 by Lilian Filanis October 25, 2004
However, one of my principal criticisms of Islam is that Muslims everywhere do not speak up against terrorism, not here anyway and they do not rise up against dictators in Muslim countries whose leaders advocate or support violence. There are lots of beheadings in the news these days. How many are Muslim perpetrated and how many are committed by the other five sixths of the world's people? Can you guess? Jamal, Why is there absolutely no religious freedom in Saudi Arabia? Isn't it true that conversion to Christianity there is punishable by death? isn't it true that most women in your country cannot go out of the home or go to school or even drive? Isn't it true that religious symbols like crosses are illegal if seen? Everywhere in Europe and North America, everyone, Muslims included can worship as they wish. Why the difference? Jamal, With Islam the principal religion of one sixth of the world's people and the only religion allowed in many countries, name some Muslim democracies for me? It is true that if only a few hundred or a few thousand Muslims are violent that is not a large number. But if those few thousand Muslims are the movers and shakers and rulers of all the quiet others then you still have a big problem. Jamal, As a Greek American I am not an expert about the "Jewish Defense League" you mentioned but I believe that two of their members were implicated in one bombing, maybe two bombings. Is that true? Shall we number the children slaughtered, planes blown from the sky, suicide bombs, etc. o f the Muslim equivalent of the Jewish Defense League? As far as I know, Jewish clergymen do not support the Defense League and Rabbis are not regularly charged with crimes. This is not true of Muslim clergymen who we see arrested for terrorism all the time. Jamal, is it true that the Wahabi form of Islam teaches children to hate westerners, Christians and Jews in your schools? Why do only Muslims do "suicide\Homicide bombings? Why are writers and authors who write books seen by some to be critical of Islam sentenced to death by assassination by Muslim clergymen? Why do some Muslim countries still stone women to death for adultery under Islamic Law? Are you free to leave Saudi if you wish? Is your sister free to eave if she wishes? You are probably correct about the number of "bad" Muslims in the world but I also believe that people get the governments they deserve. If Muslims, just about all Muslims, let themselves be ruled by evil murderers than it is the fault of all of Islam. Don't you agree? By the way, who are you going to vote for in Saudi Arabia this year. Oh, I forgot! You can't vote. If you campaign for the right to vote you would be killed. Correct? I understand that you may not be allowed by your rulers to respond to me frankly but if I am wrong in the information I have read in our press I would like to know where I am mistaken. Perhaps your relative who lives here and is free to answer for you. Lilian Filanis
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