Note that the Korean Muslim leader quoted in this story doesn’t, at least as quoted here, actually condemn the religious killing at all. Instead, he simply denies what’s in front of his face: that the Muslim terrorists who murdered Kim Sun-il did it for religious reasons. You see, they couldn’t have, because Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. And the Christian, of course, happily plays along.
People often ask me whether or not Muslim groups condemn actions such as the beheadings. I would not offer this as evidence that they do, because the imam Lee Haeng-lae has done absolutely nothing to refute the terrorists’ Islamic justifications for their actions, and has tried to make his hearers believe that there are, in fact, no such justifications. Well, I have quoted Sura 8:12 and 47:4 here enough; I think most of you who are reading this will know that the Qur’an directs believers to “strike the necks” of unbelievers. I wonder if Lee Haeng-lae would tell us that we really have to be native Arabic speakers to understand what such verses really mean.
From the Korea Times:
The group, known as Tawhid wa al-Jihad (Unification and Holy War), posted a message on its Web site on Thursday that suggested the killing was linked to Kim’s religion.
“We have killed an infidel who tried to propagate Christianity in Iraq,” the message read. “This infidel studied theology and was preparing to become a missionary in the Islamic world.”
But Islamic and Christian leaders in Seoul refused to accept that the murder had anything to do with faith.
Lee Haeng-lae, prayer leader at Korea Central Mosque in Itaewon, said true Muslims would never kill a person because he or she was Christian. “I’m sure that they did not kill Kim Sun-il just because he was Christian,” he said “Muslims are understanding of other religions like Christianity and Buddhism.”
Lee, whose mosque received threatening phone calls after Kim was found beheaded on June 22, was also determined that the insurgents’ claim would not trigger religious hatred.
Rev. Hong Keun-soo, former pastor at Hyangrim Presbyterian Church, agreed with Lee, saying: “I don’t think this is a conflict between Christianity and Islam.”
Hong said the violence in Iraq is politically motivated and the blame for it lay with political leaders. “Christianity is a very pacifist religion, like Islam.”
I know that there are some Muslim groups monitoring this site. Some of you are kind enough to email me from time to time. Thus I respectfully request that all Muslim pacifists please write to me today. All I want to know is that you’re out there, and how you understand the verses of the Qur’an to which I referred above, and some others. I look forward to hearing from you.