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Britain
Introducing the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
2007-06-19
For Sgt. Mom and our own dear Apostate, and for all the rest of us who have been waiting impatiently for those born Muslim to openly reject the fanatics in their midst.
There is an immense difference between understanding something with one's head, and understanding it with one's guts. Think of the phrase, "the courage of one's convictions". This week the true meaning of these words, hitherto eroded into a flat nap-worn cliche by overuse and misuse, comes home with the force of a kick in the belly. For on Thursday June 21 in London, a group of people are going to take a stand for their principles in a way that involves real courage, admirable courage, and which at the same time lights a torch of hope in a dark quadrant of the world's affairs.

The occasion is the launch of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, following the establishment of such groups elsewhere in Europe, notably Germany and Scandinavia.
Here in North America, there are groups speaking out in Canada and the U.S.
The British branch is led by the outstanding Maryam Namazie, Iranian-born champion of (among other things) human rights, women, and refugees from religious persecution. The manifesto of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain eloquently speaks for itself, and I hope Maryam Namazie and her fellow-members of the council will not mind if I quote it here in full, because it deserves the widest publicity, not least because the 10 demands appended to it constitute a bill of rights which is absolutely necessary for everyone, non-religious and otherwise, to adopt and observe now that the world is again experiencing, with such bitterness, widespread religion-generated difficulties.

One point that has to be kept in mind here, because it illuminates the following document with the burning light of urgency, is this: apostasy (abandoning one's religion) by a Muslim is to this day regarded as a crime punishable by death in countries governed by Islamic law (it once likewise invited death in Christianity). This is why the council is the embodiment of courage, and why the principles in its 10 demands are so vital.
Manifesto of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain

We, non-believers, atheists, and Ex-Muslims, are establishing or joining the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain to insist that no one be pigeonholed as Muslims with culturally relative rights nor deemed to be represented by regressive Islamic organisations and "Muslim community leaders".

Those of us who have come forward with our names and photographs represent countless others who are unable or unwilling to do so because of the threats faced by those considered "apostates" - punishable by death in countries under Islamic law.

By doing so, we are breaking the taboo that comes with renouncing Islam but also taking a stand for reason, universal rights and values, and secularism.

Whilst religion or the lack thereof is a private affair, the increasing intervention of and devastation caused by religion and particularly Islam in contemporary society has necessitated our public renunciation and declaration. We represent a majority in Europe and a vast secular and humanist protest movement in countries like Iran.

Taking the lead from the Central Council of Ex-Muslims in Germany, we demand:

1) Universal rights and equal citizenship for all. We are opposed to cultural relativism and the tolerance of inhuman beliefs, discrimination and abuse in the name of respecting religion or culture.

2) Freedom to criticise religion. Prohibition of restrictions on unconditional freedom of criticism and expression using so-called religious "sanctities".

3) Freedom of religion and atheism.

4) Separation of religion from the state and legal and educational system.

5) Prohibition of religious customs, rules, ceremonies or activities that are incompatible with or infringe people's rights and freedoms.

6) Abolition of all restrictive and repressive cultural and religious customs which hinder and contradict women's independence, free will and equality. Prohibition of segregation of sexes.

7) Prohibition of interference by any authority, family members or relatives, or official authorities in the private lives of women and men and their personal, emotional and sexual relationships and sexuality.

8) Protection of children from manipulation and abuse by religion and religious institutions.

9) Prohibition of any kind of financial, material or moral support by the state or state institutions to religion and religious activities and institutions.

10) Prohibition of all forms of religious intimidation and threats.
Posted by:trailing wife

#7  Zen, I were talking NOT about reforming Islam (a futile exercise--one can deprogram cultists but not a cult), but about EXITING it.

Fear not, twobyfour, you were not at all unclear. My point remains that far too many Muslims simply will not—by choice or compulsion—rise up against Islam's clerical elite and break their own ideological chains. The West is in no way obliged to sympathize with their bulk subscription to such an auto-destruct sequence. We have one—and only one—mandate, eliminate the threat. Since the Koran itself, along with all who even marginally adhere to it, represent both a retrograde force and fundamentally lethal toxin to over a thousand years of governmental progress, there can be no respite granted in our pursuit of simple survival.

Speaking as a scientific agnostic, I find little objection with Muslims converting to Christianity or other more tolerant faiths. I welcome and encourage abandonment of such a death oriented cult in the largest scale possible. However, there is absolutely NOTHING which gives me any confidence—short of an entirely improbable wholesale migration away from the Koran's suicidal dictates—that will provide the least insurance against continued assaults upon the West. For that reason I am resolutely committed to a catastrophic disassembly of Islam at the soonest possible opportunity.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-19 21:10  

#6  I think that there are more of these folks than we know. But it will take locals horrors happening before they sign on.
Posted by: Thinemp Whimble   2007-06-19 20:33  

#5  Zen, I were talking NOT about reforming Islam (a futile exercise--one can deprogram cultists but not a cult), but about EXITING it.
Posted by: twobyfour   2007-06-19 19:11  

#4  We can only hope that there is enough of them coming out into open that they may influence or provide a moral support for others that are less brave, and that their numbers would increase in more than linear progression.

Sorry, pal. I'm an optimist but in no way do I have any confidence that Islam will manage to reform itself significantly enough to avoid self-imposed extermination. We're talking almost SIX YEARS after the 9-11 atrocities and the number of protesting Muslims amounts to zilch.

Sure, I like the notion that some Muslims are brave enough to exit the closet and declare their opposition to Islam's Neanderthal dogma. Anti-Islamic propaganda needs all the help it can get with increasing public awareness about the threat. That in no way changes how important it is to catastrophically disassemble this shitwagon of a political ideology, STAT. Theocracy of any make or label needs to be demolished post haste. It is absolute poison and should not be tolerated by the civilized world.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-19 19:01  

#3  Zen, don't be so cynical.

Another less cynical approach...

There are a lot of former muslims that have their head screwed on right. That is, they are able to think and form logical conclusions. It may as well have a component of betting on a strong horse... the initial impetus that may have been at the beginning of their departure from Islam. They must see that Islam is coming to closure and it is in death throes. Trashing about, it has still enough strength to wreak havoc here and there, but ultimately, it is dying. Itself (as ummah) it does not know it yet and perpetuates it own delusions but many former muslims see clearly the sign on the wall.

We can only hope that there is enough of them coming out into open that they may influence or provide a moral support for others that are less brave, and that their numbers would increase in more than linear progression.

It is one of the factors that may influence the duration and casualty list of this war.
Posted by: twobyfour   2007-06-19 18:26  

#2  Lotsa good stuff here, but some slippery slope stuff too. Look at point 8. I send my daughter to a Catholic school. Is she being "manipulated"? Some would surely think so. That said, I am pleased to see a group like this stand up. I would prefer to see a group of active Muzzies stand up and say that several core tenets of our religion HAVE to change, otherwise we are quitting. Hey, they could quit become Episcopalians...the rules there seem somewhat...malleable. (Please note that I attend the Episcopalian church, but find I have to hold my nose frequently.)
Posted by: remoteman   2007-06-19 17:08  

#1  Introducing the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain

Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-19 16:50  

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