Excellent point by professor Thomas Hoffmann (photo above): Violent Muslims act upon the Qur’an and the Qur’an’s commandments on how to react to criticism and towards non-Muslims and non-Islamic values. Not upon “racism,” “islamophobia” etc…
Related:
• Danish professor: Islamic State’s terror is founded in the Qur’an
Translated from Uriasposten:
“There is a need to understand the hostility towards the West and Western values on its own terms,” says professor in religious history Thomas Hoffmann: “We must believe what people say. If Muslims say they do something because it is in the Qur’an, we must take their word for it and take their sincerity seriously,” says Thomas Hoffmann. …
“I’ve been a little tired of the description of Muslims as people who are always reactive. As if all that Muslims do is done in a reaction to something that others have done, and that they can not be proactive and take the initiative for better or for worse. Many want to articulate Muslims as passive victims, and thus ignore some theological structures and patterns that are actively used by Muslims themselves.”

Joe Engineer says
He’s right, of course, but he’ll probably be fired for making that statement.
خَليفة says
Or have a fatwa issued for his death.
katherine says
There are many places where he would be safe and welcome : Yangon in Myanmar where the monks and generals have an open mind (sort of) ; Phnom Penh in Kampuchea to enlighten the eager new generation of academics ; Singapore where even the government frowns on Subversive Religions ; Luanda in Angola if he cares to learn Portuguese ; Bangui in the C.A.R where his ideas are already rampant .
Russia is doubtful though since Putin fully agrees with Obama that the Islam must not be the reason for Jihad Extremism – I believe that’s now entrenched in Russian law ( I just don’t understand why ). Then again some neighboring countries like Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia or even PC Switzerland may be less discriminatory.
Christianblood says
(Danish professor: Wrong to see Muslims as victims, they act according to the Qur’an)
He is right 100%!
Angry Aussie says
Yes he is correct. He will no doubt be labeled ‘mentally ill’, or racist or islamophobic, or bigoted, or told as he is not an Islamic scholar, he has misinterpreted the Qur’an. If his opinion is taken seriously, he might just start receiving death threats. You know you have hit a raw nerve when you go straight to death threat level.
mortimer says
Breaking News! WORDS HAVE MEANING! MUSLIMS MEAN WHAT THEY SAY!
Prof. Hoffman points out the obvious: Muslims who say that they are implementing the commands in the Koran are also saying that they believe the Koran is a guide for living in 2016. What a concept! To believe that Muslims are doing what THEY SAY that they are doing, rather than reacting as mindless, helpless savages that only cultural Marxists Western elitists can (patronizingly) understand!
Our unread, presumptuous Western elites simply ASSUME that they can understand Islam by INTUITION, GUESSING, SURMISAL, EXTRAPOLATION, THEORIZATION, SUPPOSING, RECKONING, INFERRING, DEDUCING AND CONJECTURE…but not be reading the foundational source texts of Islam…anything but that!
Western elites have not read the many foundational source texts that political Islam’s core doctrines are derived from, and yet, they impulsively present themselves as authorities on Islam, even though they have not even done a basic study of political Islam. Their GAPING LACUNA of ignorance about political Islam doesn’t qualify them to have a valid opinion on the subject, let alone teach those who have read the source texts, but that is what most Western elites condescendingly do.
By speaking overconfidently outside of their area of knowledge, Western elites show their blinkered arrogance in the same way as Neville Chamberlain in 1938.
jihad3tracker says
EXCELLENT REDUCTION OF REALITY INTO A FLAVORFUL SAUCE, MORTIMER !!!
I will have my first adult beverage of this evening after a toast to your faithful lucid contributions on JW, Sir.
Jay Boo says
J3t
Enjoy your beverage, I hope it is very ingratiating. try not to slobber.
خَليفة says
i’ll have mine on the rocks with a shot of whisky.
Jay Boo says
خَليفة
You are very kind to cut some slack with J3t but I suspect you are aware of my meaning.
Jay Boo says
Read the (whole) sentence Mortimer.
Don’t see only what you wish to see.
‘Wrong to see Muslims as victims, they act according to the Qur’an”
Mortimer, in your mind, you usually translate that as:
Muslims are victims (BECAUSE) of the Qur’an.
