Address letters to JRNyquist@aol.com
There have been some interesting letters, especially in response to my article on the popularity of Osama bin Laden in the Moslem world. For those interested in other recent exchanges, click on the past letters section.
Re: Are the Terrorists WInning?
Mr. Nyquist
One visionary like you is too
many for this planet; maybe you should take the time and really study Islam and
the Quran. This article is flavored with views (though relatively moderate)
found on militant Hindu websites.
Asad Khan
Advanced Bionics
asadk@advancedbionics.com
Dear Mr. Khan,
As I said in my article, I don't know
whether Islam is a beautiful religion or a global problem. Judging from
the results we are seeing, I am worried. Consider the war in Sudan in
which Christians are butchered by Moslems, or the riots in Nigeria in which
Christians have been slaughtered. Christians are also persecuted in Saudi
Arabi, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Indonesia. How am I to understand
these phenomena?
In the past I have written favorably of the
Taliban, of the Muj in Afghanistan. Many of us here in America urged our
government to support the Afghan people against communism. We admired the
brave Moslem fighters. Now we see that these people bear us ill will.
But why is that, since we helped them?
Did not America tilt toward Pakistan in
1971? Did we not support the Moslems in Kosovo in 1999?
You mock me as a "visionary," but
how am I to understand the popularity of Osama bin Laden in the Moslem world
after Sept. 11? Am I supposed to be comforted by Islam's overall attitude?
Where are the Islamic voices speaking out boldly against bin Laden? Where
are those in the Islamic world prepared to fight against this person?
Such voices, it seems to me, are few and far
between.
JRN
Subj: MR. J.R. Nyquist
Date: 10/16/01 9:10:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: sudar@tstt.net.tt (Ashram Seesochan (Sudarshan Dasa))
To: JRNyquist@aol.com, president@whitehouse.gov
Dear Mr. Nyquist,
I am Ashram (a.k.a. Sudarshan Dasa) of Trinidad West Indies. Those terrorists did that most evil act, claiming it to be in the name of God, and as they took cruel pleasure to see innocent people burnt alive, some even jumping alive from those tall towers, and those brave fire fighters and police officers, trying to save people, only to be sadly buried alive in the line of duty, is the beginning of world war III. It is a most serious attack on Democratic Countries all over the world, trying to finish off America, the ROOT of Democracy and freedom-loving people all over the world. As a Hare Krsna devotee, follower of Swami Prabhupada, there must be freedom of religion, otherwise millions of Christians, Jews and Hindus could be executed.
Our crime? We are not a Muslim, but an infidel (i.e., crazy animals).
Thank you for this quotation from the Quran:
Fight and slay the pagans (infidels) where ever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war."
(Quran,Sura 9:5)
The Lord Jesus Christ said that you love thy God with thy whole heart,
thy whole soul, and thy whole mind, and thy neighbour as thy self. Lord Sri Krsna in the
Bhagavad Gita explains that we are all spirit souls, within a temporary
body. Therefore the spirit soul is not Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Baptist,
Penticostal, Seven Day Adventist, etc., nor are we Indian, Negro, Chinese,
white, black. We are all equal parts and parcels of God, as servants.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. God has a spiritual
form, and by surrender, by LOVE and devotion to Him, we the spirit souls within this
body, at the time of death, can get back our spiritual form in the spiritual world.
I am sending this note to President George W Bush. May God bless you in your good
works, and may he bless the President to maintain freedom, and make all the countries of this earth
planet democratic countries.
Sincerely yours,
Sudarshan Dasa.
