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Islamophobia Downunder

Jan 21 2007

Islamophobia Downunder

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Editorial

By Gideon Polya

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Islamophobia Downunder
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Translation

A pro-peace, anti-racism agnostic humanist analysis

Vastly more serious than heat-of-the-moment intemperate racial abuse by an unwisely abusive and intemperate cleric (serious as that is, of course) were the comments by politicians and others getting on the Islamophobic bandwagon (good politics in currently disturbingly anti-Arab anti-Semitic, Islamophobic and xenophobic Australia) e.g. take away his residence, citizenship, passport, job etc. - thus fanning the flames of xenophobia even further.

The harsh reality is that Muslims in Australia are constantly abused (a) collectively by politicians and other commentators through the Mainstream media on any pretext - as this episode illustrates - and (b) at a personal level - e.g. a mosque burned down; a crowded mosque room full of women and children shot at;

other property damage (bricks through windows); persecution by phone; Muslim women and children wearing the hijab publicly abused and spat on; Muslims being bashed up secretly or in public (most notoriously in the Cronulla riots); Muslims threatened with draconian penalties for association, free speech or charitable donation (e.g. up to life imprisonment if a donation for medical help in devastated Occupied Palestine or Lebanon were to fall into the hands of Hamas or Hezbollah, respectively).

In this present case a Muslim cleric was being publicly and OFFICIALLY threatened with up 15 years in prison for comments about jihad (spiritual struggle as opposed to the "terror" fantasies of evil, lying, war-mongering, racist psychopaths running the Bush War on Terror which is in actually a war on Asian Women and Children - 3.0 million post-invasion excess deaths, mostly Women and Children in Occupied Iraqi and Afghan Territories) (see MWC News ).

Sheikh Muhammed's reported remarks about non-believers and Jews as "filth" and "pigs", respectively, are of course unacceptable abuse. He has, however, apologized for the "pigs" comment (but as an agnostic non-believer I am awaiting on apology for the "filth" comment).

Australian anti-Arab anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and xenophobia are real and ugly contemporary phenomena that have been roundly condemned by 2 great retired Australian political leaders from opposite sides of politics, namely former Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, the former comparing it to 19th and 20th century White Australian persecution of Chinese. The hysterical and malicious but politically useful interpretation of "jihad" by politicians and Mainstream media is now routine today in anti-Arab anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, racist White Australia.

I suspect that just about any Australians who know Muslims will have stories to tell about the appalling physical reality of anti-Muslim racist abuse in Australia today. Thus 2 young professional women dear to me were recently walking in the heart of Melbourne, a major Australian city - one White, non-Muslim, and the other Brown (Aboriginal? Indian? Malay?) and actually Muslim (but not having the hijab). A group of louts abused them roundly and told them to "go back where you come from" (a popular form of xenophobic abuse in Australia today). I could also tell worse stories of violent abuse of Muslims I know (abuse of women and girls for wearing the hijab; the mosque of a wonderfully generous and strictly observant Muslim woman I know was burnt down shortly after 9/11).

Of course the military/violence/terrorism/hatred/incitement (as opposed to spiritual) interpretation of “jihad” is not applied to one of the best-known Christian hymns “Onward Christian Soldiers” [my comments inserted below in square brackets]:

Onward, Christian soldiers [violence], marching as to war [violence],
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe [violent enemy];
Forward into battle [violence] see His banners go!

Refrain

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war [violence],
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host [evil enemy] doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers [violence], on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

Refrain etc.

Like a mighty army [violence] moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints [martyrs] have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Refrain

What the saints [martyrs] established that I hold for true.
What the saints [martyrs] believčd, that I believe too.
Long as earth endureth, men the faith will hold,
Kingdoms, nations, empires, in destruction [violence] rolled.

Refrain

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane [violence],
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell [for evil doers] can never gainst that church prevail [victory];
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Refrain

Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph [victory] song.
Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.

Refrain

Conclusion

The intemperate and offensive words of Sheikh Muhammed have caused more distress for the beleaguered Australian Muslim community. The hysterical interpretation of "jihad" by politicians and Mainstream media is now routine in anti-Arab anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, racist White Australia as in other countries of the war criminal US Alliance because it increases "terror" and wins votes - just as anti-Jewish anti-Semitism won votes for the Nazis three quarters of a century ago.

