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Tricky Dick had a dirty secret or two, as did Bill Clinton. Probably if you put some effort into it you could find lots of dirty secrets in history. They would have one thing in common. They were hidden before being uncovered. After all, that is the nature of dirty secrets. Except, that is, for one. One dirty secret is on open display.
Come on, you might say, how can that be. Easy, people systematically look the other way. Journalists look the other way. Politicians look the other way. Christian leaders look the other way. “Nothing to see here,” they all proclaim. Of course not everyone looks the other way, but such people, like, say, blogger Robert Spencer (banned from entering the UK by the Home Office in 2013 for not looking the other way), tend to be on the fringes of debate and the main players double down by ignoring them.
These days with so much widespread, vicious and well-publicised Islamic terror, so-called moderate Muslim leaders are often asked to comment. To a man and hijab’d woman they disassociate themselves, their organisations, their communities and, prominently, their religion from violence. Whenever “Allahu-Akbar” violence occurs, it has nothing to do with Islam – the religion of peace, we are told. And that surely must be true; Pope Francis says so.
At the back of the papal plane, hopes are raised; hopes are dashed. Following two Islamic terrorists slitting the throat of Fr. Jacques Hamel, an 85-year-old French priest, the Pontiff declares that we are at war. At last, muscular Christianity on show, a not-before-time holy war of words is in the offing to protect Christians! Alas, his minders at the front of the plane quickly re-educate their man. He dutifully returns to the back of the plane and recants. “When I speak of war, I am not speaking of a war of religions. No. There is war, a war for interests, for money, for natural resources, for domination of peoples … All religions want peace; others want war.”
So there we have it on papal authority. It is beyond parody. The bloody mayhem stretching from the Middle East and North Africa into the heart of Europe and America is not about religion, it is all about money. And all the while the jihadist playbook is in full view. If only someone from the great and good would take a look.
So it was that I tuned last week into the Bolt Report on Sky News. Andrew Bolt is interviewing Keysar Trad, the new President of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. Bolt does something that is exceedingly rare among his fellow journalists. He quotes from the Koran. He opens the playbook at verse 9:29. He outs the dirty secret.
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture – until they give the jizya willingly while they are humbled.”
Talking off the point at length is a well-practised technique among Muslim representatives. It happens whenever they are put on the spot. Bolt is masterful. He lets Trad ramble on; only periodically interrupting him. Want to understand the threat that Islam represents; listen to its adherents trying to skirt around unpalatable truths about their religion.
Bolt is told that the verse in question has to be viewed in context of surrounding verses. He is having none of it; referring to the surrounding verses as anything but benign. To see his point, have a look at this from the preceding verse: “the polytheists are unclean.” Have a look at this from the succeeding verse: “may Allah destroy them [Jews and Christians].”
Bolt goes to another verse (clearly 8:12). Included in this verse is this charming instruction from Allah: “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, so strike them upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip.” Undoubtedly this verse inspires and ‘justifies’ slitting the throats of elderly French priests, as it does many a head lopping.
Let us all please get this clear. The Koran purportedly records the very words of Allah. These words cannot be changed or “reformed”. Many verses in the Koran are hateful; and they are doctrinal not historical. Time doesn’t mitigate their applicability. Trad makes some attempt to put the verse Bolt quotes (9:29) into a use-by-date perspective. But this won’t wash unless Allah was extremely sloppy with his wording, over and over again.
Certainly millions of Muslim fundamentalists, zealots, extremists and terrorists don’t think there was any sloppiness on Allah’s part. They are literalists. And beneath this upper tier of Islamic adherents there is a vast Muslim following that has uncivilised views; which, to state the obvious, they were not born with.
Mark Durie in Islam, Human rights and Public Policy (2009) refers to a poll taken in 2006 which found that 58% of Indonesians believed adulterers should be stoned to death. In 2010, the Pew Research Centre found that 84% of Egyptians, 86% of Jordanians and 76% of Pakistanis favoured death for apostasy. People brought up within enlightened cultures do not think this way. They have been corrupted and behind that corruption is a plain reading of the Koran and of the recorded martial legacy of Muhammad.
