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Distinguish friend from foe. For more information, contact: Gary Schouborg, PhD (925) 932-1982 |
Schouborg, Gary (2003). "A Challenge to American
Islam". www.n-e-x-u-s.com/terrorism/ (online link) A Challenge to American Islam Gary
Schouborg It is time for American Muslims to earn the trust of their non-Muslim
compatriots. The principle of innocent until proven guilty doesn't apply.
It's fundamental as a legal principle, but in everyday relationships trust is
a bond that we each must earn, not a right that we can demand. The new kids on the block must always earn trust simply
because they are different from those who are already there. Tolerance
understands that not all differences are dangerous. It is therefore genuinely
and even eagerly open to learning from new information and new perspectives.
But suspicion understands that some differences are dangerous. It therefore
avoids a promiscuous tolerance that blithely celebrates differences without
reasonable investigation. A minimum dose of suspicion toward Muslims is therefore
reasonable solely because they are relatively new arrivals who are unfamiliar
to the majority of Americans. That a dangerous new terrorism associates
itself with Islam gives added cause for suspicion. However, the deepest
source of suspicion is Islam itself, with its distinctive emphasis on
following specific divinely given rules. The core of Islam is to follow the rules of the Qur'an,
which govern political as well as individual behavior. Their emphasis makes
the status of non-believers, who do not follow those rules, religiously
problematic. How are Muslims to tolerate non-believers, especially as Muslims
gain political power? The tolerance of Islam does not appear to be that of the
democratic West. At worst, some passages suggest that other religions must be
destroyed. At best, Islamic tolerance is more like what used to be white
tolerance of blacks . . . as long as they knew their place. Other religions
are tolerated subordinate to an Islamic theocracy. These teachings raise a question which we cannot rationally
dismiss. Do Muslims tolerate American traditions only while Muslims are a
relatively powerless minority? What is there in the Qur'an that might teach
tolerance toward non-believers when Muslims achieve greater political
influence? Two principles at the core of Christianity have fed into
American history to provide a rationale for U.S. tolerance of different forms
of religion. The first principle is Christ's teaching to give to Caesar
what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. That distinction legitimizes secular
laws that are not laid down by divine command. The absence in the Qur'an of a
similar distinction makes it unclear how Muslims might justify any political
form other than a theocracy. The second principle is the two great commandments: to love
God above all else and to love one's neighbor as oneself. They keep any rule
from being absolute, requiring us to assess it according to how well it helps
achieve those commandments. In the U.S. Constitution, they translate into the
doctrine that all human beings are created equal. Is there anything in the Qur'an equivalent to these two
principles to justify and encourage Western-style tolerance? Perhaps we can
find the answer in the very word 'Islam', which means 'surrender'. The issue is, surrender to what? If one is to surrender
only to established Islamic rules, then there is little room for Islamic
tolerance, since one either follows those rules or one does not. However, if
one is to surrender to the deepest impulse within each of us, and if that
impulse impels us to respect and live peaceably with one another, and if
rules are merely adaptable means for achieving that goal, then there is a
basis within Islam for tolerance of other religions even when Muslims wield
political power. The daily challenge for religious people all over the world
is to decide for themselves precisely what it is to which they surrender
their minds and hearts. The challenge for American Muslims is to decide if
that to which they surrender is compatible with American democracy. The
challenge for American non-Muslims is to insist that American Muslims clearly
communicate the relationship of their religious commitment to American
democracy. Gary Schouborg, PhD is partner of GaryNini.com, Life and
Communication coaches. Gary Schouborg, PhD Walnut Creek, CA For related literature: http://www.n-e-x-u-s.com/terrorism/ Title: Terrorism Resources |
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