Do Moderate Muslim's Really Exist..........?
445495
A few weeks ago, I replied to a similar question. I think I should again. I am a muslim. The first thing you should know that, just like christians or jews, we beleive in only one God too, which means that my God is not different than theirs. We beleive in all the prophets including Jesus..Islam is based on love, respect, peace, friendship, consideration, forgiveness etc., just like other religions.Islam is also a religion of science. You couldn't beleive your eyes if you read the book and saw that many discoveries made after 1900s were all explained in detail in Koran more than 1300 years ago. Whatever happening in the world so cruel and unreasonable that is told to be executed in the name of islam has in fact nothing to do with it. Can you imagine the God ordering to kill, torture and urge people to do things other than their will? No, this is ridiculous.\nIn my country there are really a lot of moderate muslims, while there are of course some of these ignorant and stupid people as in any other places. I beleive there are so many other moderate ones too around the world everywhere. As a matter of fact, the word "moderate" is not fitting in. Because islam itself is moderate. But the damage these radicals have given has raised to a point that, most people have started thinking that islam itself and its beleivers are cruel, bigot and uncultured.\nI respect any other religion and I wish the others did the same without prejudice and they understood this cruelty has nothing to do with my religion. It is the people who are cruel, not the religions. And no religion orders cruelty or violence.
799815
I am not Muslim.\n\nBut yes I do.\n\nAnd here's why-\n\nI've heard about Islamic extremists all of my life.I barely remember listening to the news as a kid about the trouble in Beirut.Then the World trade center(I could see the smoke as I grew up 25 miles north of NYC),then the USS Cole and the embassies,then 9/11.\n\nI've been in Iraq for almost two years.I listen to prayer calls daily.I've read and asked people about Islam.I've seen Arabs praying in private and out in the open.\n\nBefore all of this I would have told you all Muslims are terrorist.After my learning experience of learning about the religion,it's values,and what it was founded upon,I can tell you only a fraction of Muslims act like terrorist.\n\nMy experience with Muslims has been positive.They are nice people,with strong beliefs like any other religion.\n\nI chose to educate myself about Islam.I am glad I did.I'm also glad to be on Answers because I've met some wonderful Muslims that I trade e-mails with.
831964
Because different religions have different beliefs. For example:  All Muslim believers believe that, ultimately, Islam will prevail on earth. They believe this is the only true religion and their is no room, in their mind, for interpretation. The main difference between moderate Muslims and extremists is that moderate Muslims don't think they will see the absolute victory of Islam during their life time, therefore they respect other beliefs. The extremists believe that the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Islam and ruling the entire world as described in the Koran, is for today. Each victory of Bin Laden convinces 20 million moderate Muslims to become extremists.
113036
oshnitos answer is too outragious i dont agree with him. it is ture that all religions have some primitive qualities in them and all religious fantics belive them,there are many moderate muslims who dont belive such primitive ways of islam but these fanstics want to change even these moderaters into their primitive ways look what taliban has to say ...saudiarabia also doesnt follw true islam, so you can imagine they want the whole world to go back to the periods of yore where they can follow sentesnce by sentcne of islam which is not possible now.\n\nand about how they will be destroyed? such narrow midin thinkers cannot get mass support any time and they will be destroyed all by them selves just rember whta happened to hitler who belived that germans are superior race if he is true he whold ahve been a god by now sorry he is not and he is destroyed same here these muslim fantcs will eb destryoed and new age islam will saty on same like other religions which changed their ways after a long struggle.\n\nMy only reqest to muslims is be positive and open towrds critisiam because now you ahve to live among other religions so we need to undetsand you and only through crtisisam on ecan improve.
491965
Interesting!!!!\n\nI have been going through various questions and answers about Islam.\n\nI have found that Muslims and non-Muslims have been emotional for projecting their sentiments. Non-Muslims being in majority appear more frequently.\n\nStrange that despite lapse of four days none of non-Muslim has appeared to reply a material question.\n\nThis is a good question.\n\nActually media (both print and electronic) are doing business. They have to earn money. The people in media are not supposed to act like scholars or judges, they have to produce material to get business.\n\nNon-Muslims are a good market so criticism on Islam is a good product. No matter it is true or false.\n\nThere had been much false about USSR, there had been much false about Germany and now it is false about Islam.\n\nNews-Worth is definitely damaging image of Islam.
