A Personal Epiphany...

I have been aided in experiencing a personal epiphany and understanding my anxiety regarding "radical Islam" by the Center for Security Policy.  I'd like to thank them.

You see, for years I have sought to understand at least two things about Islam.

1.  Where are the "mainstream" Muslims who do not support jihad? 

Islam is not a "centralized" religion like Roman Catholicism or Mormonism.  Therefore, there are many "mainstreams".  A radical (root-ical) dividing line is their adherence or deference to shariah law.  Indonesia, a virtually all-Muslim state, does not adhere to shariah law.  It is a secular republic of Muslim citizens.  Iran does adhere to shariah law and is a "caliphate" of sorts.  It's laws and social norms are based almost entirely on the teachings of the Kuran.

As with many groups, the more violent and vocal members steer at least the behavior, if not the beliefs, of other less enthusiastic members.

2.  How can one oppose the spread of Islam without contradicting the Natural right of freedom of conscience? 

Shariah law is the true threat to civilization as we know it.  It seeks to impose Kuranic rules on every person and to govern all aspects of personal, political, military, economic, industrial, financial, marital, vocational, etc. life in accordance with the teachings of Allah as revealed to Mohammed and as interpreted by clerics of Islam both living and dead.  IT IS TOTALITARIANISM.

So the answer is not to prohibit Islam.  Islam is a legitimate religion and philosophy.  The answer is to prohibit shariah because it violates virtually all of the Natural rights valued by Western civilization and protected by the US Constitution.

Here is a link to a wonderful study done by the
Center for Security Policy. 
It is not anti-Islamic or hateful or inflamatory.  It is well-written and well-considered.

I recommend it for your reading.  Because it is more than 300 pages long, please feel free to save the electronic version and read it at your leisure or to purchase the paperback version from Amazon.com.