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The DVD Obsession is being packaged with the morning paper all over the country, and millions upon millions of copies have been distributed. That's all to the good, but the reaction to it shows in numerous ways that many, if not most, Americans have no clue about what we're up against.
Of course, the distribution of the film is designed to fix that problem, and for many people it probably will, but in the Jihad Watch echo chamber it is easy to lose sight of the fact that we represent a very, very small percentage of people who realize the nature and magnitude of the jihad threat. Polls show that fewer Americans today believe that terrorism is a threat than at any time since before 9/11; several of the larger blogs that used to care about this issue have for various reasons lost interest; and the jihad threat is nowhere discussed fully and adequately in the mainstream.
A few of the news stories commenting on the Obsession distribution indicate the scope of the general ignorance. I had originally intended this as an elephantine post discussing several of these stories, but I went on so long about the first one here that I will save the others for future posts.
"Controversial film on Islam delivered nationwide," by Yonat Shimron for the Raleigh News & Observer, September 11 (see also Raymond's comments here):
Bundled in home-delivered editions of The News & Observer today is a paid insert featuring a controversial DVD on Islam that has stirred anger nationwide. [...]
Translation: "Readers, don't take this DVD seriously. It's "controversial." This is what passes for journalism these days, but just consider for a moment how different readers' reactions would have been if the story had started out this way: "Bundled in home-delivered editions of The News & Observer today is a paid insert featuring a DVD on Islam that attempts to alert people to the magnitude of the jihad threat." Which lede is more objective?
Jim McClure, vice president of display advertising for The N&O, declined to say what it is charging to deliver the DVD as part of today's newspaper. He dismissed allegations that it is inflammatory."In the beginning of the DVD it clearly states it's not about Islam. It's about radical Islam," McClure said.
That is a key weakness of an otherwise excellent film. Of course, it probably wouldn't be being distributed all over the country if it had spoken more forthrightly about the roots of the jihad ideology and Islamic supremacism in core Islamic texts and teachings. The problem is not so much with the use of the term "Radical Islam," which can refer to many things and doesn't necessarily assume that the violent and supremacist elements of jihadist teaching are corruptions of Islamic theology, but with the implication in the film that there is a benign, mainstream and standard version of Islam that does not teach warfare against and the subjugation of unbelievers. There isn't, and it is misleading in the extreme to suggest otherwise. There are many peaceful Muslims who have no interest in furthering the jihad and never will, but there is no peaceful Islam -- and that makes these peaceful Muslims always vulnerable to appeals to Islamic authenticity.
Despite the disclaimer, the film features prominent anti-Muslim pundits, including Daniel Pipes, Steven Emerson and Walid Shoebat, who told the Springfield News-Leader -- a Missouri daily -- that "Islam is not the religion of God -- Islam is the devil."
To dismiss Pipes and Emerson as "anti-Muslim pundits" is to ignore the monumental work they have both done to expose the activities of jihadists in the United States and elsewhere, reducing this work to bigotry and trivia. Which was, no doubt, precisely the objective.
Films aim in questionMuslims across the nation and in the Triangle said they are disappointed by the film.
"It adds fuel to the fire and devalues the work we do," said Khalilah Sabra, an organizer with the Raleigh chapter of the Muslim American Society, which lists "promoting understanding" as its mission.
While Pipes, Emerson, and Shoebat are tarred and dismissed as "anti-Muslim," Khalilah Sabra and the Muslim American Society are all about "promoting understanding." The N&O can't find any room for the fact that, according to a 2004 Chicago Tribune exposé, the Muslim American Society is the name under which the Muslim Brotherhood operates in the United States. Nor does it mention that according to a 1991 Brotherhood memorandum about its strategy in the U.S., it is embarked upon a “grand Jihad” aimed at “eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”
The film features footage of elementary schoolchildren reciting mantras such as "When I wander into the entrance of Jerusalem, I'll turn into a suicide warrior."Its aim is to liken radical Islam to Nazism and to promote the state of Israel, said Omid Safi, a professor of Islamic Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, who has seen the film several times.
"One of the running themes is, 'We stand today as the world stood in 1938,' " said Safi, referring to the rise of Nazism. "It's fear mongering. It appeals to people's emotions."...
