From AIFD and The Florida Times-Union:
The following editorial on Muslim moderation appears in the Florida Times Union today, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2010
Muslims: Moderation a key
Posted: October 7, 2010 - 12:00am
Americans often have not spent enough time learning foreign languages or appreciating foreign cultures.
The United States, in contrast to many nations in Europe, has a tradition of both a highly religious people and separation of church and state.
Meanwhile, European nations have become mostly secular. In some Mideast nations, there is no real separation of church and state.
America's model
It's important for the sake of peace and stability that the U.S. model become more recognized throughout the world. But constant references to Muslims only as extremists does not help that cause.
FrontPage magazine held a symposium on the subject of moderate Islam last May.
One of the participants was M. Zuhdi Jasser, a physician who has written opinion columns for this newspaper. He is president and founder of the Islamic Forum for Democracy.
Some quotes from Jasser:
- "To pigeonhole many Muslims into one theological construct is misleading given the lack of any Islamic mandate for a 'church' which communicates or excommunicates Sunni members.
- "I do believe that it is a majority, if not a significant plurality of Muslims, that reject political Islam."
- "To dismiss all of Islam as immoderate leaves without a platform your greatest allies for freedom - devotional anti-Islamist Muslims who worship God. We are the only ones with a tangible viable solution that will achieve the defeat of supremacist, radical Islamism."
- "The solution forward must come from America's safer laboratory. Many American Muslims understand how a nation can be free and pious without theological coercion from government."
The United States has shown that true believers of Islam can be full participants in our political system.
This is the moderate solution that fits into the American ideal.
No comments:
Post a Comment