Christianblood says
mortimer posted
(…Breaking News! WORDS HAVE MEANING! MUSLIMS MEAN WHAT THEY SAY!…)
Very true indeed! islam is PURE evil!
Jay Boo says
Yes
But what do you hate the most CB,
Islam or the WEST.
Christianblood says
Jay Boo
I hate islam first, I hate islam second, I hate islam third, I hate islam fourth…But Jay Boo, the West is also very deeply pro islam and very profoundly anti-Christian and that really, really frustrates me and makes me very angry! I mean, Look at how the West are constantly whitewashing islam and muslims and are enabling muslim jihadists to further their evil sharia and their islamic cause, look at what the USA/Nato did in the Balkans, in Libya, in Egypt and doing now in Syria. Look how USA/Nato are wholeheartedly allied with the genocidal muslim Turks who murdered millions of Christians and with the head-chopping, Christ-hating extremely barbaric Saudi Arabia and how they hate and demonize Christian Russia and its leaders. Is there anything lovable in the West when you consider these things in this day and age, Jay Boo? Anything?
Western Canadian says
And again the paid troll comes by to bash the West, for the stance and behaviour of it’s self appointed ‘elites’, which is laughable because these fools are the product of the influence of the soviet union, and its highly successful efforts to destroy our educational systems (replacing them with soviet inspired and staffed indoctrination centers), attack and weaken the influence of Western Churches (turning them into what I call the church of the holy-bootlick), political parties (eagerly embraced by scum like ted kennecy, and thousands of others), the media (turned into propaganda outlets for leftist tropes, such as AGW, PC, etc.)., and similar efforts in other areas of western downfall…
Is he here to scorn, or to gloat, or both?
Ex-muslim says
Christianblood says
“the West is also very deeply pro islam and very profoundly anti-Christian and that really, really frustrates me and makes me very angry! I mean, Look at how the West are constantly whitewashing islam and muslims and are enabling muslim jihadists to further their evil sharia and their islamic cause, look at what the USA/Nato did in the Balkans, in Libya, in Egypt and doing now in Syria. Look how USA/Nato are wholeheartedly allied with the genocidal muslim Turks who murdered millions of Christians and with the head-chopping, Christ-hating extremely barbaric Saudi Arabia”.
You are very right CB!
It makes me angry and disgusted and I am sure many others across the world feel the same when we see the weakness, the stupidty and the pro-muslim agenda that most in the West and even churches and governments and leaders have for the followers of islam and how they side with them and ignore the plight of the real victims of islam.
CB, many years ago, I used think Westerners as rational people who were my heroes,
now I know the reality and it is like a very, very rude and awakening!
Thanks.
Western Canadian says
And here is the paid trolls sock puppet, right on schedule. Unchristiancrud and his ilk are to blame for the state of the west, which he is paid to come here and gloat over.
linnte says
Excellent Mortimer.
Custos Custodum says
The West’s current “elites” are the first generation “elites” many of whom NEVER acquired serious, hands-on familiarity with the bible or many other texts.
This personal history of many of today’s “elites” (think of John Kerry) is characterized by:
(1) Second-hand indoctrination by Leftist propagandists with “teaching credentials” instead of real education from kindergarten through university.
(2) Little direct knowledge of the West’s foundational texts (especially the bible) combined with hip, unthinking, post-modern abandonment of Christianity.
(3) No experience of or respect for academic rigor.
These deficiencies combine to underpin an unthinking cult of sentimental, superficial “virtue signalling,” “tolerance” and groupthink in place of principled analysis and debate.
Christian InDeed says
CC, of course, you are so very correct; (You sound like one of my old master’s!) and if identifying the problem is the first step in solving the problem, what IS the next step?
It is so easy to bash those doing the wrong thing (I do it regularly! Self-gratification can be wonderful, can’t it?)
I am uncertain why you say “The West’s current ‘elites’ are the first generation ‘elites’, could you please expound (for the sake of someone like me, still learning).
