This issue looks at Islam- a religion of peace?

SINCE YOU ASKED
The true religion of Islam will arise in your area; you cannot stop Allah’s will. We have been watching your family; we have seen you go to church and seen you pray to your false god. We know that you are infidels, and we will deal with you as our holy Quran declares:
 
In Sura 9 verse 5 it says to slay the idolaters wherever you find them; take them captive and besiege them. It also says in Sura 9 verse 29 to fight those who have been given the scripture and believe not in Allah or the Last Day or follow not the religion of truth.
 
If you and your entire family do not leave your false religion and follow Islam, you will be killed. Your sons will be slaughtered and your daughters will become Muslim wives, bearing sons who will fight for Allah in this region. Your only other option is to flee tonight. Leave your home and everything behind. Allahu Akbar!
 
Imagine receiving a letter like this one, which has become common for Christians in one Muslim nation (unnamed for security reasons). This is not an isolated exception to the rule. This letter, more than anything else I have ever seen, represents the true face of Islam. The authors of these warnings make it clear that they are simply following the dictates of their religion. In Iran, police routinely raid the dorm rooms of Christian university students. In Saudi Arabia, police kick in the doors of private homes where Christians meet and arrest all those present. In Indonesia, churches are closed by the government if Muslim neighbors complain. In Egypt, Christians gathered for worship have become targets of gunfire.
 
Enraged after Pastor Terry Jones burned a Qur’an in Florida, Muslims murdered 20 innocent people in Afghanistan and 5 in Pakistan- people who had nothing to do with the Qur’an burning. The world (that chooses to believe Muslims are peaceful) responded to this one by condemning the Florida pastor but accepted the killings as simply a “knee jerk” response to such a senseless and violent act against the innocent Qur’an. I guess it’s our responsibility here in the West to keep these reactions (over which Muslims have apparently no control) in check by avoiding anything that could possibly be offensive.

AS I SEE IT
The truth is that there is not one Islamic country where Christians are not being persecuted. This fact alone speaks volumes. What will it take for Americans to stop burying their heads in the sand and simply take a look around? How about listening to the words of Muslim leaders as they lay it out for us? How about reading the Qur’an to see what it really says? It you take the time to do so, keep in mind that all the peaceful verses in the beginning have been abrogated (replaced) by the war verses toward the end.
 
I find it interesting that the more lofty and noble depictions of Islam are believed in only one portion of the world-the West. Tolerance and multiculturalism have provided a fertile ground for such a view. Perhaps this explains why the websites (which are few in number) that promote a moderate Muslim viewpoint are always in English. We must also remember that Jihad really means to “return to roots.” Jihadists, who are the ones calling the shots these days, believe the reason for the decline of the Arab world is unfaithfulness. They teach that Muslims need to come to a place of unity and to go forth to conquer, to establish a worldwide caliphate.
 
So why do Muslims become enraged when we simply point these things out? There are several reasons, but two stand out. First, many “moderate” Muslims are simply in denial, refusing to face reality. More important, however, is the fact that many Muslims are part of the “stealth jihad,” perpetuating the deception as long as possible until immigration or more aggressive means can finish the job.
 
Those of us who have chosen to deal with reality have our work cut out for us. Like it or not, we must become educators or we will have become participants in our own demise.
 
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ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
THE SENILITY PRAYER:
Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.