This brief and pithy article persuasively contends that the West's differentiating between "Radical Muslim" and "Moderate Muslim" is delusional. And while it is objectively difficult to argue with that premise when all professed Muslims adhere to the same basic teachings, my own view is that not unlike the reformation which occurred in Christianity hundreds of years ago, is it really that intellectually difficult to believe that some Muslims--most particularly those who have been exposed to Western values and culture--have, indeed, moderated their INTERPRETATION of basic Koranic beliefs?
To wit, though all Christians believe in the Bible, does it necessarily follow that their interpretation of the Bible is the same? Obviously not.
Historically, and as the article points out, even Muhammed was angered by "moderates" (spouting what wasn't in their hearts) within his ranks. And the fact that extremists like Pres. Erdogen of Turkey, among other Islamists in the world today, are so incensed with the notion of "moderate Muslims" tells me that some moderate Muslims must exist. Otherwise these rigidly doctrinaire Islamists wouldn't be so fired up. And, of course, there's Dr. Jasser, American citizen, former US Navy Cmdr, who is often interviewed by FOX and who is a very vocal opponent of Jihadism/Islamism. To me, a hard-boiled cynic who understands that one of the teachings of militant Islam is Taqqia (lying to mislead), Dr. Jasser and others like him in the US simply do not strike me as congenital liars and disinformation campaigners for Jihadis. They strike me as genuine moderates. Of course, the challenge for us is to accurately differentiate moderate and extremist, and I'm not sure we're there yet. Am I naive?
What do you think?
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