Dr Gideon Polya, MWC News Chief political editor, published some 130 works in a 4 decade scientific career, most recently a huge pharmacological reference text "Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds" (CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, New York & London, 2003), and is currently writing a book on global mortality ---
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Comments (10)

1. 13-05-2007 07:56

Islamophobia

My fundamental problem with this article is the contention that those of us that express concerns and/or criticism of the Islamic revival around the world are behaving unacceptably due soley to a phobia. Yes, I understand that a jihad is a spritual quest to overcome life\'s temptations to reach a spiritual purity to become acceptable to Allah. If that were universally true for the Islamic faith and its practioners that would be acceptable.

Unfortuantely the most prominate and radical Islamic leaders have replaced the spiritual concepts of jihad with a jihad of violence and attacks on various societies. These radicalized leaders are most prominately featured in the world press. If it were just the so called westernized press it could be discounted as propaganda. However, many of the radical Islamic organizations operate their own print, broadcast, and Internet media. From these news sources they brag of their attacks against all perceived infidels and apostates. They have become the face(s) of Islam and Muslims. Their attacks on market places, schools, resort areas, bus loads of civilians, weddings, funeral services, etc. should correctly create a sense of anxiety based solely of news events. That can not be \'waved off\' as a simple phobia or a case of ignorance. It is a reasonable as locking one\'s doors to prevent a robbery.

Most people define a phobia as an unreasonable fear of something commonly based on ignorance, or very limited knowledge. In nearly all cases that is true. However, in the case of Islam as my knowledge of it and its history has increased, as I read of the actions of its most prominate leaders, and I read the speeches of the most prominate Imams my apprehensions and concerns have become more and more intense. The radical and extremists Islamics and Muslims are, in effect, Islam\'s own worst enemy.

Guest

getreal@dockpoint.netNOSPAM! ">John Lobenstein

2. 13-05-2007 16:02

Islamophobia

Quote:

Yes, I understand that a jihad is a spiritual quest to overcome life's temptations to reach a spiritual purity to become acceptable to Allah.

I don't believe that is entirely accurate. Jihad in Islam also is the war against oppression and it's not solely spiritual.

Guest

Shahram

3. 08-08-2007 14:13

Intemperance & anti-Arab anti-semitism

I would agree with John Lobenstein that intemperate abuse (e.g. the false and profoundly offensive ad hominem abuse in post #3) is antithetical to sensible discussion, amicable relations and peace. Peace is the only way whether in word or deed. Violence is unacceptable.

However the ugly reality is that anti-Arab anti-semitism and Islamophobia (the other side of the racist coin to equally repugnant anti-Jewish anti-semitism) have now become entrenched in Western societies , principally by Racist Bush-ites (RBs) and Racist Zionists (RZs).

Further, while Muslim-origin non-state terrorists have evilly murdered about 7,000 Westerners over the last 40 years (this figure including about 2,000 Israelis and assuming - big assumption - no active or passive US or US surrogate involvement in 9/11) the post-invasion excess deaths in the Occupied Palestinian, Iraqi and Afghan Territories now total (as of March 2007) 0.3 million, 1.0 million and 2.4 million, respectively (for details see the book "Body Count" and "The Cost of War" and related articles via the link below)

http://mwcnews.net/content/view/1375/247/

Guest

gpolya@optusnet.com.auNOSPAM! ">Dr Gideon Polya

4. 09-08-2007 16:52

Intemperance & anti-Arab anti-semitism

@ gpolya@optusnet.com.auNOSPAM! ">Dr Gideon Polya

President George W. Bush is not the sole cause of the conflicts between Muslim/Islam and the rest of the world. It all began with those visions that will live in infamey experienced by Muhammad in that cave near Mecca.