Not like Omid Safi, who propagandistically stacks the deck for his students by pre-emptively classifying a diverse list of people as "Islamopobes" and asking them to write a report on their evils. No emotionalism in that, oh no. Omid Safi is all dispassionate intellect -- as witness his fearmongering and emotionalism a bit farther on in the story:
In a statement, N&O Publisher Orage Quarles III wrote: "As a newspaper we tend to shy away from censorship. In cases of controversial topics, if we err, we tend to do so on the side of freedom of speech."But some questioned whether this is a censorship issue.
"If there was a 30-minute DVD warning people against the danger of blacks or Jews, would the N&O distribute it?" asked Safi....
Safi, of course, ignores the distinction that the film makes between non-jihadist Muslims and jihadist Muslims -- however faulty the distinction is made in the film (as I explained above), it is certainly made, and made more than once. And there is no doubt that many Muslims are not on board with the jihadist program. Safi himself professes to be one of them. But in his comment here Safi would have you believe that the film lumps all Muslims together, and is thus comparable to a Klan piece on blacks or a Nazi piece on Jews.
Were Omid Safi at all interested in being fair-minded, he would acknowledge that the film makes this distinction, and would even perhaps explain why a film about an ideological threat does not fall into the same category as scaremongering about racial groups.
But it gets even worse: the story concludes with a Muslim playing the victim card -- and, of course, there is no mention made of how many Muslims-as-victim stories have been fabricated outright or greatly exaggerated:
One Muslim reader wrote the N&O to say that the film can only make local Muslims feel vulnerable."I must say that this video makes me fear for my safety and the safety of my family since people may not be able to differentiate between Muslims living here in Raleigh and the way Muslims are depicted in this scary film!" said Shadi Sadi, a data analyst in Raleigh.
To put this in perspective, consider the prospect of a German in 1943 writing angrily about an anti-Nazi presentation that it put Germans in fear for their safety. By contrast, German-Americans were anxious to prove their loyalty to the United States. Those days, it seems, are gone forever.
Posted by Robert at September 15, 2008 5:34 PM
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From this report: "Despite the disclaimer, the film features prominent anti-Muslim pundits, including Daniel Pipes, Steven Emerson and Walid Shoebat, who told the Springfield News-Leader -- a Missouri daily -- that "Islam is not the religion of God -- Islam is the devil."
At first I thought it was alleged, Pipes and Emerson told the Springfield News-Leader, "Islam is the devil." Now I see it likely refers to Walid Shoebat, whom I believe is a Christian.
Someone in our camp might gently tell Mr. Shoebat, these references to the devil, "Islam is the devil, Mohammad is the devil," etc., does not help our cause.
Posted by: Wild Jew![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 15, 2008 6:08 PM
"Safi, of course, ignores the distinction that the film makes between non-jihadist Muslims and non-jihadist Muslims -- however faulty the distinction is made in the film (as I explained above), it is certainly made, and made more than once."
First, I assume you meant between jihadist Muslims and non-jihadist Muslims.
Second, I heard a reporter from an Arab press group (don't remember which) refer to Obsession as an anti-Islamic film.
It does no good to try to distinguish between good and bad Muslims when THEY won't. It does no good to distinguish between terrorists and Muslims who don't practice jihad when Muslims themselves don't see a difference. If you say anything unflattering about a single Muslim, anywhere in the world, you are anti-Islamic.
You appear to be promoting Obsession as a worthy piece of work. Therefore JW will be considered anti-Islamic.
Posted by: PMK at September 15, 2008 6:21 PM
Walid Shoebat, having been a PLO terrorist himself, no doubt knows more about the evils of islam than any of us. So if he wants to call ol' Mo or islam itself the devil, I say let him.
Posted by: ImNoDhimmi at September 15, 2008 6:23 PM
ImNoDhimmi, it does not offend me. I agree, he does know Islam. Not everyone believes in a devil. Not every religious tradition embraces a devil in the sense that there is this dualism between God and a devil; a dualism of good vs. evil in the universe.
When you are speaking about Islam to the general public and the media, you've got to be careful. I am sure Mr. Spencer has learned this hard lesson.
If Mr. Shoebat were speaking in or to a church, that might be a different matter entirely.
