This is part two of:

UI – Part 399b – Faith vs Fear – Religion – A Child of God

Islamophobia

Where I strongly believe the label ‘Islamophobia’ applies are to those born in the culture of Islam, born as a Muslim, educated as a Muslim, and restricted to thinking only as a Muslim, who then deviate from the dictates of the basics and the teachers, the Imam’s.  Knowing Islam, its restrictions as to thinking, choosing and living as one might prefer, having demands for ‘severe chastisement,’ which can include death, fear can readily surface.  If a child does not pray 5 times each day their vigilante sibling might tell the parent and out comes the whip with lashes to follow.  Not wearing a hijab, or proper covering in public, can result in strangers, the Islamic neighbor policeman/watchdog, spewing invectives or striking the woman with a stick, for violating the rules.  It is the Muslim, whose private life may defy the ideology, but who are locked in their mind, or rooms, contemplating as to who they would like to be, even to simply learn about something other than Islam, who is afraid.  They are afraid of the religion of Islam and the penalties ascribed to any who consider and/or attempt to walk a path other than ordered by the Scripture, the Quran, the example of Muhammad, the Hadiths (those the Imam prefers and uses), and Sharia as applied by the local governmental body.  This is Islamophobia.

 

There is a blog on this site dedicated to the topic – Islamophobia

Those that write, even debate or as an innocent reading and studying Islam, in an attempt to understand, raise questions, have concerns, and express them, the Islamic police in the form of those organizations mentioned and others, even individual Muslims that might be attending a class at their college or university, may as a knee jerk reaction call out the term ‘Islamophobic’ or ‘Xenophobic.’  However xenophobia is quite different, as the fear of a person from another Country is more like any fear of the unknown, but Islamophobia has more in common with knowing Islam, having doubts and fearing the consequences, more as a Muslim, probably a cultural Muslim, than as a non-Muslim.

It takes a Muslim with great courage to escape from the darkness of their culture and ideology.  Many born into Muslim dominated areas know nothing else, even praising jihad in their youth as a lesson in devotion to the poor, the needy, the practices of Islam and as the example they are to embrace.  It is later they learn more the holy war of violence, the Sura 9.5, the verse of the sword, as a sworn command to all Muslims to kill, exterminate and rid the world of non-believers, in the name of Allah, on offense and defense. Exposure to the truth of Islam heightens the fear, awakens the spirit, opens eyes and challenges the phobia to come out of the darkness.

Fear the Lord

‘Fear the Lord’ is an expression directly from the Bible.  But it does not mean to be afraid, but to be in awe.  The Lord is great, all powerful, all seeing and judge.  But it is the Lord who judges, not man, when it comes to God’s commands.  What is wrong about Islam is enabling humans to enact punishment as the Quran describes.  Punishment for those that seek a life eternal is God’s alone, possibly Allah’s alone, but not as written and interpreted by Islamic scholars. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise” (Psalm 111:10).  The Lord knows you inside and out.  He knows too your phobias.  He does not want you to be afraid, “Do not be afraid,” is oft written in the Bible as a precursor to a face to face or a direct contact from the heavens above.  It can be scary, but it is also prophetic, as instructions, comments, commands directly from God.

Yet the Quran seeks to instill fear.   The Quran wants non-believers to fear Muslims. Muslims are  commanded to kill, to reduce Christians and Jews to dhimmi status, others extirpated, to order infidels to submit to recognize Muslims as superior and to be humble before a Muslim or die. Conversion is an option, but does the heart of the one who so converts truly trust, have faith, in Allah or those around them who forced them to submit to Islam?  And once converted an attempt to leave can result in apostasy, and the associated punishment.  The Quran, as noted, also wants Muslims to fear Muslims, their vigilante neighbor who will inform on their transgressions and even relish in the punishment they receive.  Many Muslims in Saudi Arabia, following afternoon prayers in the Mosque, leave to go to the nearby square where weekly punishments for crimes are openly inflicted upon criminals, where the final judgment can be questioned (but is not) and the punishment more severe than the crime.  They watch the blood spatter and hear the victim’s cries as they delight at the moral authorities insuring the masses of the consequences of the sin of disobedience to the ideology of Islam.  Allah does not wield the sword that beheads the apostate.

