and Myself, it is a sequel to my piece Religion Formula. http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/04/religion-formula.html
facilitates exchange of information so all of us can update ourselves. The
bottom line for all of us is to have a cohesive society where all of us can
live without fear.
Dr. Kumar, I am with you when it comes to mistreatment of minorities in Muslim
majority nations, a majority of Muslims condemn them all, just Google it, there is plenty of information
out there; as well including a small list that I have created at http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/04/standing-with-hindus.html
Unfortunately, we are comparing our democracies with the monarchies and
dictatorships, those men are to be blamed and dethroned. The Muslims are still
living in oppression under those “bad ass rulers” calling themselves Muslims.
We Indians had a taste of it during Indira Gandhi’s regime. The decisions she
made did not represent the decisions of Indians, it is the same thing with
Bush, – 72% of us were against the wars. Yet his policies destroyed our economy
and the common man on the street, besides destroying Iraqis and Afghans. We,
the average American are paying for it. I am a Republican, but will acknowledge
that Obama did the right thing; he got the bad guy with least or no collateral
damage.
the will of the people.
to hate. But because we Americans funded Mubarak, protected the Bahraini
Khalifas, and supported Shah…… and what did they do? Oppress their people with
our monies. To the average Egyptian, Bahraini or Irani (pre-shah) America
funded the dictators to oppress them. Do you see the flaws in our foreign
policy? Thank God for Obama, he was rightly guided. If US had supported
Mubarak, they would have hated us even more.
We cannot compare our nations to the dictatorships and monarchies, we don’t
need to copy them, they need to look up to us, India, USA and other democracies
to model after us. And we need to uplift ourselves and remain on a higher moral
plane.
world have been conducted by muslims, and there are muslim victims also, such
as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, etc. That leaves only 1%
from the global non-muslim population.”
of 1% in the formula given below. They are dangerous to the society, let’s apply
that formula to the the United States and India, the nations we belong to – 5
Million Muslim should have 5,000 Muslims who are extremists, and India should
have 160,000 Muslims who subscribe to that ideology. That formula is too
generous, even if it is 100th of 1% – it will be 500 Muslims in the
United States and 16,000 Muslims in India.
India and the USA, how many non-Muslims have been killed by Muslims, strictly
in the Hindu-Muslim riots. How many in the United States. And also put the
opposite numbers how many Muslims have been killed in strictly in the
Hindu-Muslim riots. It is worth the research to help us free ourselves from
stereotyping and bias.
of 1% is a higher number, if you put the right numbers together. However,
worldwide, a bigger number like 100th of 1% is warranted. You will
find the extremism executed in India by Muslims, Hindus, Christians and others
match the percentages proportionately. Check the CIA site; they put the
terrorist number around 40,000 around the world, including everyone from south
America, Europe, Asia and the Middle east inclusive of all faiths.
Falwells, Jeffress and their likes to drive Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists,
Mormons out of the country. America and India are the models for the world, the
land of the laws that keep bad guys from executing their badness. Our systems
are good, we need to sustain them.
–meaning God has blessed your words, for you to suggest, “I support yours and
all efforts to increase tolerance and pluralistic behavior in all societies
around the world. Such efforts are needed in even greater measure in the Muslim
countries to level the playing field around the world and to demonstrate the
same understanding on pluralism as you do.”
Someone else wrote, go teach the Muslims. Indeed, my work is published in Arab
papers, its published in Tehran Times, Arab News, Jakarta Post, Indian Muslim
Observer, New age Islam and several Muslim and non-Muslim websites as well… and
just about everywhere. My world includes 7 billion people, I believe in what
Bhagvad Gita guides one towards Vasudaiva Kutumbukum, and Quraan, “God is God
of all universes” and we are all one world and we have to understand each other
and take care of each other.
We have to help the divisive minds to be un-divisive and become conflict
mitigaters and good will nurturers. We need to dialogue with all, including
those who are bent on maligning others instead of uplifting us all.
Kumar we are all in this together and it is your responsibility, and my
responsibility to make the world a better place. India and America are not
Islands, we are interconnected and interdependent.
Here is the wisdom from our cousin, “Chief Seattle, a Native American said this
perfectly, “All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the
sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in
it. Whatever he does to the webs, he does it to himself.”
that we all can do consistently.
America, would you like to be a partner in the work?
Religion Formula- not so fast.
I greatly support your efforts to infuse
pluralistic behavior. However, I believe what you are saying in terms of
percentages is what you wish it were, but it is not factual. You can conduct a
gallup poll of 5 million muslims in USA or Pakistan or Saudi Arabia or Iran and
test your assumptions.
Please consider the following:
1. 99% of all suicide bombings in the world have
been conducted by muslims, and there are muslim victims also, such as in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, etc. That leaves only 1% from the global
non-muslim population.
2, 95% of all terroristic acts have been caused
by Muslims in the last few years. That leaves only 5% from the global
non-muslim
population.
All muslims enjoy constitutional protections-
in- Law in non-muslim countries such as USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany,
India, and China. However, non-muslims don’t have the same constitutional
protections in muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Syria, etc. Even Egypt, Turkey and Malaysia are not free from this
situation. In fact, buddhists can not acquire citizenship by constitution in
Egypt.
Just count the number of new churches,
synagogues, bahai temples, buddhists temples built in Saudi arabia, Iran, etc
over the last 25 years vs number of new mosques built in the North America,
Europe and India. So long that is going on, how can you say Islam is
fundamentally pluralistic? Are you saying that the governments and the entire
populations of these countries don’t understand Quran, the same way as you do
in relation to pluralism?
Even if we assume that your statistics are
reasonable, then one would come to the conclusion that 3% of muslims have
caused 10 times more killing of innocent lives than 3% of non-muslims
(christians, jews, hindus, sikhs, bahai’s, buddhists, jains,) around the world
in the last 1400 years and it is also happening in the present time. There has
also been a lot of killing of innocent muslims by muslims during that time, but
it does not exonerate the behavior.
That said, I support yours and all efforts to
increase tolerance and pluralistc behavior in all socities around the world.
Such efforts are needed in even greater measure in the Muslim countries to
level the playing field around the world and to demonstrate the same
understanding on pluralism as you do.
AKumar
_ _ _ _ _ _
is committed to building a Cohesive
America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker,
thinker and a writer on pluralism,
politics, civic affairs,
Islam, India, Israel, peace and
justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on
Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning
News and regularly at Huffington
post, and several other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com