Westerners-especially
Americans-need to remember some fundamental differences in the world
view held by the majority of Muslims. First relates to the political
structure found in Muslim nations. There is no such thing as the First
Amendment in countries such as Saudia Arabia, Egypt, Iraq or the great
majority of countries with Islamic governments. Not only is there no
separation of church and state, but the two are often one and the same.
Understanding this can help to see why so many Muslims consider America
to be an evil nation. Islamic governments keep a tight rein on the media
and popular culture, because the Quran is the source of law. But, America
allows freedom of speech and expression that is unheard of in many parts
of the world. To the citizens of such nations, the presence of pornography;
sexually suggestive music, dancing, clothing fashion; open homosexuality
and acceptance of fornication/adultery are viewed as being approved
of, even promoted by the US Government. They simply don't understand
that our government is designed to allow freedom of expression, even
if a majority of people may find it objectionable. (This is not to say
that America isn't in a dreadful moral condition.) America is morally
evil to many Muslims because our government allows activities that are
grievous sins. These activities are considered as such not only among
Muslims, but Christians and Jews as well. The concept of a democratic
government "by the people" is not only foreign to the world view of
many Muslims, but to some the idea conflicts directly with the Quran.
Allah rules through his chosen imams or mullahs. As a result there is
no distinction between religious laws and civil laws.
Another aspect of the lack of freedoms in Islamic nations is this: the
people are told only what the government wants them to know. If it suits
those in power to portray America as a bully, greedily supporting Israel
in a joint effort to oppress the poor and helpless, then that is what
the citizens of countries such as Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan will be
told. Further, because the leaders are assumed to be speaking and acting
on behalf of Allah, the citizenry tends to consider whatever they are
told by the government-controlled media to be true. This is why many
Palestinians refused to believe Sadaam Hussein had been defeated in
Desert Storm. It is why a number of Muslims believe that the Sept. 11
attacks were actually orchestrated by the American government in cooperation
with Israel. We can scoff at such beliefs, but the fact is that the
average citizen in many Islamic nations is told only what the government
feels the people should be allowed to know in order to maintain a position
of power. These governments, many of whom oppose the US because of our
support of Israel, continue to promulgate the image of America as greedy,
decadent and uncaring. These are the sort of characteristics that the
Quran teaches are justification for jihad.
The Quran truly does
teach that Muslims should avoid violence. However, it also teaches that
violence is an inevitable vehicle of social reform. "The faithful" are
urged to violently oppose any person, group or government that is perceived
as violating Allah's commandments to provide for the poor and helpless.
This is why jihad against America has so many supporters: the US is
seen as an oppressor of the poor and helpless (Palestinians). That America
sends billions of dollars in aid to the very same nations that want
to see it overthrown in the name of Allah is irrelevant. This way of
thinking is in part because the Quran teaches that if you receive a
blessing (such US economic aid) it is from Allah, and you would get
it anyway. Gratitude to the people or nation that gives you aid is immaterial
if you believe that they are infidels worthy of Allah's wrath.
The Quran teaches
that people fall into one of two "houses": the "household of the faithful"
or "the household of war". The premise appears to be that anyone who
is not a Muslim is bound to be evil and oppressive, because he/she does
not have the laws of the Quran to guide him/her. This idea is used to
support violence not only against non-Muslims, but also against Muslims
that do not meet a given set of requirements for being truly "faithful".
This could be seen in the Iran/Iraq conflict, where Sunni dominated
Iraq and Shia dominated Iran each claimed the other was guilty of breaking
Allah's commandments. While I have oversimplified the causes for that
conflict, suffice it to say that promises of eternal rewards to faithful
mujahideen on both sides were used to justify sending hundreds
of thousands of soldiers to their deaths.
Once you understand
how the world view of so many Muslims is molded not only by the Quran
(and how it is interpreted by religious leaders) but by governments
which claim to speak on behalf of Allah, it becomes easier to realize
this truth: Muslims, by and large, are not bloodthirsty fanatics bent
on the destruction of all "infidels". They are people, beloved of the
Father, who need Jesus as their Savior. Rather than view them with suspicion
and mistrust, Christians should look upon them as prisoners waiting
to be set free. Only Jesus can unlock the prison doors.
