Je Suis Charlie!

By Eric Bright

If westerners’ knowledge of the Christian faith is of any indication, then we don’t know anything about Islam. Most educated people in the west don’t know anything about Christianity in spite of the fact that many of them are Christians, go to churches, and pray. If Christians who practice it do not have any clear idea about what it is that they are practicing, if most of them are completely illiterate in regards to their faith, what is in the Bible, and what Christianity teaches, then how do you expect them to know anything about Islam?

If you don’t believe me, then browse through the pages of Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know–And Doesn’t by Stephen Prothero to see a few glimpses of the problem.

The problem is not only westerners’. Muslims don’t know much about Islam either. Everyone interprets these religions in their ignorant images.

There are always a few people in any society who know a bit about religions due to them studying those religions for purposes rather than worship. Historians of religions, some researchers of general history who happened to be interested in religions or related matters, philosophers of religion, some anthropologists, and a few other interested people . The reasons why these people might know a bit more about religions in general usually has nothing to do with faith, but with science, curiosity, profession, or research. The rest of the population is literally illiterate.

The global religious illiteracy is so deep that some of the most ignorant claims about religions, in general, and Islam, in particular, are now treated as if they were facts. Does this sound familiar to you? ‘It is not religion that does violence and destruction’, or ‘True Islam never does this or that’. If you haven’t heard it, then listen to this conversation:

Real Time with Bill Maher: Je Suis Charlie – January 9, 2015 (HBO)

The problem with what Carly Fiorina and thousands like her claim to be true is that they do not know what Islam is and what it is prescribing. The mainstream Muslims are, indeed, fundamentalist. I see you doubt it. Alright then! Please watch this video and tell me what you think:

It is true that you are a fundamentalist if you believe in the teachings of Islam. By virtue of believing such outrageous nonsense, one becomes fit for the label. If you happened not to know what fundamentalist actually mean, here is a quick reminder:

Fundamentalism and what makes you a fundamentalist

I am sorry for those of us who try to wash the blood from Islam’s hands albeit they have no idea what they are actually talking about. The same was true about Christianity in the 16^th century. They are not as dangerous now, not because Christianity, as a religion, is not as dangerous as Islam; Islam is a plagiarized copy of Christianity nonetheless. Christianity is not as dangerous only because it has run through its course already, done the major destruction, savage, barbaric acts , and Inquisition. Christianity is put down in its place for now, till the next time that it raises from its ashes and shows its ugly face once again.

If you are a journalist, writer, or a public speaker, you are responsible for what you say and how you describe religions. When you talk or write about Islam, please make sure you know what it is first before saying foolish things that are not true and paints Islam in a cuddly and fuzzy light just because you want to be politically right.

Religions and in particular Islam is not invented to bring peace on earth (Christianity is also the same). The teaching of Islam is not to spear equality and freedom. It is not invented out of thin air to make the world a better place for everyone. If you don’t know these and have no idea why this is the case, that means that you have no idea whatsoever about Islam. In that case, you are morally obliged to educate yourself about Islam, what its origins were, what environment it emerged out of, what it was doing in its infancy, and its teachings before issuing claims about Islam. Otherwise, you will be harming everyone by reducing the emergency of the danger we all are facing, which is Islam.

I cannot expect you to go through thousands of pages of historical observations to figure out what this is all about just to defend a savage religion. You won’t do that anyway. But, what I am expecting you, western, Islam apologetic to do suspend your judgment about Islam unless you know what you are talking about. If you cannot afford the research, then please remain silent and leave it to those who have already studied the bloody history of Islam and know what creature they are dealing with.