michal's musings

It is great that on the land of the Communist Cuba two religious leaders could meet. It didn’t happen in Europe. Perhaps, it is good that they meet in Americas. (I am not claiming that Americas are not about religious wars. Europeans brought religious wars and conflict there too.) Europe is full of religious conflict. It has been between different Christians, between Christians and Jews and between Christians and Muslims, between believers and atheist.   I don’t believe that religion is about conflict. But, it has created conflicts and wars.  Most of the religious texts contain some violence and promote wars and killings: Bible, Quran, Hindu texts, Mormon Book, etc. However, secular texts do this same. Let’s learn from the religious and secular texts what is best in them and not repeat the history they talk about.   

Bernie Sanders speaks about the separation between religion and terrorism. My comments: Sometimes, it can be difficult to be critical of Israel and not be called anti-Semite if one is non-Jew. Similarly, it can be difficult to criticize Muslim terrorism and not be called anti-Muslim if one is non-Muslim. No matter what, we need to be honest even though we might not be politically correct. 

Today I had a conversation about Muslims with one of my Students. He said something very interesting: “They have to defend and separate themselves from the terrorist Muslims before non-Muslims start to protect Islam.”   After the terrorist  attacks done by Middle Eastern Muslims in the U.S., France, U.K., Belgium and other places around the world we are experiencing that the Islamophobia is being more present in the world. People are becoming afraid of Islam which in my opinion is understandable.   It is a time that the local Western Muslims become very vocal about the terrorism and the situation in the Middle East. Every day and every Friday during prayers in the mosques there should be talk against the sin of terrorism.  Western Muslims have to prove that they are different than Isis so that the Western world can trust them.  That’s the truth that is not politically correct but has to be spoken. As a Christian I write: As-salaam Alaikum!