Anti-Islam Film Released on the Internet Causes Controversy

Kizzume · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:30 pm Post subject:

Yipes. No, I doubt you have anything to worry about. I hope not anyway.

But on this subject though--there is a certain amount of hysteria the original video is pushing--it suggests that the Muslims that are HERE now are a threat. I know that there are very peaceful sects of Islam, like the Sufi's--you don't get much more peaceful than them. But the Sharia Law countries, this video is probably right on.

jq · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 1124

I've done a lot of thinking about my posts on this subject the last couple days, and come to the conclusion that I was definitely wrong. Not just here. I've posted this way in a few different forums lately in regards to Islam, and also in regards Christianity, Buddhism.

I don't know how I did it but I really fell into a hate trap. I think I have been as unfair to Catholicism, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism as I have claimed religion is to other people. You haven't seen it as much here as a few other message boards. I think I really lost my head for the last 24-48 hours especially and went way too much on the attack in a few boards in regards to various religions, not just Islam. I would like to retract my generalized hate comments and say that while my criticism of Saudi Arabian and Iranian government still sticks (I am against sharia law,) my blanket criticism of Islam in general, alongside a blanket criticism of Catholicism and Christianity, has been way off base.

So, while I don't think there are many people in this specific region who are religious who I may have offended, I'd still like to extend my apology for overgeneralizing religion in general. I am going to make it my goal to criticize only a per person/situation basis, rather than fall in the trap of generalization. That isn't to say I won't maybe make that mistake again. Simply to acknowledge that I indeed have made that mistake and I am going to make an honest effort not to in the future.

I've had some very balanced and intelligent people call out my misguidance the past day in person but it took a few days of my own self-observations to really realize the bigoted trap I have fallen into.

I still definitely agree that religious extremism-- and currently Islamic extremism-- is a real problem. But I have sort of been attacking Islam as being exactly like its worst followers. I have been doing the same on other message boards in regards to other religions. Again, I think it was just a bigoted progression on my part. I started with the easiest to attack right now-- Islam-- and extended it as days passed. Now that I look back on various posts I am seeing how I went down that trend and frankly, I am embarassed about it.