, and filling in where there should be millions loving the true God revealed in Jesus. Relativism is the void that allowed this invasion to begin. Unless widespread revival happens soon we will see the destruction of the free west.
Does anyone notice that whenever most muslims are interviewed there is no softness or gentleness in their conversation or look?…a real harshness in other words…no sense of the beautiful gifts of the spirit – kindness, peace, joy etc….a sure sign that it is demonic in origin.
God, give us grace & strength as the persecution becomes greater.
One little bright globe burning this morning is the larger-than-usual number of comments on the Fairfax website pointing out in various ways the silence of Muslims on these matters and the true nature of Islam. The comments of course seem to be nearly all from non-Muslims. If only our decent peace-loving law-abiding loving Muslim Australian fellow-citizens and permanent residents would have the decency to join in speaking the truth about these murderous thugs in Iraq and elsewhere.
Try this. The Malaysian Prime Minister not too long ago praised the ISIS militants and wants local Malaysians to emulate them……
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/najib-stirs-up/1200122.html
Michael Brown’s open letter to moderate Muslim’s is worth a read too
http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelbrown/2014/08/12/an-open-letter-to-moderate-muslims-n1877419/page/full
Hi Bill
One of the problems I’ve noticed is that some of the “Islamic leaders” that George Bush and Barrack Obama have had ties or been active members of the Muslim Brotherhood. The people who claim to represent the Muslim community, pretend to help us with terrorism but actually stopped investigations into terrorism and terror financing.
These leader’s may not want to separate the sheep from the goats. Andrew Bolt mentioned being rung up by young Australian Muslims who were upset with how their so called leaders betrayed them.
I don’t deny Islam promotes violence and I am personally against Islam. We need to know who’s on our side and who is for our enemies. A number of “Leaders” have clearly stated where they stand.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/these-leaders-anger-our-young-muslims/story-fnj45fva-1227031138717
Islams founder was a psychopath, as a religio-political system, it manufactures psychopaths. The only truly decent moslems are those who walk away from this demonic nightmare and become something else,preferably Christians. Only a mushroom cloud over a western city will wake up the West.
Hi Bill, and now all the Apologists, or would that be Useful Idiots, are now jumping on the bandwagon:
http://www.lovefor100years.com
Matt,
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they set up a similar site for all the persecuted Christians in the world and including those in Australia who face continual derision by the secular community when we try to uphold our beliefs wrt to sexual perversion, pornography and abortion.
When an ideology which embraces struggle – armed and unarmed – as a key plank of its program, we may expect its adherents to be characterised by fighting amongst themselves as well as against those who disagree with that ideology. Communist governments were always characterised by internal political purges in the name of the Revolution as well as their antagonism towards the Capitalist foe beyond their borders.
When a state of “war against the rest of the world” exists amongst the adherents of an ideology, citizens of free countries may expect their normal civil rights to be infringed by governments in pursuit of “national security”…
A global security threat presents the ideal climate for the gradual evolution of Western democracy via “national state of emergency” politics into totalitarian government, where “national security” is the pretext for the introduction of dictatorships or self-perpetuating one-party governments.
Let’s not forget about all the moderate Germans in WW2. They did a lot of good by resisting the Germans in the war effort. Oh wait, they didn’t. Doing nothing is the best way for evil to advance, since it faces no resistance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYAcLudBbhg – … is it just Europe that doesn’t understand??
This footage gives clarity to this section of the statement signed by Australian Muslim leaders – “We also reject government attempts to divide the Muslim community into ‘radicals’ and ‘moderates’ and to use the community for its agenda.”
as found at – http://islaminaustralia.com/2014/08/20/muslim-community-denounces-anti-terror-law-proposals/
Can readers offer opinions on Abbott’s leadership on this issue?
He should have known what the response to his overtures was going to be before he made them. Taking an appeal for anti-terrorism to the very group supplying the terrorists, directly or indirectly, displays a certain naivete.
If he did not realise this, then he really isn’t fit to be the PM.
I wrote to our Australian Prime Minister a couple of weeks ago urging him to be strong in his condemnation of any young Australians who go overseas to fight in jihadist-type wars overseas. I stated that I didn’t want these people returning to Australia at all and moreover, that I wanted their families to be deported too because it’s the families who support their children to fight in such wars
I pointed out that the worst strategy we could adopt would be to encourage these people to become martyrs for their causes.
John Ferwerda
John,
If I understand it correctly, you can’t deport Australian citizens. The point of deportation is to send someone back to their country. If they are Australians (because they were born here or we’ve previously accepted them as Australian citizens), then this is their country, so there is nowhere to deport them to. You can’t send them to nowhere; it has to be somewhere, and the only country obliged to take them is the country they are citizens of.
Hi Philip, “deport Australian citizens”?
Perhaps a preparedness to lay down ones life for a nation (or caliphate) other than where one was born, is an irrefutable proof, via transferred allegiance, that one’s citizenship now rightly belongs with those they have fought alongside? Such voluntary transfer of citizen is most starkly evident where the abandoned and adopted nationalities have such conflicting and antagonistic values.
Let those who have forsaken their privileged upbringing in Australia, who’ve renounced forgiveness and embraced an all consuming hatred, be seen for the ‘fire ships’ that they are.
Let not our useful idiots sanction their redeployment back into our midst!
At the same time should we perhaps pause for a moment and contemplate the words of Jordan’s King Abdullah, who has declared “there is no such thing as moderate Islam”
Perhaps our dissenting Islamic “moderates” need to be more circumspectly regarded and accordingly reproved as incipient hostiles?
Phil,
I don’t disagree that their citizenship rightly belongs with the country they have effectively transferred their allegiance to. But that misses my point, which was more a technical/legal one. If they are Australian citizens, we are stuck with them. To take as a hypothetical example an Australian citizen who has gone to fight in Iraq, Australia simply does not have the authority to declare that person now an Iraqi citizen. Only Iraq can grant them Iraqi citizenship. So as an Australian citizen, Australia can’t deport them, because deportation means sending them back to the country in which they hold citizenship.
Further, at least at a practical level, Australia can’t simply disown them. That is, Australia can’t remove their Australian citizenship and thereby make them citizens of no country. Because that still wouldn’t mean that we could expect any other country to take them, because they are still not citizens of that other country. In theory, we could drop them in no-man’s-land, but with virtually every square inch of land on the planet claimed by someone, in practice that would mean dropping them in the space between countries, i.e. in the middle of the ocean! Hardly a reasonable option.
Philip, I think you miss the point.
It is militarily speaking a fait accompli
They have been granted access to another governments authority that has dominion over a geographic area. A territorial accommodation has been made, with whom ever they are fighting alongside – regardless of whatever formal nationality or pre national entity they have surrendered their allegiance to. Secondly, the quote one of our more venerable former Prime Ministers “We decide who comes (or comes back) into this country” WE have no moral, legal or military obligation to admit hostiles who have transferred their first loyalty from Australia, to whatever militarist geopolitical entity that has already accepted them.
It’s over. They’ve blown it.