Bates Recital Hall
Telling the Muslims What They Must Do
RECEIVED Mon., March 27, 2006
Dear Editor,
Prominent Islamic clerics demand the execution of Afghani Abdul Rahman for converting from Islam to Christianity. Those who advocate this crime against humanity deal a potentially mortal blow to the claim that the followers of Islamist fascism, e.g., al Qaeda, do not represent true Muslims. Because of American diplomatic pressure, it appears that the state-sanctioned murder of Mr. Rahman will be set aside. However, the continued willingness of Islamic adherents to insist on this execution morally stains Islam as a pariah religion incapable of peaceful coexistence. This is a profound moral test for the followers of the Muslim faith.
Unless Muslims end this murderous religious intolerance, Islam will be proven a fraud. If this uncivilized behavior is not earnestly renounced by the people of Afghanistan and all Muslims there could easily be a collective epiphany that Islam is a hopeless savage cult. This possibility is ironically cogent given that America and its allies just liberated Afghanistan from Islamist Taliban religious tyranny.
The September 11, 2001, attacks on America were perpetrated in the name of Allah. This dishonor of God could not be greater. Since that evil day it was hoped that Muslims would condemn en masse such crimes against humanity – particularly those perpetrated in the name of Islam. It has not happened. The latest example is this Afghani Christian. Unless Muslims condemn those who defile their religion in such barbaric heretical ways, Islam will be rightly judged as morally primitive. Muslims must reform their religion accordingly. If not, war between the free world and Islamist fascists will be never ending until the eventual destruction of Islam.
Prominent Islamic clerics demand the execution of Afghani Abdul Rahman for converting from Islam to Christianity. Those who advocate this crime against humanity deal a potentially mortal blow to the claim that the followers of Islamist fascism, e.g., al Qaeda, do not represent true Muslims. Because of American diplomatic pressure, it appears that the state-sanctioned murder of Mr. Rahman will be set aside. However, the continued willingness of Islamic adherents to insist on this execution morally stains Islam as a pariah religion incapable of peaceful coexistence. This is a profound moral test for the followers of the Muslim faith.
Unless Muslims end this murderous religious intolerance, Islam will be proven a fraud. If this uncivilized behavior is not earnestly renounced by the people of Afghanistan and all Muslims there could easily be a collective epiphany that Islam is a hopeless savage cult. This possibility is ironically cogent given that America and its allies just liberated Afghanistan from Islamist Taliban religious tyranny.
The September 11, 2001, attacks on America were perpetrated in the name of Allah. This dishonor of God could not be greater. Since that evil day it was hoped that Muslims would condemn en masse such crimes against humanity – particularly those perpetrated in the name of Islam. It has not happened. The latest example is this Afghani Christian. Unless Muslims condemn those who defile their religion in such barbaric heretical ways, Islam will be rightly judged as morally primitive. Muslims must reform their religion accordingly. If not, war between the free world and Islamist fascists will be never ending until the eventual destruction of Islam.
Vance McDonald
