Walid Shoebat and Kamal Saleem
May 1, 2008
Walid Shoebat and Kamal Saleem, self-described (former) Palestinian terrorists, spoke at the University of Colorado here in Boulder the other night. I had the opportunity to attend.
It was interesting timing. On Sunday, after a couple of days of web surfing, I had ordered Walid Shoebat’s book “Why I Left Jihad.” On Monday, I happened to open the local paper while waiting for an oil change on my car (no irony intended). The front page article was about Walid Shoebat. I discovered he would be speaking at the University that evening.
All (free) tickets were gone, but they did have about 200 tickets available at the door. I arrived early, anticipating quite a turn out.
Indeed, the hall was full, and security was tight.
Kamal Saleem spoke first. He described his life growing up in Palestine. It was a mostly unsurprising account: the education his family and school gave him about how the Jews were the enemy, the Holocaust was a hoax, America was the ‘Great Satan,’ Israel was the ’small Satan,’ and one day Islam would be the one true religion displacing all the others, worldwide. At that time, he became resolute for jihad. Obviously, at a very early age. I found particularly humorous how, given the education he had at the time (which, again, said the Holocaust had been a hoax), he asked his teachers in his school “how did they get the Jews to be so skinny? What diet were they on?”
Walid Shoebat was next. I might call him “the headliner.”
His descriptions of his childhood were similar. He emphasized the impact it had on him at a very early age. He held and fired an AK47 at the age of 6. At 7, he ran his first bomb supply mission from Syria through the Golan Heights. Like Saleem, he was instilled with the desire to fulfill jihad; to become a martyr.
“In my right hand, I had the Koran. In my left, the AK47″
Walid Shoebat is a darling of conservatives, particularly among Christians (since, of course, he converted to Christianity).
He is a self-described member of the “far right.” A quick search on YouTube will turn up many of his appearances in prophecy-oriented Christian discussions. I haven’t bothered to watch all of those (I pretty much know what to expect). But I know he is often a speaker in such arenas.
Walid Shoebat is also a focal point of controversy. Some say his story of being a (former) terrorist is unverified, even perhaps fabricated. Some say he is simply a mouthpiece for the Christian Right. He is never a critic of the current administration. From him I found not the slightest criticism of the invasion of Iraq.
Boulder being “liberal” (albeit mostly “limousine liberal”), and this being a presentation at a university, you can imagine the reception.
Actually, it was somewhat mixed. The members of the Arab Student Association were none too pleased. He was heckled a few times, and during the Q&A session the discomfort of Arabs in the room was palpable. A few people were escorted out by rather well-armed police.
On the other hand, he received a huge applause for describing what he wanted to see from American Muslims if, indeed, they loved America: “I want to see you with headbands in Arabic and with signs in English: ‘Allah bless America.’” There were other points in his presentation where he aroused substantial emotional support. Again, please keep in mind I’m referring to the notoriously “libral” Boulder, Colorado.
Mr. Shoebat invoked many of the well-known passages in the Koran that support what we today call terrorism. “What part of ‘kill’ do you in the West not understand?” he said.
Koran: 9:5
But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the unbelievers wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
This Sura in the Koran is oft quoted by both critics of Islam and terrorists themselves. In fact, Muslim terrorists cite it to justify their violent jihad. Critics of Islam claim that it commands Muslims to act with aggression towards the non-Muslims (polytheists) of that period, and contributes to Islam’s final theological doctrine of aggression towards all non-Muslims of all times. Apologists for Islam claim that this passage is purely defensive.
Personally, I find the apologists’ argument to be simply ludicrous. Of course, when I say that, I find more than one Muslim telling me that, since I can’t read Arabic, I have read a mis-translation. Also, it seems, even if I had a proper translation, I wouldn’t understand the context.
Y’know … I have to say….I don’t read German. But I don’t think I need to be fluent in German and German history to get the overall gist of “Mein Kampf.”
I had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Shoebat (briefly) after the event, before he was whisked off by his handlers. I pointed out to him that, during his presentation, he had mis-quoted Mr. Richard Dawkins. He invited me to engage in a discussion with him over email. I have started that discussion — we will see where that leads.
To be honest, I am not expecting much. He has a great gig going, and he doesn’t need some pinko like me confusing him with the facts. On the other hand, he apparently admires Christopher Hitchens, which I found quite ironic.
If you would like a taste of Mr. Shoebat’s lecture, this series on YouTube is pretty much the script he followed at CU Boulder.
Enjoy.
