Perhaps one of the most vicious lies spread about muslims is that islam is a violent religion and its followers justify violence toward anyone who is not muslim. This is an outrageous lie, as almost all muslims are peaceful, decent, loving, and patriotic people. And a recent poll shows that muslims may even be more ethical than people in the other major religions when it comes to the use of violence.
This Gallup Poll survey was done in two parts (in February/ March 2010 and in October 2010) and involved 2,482 adult Americans randomly chosen nationwide -- including 475 muslims (6.6), 675 protestants (4.7), 436 catholics (6.4), 326 jewish (7.3), 242 mormons (8.3), and 328 atheists/agnostics (7.8). The margin of error for each group is in parentheses. The results would probably surprise most Americans.
IS IT EVER JUSTIFIED FOR THE MILITARY TO TARGET & KILL CIVILIANS?
muslims
yes...............21%
no...............78%
protestants
yes...............58%
no...............38%
catholic
yes...............58%
no...............39%
jewish
yes...............52%
no...............43%
mormon
yes...............64%
no...............33%
atheist/agnostic
yes...............43%
no...............56%
IS IT EVER JUSTIFIED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP TO TARGET & KILL CIVILIANS?
muslims
yes...............11%
no...............89%
protestants
yes...............28%
no...............71%
catholics
yes...............29%
no...............71%
jewish
yes...............22%
no...............75%
mormon
yes...............21%
no...............79%
atheist/agnostic
yes...............24%
no...............76%
Frankly, I find the answers for all groups to be shocking. It should never be justified for the military or anyone else to target and attack innocent civilians -- under any circumstances. How can anyone who is a member of any of these religions (all of which claim to believe in peace and love) say targeting and killing civilians might be justified? Where is the morality for those who said yes? And yes, I am equally as appalled by those in the atheist group (my group) who gave a yes answer.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect of this survey is that the muslim group had a statistically significant smaller percentage of those saying yes than any other group -- with only half as many willing to target and kill civilians (by anyone) as those in other groups. When it comes to using violence against innocent civilians they seem to have the ethical edge.
If this poll is correct, and there is no reason to believe that it isn't, then it's time for a lot of Americans to rethink their ethics and morals. Violence is not the answer, especially when directed at innocents.
every time I think of a muslim I just picture Ali..works every time.
ReplyDeleteEven though members of other religions have also committed acts of violence in the United States (such as the Oklahoma City bombing that was done by a christian)... [Emphasis added]
ReplyDeleteMcVeigh was raised Catholic, but by his own admission, "[t]hrough my military years, I sort of lost touch with the religion. I never really picked it up, however I do maintain core beliefs."
(Source: Time Magazine interview)
And precisely what "core beliefs" of the Catholic faith compelled him to blow up a building, killing nearly 170 men, women and children?
... Even though members of other religions have also committed acts of violence in the United States (such as the Oklahoma City bombing that was done by a christian), muslims have been singled out for special discriminatory treatment....
ReplyDeleteThe only group I've seen do that is the religious ones. As they can't admit that they are also guilty.
The atheist/skeptics I've been in contact with have all stated that doing violence can be done by anyone and for any reason. But it takes religion to make someone kill for a really silly reason. And looking around the world you can see every type of 'moral g0d-bots' hurting someone just cuz his religion says so.
But it takes religion to make someone kill for a really silly reason.
ReplyDeleteAnd as Stalin's purges, Mao's Cultural Revolution, and the killing fields of Pol Pot have shown us, it takes communism to make someone kill for the much more noble reason of creating a Workers' Paradise.