Side note on Islam

This week, Michael Medved (some times I listen to him on my drive home from work; very sharp minded individual, and I like his movie reviews) posed the statement that Islam is the most violent and dangerous religion in the world, and asked his listeners to call in and challenge him if they felt he was wrong. A few people called in and tried to make their points that Medved was wrong. One older lady, a convert to Islam, tried to state the Muslim religion was a peace loving religion but that suicide (homicide) bombings were to show people the beauty and truth of Islam. Unfortunately I did not get to enjoy her reasoning behind that belief because she bounced from subject to subject that Medved had to move along. Another young gentleman called, who identified himself as being in Christian ministry work (from the sounds of it, a Youth Pastor most likely), and considered Medved to be espousing hate speech against the Muslims. He decided to add in a massive amount of bad history, another failed attempt to use the Crusades to prove Christianity was a violent religion, and when his faulty arguments were pointed out he bounced to some other argument.

I did not get to hear the rest because that's when I got home and went on with my life. I just find it funny that many people are not able to adequately respond to a statement like that. So many people are quick to cry out, "He's wrong! He's wrong! That's hateful!" But, when asked why, they are unable to give themselves any support. Especially if you are gutsy enough to call into a nationally syndicated radio show and challenge, on air, a very popular personality whose job it is to understand beforehand all the possible arguments that may come his way.

That is a fascinating question, though: is Islam the most violent and dangerous religion in the world? If not, then why have the leaders of the Islamic community or the Islamic nations not publicly condemned bin Laden or all of the suicide (homicide) bombings? In the last few years before he died, Arafat was asked repeatedly to make a statement in Arabic to the effect that he condemns the violent acts of the Muslim extremists, especially against Israel. He flat out declined to do so. All of these Muslim representatives you see and hear on the news, who are experts in their faith; have they ever condemned what has gone on?

One person actually tried to argue that Christianity was the most violent and dangerous religion. It's silly statements like that that you cannot refute directly. All you can do is ask them to prove it. When they can't, then you show them what Christianity is all about.