American culture runs counter to Islam teachings
Not all Muslims hate America. However, the Islamic ideology does hate America. The reason is simple. The Islamic ideology, political, religious and legal principles of Islam, cannot coexist within a democratic nation that uses capitalism, humanism and the belief in human rights.
Islam hates America because of who America is and what America represents. Islam hates the core of American culture and they fear that America’s influence in politics, entertainment and wealth will erase their culture. To a devout and true Islamist, America is vile, blasphemous and as far from “pure” as pure can be. Islam sees American women degrading themselves on the silver screen and being unfit as wives and mothers. Islam sees American men as slovenly, easily corruptible, lacking of virtue, and wallowing in one vice or another.
Are they wrong?
Devout Islamists on a very fundamental level must hate Democracy and capitalism. The concepts and practice of Democracy and capitalism by their nature blaspheme against Allah. In Islam, Allah is the center of all things. Allah is the giver of all that is good. Allah is the wellspring of all success and prosperity. If one is not diligent in his studies of the Koran or does not live as proscribed by Mohammed, Allah can remove his blessings until atonement is achieved.
Democracy, in its simplest form, is the ability for a body of people to have a say in their future which, to them, directs the success of the group. This delegation of authority to a sub-group of people, as well as the authority placed in each person to vote, is what Islamists find blasphemous. To vote and to hope on something other than Allah is blasphemy and is considered sinful. To blaspheme Allah is to be marked for death, as was the case for Salmon Rushdie.
Capitalism, in its simplest form, is the ability for men to steer their own destiny with hard work and ambitious creativity. Islamists must perceive this as blasphemy as well, since it removes the authority of one’s prosperity from Allah and places one’s hope on his own ability.
Combining Democracy and capitalism is what Americans call the “American Dream.” The American Dream is fundamental to America and at complete opposition to what Islam demands of its followers. Strict interpretation of the Koran would have Islamists living in non-Islamic countries purged from the religion or at least recalled to an Islamic nation to live under Islamic leadership. Islamic followers are, through one interpretation, to be lead only by Islamic leaders. Hence the drive and push, by Islamic groups, to insert Islamic social and government law into non-Islamic nations.
Only when American politicians, media outlets, and citizens realize this reality can an open and honest discussion take place about Islam.
Martin Becket
Schenectady
Categories: Letters to the Editor
