A Letter to Muslims

An open letter to Muslims

Dear Muslim,

There is undoubtedly tension between Mulims and non-Muslims in the world today, especially in America. In an effort to possibly reduce this tension I offer some observations, take them for what you will. I stand only for myself and my opinions expressed here are my own.

While I do not believe people should be singled out or persecuted based on their faith, I do believe an examination of the radical elements within that faith is in order. As an example, I am a Christian. As a Christian I am responsible for my own actions and should be allowed to practice my faith in peace. However, if my faith was being hijacked by a radical element, and some people claiming to represent Christianity were spouting hatred (think Westboro Baptist), I would have to stand up and denounce them openly, not defend them or their actions, and take care that other Christians were not swayed by their ideology, and also that I was not swayed myself.

That would be a cause for singling out the ones who advocated and protected them, and publicly and privately renouncing them. I would not do this and then secretly be helping or funding them just because they were my "brothers". This however does not seem to be the case with alot of Muslims. We see pictures, and statements, and video of the "extremist muslims" and then see some of the same activity or support for that activity coming from the mouths and actions of so called "normal or moderate muslims".

Either you are or you are not. You can't support them and yet claim you are distant and different from them. It doesn't work that way. We see instances of Muslim extremists saying death to all Jews and Christians, and then we see supposed moderate Muslims saying the same things. What are we supposed to think? If they are truly distorting your faith then do something besides agree with them. As further example, we look at the treatment of Muslims here in America, where they are free to do as they wish, go to school, own businesses, practice their faith, ect, (often special treatment is given during certain times when Muslims are allowed to block streets and impeded traffic for their prayers without fear of reprisals or fines) yet we see Christians persecuted and murdered without reason or trial in Muslim dominated countries.

We can't even send news crews there, or Christian missionaries, without them being beaten, harrassed or killed, yet Muslims are free to practice and convert non Muslims as they wish. We do not see supposed moderate Muslims coming to the murdered Christians aid against their extremist brothers, we often see aiding them, covering up for them, or complete indifference, if they are not openly in the streets dancing and singing "Death to America" while they celebrate.

Just as all Christians do not agree with or aid their more extreme brethren, we realize that all Muslims may not either, but so far it is their actions that speak the loudest. The truth right now is that the Muslim Community as a whole "is" a target for radicalization, and extremist Muslims do recruit a vast majority from their own faith radical or otherwise. Until we see a large movement of the non-extremist "peaceful" Muslims stand up openly against this supposed minority of the extremists, then most people will indeed lump you all together. You need to be the ones to set yourselves apart from them by deed and word, as true Christians do from our more radical elements.

The ball is in your court. We have yet to see you do anything with it but pass it back to the extremists through direct word or deed, or by refusal to stand united against them. The fact is that radical Muslims do indeed plant subversive elements into our society. They do place radicalized cells with the sole intent of causing disruption, chaos or outright harm. We cannot tell you apart because you all say the same thing "outwardly", so for the time being, we are intolerant of you all by necessity of survival and common sense.

Show us you are different. Show us you do not stand with them, and then we will stand with you against them. Americans are just that way. We will go out of our way to help people be free even if some of them have proven themselves to be our enemies. Right now we mistrust Muslims, and with good reason. Give us a reason not to.