Are you talking about the West’s current Political leaders that won’t or can’t see past their text-book education, with their passed down, pre-set ideas and ideals or those with the ‘real’ power?
vcragain says
spot on !
jihad3tracker says
Two resources for, as Professor Hoffmann says, understanding why we should “take [Muslim] sincerity seriously” and not “ignore some theological structures”.
The superb truth-telling websites http://www.citizenwarrior.com & http://www.inquiryintoislam.com both post this item about the Qur’ans 2nd to last chapter CHRONOLOGICALLY, written just a year before Muhammad died: “The Qur’ans last word on non-believers”. You can find it by using their search boxes.
In traditional order, it is Sura Nine, which is of course deceptive for those who do not understand how completely, coming almost finally in terms of time, it ABROGATES [CANCELS] any prior chapters and verses commanding tolerance for infidels.
ALSO — On JW, I’ve previously recommended this five minute video by the brilliant counter-jihad expert David Wood, but here we go again: “The Jihad Triangle” — easily found on Google or You Tube. David’s impish sense of humor is part of it, certainly, but as always he cites elements of the sacred texts to establish his point.
Pass these wake-uppers on to family, friends, clergy, elected officials, and household pets who still cling to their precious illusions about the Religion of Winding Up in Pieces.
jewdog says
You see, excluding Robert Spencer from Britain did not end Europe’s Muslim problems after all, and now they’re doing a rethink. Somewhere in Europe there’s a rock called Marble Head, and someday maybe the light will dawn on it.
JawsV says
I wonder how long before they shut him up?
abad says
WOW.
A professor that spoke the truth!
Walter Sieruk says
An important question: “Is the Quran the Word of God or is it a fabrication of a man. Thus, is the Quran the truth or a fiction and a hoax ?” The jihadists use many verses from the Quran as the main source of justification for their violence, mayhem and murders. As found in For example, 4:89. 5:33. 9:5,111,123. 47:4. The answer is clearly given on pages 145 through 157 in THE ISLAMIC INVASION by Robert Morey in which he wrote a section on the Quran with its self-contradictions. Just two of the many he cited are the following “The Quran differs on whether a day is a thousand years or fifty thousand years in God’s sight’ and “Who was first to believe? Abraham or Moses [Sura 6:14 versus 7:143]? The above is inconsistent and illogical. Further, Morey wrote about “The fact that Judaism and Christianity broke up into different sects was used in the Quran to prove that they are not of God [Suras 30:20-32. 42:13, 14]. Yet Islam has broken up into many warring sects and therefore cannot be true if the Quran is right.” Moreover, Morey in his book shows many more contradictions and absurdities in the Quran, there are and how Muhammad incorporated extra Biblical and Jewish folklore along with pre-Islamic Arabian myth and parts of Zoroastrian and Hindu stories into the Quran. Furthermore, the Muslims claim that “the Quran is the direct, literal word of God unmodified in any way by the Prophet who uttered them at the bidding of God.” Nevertheless, in the book UNVEILING ISLAM by Ergun Mehmet and Eethi Caner has shown that the Quran was modified in the following account on pages 45. “Muhammad felt the need to improve on the words of Allah, since he changed Allah’s wisdom for his own on several occasions. A hadith tells of the nonchalant emendations of Muhammad:’ On a number of occasions he [a scribe] had, with the Prophet’s consent changed the closing words of verses. For example, when the prophet had said ‘God is mighty and wise ‘ Adbollah b. Abi Sarh suggested writing down ‘Knowing and wise’ and the Prophet answered that there was no objection. Having observed a succession of changes of this type, Adbollah renounced Islam on the grounds that revelations, if from God could not be changed at the prompting of a scribe such as himself. After his apostasy he went to Mecca and joined the Qorayshites.’ Other writers reveal that later Muhammad and his people did go war with the Qorayshites and he personally killed Abdollah. Obviously Abdollah knew too much and Muhammad wanted Abdollah’s knowledge to die with him.” In conclusion, the Quran is not only a fiction, it’s also a hoax.
jihad3tracker says
Hello Walter — The answer to your question for me, and actually for anyone who reads the Qur’an’s suras which come after Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina: IT IS A FABRICATION OF MAN — specifically Muhammad, of course.
