I hate the world sometimes. I really do.
I've been researching two things. The Middle East (because I intend to write a novel set in it) and Global Warming. From what I can tell, only the latter is the most immediate threat to humanity - plus all those other million lifeforms we share this planet with. But who cares about them?
With the recent attacks in Paris, and in amongst the subsequent fallout - the western world has suddenly become even more racist than it previously was. I won't say I'm surprised, since I've feared that we'll regress this far for years; but I feel even more crushed and empty with the knowledge that people I know personally are capable of sinking so low. I've blocked all contact with three Facebook friends within the past few days. I would look forward to us all wiping ourselves out, but we're taking countless innocent species of animals with us.
Anti-Muslim crime is up by at least 500%, and that sickens me. The whole reason why over four hundred people were kill in Paris was because the attackers were standing up against Islamaphobia. Obviously it was the worst, most counter-productive way you could possibly stand against prejudice; but it was most definitely a result of prejudice. So naturally people are responding to this by being even more prejudiced.
The most baffling thing to come from this fallout is how everyone from the humblest social media user to David Cameron himself is saying that the Muslim community needs to condemn ISIS.
1) You need to stop arming Russia and Saudi Arabia, Mr Cameron. Stop providing arms to countries who are using them against innocent civilians. Stop bombing Iraq, and don't even think about bombing Syria. Every bullet fired against ISIS will be caught and fired back at you.
2) What the fuck?
Of course the Muslim community condemns ISIS. They completely contradict everything Islam stands for, which is based on the idea that you pledge yourself to Allah by submitting ('Islam' is arabic for 'submit') your faith to him and spreading his love through respectful means - and the more ISIS acts then the more Muslims are demonised by the west. That's ISIS's plan. The more they attack the west, the more anti-Islam the west will become, and so more Muslim's will join ISIS - meaning there'll be more attacks on the west. It's a vicious cycle that will repeat on and on until there is little civilisation left. To stop the cycle, the western world must realise that ISIS is not an army but an ideology; one that has nothing to do with Islam. The ideology is fuelled not on religion but on hatred for the west as a result of the west hating them. Stop the hate and you stop ISIS.
When the KKK was at large, no-one called for the Christians to condemn them. When Russian Catholics assault homosexuals, we don't say that Christians need to stand against the Russian Catholic Church. The western world is quite happy to attack a religion it knows next to nothing about, yet they let their most prevalent religion ride around freely without comment. Not one of the attacks against Muslim's since Friday 13th has been branded a 'terrorist strike.' Terrorism has become exclusively linked with Islam despite the fact that almost every day we're seeing terror attacks against the Muslim population. Newspapers don't even call it what it unarguably is: hate crime.
And those who say that Christianity is less barbaric that Islam deserve to be hit over the head with a book until they learn something from it. Allah never called a flood to erase all life from Earth. Allah never nuked two whole cities. There is that controversial part of Islamic history where Mohammed sent his army to massacre an army of Jews, but Islam history allows us to see Allah as a merciful and compassionate god. Allah's first gift to the prophet is the ability to read; which, as a writer, I can completely get behind.
The Qu'ran mentions 'Jihad' - the Holy War, yet just like The Bible, the interpretation is vague. It's extremely likely that 'war' refers to a conflict of the mind; a spiritual conflict. Let's not forget that the ancient Chinese text, The Art Of War, is not actually about war. The Qu'ran was written much later than The Bible, yet it's still a loose text that was clearly written (or at least transcribed) by incredibly intelligent people.
People are also quick to bring up Sharia Law when arguing that Islam is the most barbaric religion. It's a state of totalitatianism where crimes both severe and petty result in horrific punishments. Steal something and you lose a hand. Deny Allah and it's a public flogging. Deny Mohammed and it's death. It should be noted that none of this is outlaid in the Qu'ran. Sharia Law is merely an extreme interpretation of the religious texts.
Sharia Law is also no worse than the law God imposes on the Israelites in The Old Testament. God's original laws also include extreme, henious punishments for petty crimes, as well as deeply sexist regulations and laws pertaining to slaves. The only difference is that these laws are actually in The Bible, whilst in The Qu'ran they're not.
Nowhere in The Qu'ran also does it instruct women to cover their bodies. The more progressive Muslim women simply decide for themselves if they want to don a headdress or not. As with almost all matters which exclusively pertain to women, it is the woman who must have the freedom to choose - not the men. If women wish to cover their hair, face, or entire body so as to prove their faith to Allah then that is their choice and their right. They should not be forced to do so, nor should they be forced not to do so. It is their choice. Not a man's choice.
Choice. That is the difference between progression and regression. Muslim's should have the right to chose to fast at Ramadan. It's a sacred tradition that's a spiritual journey. But if they don't wish to fast, then they should be allowed to chose not to. If Muslim women want to be housewives then dammit why shouldn't they be housewives? But if a Muslim woman wants to recieve a full education and embark upon a career then she should be given the right to do so. If she doesn't wish to marry or bear a child then she shouldn't have to. This should be true of any woman from any background.
Choice is the difference between a democratic Muslim society (yes, it's possible for such a thing to exist) and a totalitarian one. The problem with many middle-eastern countries is that Islam is strictly enforced, which is why there's an underground scene in Iran where its people attempt to break as many rules as possible. People snack in basements at Ramadan, they drink alcohol with the curtains tightly shut, women pull their headdresses as far back as they can go, and Tehran is described as 'The Anal Sex Capital of the World.'
Yet obviously Christianity enforces itself on people, denying them choice also. The Republic of Ireland refuses abortion, even when it's certain the baby will not survive once outside the womb and will just cause the mother unbearable suffering. Many Catholic African countries oppose the use of condoms, which is one of the main reasons why HIV is rife there. The DUP in Northern Ireland has blocked a vote on same-sex marriage five times under the guise of Christianity. The Vatican still thinks that homosexuality can be cured by just praying really hard, when same-sex attraction has become so common among priests and bishops that there's a whole section where priests can 'exorcise' themselves from these desires.
Donald Trump, the man who recently spoke at an event hosted by an anti-gay group whilst brandishing a Bible, believes everyone remotely linked to Islam poses a threat to national security. Meanwhile, he's a strong supporter of the second ammendment; which kills millions every year. He also rallied against Starbucks for introducing a festive red cup design, but omitting the words 'Merry Christmas' - claiming this was an attack against Christanity. Now he promises that refugees won't be allowed into the US, and all the mosques in the US will close.
Yes: a coffee cup design is an attack against religion, but denying another religion their place of worship is completely just.
These people tout the right to freedom of speech when actually they mean "my freedom of speech and no-one elses." Countless US states are attempting to pass 'religious freedom' laws that'll allow them to legally discriminate against homosexuality and non-Christian religions. It's the ultimate irony that 'religious freedom' means the freedom to deny other religions of their freedom. It's even more ironic that these imbeciles claim they're the persecuted minority when the US is clearly a predominantly Christian country and said Christians are attempting to persecute a minority group.
Islam as a religion has it's questionable areas that need to be discussed in academia. But this is a matter to be discussed later and by much more intelligent people than myself. Right now: it is Christianity that should be questioned. It's obvious that ISIS doesn't represent Muslims, but it seems Christians are responding to this by saying "No! Stop using your religion to justify despicable acts. That's our job!"
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