Article

2006-05-23 Southeast Asia

Ex -Prez of Indonesia says Islam doesn't have to be violent

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Posted by mhw 2006-05-23 08:05|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 This is a two edged sword for Islam. It works to help fool the Dhimmis and to keep them sedated, but it also works on the Muslims too. I'm not so sure this is a bad thing.

Posted by 2b 2006-05-23 08:41|| 2006-05-23 08:41|| Front Page Top

#2 The sun doesn't have to rise in the east tomorrow, either.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-05-23 08:48|| 2006-05-23 08:48|| Front Page Top

#3 If all muslims were like him, Islam wouldn't be a problem.

Posted by tipper 2006-05-23 09:11|| 2006-05-23 09:11|| Front Page Top

#4 So let me get this straight, Islam is a religion of "Peace and Love"TM. They all say the same thing. What I see is a misogynistic, nihilistic, death cult that has all the peace and love of Nazi facism. They have all the reason and willingness to compromise as Stalin. And they have all the respect for life as Pol Pot. Then one out of 5,000,000 tries to lay this "peace and love" shit on us.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2006-05-23 09:25|| 2006-05-23 09:25|| Front Page Top

#5 Either he's practicing Taquia, or he's an appostate, and will be killed.

Posted by gromgoru 2006-05-23 09:36|| 2006-05-23 09:36|| Front Page Top

#6 Ex -Prez of Indonesia on high-grade acid.

Posted by Howard UK 2006-05-23 09:53|| 2006-05-23 09:53|| Front Page Top

#7 "Sex isn't necessarily dirty - but it is if you're doing it right."
-- Woody Allen

Posted by mojo">mojo 2006-05-23 09:59|| 2006-05-23 09:59|| Front Page Top

#8 Ways to complete the headline:

"Ex -Prez of Indonesia says Islam doesn't have to be violent... but it helps!"

"Ex -Prez of Indonesia says Islam doesn't have to be violent... but we sure act like it does!"

"Ex -Prez of Indonesia says Islam doesn't have to be violent... but then we wouldn't be following Mohammed!"

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2006-05-23 10:00|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-05-23 10:00|| Front Page Top

#9 I agree with Tipper ... this guy represents what many here have been calling for, a reformed Islam.

The question is whether he and others like him can gain sufficient influence and traction within the Ummah to prevent the sort of massive open conflict we've been debating here at RB the last few days. I'm not sure they can -- but that's no reason to fail to see a reformed Muslim when he does speak out.

Posted by lotp 2006-05-23 10:16|| 2006-05-23 10:16|| Front Page Top

#10 He is an ex-president. It is like having an ex-footballer hawking insurance. You recognise the face but know he doesn't believe in what he is selling.

Posted by Fordesque 2006-05-23 10:20|| 2006-05-23 10:20|| Front Page Top

#11 Maybe ... or maybe he's not happy about the way in which Arab-based salafism is changing his country for the worse.

Posted by lotp 2006-05-23 10:21|| 2006-05-23 10:21|| Front Page Top

#12 He's a politician, and his lips are moving.
Therefore...

This brings up another point, democracy is based on freedom. If I can't change my mind (about my religious beliefs) I have NO freedom.
Therefore...

Posted by wxjames 2006-05-23 10:35|| 2006-05-23 10:35|| Front Page Top

#13 Ex-Prez Walid's statements represent a more honest appraisal then we've gotten in the past from CAIR-like Islamic apologists.

Walid admits, more or less, that death has been the penalty for apostasy since the later years of the Ommiad phase of the caliphate.

Most Islamic apologists won't admit that. He also (in the full version) admits to the fact of moslem on moslem murder on a massive scale (again most apologists won't admit this).

Of course, it is sad that we have to celebrate incremental movement toward factual truth, but that's the way it is.

Posted by mhw 2006-05-23 10:42|| 2006-05-23 10:42|| Front Page Top

#14 The Oil Princes will diminish over the next few decades, but Indonesia has vast natural resources and a population that hasn't quite been beaten into giving up local control and customs. It's also one of the most populous muslim countries and its demographics are young.

Means that any influences to encourage tolerance and moderation there could have a big positive impact on the whole region and on the global economy. Worth supporting, then.

Posted by lotp 2006-05-23 10:47|| 2006-05-23 10:47|| Front Page Top

#15 So if their murder and bombing rates decline we can sleep sounder next year.
I'm betting all hell will break loose before any moderation can be measured.

Posted by wxjames 2006-05-23 11:14|| 2006-05-23 11:14|| Front Page Top

#16 Ex -Prez of Indonesia says Islam doesn't have to be violent

[Julius Hibbert]

And hillbillys want to be called "sons of the soil", but it ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

[/Julius Hibbert]

Posted by Zenster 2006-05-23 11:39|| 2006-05-23 11:39|| Front Page Top

#17 As long as the site isn't overwhelmed with connections, this site, Jaringan Islam Liberal, represents the kind of tolerant thought being espoused by President Wahid, which really is the prevailing theological bent of most Indonesians. One can hope that it reforms the Islamic world.

Posted by cingold 2006-05-23 12:00|| 2006-05-23 12:00|| Front Page Top

#18 I agree, cingold.

Posted by lotp 2006-05-23 12:13|| 2006-05-23 12:13|| Front Page Top

#19 The question is whether he and others like him can gain sufficient influence and traction within the Ummah to prevent the sort of massive open conflict we've been debating here at RB the last few days.