I am not a Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, or even Atheist, and therefore “have no dog in this fight” — as an old expression says.
The manifestation of our Universe, its astonishing complexity and beauty — is not compatible with a force of such infinite genius COMMANDING OBEDIENCE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF INNOCENT HUMAN BEINGS.
Rather, the misery-soaked life of a “prophet”, plus his Hitlerian personality disorder, resulted in a megalomaniacal document which, helped by inbred meager IQs of generations of Muslims, was accepted by them as divine.
aDhimmiSaysWhat? says
Hi walter. I have to disagree with your premise that the Koran being a hoax is an important question. It is not an important question. Of course it’s a hoax. I think the relevant part of that equation is that 1.6 billion people DO NOT believe it’s a hoax. You’re simply not going to convince them otherwise. I think it’s a fools errand. I think our time would be better spent just pointing to what is in the Koran as opposed to calling it a hoax. I mean cmon, they’re all fairy tales: jesus, buddha, vishnu, whatever the god of your choosing, just know that you believe in fairy tales. And I’m ok with people believing in fairy tales, except for Islam. That’s the truly evil fairy tale. Hell, I believed in Santa Claus until I was about 9 years old.
Angemon says
I hope Mr. Hoffman is not very fond of England because I can see him becoming a persona non grata…
Christian InDeed says
But Angemon, we simply MUST take the Muslim’s sincerity seriously; we must believe that what they believe IS truth to them. That is not to to say that what they believe IS the TRUTH.
Most of us ‘infidels’ can read the Qu’ran and identify the passages that are the nonsensical rantings of a despot, but to the faithful Muslim, it is the same as a true Christian believer reading ‘I am the way and the truth and the life’. Nothing you or I can say will deter his point of view because of his blind faith aka sincerity in his understanding of the writings of the Qu’ran and Suras.
This is what makes the whole thing so dangerous!
linnte says
BOOM! You hit the nail on the head. Their “conviction”is just as strong as any Christian or Jew. Maybe even stronger because if they disagree with Islamic doctrine they can be killed without compulsion. Just like stepping on a spider. And unlike Christians or any other religion, they can’t step outside the box to see any other view which would have the effect of lessening their convictions! What a mess!
linnte says
Thomas Hoffmann is young. Maybe he will have some influence on young Europeans and British people. We can hope!
Christian InDeed says
It’s my opinion that the young people aren’t as interested in protecting their interests as we, the not so young, are.
Gone are the days of student rebellion for a cause; at least, that’s what I see in England.
I have 3 children between 16 & 23 and none of them or (from what I understand), their friends, want to “get involved”!
We have a Muslim mayor of London & a Muslim-loving PM, with many of both types sitting on local councils.
A figure of 5% has been bandied about as the UK Muslim population, but that’s not counting the illegals & unregistered and is an out-of-date figure, anyways! – As much as it pains me to say, England is as good as lost!
Mo says
I hope he’s got a back up plan as far as employment. I can’t see him lasting very long once this gets out.
Robbins Mitchell says
Fish gotta swim…..birds gotta fly…muzzies gotta jihad
Geppetto says
A breath of fresh air that needs to achieve hurricane force.
citycat says
“I’ve been a little tired of the description of Muslims as people who are always reactive”
Oh dearie me,
perhaps you could go sleeping pills, get some rest. Then perhaps get out and experience the reality of the company of Muslims.
Yes, Muslims do react because of their Qur’an. But they or us do not have a right to react, the way muslims react, to anything that is doing no harm, whether it be because of a f—ing religious book or not.
“Take the initiative for better or for worse”
that is what they are doing right now, taking over while the dumb infidel watches and muses.
And you really don’t want to get married to anything or anyone wot is Islamic, unless you’re a misogynistic pig who doesn’t mind eating Allah bull.
Also, Muslims react to EVERYTHING that others have done. There is no compromise whatsoever with Islam.
dumbledoresarmy says
Straws in the wind. Straws in the wind.
Strikes me that, here and there, there *is* a stirring of resistance, *even in * the Academy.
Remember Carol Swain? (Google her).
Here and there, people are breaking ranks. At present just a few.
But what if it suddenly becomes more than a few?