Islam is, to my knowledge, the only quote-unquote religion that is based on hate and degradation. Which other "religion" has its doctrines based on documents that include hateful and derogatory evaluation of all non-practitioners? All other religions espouse tolerance and sympathy for non-adherants. Only Islam requires its fully faithful adherants to kill persons outside their "religion"

Guest

getreal@dockpoint.netNOSPAM! ">John Lobenstein

5. 09-08-2007 22:23

Islamic tolerance vs Inquisition

Readers of this thread - I am an agnostic humanist but must PROTEST at the BIGOTRY, UNTRUTH and egregious and potentially hate- and fear-inspiring ISLAMOPHOBIA in post#4 above. Even in generally anti-Arab anti-Semitic and Islamophobic Australia those hate-filled comments could lead to legal action under race/religion hate laws (e.g. in my state of Victoria where indeed there has been such a legal action).

It is this kind of false and abusive theology that has lent support to bloody Western imperialism in Muslim countries, Racist Zionism (7 million refugees, 6 million imprisoned Palestinians with human rights ranging from second class Arab citizens of Apartheid Israel to
those 3.8 million abusively imprisoned in the Concentration Camp called the Occupied Palestinian Territory) and a War on Terror that has been associated so far with about 3.4 million excess deaths in the Occupied Iraqi and Afghan Territories.

The Qur\'an ACTUALLY specifically prohibits forced conversion (conversion is personal) and states that people of other religions in Muslim countries should merely pay their taxes. Further, the historical record over 1400 years (with some horrible exceptions especially in the last century linked in part to Western imperialism) shows remarkable tolerance towards Christians and Jews in the Muslim world in observance of the Qur\'an.

I hasten to add that I am an agnostic humanist BUT if I were to list my preferences would go for Buddhism (scientific, a-theistic, directed to inner peace) and thence to polytheistic and shamanistic religions (that reflect the biological realities of Man and both Nature and his nature).

Of the Abrahamic religions (Islam, Judaism and Chrisitianity) Islam has the greatest appeal because it is the simplest, the most purely monotheistic, the least historicist (fewest \"historical\" assertions that must be accepted) and the most universalist (i.e. it is non-racist).

Judaism (as I understand it) is less purely monotheistic because of notions of a Chosen People, Promised Land, rewards in this life for worshipping THEIR God (Adonai, the Lord), divine threat to Other people (raising the query as to Who is (are) the God(s) of everyone else in the Universe). Judaism is accordingly the most particularist, historicist, and differentialist (as opposed to universalist).

While great rabbis (e.g. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch) have prayed for final revelation of the Lord as the Lord of EVERYONE and believe in Jewish exile UNTIL the Messiah returns for ALL humanity (i.e. true Orthodox Judaism is necessarily anti-Zionist, regarding Zionism as herrsy and blasphemy) , the substantially non-religious Zionists have perverted Judaism to create a Racist Zionist political theory as realized in the appalling practice of armed conquest and then racist disempowerment, deprivation and displacement (genocide, ethnic cleansing)of the Indigenous People of Palestine.

Christianity is the least monotheistic (the Holy Trinity plus the Virgin Mary), the most historicist (miracles, transubstantiation, rising from the dead, virgin birth etc as key mandatory beliefs) but has an intermediate universality - while it is universalist in theory, in horrendous practice it has been associated with forced conversion (convert or die from Charlemagne onwards until recent centuries; the Inquisition; the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain; no Muslims in Christian Europe until recently; colonialist subject conversion - \"convert or starve\") and is intimately linked to half a millennium of racist European colonialism and genocide from the conquest, depopulation and forced conversions in the Americas to the Nazi lebensraum and continuing genocidal European colonialism in the 20th century and the horrendously violent, racist American Empire in the 21st century.

http://mwcnews.net/content/view/1375/247/

Guest

gpolya@optusnet.com.auNOSPAM! ">Dr Gideon Polya

6. 10-08-2007 01:40

Islamic tolerance vs Inquisition

My comments were not in any way hate speech. They were merely overly simplified references to Quranic passages that refer to infidels are being decendants of/from monkeys and pigs. I also included overly simplifed references to the Quranic passages where rocks speak to Muslims to tell them that a Jew is hiding behind them and that they should be killed, especially if they do not pay their tolerance tax(es). I do not find similar passages in other religious documents. Since my comments are based on the teachings of the Quran and reiterations of Muhammand's comments the source of the so-called hate is the Quran.