Subj: Are the Terrorists Winning
Date: 10/23/01 3:22:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: Fuedli
To: JRNyquist
I read your article concerning the Muslim religion and was a little shocked at the generalizations given to people of the Muslim faith. I am a Christian. I work at an Islamic school. I agree and understand many of the points you made concerning the Muslim religion, but was concerned that you seem to be saying we should shun them and kick them all out of the country. The Muslims at my school are deeply concerned about what has happened and are much more concerned for the country than I am. They are gentle people and may not hold the same beliefs as Christians, but show a deeper commitment to their religion than most American Christians. I continually compare this to all the freaks who call themselves Christians, i.e. KKK. I certainly wouldn't want anyone of another religion to think that all Christians are that way. Furthermore, the Qu'ran does have those points you refer to, I assume since I have not checked them out, but it also says that you cannot fight against the elderly, children, women, or non-combatants. It also says that to kill one person is like killing all of humanity. These verses may seem contradictory to us, but many non-Christians think Bible verses are contradictory. I can imagine that only someone who is well-versed in the Qu'ran and the laws of Muslims would be able to fully explain the meaning of the verses. I am surrounded by Muslims all day and have yet to see any traits that would lead me to believe that these people are violent. The environment here is much more peaceful than most school or office environments. People are kind, considerate, thankful, appreciative, and controlled. There are no office disputes, no jealous anger over idiotic matters. These are a people who believe in Allah and try to behave in a way they think glorifies him.
I just wanted to write this, because as I read your article, I couldn't help but think of my 11 and 12 year-olds. These kids were astonished that someone would do something like this. When it happened they couldn't understand why. When I explained that there were people in the world who didn't like the United States, eyes bugged and mouths dropped. They didn't understand and couldn't comprehend why someone would dislike this country. When it became apparent that a Muslim did this, they didn't understand that as well. To them a Muslim would never do that, because it goes against their beliefs.
Thank you for your time.
Kelly
JRN replies:
Kelly,
As I'm sure you know, I did not suggest kicking Moslems out of the country. What concerns me is that a majority of Moslems (worldwide) seem to justify, in one way or another, Osama bin Laden's Sept. 11 attack. At the same time many glorify bin Laden; and those Arab leaders who openly side with the West are in danger of being
overthrown. A leading expert in the Moslem world, whose name escapes me at the moment, recently estimated that half the Moslems on the planet see bin Laden as a hero. This is troubling.
A letter from a Pakistani was recently posted on my forum which says that 60 percent of Pakistan supports bin Laden. If a Christian killed several thousand Moslem civilians, would half the Christian world see him as a hero?
This is not to say all Moslems are bad. We are dealing with percentages here. And percentages are not
meaningless in this situation. Whatever your experiences here in America, we would be lying to ourselves if we suggested that a minority -- a small minority -- of Moslems sympathize with bin Laden.
I don't know what the actual figures are, but I am told that policemen and army officers, businessmen and respectable people in Saudi Arabia and Egypt favor bin Laden.
We have a real problem if this is the case.
I think back to the Lebanese Civil War, to the troubles in Nigeria, Sudan, Indonesia, and the West Bank. I note the recent rioting in Nigeria,
the violence in Serbia and Macedonia; I also note the calls for Jihad out of Malaysia. I see the terrorism and the military tensions on the India-Pakistan border. Believe me, I admire pious people as much as you do. I know there are decent Moslems
out there. But there is an added dimension to all this. We have to remember who we are and where we stand with the Moslem World as a whole. How do they,
as a people numbering over a billion souls, really regard us? What sort of conflict is now developing between Moslem and non-Moslem peoples?
I am afraid Americans would like to delude themselves about the extent of
bin Laden's popularity. Americans do not realize the degree of hate and animosity that has been mobilized against
them overseas. Because of this lack of awareness, many of our policies weaken us and strengthen regimes that hate us. It is possible that the Moslem religion has been hijacked, as some have suggested. It is also possible that the Moslem religion, in its traditional form, contains something
dangerous and warlike; something that leads to dictatorship, persecution and war.
Can you think of a Moslem country in which non-Moslems are safe and free?
In this context I am concerned that in accepting and trusting alien peoples and beliefs, even as we disregard our own traditions, that we are stripping ourselves of inner defenses. Please note: there is no symmetry if, from the Moslem side a Christian is a infidel even as the West accepts Islam as a beautiful faith. Correct me if I have not been listening, but which Arab leader is saying the same things about Christianity that President Bush has said about Islam?
There is something unbalanced in the way this is developing.
JRN