Those who express allegiance to this corrupting scripture, even if they describe themselves as moderate, are intractably compromised. Analogously, you can’t live your life in accordance with the tenets of Mein Kampf and say you love Jews. Not with a straight face you can’t.
Bolt did us a service by going right to the scriptural source of the problem; to the dirty secret. The Pope and all non-Muslim apologists for Islam are putting our civilisation at risk. They are also doing a disservice to those brought up as Muslims by telling them that their faith is fine. When, in fact, their faith is an affront to enlightened thinking.
It is simply not acceptable that a large body of people are spiritually guided by a scripture which preaches intolerance, violence and supremacism. Muslims need to escape from its clutches, not least to protect their children from its corrupting influence. And they need tough love and straight talk from Christian leaders to convince them to make the break.
Trad is an execrable individual and, apart from Comical Aly, possibly the most oleaginous individual in this country.
Oliagenous double speak, deceit, half truths, and erasure, however, have become the bedrock of our language. We see it in everything from science to literature – oligenous, Indigenous, Australian poetry is manufactured specifically at the UWS – we have become versed in the art of the ambit claim … and the truth.. or at least an attempt at the truth – may be no longer possible. This guy is everywhere and nowhere … Bolt does a good job of trying to pin him down … but he will sell you the sake oil anyway. One thing’s for sure – he’s no Willie Loman.
“sake oil”? My sort of typo!
What continues to stagger me is how the “progressives” (aka Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Castro, Pol Pot: mass murderers all) leftie luvvies don’t come out against the muslimics. I realise the lefties want to destroy western civilisation and rule us with their totalitarian fists, just as the muslimics wish to do, but it beggars belief the luvvies don’t realise they will be on the to be beheaded list too. How can the say nothing when homosexuals in the wonderful Stan an Sand People countries are routinely slung from the business end of cranes or take the fourth floor express lift, without the cabin? You have to come to the conclusion the “progressives” are just cowards and are frightened to take on the real bullies. As for no homosexual children in muslimic schools they know the moment they put their hands up, they would cease to breath.
All the Anglican leaders I know are the biggest apologists for Islam in Australia.
Concerning Keysar Trad, the hackneyed old question comes to mind: “Would you buy a used car from this man?” But he is just one of the frustrating, annoying symptoms of the problem. The problem being the infuriating attitude of western leadership, including our own, here in Australia. They do not merely look the other way, as Andrew Bolt puts it, they are pandering to Muslims with enthusiasm at every opportunity. The list of special privileges and concessions granted to Muslims is growing longer by the day, accompanied by the mindless repetition of the appallingly stupid mantra “Islam is a religion of peace”. Muslim leaders must find it hilarious and quite unbelievable how their interests are so keenly supported by the infidel leadership. In the interest of multiculturalism, political correctness, inclusiveness and the like we are being marched to our doom.
All ugly indeed. These days I hide myself away, sharing only the company of family and a few selected high-quality friends, and accompanied by the greatest music ever written – generally by three composers who come closest to godhood here on earth; Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. What music of comparable ecstasy compliments the Islamic god, do you think?
Judy, please include Mozart’s Requiem… truly a Transcendental Work!
… and I should have added that to your question of comparison… there is none. Look through the history and evolution of Western Art – in all forms – then do the same for Islamic Art – ‘nough said!
I’m glad you like it: I’ve heard it played in Karlskirche, Vienna!! This, however, takes some beating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sj-NKqR0tw
No Islam for me; I’m right at this minute preparing a lecture for 18th on Baroque ‘continuo’ practice – those numbered notes on the bottom line of this (and other) work. My cross and garlic for Islam is Keats:
“Thou shalt remain a friend to man
To whom thou sayest,
Beauty is Truth, Truth beauty;
That is all yet know on earth
And all ye need to know”.
Thanks for the link. It is hard to beat Bach… it is said, not sure of the actual quote, that when preparing the information to be carried on board the Voyager, they considered loading Bach’s Complete Works… but then they thought that this would be a bit like bragging to the rest of the Universe!
