Ihsan Podcast

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A Muslim Podcast!

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Urgent Action: South East Asia Tsunami

ihsan podcast new home A talk by Moazzam Beg Beyond Chutzpah Palestine, Iraq and Iran Robert Fisk on Iraq A conversation on the Dutch Cartoons Media Defamation of Muslims: A khutba by Imam Muhammad al-Asi Two comments on this podcast:
* First - why the very long delay between your words at the start?
* Second (and a bit longer):

Ok, I'm not Muslim but I surely don't consider myself an Infidel. I like to think that I make no judgement on a whole. In other words, I judge based on individual behavior. I listen to this Podcast in addition to others because I enjoy a balanced point of view. In other words, not just one side of any argument.

On the Media Cartoons, I think what we're seeing is an example of the cultural differences between the West and Islam.

Here in the US, we continually see caricatures of religous and political figures, which we consider part of our free speech to criticize or question our leaders (something that in itself is a very, very good thing to do - especially with people like 'W' in power). I personally haven't seen the cartoon, but it's not something I have any desire to see. I've heard that it was re-printed in PA, but not sure by who. If you had asked me last week whether this cartoon directly insulted Muslims, I would have guessed probably not. I say that because it's not that I (or most people) are cruel, we just did not recognize that such a cartoon would be offensive. It's a matter of perspective based on cultural norms.

At the same time, now that I've learned more about Muslim laws, I think there is a good point being raised by Mulsim's that the cartoon is offensive. As Father Roderick (a Catholic priest from Holland) said in his Podcast, it's a line that was crossed that should not have been. Whether it was crossed with the intent to insult or simply to make comment in the same manner that we normally do may be up for debate, but I fully believe that the Muslim reaction to this has caught the entire western world off guard. Once the insult was identified, that's where the Media should have probably taken a different direction, but again it really could be their lack of understanding. If Muslim media wanted to create cartoons that provoke thought about other religous figures, such as Jesus, I would have absolutely no problem with it. And, in fact, I would have expected that as a balanced response versus violence, killing, burning.

While we're on the topic of violence, don't you think that the violence and death threats does not paint a very nice picture of Muslims around the world? What confuses me more than anything is how muslims kill muslims. It's bad enough to kill anybody, but somehow it always seems that when something happens it's the muslims who suffer at the hands of other muslims.

On the holocaust, it's not myth. When I was growing up, my neighbors had been in a concentration camp and still had the tatooed serial numbers on their arms. Hitler, sadly, was real and what he did was real too (and no - I'm not jewish). I don't have a problem with questioning, researching, and making balanced decisions based on rational thought. However, to make blanket statements - whether than be about the Holocaust, what the Westerners think about Muslims, or what the Muslims think about non-Muslims - is wrong and counter-productive.

I have nothing but respect for the Muslim religion, but that is because the Muslim's that I know respect me for who I am. I'd have a difficult time respecting any person that makes a blanket statement that I deserve to die based on a generalization. This works both ways. All Muslim's should not be judged based on the illogical and anti-social behavior of the minority blinded by leaders who convince them that everyone who doesn't believe like they do needs to die. Yours is an honorable religion. I think that overall the religion would get more milage proving that to the world through honorable behaviour than war.

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