Posted by: Wild Jew at September 15, 2008 6:33 PM
PMK:
"Safi, of course, ignores the distinction that the film makes between non-jihadist Muslims and non-jihadist Muslims -- however faulty the distinction is made in the film (as I explained above), it is certainly made, and made more than once."First, I assume you meant between jihadist Muslims and non-jihadist Muslims.
Fixed. Thank you.
It does no good to try to distinguish between good and bad Muslims when THEY won't.
Absolutely true, and a point I have made many, many times here.
You appear to be promoting Obsession as a worthy piece of work. Therefore JW will be considered anti-Islamic.
This is not news to me.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
at September 15, 2008 6:33 PM
How about bundling "Islam: What the West Needs to Know" with a daily? I found it a far more informative and intricately intelligent assessment of how entwined violence and Islamic supremacy is within Islamic history, jurisprudence and holy texts.
"Obsession" does hit the mark with voluminous contemporary examples of Muslims demonstrating their true colours, but I feel the docu-montage nature of its presentation may switch off the introspective and critical awareness of viewers who may simply dismiss it as cut-and-paste propaganda.
Posted by: Hard Rain at September 15, 2008 6:40 PM
"in his comment here Safi would have you believe that the film lumps all Muslims together, and is thus comparable to a Klan piece on blacks or a Nazi piece on Jews."
Damned if we do, damned if we don't.
So in that case, what's the harm if we do?
Posted by: DenverRodeo at September 15, 2008 6:59 PM
Hard Rain,
"What the West Needs to Know" is probably a better choice but it still comes down to whether or not people want to face what is before them.
Those who don't want to listen, won't. When unable to deny it, they simply say: it's a small minority of extremists - but not all Muslims.
Then there's: why don't you show peaceful Muslims when there are so many more of them than there are jihadists?
Truth makes people uncomfortable and so their final response is: we must have made them do it.
Was it this hard to fight the Mafia?
Posted by: PMK at September 15, 2008 7:01 PM
This is the kind of negative commentary I expect and hope for -
"It adds fuel to the fire and devalues the work we do," said Khalilah Sabra, an organizer with the Raleigh chapter of the Muslim American Society, which lists "promoting understanding" as its mission.
Yes, Khalilah, inciting violence regularly during mosque sermons does fuel the fire and devalues - no it actually negates all your efforts at 'promoting understanding".
It's about damn time Khalilah and company start publicly denouncing jihad inciting sermons and publicly chastise the imams that give the inciting sermons.
Now that would be promoting 'real' understanding toots. Until then, Khalilah and company can go pound sand.
It's comforting to learn this video was delivered en masse without Khalilah and company's approval or censure. To whomever is responsible - BRAVO.
Posted by: heroyalwhyness
at September 15, 2008 7:07 PM
PMK: "When unable to deny it, they simply say: it's a small minority of extremists - but not all Muslims.
Then there's: why don't you show peaceful Muslims when there are so many more of them than there are jihadists?
Truth makes people uncomfortable and so their final response is: we must have made them do it."
However, "What the West Needs to Know" addresses all of these points quite fluently.
1. Regardless of the number of Muslims actively fulfilling the violent, supremacist and oppressive tenants of the religion, those tenants still remain.
2. Extremely few Muslims actively demonstrate religious introspection or consider the implications of the mandates of their religion and are, therefore, condoning the evil in their religion through silence. Whether they do this out of ignorance or compulsion is neither here nor there in this day in age.
3. Finally, the historicity expressed throughout the film makes it clear that all the evil in Islam we see today was there from inception.
I know I'm being trivial about this because we all probably agree on these points, but I just feel "Islam: What the West Needs to Know" addresses all your negative hypotheticals in any case ;)
Posted by: Hard Rain at September 15, 2008 7:20 PM
"Islam is not the religion of God -- Islam is the devil." --Walid Shoebat
He should know.
He's also said, "What is it about "Kill the Infidels" you don't understand?
His forthrightness and utter disregard for even a modicum of political correctness is admirable. Brigitte Gabriel is the same way.
at September 15, 2008 7:27 PM
His forthrightness and utter disregard for even a modicum of political correctness is admirable. Brigitte Gabriel is the same way.
Posted by: darcy at September 15, 2008 7:27 PM
OK, it looks like I am out voted.