Yes, they did upload the music of Bach to a disc for the Voyager and the quote you’ve given is correct. I’m not sure about the “complete works”. That would not have fitted easily onto one music carrier in those days.
Lefties come in different flavors but ultimately the aim is Control & Command of Society – for our own good. Lenin took Marxist theory and applied it by morphing the concept of ‘Dictatorship of the Proletariat’ to ‘Dictatorship of The (Vanguard) Party’ which Stalin then took to the next logical consequence and it became ‘Dictatorship by the Leader of the Party’.
The other common thread for lefties is a complete rejection of Capitalism and by extension Western Civilization and a blind adherence to the idea that ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’… Consequently (& again this is a Leninist idea) they will make alliances with ‘the devil and his grandmother…’ if that is what it takes… The fallacy, of course, as other have pointed out, is that the Devil will turn on them as soon as he gets a chance!
How to fight this? Need to start with a retaking of the institutions… starting with the Media & especially Social Media… the “debate” is now entirely controlled by the fifth-columnists and the Devil’s advocates…
Perhaps the Bernardi type of organisation can grow a voice and create momentum by actively engaging in the aforementioned institutions…
Here’s hoping…
This War is NOT lost but we are losing many Battles and have a shaky Strategy at best.
> “This War is NOT lost …”
As may be known now, I totally disagree with that Pollyanna-ism. The leftoids have well and truly won, the reversal of the Rennaisance is irredeemably, implacably moving on.
I agree with Jody above. One now looks after one’s own.
We’ll all be rooned, said Hanrahan…
Oozing Deceit from every pore, Trad oiled his way across the floor.
Professor Higgins had the clues didn’t he!!! “That blackguard who uses the science of speech more to blackmail and swindle than teach”!!!!!
I was flicking through the channels on the TV tonight and, sure enough, “The Drum” had the regulation muslim on there again today. For a minority they sure are over-represented on the ABC these days – that’s why I avoid the ABC like the plague.
There’s no joy to be had or found on the ABC – only the monotonous, dull, grievance-junkies of the inner urban left with their endless finger-pointing, tut-tutting and self-aggrandizing moralizing. Wouldn’t I like to be a fly on the wall at one of their ‘dinner parties’ where the conversation will be cookie-cutter predictability and destined to induce a catatonic state. As I said before, ugly indeed. And sad, finally. It was Clint Eastwood who recently observed how “sad” American society had grown and I feel the same here.
Oddly enough I agree with the Pope. The role of religion is to find the light within. There is very little sign of it in this forum.
Quran 2:190 Fight in the cause of God those who start fighting you, but do not transgress limits (or start the attack); for God loveth not transgressors.
9:6 And if any of the Idolatries (who are fighting you) seeks thy protection, grant him protection, so that he might [be able to] hear the word of God [from thee]; and thereupon convey him to a place where he can feel secure:
18:29 proclaims, “The truth is from your Lord”: it is the free will of any person to believe (in God) or to be an Infidel (Un believer).
22:17 Those who believe (in the Qur’an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians (can mean an ancient religion or people with no specific religion), Christians, Magians, and Polytheists,- God will judge between them on the Day of Judgment: for God (alone) is witness of all things.
9-47:4 Therefore, when you meet The infidels (unbelievers), [4] smite their necks until you overcome them fully, and then tighten their bonds; [5] but thereafter [set them free,] either by an act of grace or against ransom, so that the burden of war may be lifted:
2:62 Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
Quran: 29:69 And those who strive in Our paths to find us (God)),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily God is with those who do right.
Quran 46:9 Say: “I am no bringer of new-fangled doctrine among the apostles, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. God is the ONLY one who can judge humans.
Rob, it would be worthwhile for you to consider the concept of ‘abrogation’. Mark Durie has a good account in his book The Third Choice pp.34-39.