I doubt they can until we either succeed in making Iraq a model for them or we Shermanize them. But I'm happy to let them try and wish them the best until then.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-05-23 12:15|| 2006-05-23 12:15|| Front Page Top

#20 Let me get this straight. If the Koran says something nasty, but muslim practice the last 1300 years has been different, then we are to ignore the practice, and focus on the Koran text, cause thats "authentic" Islam, but if the Koran says something moderate, while Islamic practice the last 1300 years has been nasty, we should discount Koran?

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-05-23 12:38|| 2006-05-23 12:38|| Front Page Top

#21 If it truly was a religion of peace, you would'nt have to convince your own believers that it was.

Posted by plainslow 2006-05-23 12:41|| 2006-05-23 12:41|| Front Page Top

#22 Bingo! L.H. hit's the bullseye again!

Posted by Mike N. 2006-05-23 13:01|| 2006-05-23 13:01|| Front Page Top

#23 LH

with respect to apostasy, the Koran has contradictory assertions but more toward the 'death to apostate' side and these nasty ones are thought to be chronologically later

with respect to practise, death to apostasy has been the judicial norm for 1300 years but has been enforced unevenly; in the Umayyad period, it was not enforced (most of the great scholars of the Caliphate were non moslems or non believers); in non moslem countries or during periods were moslem rule was weak or where moslem rulers were under pressure from infidel countries the rule was also generally not enforced

yes it is a mixed bag, but the death to apostates law is firmly and universally held throughout the Islamic Law depts in every University throughout the Islamic world (including, I'm willing to bet, in Indonesia).

Posted by mhw 2006-05-23 13:02|| 2006-05-23 13:02|| Front Page Top

#24 Anyone who is against an innocuous form of Islam taking control of the Islamic world is more stupid than I would think possible. Let the moderate Indonesians lead the way OUT of Arab-controlled Islam. I prefer a "pick and choose" version of Islam that allows people to edit Islam down (rather, up) to an acceptable form that rejects terrorism, masogyeny and FGM, abuse of children, etc.

"While its revelatory inspiration is divine, Islamic law is man-made and thus subject to human interpretation and revision."

Yeah -- let's go for revision. Remember that people are people, and especially outside the Malaysian/Arab model, a revision toward sanity is possible. Better than what we've got going on now, right?

Posted by ex-lib 2006-05-23 14:45|| 2006-05-23 14:45|| Front Page Top

#25 So, the MSM are going to expose the radical side of Islam and urge a moderation and shame the radicals into changing their ways.
Shuurrrrrr.

Posted by wxjames 2006-05-23 15:56|| 2006-05-23 15:56|| Front Page Top

#26 Not certain if the pick 'n choose model will work with Islam. Less likely Buffet Bushido. Hope I'm wrong.

Posted by 6 2006-05-23 16:07|| 2006-05-23 16:07|| Front Page Top

#27 *than*

Posted by 6 2006-05-23 16:18|| 2006-05-23 16:18|| Front Page Top

#28 I got an idea, LH -- let's watch what Muslims do.

So far, a hell of a lot of them have been doing what the nasty bits in the Koran say. The ones that aren't doing it don't seem to be bothered by it, or are supporting the ones who do it. Even odder -- the ones not doing it seem real quick to threaten to do it if they feel it'll get them something. They sure don't object when their religious leaders preach all the nasty stuff.

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2006-05-23 16:28|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-05-23 16:28|| Front Page Top

#29 Preach it, RC! So-called Moderate Muslims have done f&ck all to change the course of Islam since 9-11. Please note that it isn't the imams or mullahs whose sons and daughters are 'sploding themselves. Nearly all of the suicide murderers come from Moderate Muslim families. For all they do, Moderate Muslims may as well be Moderate Nazis.

Posted by Zenster 2006-05-23 16:42|| 2006-05-23 16:42|| Front Page Top

#30 Youve taken a poll RC? Seems to me the ones jumping up and down about killing a convert, were in Afghanistan, which is not the most advanced place in the modern world. And even there, some folks were quite embarrased by the proposed DP, and were happy to have the guy leave the country.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-05-23 16:45|| 2006-05-23 16:45|| Front Page Top

#31 Seven Indonesian Bird Flu Cases Linked to Patients:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=aWESsJvt6CFE&refer=asia- possible human-to-human transmission of the H5N1 virus.

Posted by Duh! 2006-05-23 16:51|| 2006-05-23 16:51|| Front Page Top

#32 To accept their term "moderate" means that you'll have to recognise also their rights to be immoderate iow, extreme. FO.

Posted by Duh! 2006-05-23 16:53|| 2006-05-23 16:53|| Front Page Top

#33 Not sure if they're "Nazis" Zenster, or just lower intelligence types. However, the point that the blabber-mouth mullahs NEVER walk the talk, is a good one. Follow the money/power. They love both.

"Pick and choose" will only happen if the majority of Moslems exercise some self-determination regarding their culture and as individuals--but they'll have to organize to get it across and have a voice.

Not sure if it can happen, but everything in that direction is okay with me.

Posted by ex-lib 2006-05-23 18:02|| 2006-05-23 18:02|| Front Page Top

#34 In the direction of non-terrorism, that is.

Posted by ex-lib 2006-05-23 18:02|| 2006-05-23 18:02|| Front Page Top

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