I read Gabriel's "Because They Hate." It's a wonderful book. I don't remember her writing "Islam is of the devil" or any such thing. This is sectarian religious doctrine or dogma. It's fine (maybe?) in a church but not when you are talking to the general public or the media.
Posted by: Wild Jew at September 15, 2008 7:35 PM
Wild Jew -
How about "Islam, like Fascism and Naziism," is evil."
Are you against using the word evil as you are devil?
Posted by: darcy at September 15, 2008 8:59 PM
"Islam, like Fascism and Naziism, is evil."
(extra quotation mark typo above)
Posted by: darcy at September 15, 2008 9:01 PM
"'It adds fuel to the fire and devalues the work we do,' said Khalilah Sabra, an organizer with the Raleigh chapter of the Muslim American Society, which lists "promoting understanding" as its mission."
-- from the article above
What Khalilah Sabrah, an "organizer with the Raleigh chapter of the Muslim American Society" does when he "promotes understanding" is exactly what Fritzi Hanfstaengl did when he came to America in the early 1930s, to meet his old Harvard classmates and to tell them -- they still were important members of America's ruling class in those days -- how they shouldn't be alarmed at all by Mr. Hitler and that National Socialism, that the Party got a bad rap and besides, the old class of plutocrats, the Krupps and the Thyssens and so on, were really in control, and there was no reason to worry. And of course, many of Hanfstaengl's Harvard classmates, for his purposes so splendidly ignorant of Hitler, so ill-informed about Nazis (and some of them predisposed to that mental pathology -- antisemitism -- that apologists for, supporters of, Hitler found so useful), bought his story hook, line, and sinker.
Khalilah Sabra may not be having exactly a field day, one hopes, but ignorance is his ally, lack of information about the historical record of Islamic conquest and subjugation of non-Muslims, over 1350 years, is his ally.
Let's undo Khalilah Sabra by learning more, and helping others to learn more -- to deprive him of his natural allies, ignorance and misinformation -- in order to undo or stymie the insidious work of him and other, similar propagandists for Islam and the Jihad, or "struggle," to remove all obstacles to the spread, and then the dominance, of Islam.
at September 15, 2008 9:07 PM
I went out of my way to find a newspaper that contained a copy. It was like Christmas morning. The sad thing is, I had to get a certain Sunday Paper that I can't stand. A whole 2 page story on how great it was to teach in a madressa and how wonderful they were. We get this every Sunday almost.
Now, how much more offensive is this DVD than what is broadcast in other countries? As a lot of the clips, like Fitna I assume, is directly aired? How are people not outraged by those DVD's I read about that they sell in arab run gas stations? Are these the same people who agree with Obama's pastor? Do they feel that no non-muslim has the right to self-determination, or even some who are like the Kurds don't either? I bet they're offended that the son of the Hamas leader is a christian now too.
Why, exactly, do I have to hear about, and care about these peoples opinions? You know how many ED commercials I suffer through every evening?
Thank you Clarion Fund, I so wanted this disc.
Posted by: jusa at September 15, 2008 9:23 PM
Serious questions here. Since islam has spread destruction and despair just about everywhere in the world, despite muslims being welcomed and accomodated in their host countries, what would happen if the following were to occur: Perhaps islamic holy sites were destroyed (bombed out of existance) upward in importance ending with Mecca. Would the religion cease to exist? Would muslims collectively get their act together to stop a serious and concerted assault to end their religion prior to is actually happening?
From what I've learned from reputable sources, the Saudi royal family is barely hanging onto power and authorities give it another five years or so until the government is overthrown by radicals, similar to the Shah of Iran being overthrown. If the oil production is cut, then there is no need for Saudi Arabia by any country and my scenario is not that far fetched.
I've asked this several times before and got bashed as being an islamophobe, idiot, hater, etc, but never got a serious answer.
Posted by: Jebat at September 15, 2008 9:43 PM
Jebat-- here are links to writings by both Robert and Hugh on this subject:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/007398.php
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/007241.php
I don't want this thread to get derailed into that debate. For that matter, it is our long standing policy (in other words, not just me) to delete comments that call for nuking Mecca and things along those lines because they're so counterproductive, for reasons outlined at the links above, and because they're so easily used by provocateurs to attempt to discredit the site.
Posted by: MarisolJW at September 15, 2008 10:00 PM
where can I get a copy of Obsession?
