27 April 2007
Islamic Intolerance on the Web
If anything, the Internet provides just enough anonymity, secrecy, and protection for the average user to get away with propagating his/her socially unacceptable and/or downright racist/intolerant views without any
significant retribution by those offended.
Nothing rings more of this truth than what can be experienced while posting on an Islamic web forum as a non-Muslim. Regardless of how careful one is to show the required respect for Islam on these Islamic web forums, if the poster posts something contrary to commonly held Islamic tradition and interpretation, then the result is almost always one of which the poster is derided with insults, threats, nonsensical circular arguments, and more often than not, a warning or banning from the forum’s administrators.
Yet, what is even more bewildering of this type of behavior from Muslims is that many of these Islamic web forums actually invite non-Muslims to discuss their beliefs while promising the non-Muslim fair treatment. However, the moment the non-Muslim states any belief against Islam, the “fair treatment” rule is subsequently forgotten, while at the same time the non-Muslim’s religious beliefs are permitted to be rudely and viciously attacked.
There are many Islamic forums on the Internet which display such conduct to wards non-Muslims, but I have found no other that does it with such blatant disregard for non-Muslims as the forum located at www.ummah.com
Among the current rules at www.ummah.com regarding the behavior of Muslims and non-Muslims we see the following:
2. Discussions regarding different groups or sects are to be held in the appropriate forums and without any name calling or slandering users.
3. Users must not post any expletives (profane or obscene expression) or other foul language of any form (this includes abbreviations/asterisk/anagrams).
4. Users are free to express their views, but may not post continual statements that have been found offensive, or belabor issues beyond the post it is originally posted in. Do not use the words of another user repeatedly in posts that do not apply.
5. Users must not post comments of a racist nature nor make racial taunts against other users.
6. Launching personal attacks and insulting or swearing at other members is not acceptable behavior neither in the public boards nor via Private Messaging, or Rep Points.
7. Users must interact with each other in a civil if not respectful manner.
8. Users must not harass any other user via the forums nor display threatening behavior to any other user. Such behavior may result in an immediate and permanent ban.
9. Users must not use the comments to insult, slander, backbite, flirt, swear or otherwise make inappropriate comments. These comments are NOT private.
As anyone can see, this forum claims to offer some protection to non-Muslims, and does declare that insulting other users is not permitted, but do they actually practice what they preach?
Unfortunately, no. Upon signing up for this forum, and proceeding to the Comparative Religion section (which is hidden until you sign up), I was appalled to find numerous Muslims directly insulting non-Muslims without retribution. I was also witnessing how non-Muslims were getting warnings and bans from the forum’s administrators for infractions of far less magnitude. This tells us that the forum is indeed being moderated, but with the explicit intention of allowing the Muslims to deride the non-Muslims at will, and also by only policing the non-Muslims in terms of conduct.
I personally was attacked and insulted non-stop on that forum, as well as many others. I watched in disgust how the forum’s administrators allowed Muslims to freely break the forum’s rules, while at the same time wielding a heavy hand against the non-Muslims for even the smallest infractions.
This forum reminded me of the old “bait & switch” tactic employed by dishonest salesmen. I joined the forum upon the promise of their rules, only to find the rules get completely abandoned once a point of view is expressed which is contrary to traditional Islamic beliefs.
The forum’s Muslim members also show clear signs of their hatred and intolerance of the Christian and Judaic religions. I have witnessed on this forum certain Muslims who go so far as to say, “Jesus of the bible was evil and a fraud,” among other disrespectful statements. Topic after topic by Muslims wreak of intolerance and disrespect of other faiths and their peoples.
In addition to the subjects discussed on the forum, one such subject regarding apostates was recently brought up. The subject was entitled “Should Apostates Be Killed,” and it was located in the General section of their forum. Upon reading the Muslim’s responses to this question, we were quite alarmed to see that a few of them agreed that apostates should indeed be killed, and some of those who agreed that they should be killed are living within the UK .
This topic can be viewed here.
The document also instructs in numerous ways to serve in a Jihad including; sending money to Islamic fighters, providing equipment for fighters, collecting donations for the Mujahidin, preparing oneself as a martyr, and a host of other lessons to teach Muslims what they should be doing because world peace no longer suits them.
I found this particular ideology and teaching very alarming. This type of teaching promotes the support of terrorists and extremists. Further information can be obtained here.
Yet, perhaps the most disturbing experience I had while on that forum is when I browsed through their Multimedia section and began examining the videos in their Documentaries area. I viewed several videos, many disturbing, but one of the worst was a video actually being offered for sale which showed both American and British forces being bombed and killed in Iraq . This video clearly glorified the killing of American and British soldiers, and was heralded by a Muslim’s response of “Allah Akbar!”
This video can be viewed here.
Is this type of behavior actually legal? Is this type of intolerance towards people of other faiths within the bounds of the law? Are Muslims within our own borders permitted to publish and make available to the public information and videos depicting an affront to the values and laws of our nations?
Let’s find out.
Ummah.com hails from the United Kingdom and falls under the laws of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, section 74, which governs religious prejudice. Due to the fact that the content I have described on the ummah.com forum website can be understood as hate literature, and also the fact that it is being published online, it leaves the website itself prone to investigation for “Hate Crimes.”
Also, due to the forums misleading rules, which clearly show that Muslims and non-Muslims alike would be treated the same way in terms of insults et al, and the fact that the evidence proves otherwise, it only adds credence to the charge that ummah.com’s intention appears to only attract people of other faith’s in an effort to discredit them and their faith on a very personal level.
Of course ummah.com is not the only website which appears to propagate religious hatred towards non-Muslims and other faiths, for this can also be witnessed of many Christian sites as well. However, there seems to be a growing trend among Islamic websites to viciously attack specific persons and faiths with hateful and spiteful language.
All of this certainly begs serious consideration. Is the political correctness of our governments just another way to turn a blind eye to the spread of Islamic hatred of the rights and values and freedoms which we all currently enjoy? And if we continue to turn a blind eye to the spread of Islamic intolerance within our borders, will we be next on the Islamic hit list?
I appeal to our governments to repeal their position of political correctness and to stop turning a blind eye to reality. A day does not go by where we can find some news of Islamic extremism being practiced somewhere in a free society of the world, even if this extremism is being displayed on websites such as www.ummah.com
The Islamic extremists do not want world peace as we understand it. They want world peace as they understand it; subjection to Islamic law. They are actively promoting their extremist views, and their hatred for our values, all over the web.
How long will it be before it expands from the web to your doorstep? Are you ready for the Islamic Jihad? You better be, because it’s currently staring you in the face.
And it’s not going away.
POSTED BY /http://www.news.faithfreedom.org
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