In Reply to: Triple and long sighs posted by Zither on March 27, 2006 at 12:33:25:
The tenents you posted above may very well be true for the remaining moderate Muslims, particularly those living in Western countries who have drunk deep of the cup of democracy and pluralism, and really want their religion to be something other than what it was in the 8th century. My hat's off to these folks. I've seen them on TV and know the courage it takes to buck the worldwide trend towards fundamentalism that is, unfortunately, sweeping the Muslim world now.
Indonesia used to be a very moderate Muslim nation, and many Muslims there undoubtedly still are. Same with places like Tunisia. But some countries like the Gulf States and Afghanistan, etc. have never moved out of the 8th century. That is why the OVERWHELMING majority in Afghanistan are calling for the death penalty, including throat-slitting, dousing with gasoline. They have never been exposed to democracy and pluralism and see nothing barbaric with it.
I imagagine that moderate Muslims in the west must be in knots right about now having to either denouce or defend the throat-slitters and hoping most of all that no one asks them about it. I feel sorry for them.
But then you gotta wonder about people like Cat Stevens who, when asked about the orders to murder Salmon Rushdie some years ago, came out and held a press conference supporting it. I saw him on TV with the Mullahs behind him. Sure, he was under pressure, but he chose the moral low ground when forced to decide.
If Cat caved in and he was in Britain, imagine how hard it's getting harder for Muslims in predominantly Muslim nations to remain moderate and stand up and speak for moderation, without making themselves a target.