Lupe Fiasco counters anti-Islam video
While protests spread over a video offensive to Muslims, rapper Lupe Fiasco promotes the hashtag #MuhammadShowedMe
It seems like there's a real struggle going on right now for Muslim identity on the worldwide stage.
When I read the #MuhammadShowedMe tweets I'm struck by the kindness, compassion, civility, and respect.
These people, I believe, represent the majority of Muslims and the Muslims of future generations, and they're contrasting an undeserved reputation cast by some high-profile leaders that do not represent them.
I disagree.
That the vast majority of Muslims are non-violent, and desire a non-violent and sublime religion, says more about the human desire for peace and meaning than it does about the religion. The VAST majority of people simply want to be left to live their lives in peace.
However, of all the major religions, ONLY ISLAM was created and initially spread at the point of a sword. Jesus did not command adversaries to convert or die. Zoroaster did not slaughter undefended merchants. Guru Nanak did not enslave other tribes. The Buddha did not lead armies into combat. Abraham, nor Enoch, nor Isaac, nor Jeremiah, nor Moses, nor Hillel used God or prophesy to justify his crimes. Not Joseph Smith... not even L. Ron Hubbard commanded the faithful to rise up and make war holy.
Only Mohammed.
It is not possible to sustain the dichotomy between the morality preached by a prophet and his actions. Attempting to do so creates the cultural pathologies we see in the Arab-Islamic world today.
What could the pacifist sects do to demonstrate their commitment to peace?
They can stand in the way. Over, and over, and over again.
When Al Jazeera starts showing images like this (below) then we'll know that peaceful sects are winning
Standing in the way, over and over and over again -- those are the ways of Gandhi and MLK.
I hope nonviolent protest is not a thing of the past.
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