Guest

getreal@dockpoint.netNOSPAM! ">John Lobenstein

7. 10-08-2007 01:55

Reject inflammatory Islamophobia

Taking 1400 year old Islamic writings out of context can be highly inflammatory and dangerous as well as dishonest, especially in these times of flagrant and indeed murderous anti-Arab anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I have a lot to do with a large number of Muslims whose religious observance ranges from very little to high observance and whose hospitality, humanity and generosity is unfailing and remarkable. Decent folk must have zero tolerance for bigotry and racism.

http://mwcnews.net/content/view/1375/247/

Guest

gpolya@optusnet.com.auNOSPAM! ">Dr Gideon Polya

8. 10-08-2007 01:56

Reject inflammatory Islamophobia

I am sure the good doctor Poyla will conclude that I am a know nothing hate monger. Be that as it may.

Islamophobia is a defensive term employed by the defenders of radicalized Islam to ward off criticiams of their doctrine(s). It is at best a coined phrase that has been given the status of racism. However Islam is not a race. It includes Arabs, Africans, Europeans, Asians, and others> just which of these is the RACE of Islam?

For the good doctor's benefit hare is a list, though somewhat dated, of my research sources and references. Based on these data sources my apprehensions and grave concerns about radicalized Islam, its proponents, and defenders is hardly based on ignorance or unreasonableness.

One only has to read news from around the world to know that (1) not all Muslims or Islamics are terroists and (2) well over 95% of the terrorists are Islamic.

Guest

getreal@dockpoint.netNOSPAM! ">John Lobenstein

9. 10-08-2007 02:06

Reject inflammatory Islamophobia

Here is my reference list;
I had a glich with my network that droped copy link on my #8 post. Sorry about that.

WEB SITES
http://www.jihadwatch.org
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog
http://the-gathering-storm.blogspot.com
http://www.thememriblog.org
http://feeds.feedburner.com/hotair/main
http://www.roozonline.com/english
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com
http://junkyardblog.net
http://www.meforum.org
http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/
http://www.siteinstitute.org/
http://drsanity.blogspot.com
http://www.al-islam.org
http://www.groups.com/islam4all
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA
http://www.cair.com/
http://www.masnet.org

READING LIST
Below is a list of the books I have read or am reading regarding the Middle East and Islam.
"The Glorious Qur'an - Text and Explanatory Translation"
Muhammad M. Pickyhall [ ISBN 1-879402-16-5 ]

'The Middle East - A Brief History of the last 2000 Years"
Bernard Lewis [ ISBN 0-684-83280-1 ]

"Meeting Islam - A Guide for Christian"
George Dardess [ ISBN 1-55725-433-8 ]

"The Religion of Islam"
Maulana Muhammad Ali [ ISBN 0-913321-32-X ]

“The Message of THE QUR’AN”
Translated and Explained by Muhammad Asad
[ ISBN 1-904510-00-0 ]

I also use Wikipedia not as an authority reference but as a staring point for research related topics.

Guest

getreal@dockpoint.netNOSPAM! ">John Lobenstein

10. 10-08-2007 03:10

Reject Islamophobia, bigotry & racism

Readers of this thread - decent people must reject this continuing horrible Islamophobia.

I am an agnostic humanist but I must CLEARLY STATE that if people want to quote the Holy Qur'an they should do so WITH RESPECT, IN CONTEXT and with SPECIFIC SURA AND VERSE REFERENCE.

I would add that in a present-day context the number of Westerners ACTUALLY murdered by Muslim-origin non-state terrorists over the last 40 YEARS totals 7,000 (including 2,000 Israelis and assuming no active or passive US or US surrogate complicity in the 9/11 atrocity) as compared to post-invasion excess deaths in the Occupied Palestinian, Iraqi and Afghan Territories total 0.3 million, 1.0 million and 2.4 million, respectively (as of March 2007), this being consonant with completely independent estimates of post-invasion under-5 infant deaths totalling 0.2 million, 0.5 million and 1.9 million, respectively (largely avoidable and due to gross, war criminal, CHILD KILLING Occupier violation of the Geneva Convention)(for detailed documentation see "The Cost of War" and "Body Count" via the link provided below).

http://mwcnews.net/content/view/1375/247/

Guest

gpolya@optusnet.com.auNOSPAM! ">Dr Gideon Polya

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