Silence of the lambs

One strange thing about the strangest animal ever to roam our planet is the fact that people who are part of and identify with a religion that is currently producing a bumper crop of murderous madmen are so sensitive about criticism of the symbols or traditions of a religion that is currently producing a bumper crop of murderous madmen. If one even mentions the fact that the central text of a text based religion is sufficiently open to interpretation as to allow it to be used as justification for unconscionable mayhem, some one of the faithful is quite likely to kill your children, blow up your cities or shoot some innocent who happens to be employed for the benefit of your own people. Millions more will remain silent, millions will cheer, millions will tell you how evil the Jews are and millions more yet will complain that anyone pays attention when, after all, they are the real victims.

Perhaps the fact that American culture is so concerned with not insulting anyone or their beliefs, no matter how twisted either may be, plays into the hands of the monster and perhaps it’s fear of the madness of the monster itself, but why are we so shy? There may be need to point out that some Muslims openly oppose the Jihadists because there obviously aren’t enough to make a difference, but I think there is a strong reason to point out that the people in the best position to oppose the unprincipled slaughter are not only doing little or nothing, but are in fact perpetuating the evil. The Royals, the rulers, the warrior Mullahs and the madmen who use people like weapons are now the voice and the strong arm of the faith. The Prophet and his book; the mercy and compassion of his God are the victims.

I’m quite aware that like the Torah, the Koran is read so as to oppose violence, but I’m also aware that it can be read otherwise and those who use it can make themselves into the persecuted so as to allow them to be persecutors and worse. Although it’s customary to heap most of the blame for the oppression and squalor and backwardness on America, the worst persecutors and the pious murders of the Faithful are of the Faithful.

But if the Pope is seen to oppose holy war, some Islamist in a country choking to death on pious persecution feels like a holy man when he shoots a nun in the back and murders her bodyguard. I’m waiting to hear the outrage against it, but I’m not holding my breath. I’m waiting for a holy Jihad against such things, but if someone draws a sketch of a bearded man with a bomb, the holy warriors who have spent their lives smearing other religions will blow up a building. Death to those who mention that we are screaming death to those!

Who is there to end this era of militant Islamic exceptionalism, expansionism and paranoid aggression? Certainly not George Bush and his bombs, certainly not the odd professor or journalist or expatriot who publishes the odd article or gives the occasional speech. Certainly not the man in the street who praises murder with faint damnation and takes offense at being identified with the violent animals he identifies with.

There are well over a billion Muslims in the world and there are well over a billion who would not harm any innocent person. I’m waiting for them to notice that no book, no tradition, no prophet and no god and certainly no war is holier than life itself. I’m waiting for them to stand up, to start the struggle to demand some holiness from the holy men, but frankly I think I’m more likely to be murdered in my bed for writing this then to live to see an Islamic reformation.