Posted by: pak152 at September 15, 2008 10:32 PM
Posted by: pak152
where can I get a copy of Obsession?
From Mrs Sally Lopez.
Posted by: Dsinc at September 15, 2008 11:30 PM
pak152:
You can find the Obsession DVD at amazon.com
at September 16, 2008 12:04 AM
MarisolJW,
Thanks for the links.
So, what are the answers? I guess that is the multi-million dollar question.
Posted by: Jebat at September 16, 2008 12:56 AM
"I must say that this video makes me fear for my safety and the safety of my family since people may not be able to differentiate between Muslims living here in Raleigh and the way Muslims are depicted in this scary film!" said Shadi Sadi, a data analyst in Raleigh.
The usual crap.
NO American patriotism.
No team spirit.
No concern for his neighbors, his non-mohammedan neighbors that is!
No rejection of the jihaddis.
No anger at the crimes perpetrated in the name of his religion.
And he is damnably right that "people may not be able to differentiate between Muslims living here in Raleigh and the way Muslims are depicted in this scary film". There is no obvious way to differentiate between jihaddis and ordinary man-in-the-street mohammedans.
And he's doing nothing to make that differentiation easier.
The lousy, self-pitying, two-faced rat!
But the fear is kind of interesting.
There haven't been any random murders of mohammedans in the US. So what is he so afraid of?
It kind of makes me wonder if his fear doesn't derive from a private inner knowledge of what side he is really on, and the fear of being found out.
Posted by: joeblough at September 16, 2008 1:04 AM
I purchased my copy last year and had it used in a college class that made dhimmis look like a lost tribe of amazons.
This class was pro-islam, and this movie made a lot of people take a second look at their preceptions of we are really facing, and this movie isn't even hard core.
We could only view 30 minutes during the class, but thankfully there are the two versions on the DVD I have.
If people are having an adverse reaction to this documentary I wonder if they've been living any kind of real life at all? Did 9/11 mean nothing to these people?
Posted by: Profound at September 16, 2008 2:36 AM
How about "Islam, like Fascism and Naziism," is evil."
Are you against using the word evil as you are devil?
Posted by: darcy
No darcy. Evil is fine.
at September 16, 2008 7:38 AM
To put this in perspective, consider the prospect of a German in 1943 writing angrily about an anti-Nazi presentation that it put Germans in fear for their safety.
Actually there are many such articles that have appeared in that time period all over the world. There are actually a few such articles written by Jews.
This article also eliminates any doubt just who Hitler's allies were.
at September 16, 2008 8:15 AM
We all have to start somewhere. "Obsession" is a good first step. Some will laugh, some will deny, and some will agree. But every time we see someone trying to get the word out, there will be a discussion among many friends and families. With new and different facts and current event stories brought out to everyone. It is the talk at the "water cooler" that really spreads the word.
Posted by: Spot on at September 16, 2008 8:29 AM
Obsession DVD is available at Netflix - the next alternative to getting it for free.
Posted by: American at September 16, 2008 10:10 AM
Obsession, the DVD is good for America and the West. More than 90% of Americans will find it hard to believe and will not be convinced in the short term. They are too skeptical and they think it is a bad propaganda against Islam.
They will need to digest it slowly. In time their skepticism will be erased by the reality that they will witness day in and day out. In the long term, they will come to realize what most of us awakened have realized and learned that Islam is evil.
If in a year or two 50% of Americans will come to believe that "Obsession" was not a propaganda but an ugly reality we face against Islam then you can bet that the US and the West will soon be on their way to awakening.
Hopefully, the media will pay more attention to the world events today and especially in Europe. The media followers and readers will demant it as they want to follow up the world news more closely in an attempt to learn the truth about the "Obsession" claims and they will increasingly learn the truth about Islam.
One thing we know for sure is that the Muslims around the world cannot refrain themselves from revealing the ugly truth about Islam. They will make it easy for the world to beleive "Obsession".
The bottom line is that someone has awakened the frogs in the boiling pot at last.
Islam will conquer nothing.
at September 16, 2008 10:38 AM
Anyone who has a basic belief in God of the Bible can recognize who allah is or was. Devil is pretty damned accurate, whether you believe in a devil or not.