Even in more civil societies, pluralistic societies, the punishment for a crime is established as a deterrent. But the crime is most often processed over an extended period, due process provided and religious restrictions are not used as a component of the judicial process. The laws that are disobeyed apply to all citizens, not just those of a specific ideological order. Also there is no exception for the religion of the perpetrator as justification for their inhumane or criminal actions.

The fear Islam wants is that of Muslims and non-Muslims, to submit totally, and to never criticize, respectively. The non-Muslim is to allow Islam to progress territorially as any form of resistance is considered aggression towards Islam and the All for Allah goal of this ideology.

Sura 10:109 tells followers that Allah is judge of each follower, not man. (also 22.18), Sura 14:42 has Allah instilling terror into the eyes of the non-believers, Sura 16:125 tells Muslims to punish their persecutors, as they have been persecuted (eye-for-an-eye 16.126).  Sura 2.191 urges the believer to kill infidels (‘wherever you find them’). And the battle is to continue, Sura 2.193, until all territory is Allah’s (All for Allah.) There is inconsistency in the Quran, so where does a Muslim go to obtain clarity. It may be simply that Allah judges the Muslim, but the Muslim may be the judge, jury and persecutor of the heretic and infidel.  Muslims and Non-Muslims have reason to be afraid, of each other, to fear, based on interpretation knowing those not in accord will view the other as a non-believer. For a Muslim a heretic is the same as an infidel.

“The root and stronghold of Islam is fear.” (Face to Face with Jesus, A Former Muslim’s Extraordinary Journey…, by  Samaa Habib).  Muslims can be liberated from the bondage they are under.

Freedom from Fear

Christ lived and died to free mankind, those that know, understand, and have faith in the risen Lord. The Bible is consistent and provides those who know and love God with freedom from fear. So there is no reason to be a slave of fear.   If you are a child of god, there is no fear.  There is no hatred.  Enjoy the song – “I’m no longer a slave to fear….” (the words follow at the end of this blog)

Enjoy the song itself sung by Newsboys on YouTube (Listen and enjoy)

Muslims Can Be Free

Freedom exists for a Muslim. It is not from the pages of the Quran, or the example of Muhammad. It is from the love of God and his sacrifice of his Son to make everyone right with God. God’s arms will surround you and make you safe.  No more fear from the Islamic moral police who are zealots ready to inflict pain on others who them judge and punish those who deviate from (even criticize) the tenets of Islam. The accuser is never in their own right blameless; they too sin. We are all sinners. Freedom comes from acknowledging our own weakness and being refreshed and born anew in the warmth of God’s unwavering love.

I am a child of God, no longer a slave to fear.  You can be also, if not already.

Grace and Peace

…..

Words to the Song: I Am a Child of God.

You unravel me with a melody

You surround me with a song

Of deliverance from my enemies

Till all my fears are gone

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

From my Mother’s womb

You have chosen me

Love has called my name

I’ve been born again into your family

Your blood flows through my veins

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I am surrounded by the arms of the Father

I am surrounded by songs of deliverance

We’ve been liberated from our bondage

We’re the sons and the daughters

Let us our sing our freedom

You split the sea so I could walk right through it

My fears are drowned in perfect love

You rescued me and I will stand and sing

I am a child of God

You split the sea so I could walk right through it

You drowned my fears in perfect love

You rescued me and I will stand and sing

I am a child of God

Yes I am

I am a child of God

I am a child of God

Yes I am

I am a child of God

Full of faith

Yes I am a child of God

I am a child of God

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I’m no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God