If I could add to this, Peter, Rob could read: Peace or Jihad? Abrogation in Islam, by David Bukay, in the Middle East Quarterly, Autumn (they call it ‘Fall’, of all things) 2007, Vol. 14, number 4. It’s a fascinating article that explains how and why the Medina pronouncements (by a clearly delusional Allah) supersede the more pacifistic Mecca ones.
As Hirsi Ali says, the were two phases to Mohammad, the Mecca phase, where he was on the defensive, seeking converts and advocating a more peaceful mode of travel. His Medina phase (and the final one) in which he turned into brigand, warlord, slaughterer of enemies, showed quite a different turn of phrase to the dear little quotes mentioned by Rob Ellison, the Muslim apologist.
‘O you who believe! Fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness.’ (Q. 9:123) And the sutra mentioned by Andrew Bolt in his interview of Keysar Trad: • ‘Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the last day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth, from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.’ (Q. 9:29)
How about the hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 6924- Muhammad said: “I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: La ilaha illalllah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and whoever said La ilaha illalllah, Allah will save his property and his life from me.”
Unfortunately, the current (utterly deluded Pope, another more famous Muslim apologist) had this to say about Islam: ‘I had a long conversation with the imam, the Grand Imam of the Al-Azhar University, and I know how they think. They [Muslims] seek peace, encounter’. Pope Francis has quite obviously heard of Taqiyya (or al Taqiyya) which is Allah’s permission for Muslims to lie to infidels in order to deliberately deceive.
You argue mutually exclusive principles – that the Quran is immutable and that it isn’t – to suggest without any basis at all that the quotes you excise are more relevant than the ones that have a peaceful message. The reverse is true. The warlike quotes must be interpreted – from the original Arabic – as referring to a specific time and place. The more general quotes I provided must be interpreted through the lens of a religious sensibility – as the Pope suggested – grounding religion in a universal light.
Simply calling on abrogation to preserve a silly argument from ignorance means little enough.
Surah 9 is not ‘abrogated’ but refers to a specific time and place in early Islam.
And btw it is Surah – or chapter – not a Sanskrit sutra.
Read the article and you’ll begin to get a glimmer of understanding. Using wonky logic to determine (of your own accord) what remains substantive and what doesn’t just doesn’t work with regards to the Qur’an. You need to study up a little to see how abrogation works (it’s not guess work and it’s not just a matter of opinion). In my own case I bow to those who demonstrate a greater authority: you might find this worthwhile too.
Yes, they are sura.
Here’s the link:
http://www.meforum.org/1754/peace-or-jihad-abrogation-in-islam
The artistic, architectural and greatness achieved by people who live in Islamic societies is despite Islam, not because of it.
They can give rise to bin Laden and a host of wannabees, but also to the hypnotic music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, IMHO best found in his group’s playing of ‘Allah Hoo’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLBFmA87tyg
I can see Koran quotations interspersed on Quadrant but no Bible verses, yet? Maybe,just maybe could there be a clue to the sad saga Peter writes about? Even composers make it but not Jesus, the greatest leader of all.
How about Luke 17:21, Homer?
“… for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Food for thought?
What is ‘enlightened thinking’?
In this context I use ‘enlightened thinking’ as an extension of The Enlightenment to stand for thinking based on reason and which promotes liberty, tolerance, freedom of speech, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, the separation of church from state. I will let you add to them pgang. It would exclude sharia law and cutting people’s heads off for drawing pictures of Muhammad for example.
Nfw
You omitted the socialist Adolph Hittler.?He lined up with Islam and a comment he made, showed that.
‘We would have been better suited aligning with Islam than Christianity’
or words to that effect.
Peter, you were absolutely right when you wrote here about Brexit and how the UK government would not promulgate the peoples’ wishes:
http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/why-we-must-stand-up-for-democracy-brexit-eu-demonstration/18636
Jody, Hopefully my scepticism about Brexit being actually implemented will prove to be unfounded. Fortunately, there are some ‘loud’ people (like the asst. editor of Spiked) who will make a fuss over any backsliding. We will see. But best not to underestimate those elites who think themselves superior to common folk.