Posted by: interestinconundrum at September 16, 2008 10:40 AM
People make a big deal out of the difference between violent Muslims and non-violent Muslims, but I don't know which is more dangerous in the long run.
They both have the same goal: Gaining ground for Islam. The ones who are violent you can put in jail. The ones who are not can spend the rest of their lives gaining one small concession for Islam at a time until a democracy has conceded itself into a corner from which it cannot escape.
What kind of concessions am I talking about? I'm sure you know. But if not, here are some examples:
Posted by: CitizenWarrior.com at September 16, 2008 1:58 PM
By the way, this promotion of Obsession is one of the best, most practical actions I've seen anyone take in a long time to do the most important thing that needs to be done: A massive education of the American people.
I would much rather see Islam: What The West Needs To Know go to millions of homes.
How about it, Robert? Do you know any millionaires who could fund such a thing?
Not only would it generate lots of conversation about the issue and educate a lot of people, it would also be great publicity for your excellent film. Anyone out there with a lot of money who wants to do something significant? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?
Posted by: CitizenWarrior.com at September 16, 2008 2:04 PM
You said: "but in the Jihad Watch echo chamber it is easy to lose sight of the fact that we represent a very, very small percentage of people who realize the nature and magnitude of the jihad threat."
Why is that? It's because of us! How many people do you know? How many people can you influence?
What? They won't LISTEN? Then you've got to get better at influencing. This is serious business, and there is no time to waste. If you are not being successfully persuasive with the people you know, learn more about how to be persuasive. Here's a good place to start:
Posted by: CitizenWarrior.com at September 16, 2008 2:17 PM
"To put this in perspective, consider the prospect of a German in 1943 writing angrily about an anti-Nazi presentation that it put Germans in fear for their safety. By contrast, German-Americans were anxious to prove their loyalty to the United States. Those days, it seems, are gone forever."
That is a really good point. Really the onus is on the Muslims to PROVE they are not a danger to the free world. This is something, of course, that many of them cannot honestly do, regardless of whether they are prone to violence.
Posted by: CitizenWarrior.com at September 16, 2008 2:34 PM
Why is it that every time I hear the phrase "Moderate Muslim" I want to puke or at least shout OXYMORON???
It makes me want to scream! Every Muslim is governed by the same book, THE QUR'AN; the book that tells its readers to destroy infidels and Jews!
Further, Islam tells Muslims to LIE, to be DECEPTIVE, to use SUBTERFUGE, indulge in TRICKERY, ad infinitum!!
What is it about DECEPTION that you don't understand?
at September 16, 2008 3:35 PM
Spot On said: "'Obsession' is a good first step." You live up to your name. It will get the conversation going around the water cooler on an important topic, and that's where the rubber meets the road.
One last comment I'd like to make is that if you read the whole N&O article, you get the impression that the writer has an underlying suspicion of the motives of the Clarion Fund, but no suspicion at all of the Muslims he quotes to criticize the DVD (he or she; I don't know whether Yonat Shimron is a man's or a woman's name). The blatant bias makes me physically ill.
Posted by: CitizenWarrior.com at September 16, 2008 4:33 PM
Lies and deception are only easy when people are ignorant of source material...happens here at JW and on FPM all the time.
Translation of Arabic Text into English
In the film obsession, Mr. Itamar Marcus makes the claim that students are subjected to materials in a Jordanian and Palestinian school book that suggests Islam will dominate all other faiths through Islamic Jihad fighters.
However, the Arabic text is clearly visible and is horribly mistranslated.
This film has been used as an educational tool. However, it is filled with falsehood and errors. See below for the correct translation.
The creators of Obsession claim:
“This religion [Islam] will destroy all other religions through the Islamic Jihad Fighters”
The Arabic text actually says:
------Begin Arabic Translation------
Racial Discrimination
One of the components racism. It relies on the principle of race supremacy. It is a principle that divides humans on the basis of racial identity and classifies them into superior races and lower races, and it grants the superior races tangible and non-tangible privileges as well as deprives the lower races of the same privileges.
These privileges take several forms such as the right to live in areas restricted for the superior race, and the same goes for schools, hospitals, public transportation, and all public services. Also the appointment and election to the high public offices and positions.
The members of the lower races suffer of persecution and physical and emotional abuse. They work in jobs and professions that are considered demining.