386837
Yes.. I have read the Koran, I have chatted with some of the OK muslims, and yes I understand that there are a few good ones.  But the bad ones outweigh the good ones.  Their Koran does include the verses about killing, raping, and was written by a pedofile.  No one can deny this.  What is the big deal of trying to convince us that there are not a lot of bad ones out there.  Hitler did a lot of bad things and there were a lot of bad Germans at that time, but not all were with Hitler.  So what is the point??  You are trying to whitewash Islam and it can't be done.  Leave the good ones alone and let them be good.  They really should seperate themselves from the rest of Islam.  The peaceful Muslims should invent another name and go ahead with that and let the bad ones go their way.  If the peaceful Muslims continue to associate themselves with the bad ones then they will all be colored with the same brush.  The things that they do, cutting off hands, feet, taking out eyes for Islamic legal punishment.  There is no denying this.  Muslims dis-assocaite yourselves with these folks!  Become western muslims or something like that.\nLast year they discovered TWO Islamic terrorists cells in Lodi CA in the mosques there, how many times have you read that about the Baptists??  Give me a break, dis-associate.\nWHY DON'T THE MUSLIMS PROTEST IRAN GETTING NUKES?? They are silent.  \nWHY DON'T THE MUSLIMS PROTEST. OSAMA BIN LADEN??  They are silent.\nWHY DON'T THE MUSLIMS GO BACK AND FIGHT TO HAVE PEACE IN THEIR LAND?  They are not there.\nI am not talking about the ones in Iraq that are trying to do the right thing, I am talking about the ones safe and secure in the US complaining.
1103074
I do not think, I am sure that you do not know what you are talking about.\nI have checked the reference you gave , you know what...? I could find nothing as you were referring to...\n\nI see some of our friends on the board, approved your words...blindly, without taking the trouble to check..\nIf that what you were looking for , you did succeed. Happy now.\n\nIt is clear that you are not looking to learn or for the truth. Are you so much scared, of you and others, to know the real true Islam?????
865569
Solution to what?  If you are wondering about the extremeists, no it is not good.  If you are just wondering about muslims in general, how do see this as a solution?  True muslims deserve the respect given to any religious organization.  It is their choice, their right, and they should be respected for that.  Just like christians, jews, etc.\n  Just what are you looking for here?  All religions have extremeist.\nEver heard of the Inquasition, I hope I spelled that right?
325155
Why don't non-muslims realize that there are Muslims and then there are extremists. Extremists are the crazy people who want to kill everyone who's not a Muslim. Not the real Muslims.
47029
Muslims are fine. I think, like any religion. It is the extremist that have interpreted the religion incorrectly that concern me. Which most Muslims will tell you they are concerned about people who are like that also.
180147
Yes.  It is a given that when their Imams preach hatred and violence against non-Moslems, they do not tar and feather the fellows and toss them out of the mosque. \n\nThe question is, what would they do to an Imam who preaches modernization, equality with other religions (rather than dominance over them), freedom of ideas, freedom of speech...?
504514
well said! I'm not a muslim, I'm a christian but I get sick of the pettymindedness too. A lot of it is ignorance, they know nothing about Islam except what they are fed by the media- I think it is up to moderate muslims to raise their voices and be heard loud and clear.\nI believe that religious extremism is a major problem in the world today, and people need to be shown that it is possible for people of all faiths to live in harmony, as they have done for centuries already. \nI wish you peace.
925705
we are in a crazy time my friend!  \n\ni personally don't trust just about any leader. there are famous Muslim scholars who are well known and trust worthy and those who claim to be scholars and no one really knows who they are.\n\nwhat exactly did you hear lately that got you interested in the "Fatwa" issue?\n\nChristianity and Judaism has the same exact thing. \n\nPat Robertson called for assassinating president Chavez of Venezuela.
9751
No, not a muslim. Reason: I attempt to be as rational a being as possible.  You certainly do not need to practice any religion to be a good person, and, as has been pointed out above, no religion guarantees its followers to be good.
1144067
The term "extremism" is very misleading. Being extreme is not a 'good' or 'bad' thing. Folks that are quiet and / or ONLY tell the truth in American society would be called 'extreme'. -What are you, -a nun??, a priest??\n\nBut anyway, these folks are Jihad-ists, and it's either partially or fully based on their Muslim holy book doctrines. The really problem is not the Jihadists, but what are the so called 'moderates' doing about it??? - NOTHING !! The moderates claim islam is a religion of 'peace', but they do not consistently public denounce the actions of the Jihadist and they give lip-service to the western countries.\n\nThe so-called moderates are the solution, when they get a back-bone and stand up against their fellow terrorists.
19064
Hey, I was just wondering about this myself recently, and did some research about it (Wikipedia is a great source, as is understandingislam.org).\n\nEssentially, within Islam, it is a discrepency between where they beleive true religious authority lies. The Shiites practice something called Amimism, which is, that they beleive that the Amim is the divine messenger on earth, and his word is God. The Amim is named by the previous Amim, and, as I mentioned, the Amim's word becomes religous law, and to defy him would be heresy. The Sunnis beleive that the Qur'an, the word of Muhammed, is the ultimate source of religious authority. There are probably a lot of subtelties that I'm missing, but the the best of my ablitiy that's the general idea.
376217
Well, the only Muslims we hear from or about are those causing a ruckus.  The millions of Muslims who live quiet lives and don't make threats against others or whose children don't become bombers never make the news.