Some of the best examples of racism the racial discrimination in the world are: Nazism and Zionism.
The concept of Racial Discrimination.
------End Arabic Translation------
The text makes no mention to Islam, Fighting, Religion, or Jihad. This is only one example of many that expose the lack of scholarly work put into the making of Obsession: Radical Islam’s war against the West.
It’s important to note that this film bundles over a hundred years of history, random places, events, scenarios, pictures, videos, and blurs the lines of socio-political situations and Religion. It fails to put into context the difference between culture and Islam. The translation of the text above is one of many distortions contained within the documentary film Obsession.
Truth
at September 18, 2008 10:06 AM
Hello All,
It's amazing how everyone gets carried away with his/her own ideas, let’s calm down for a minute.
Yes I am a Muslim, and one of the 1.8 billion Muslims in the world (the fastest growing and second-largest religion in the world) , and proud to be a Muslim.I thank God every morning for being a Muslim.
I personally didn’t watch the movie “Obsession”. But I would like to tell those who did and those who didn’t watch it, DON NOT judge Islam by what you see on TV or read in books or by what someone tells you.
If you want to learn what Islam is really about, pick up a copy of the translation of the meaning of the holy Quran.
Don’t just read some of it, read it all the way through. I know that most of you like to read, why not read one more book ( the Quran).
at September 18, 2008 10:50 PM
'Lady'
All regular posters here have read the Qur'an, and many have read other Islamic texts both ancient and modern.
I have read the Qur'an. I read it a long time ago - yes, long before September 11 2001. And when I did I thought, to use the words of the teenage video store clerk who stumbled across video footage made by a bunch of jihad plotters, "dude, I just saw a lot of weird sh!t!".
I pegged the Qur'an as a 'cult' text: weird, *really* weird, like the ideas of the Moonies, Mormons and Scientologists; and not only weird, but extremely violent, and therefore, dangerous.
And so: what happened on September 11 did not surprise me in the least. None of the other violent jihad raids that have taken place in recent years, such as the bombings in Mumbai or the attack on the Beslan school, or the shooting attack in the yeshiva in Jerusalem, or the mass murders of non-Muslims in the Sudan and in Indonesia, surprise me. They are consistent with the impression of Islam, as an ideology, that I gained from the Qur'an.
Since September 11 2001 I have read the Qur'an again, more than once; my initial impression, of a mind-withering spiritual ugliness, has only been confirmed, in spades.
I concur completely with Maimonides' diagnosis of Ubul Kassim , or Abu [a]l' Kassim, alias 'Mohammed', as 'Ha-Meshugga', that is, 'the Madman'.
Whether such a person existed or not, the portrait presented in the Sira and Hadith is not something that any decent non-Muslim would find admirable or holy. If he was real, he was what *I* call evil. Clever, yes; 'charismatic', yes, able to delude and charm his followers (as other evil cult leaders and dictators have also been able to do); but, in the end, EVIL. If the portrait is largely invented, then whoever invented it produced a remarkably consistent portrait of a thoroughly evil - or else deeply psychologically or psychiatrically disturbed - human being. For more, see Ali Sina, "Understanding Muhammad".
Oh, by the way, I've *also* read the whole of the Bible, more than once.
I infinitely prefer the Bible to the Qur'an. Why mess around with distorted foe-fic (the Qur'an) when one can enjoy the richness, sanity and beauty of the original (TaNaKh and Christian Scriptures)?
It is worth noting that Ibn Warraq, apostate from Islam, argues that Islam considered as an ideology may be classified as a species of ur-fascism, and that others have seen, in Islamic ideology and practice, all the classic features of what we in the West call a 'cult' (and by that, we mean something destructive, something that sucks people in, takes control of them, and ruins their lives).
at September 19, 2008 2:08 AM
dumbledoresarmy,
Wow, there must be something interesting about Islam for this "cult" to suck in 1.8 BILLION people, and become the world’s second largest religion, huh.
There is only ONE Quran, the same one that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (May God's Peace be upon him) over 14 centuries ago. Yes hasn't changed and never will.
As for what you said about the Quran, it is merely your personal opinion.
So my advice for everyone again, forget what anyone has told you about Islam. Read the Quran with an open mind and read the whole book through.
at September 19, 2008 7:29 AM
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