September 11
April 24, 2008
I don’t think bin Laden’s choice of September 11 is at all accidental.
From the British historian Hilaire Belloc’s “The Great Heresies” written in 1938:
“It has always seemed to me possible, and even probable, that there would be a resurrection of Islam and that our sons or our grandsons would see the renewal of that tremendous struggle between the Christian culture and what has been for more than a thousand years its greatest opponent.
The suggestion that Islam may re-arise sounds fantastic, but this is only because men are always powerfully affected by the immediate past. One might say that they are blinded by it.
But not so very long ago, less than a hundred years before the Declaration of Independence, Vienna was almost taken and only saved by the Christian army under the command of the King of Poland, on a date that ought to be among the most famous in history: September 11, 1683.”
Infidel
April 24, 2008
One November morning in 2004, Theo van Gogh got up to go to work at his film production company in Amsterdam. He took out his old black bicycle and headed down a main road. Waiting in a doorway was a Moroccan man with a handgun and two butcher knives.
As Theo cycled down the Linnaeusstraat, Muhammad Bouyeri approached. He pulled out his gun and shot Theo several times. Theo fell off his bike and lurched across the road, then collapsed. Bouyeri followed. Theo begged, “Can’t we talk about this?” but Bouyeris shot him four more times. Then he took out one of his butcher knives and sawed into Theo’s throat. With the other knife, he stabbed a five-page letter onto Theo’s chest.
The letter was addressed to me.
Whether you a re a person of faith, an agnostic, or an atheist, I highly recommend Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali grew up in Africa (born Somali), the product of a Muslim upbringing, ultimately bravely abandoning her roots and becoming a controversial member of the Dutch parliament. Her story is one of incredibly bravery and an amazing capacity to overcome all obstacles. At the same time, it is a painfully clear indictment of Islamic misogyny, absolutism, intolerance, and the price we all pay for religious beliefs that contribute to insane actions.
Some of her criticisms could just as easily be leveled at any other organized religion, but her critique is certainly most scathing of Islam. But she holds back no punches against the West for failing to address the fundamental conflict between Islam and the West. For example, she faults multiculturalism:
“We in the west would be wrong to prolong the pain [of the transition of Islam to the modern world] by elevating cultures full of bigotry and hatred toward women to the stature of respectable alternative ways of life.
This is not just a critique, however. This is her personal story. It is filled with vivid detail, personal trials, the charming and beautiful moments of adolescence, the tragedy of war and her conflict between faith and reason. It is both tragic and uplifting
I found this book so compelling I am reading it all over again even though I just finished it. This is one of those books which, when you close the final chapter, you ask yourself “what exactly do I have to complain about? Wow …”
I also recommend looking her up on YouTube.
Islam Idiocy (Moronic Mohammedans)
December 4, 2007
Now that we’ve hit Jehovah’s Witnesses over the headHere, Here and Here, it’s time for someone else to get their turn in the “My religion says I should prefer death to proper medical care” barrel.
Muslim woman are not allowed to be viewed by men outside the family, not even by physicians.
Pregnant Belgium Muslim woman needs an emergency cesarean delivery, only anesthesiologist available is a man, and the woman’s husband bars his entry into the operating room.
At this point, a rational person would have the husband arrested, but our doctor doesn’t do this. Instead, (After TWO HOURS) an Imam is consulted - the anesthesiologist is permitted to apply an epidural injection, but only if the woman is completely covered except for a small patch of skin. During the surgery (conducted by a female OB/GYN) our anesthesiologist is relaying instructions and observations through a nurse: he is forced to stand in the hallway while his patient is in surgery.
Fortunately, the surgery went OK. It could have turned into a disaster: had the mother or child died during the procedure, the anesthesiologist would be responsible for their lives. This doctor risked his patients’ well being - and his career - following the religious beliefs of a sexist, bigoted religion.
The beautiful Kelly of the Rational Response Squad covered this one.
Source
The REAL Mohammed Teddy Bear In Stores Soon!
December 1, 2007
Muslims in Sudan are practically rioting in the streets and calling for the execution of the British teacher, Gillian Gibbons. We hear at TJM know exactly why this is. You see, when you think of Islam and its’ founder Mohammed, you naturally think of peace, love, acceptance and tolerance. It is a disgrace that one would allow a class to name a teddy bear after such an important figure. At least…a normal teddy bear! Read more
The Truth About Muhammad
October 28, 2007
Peaceful Quotes From the Qur’an
October 16, 2007
Such a harmonious, peaceful set of scriptures. How absolutely tolerant! Please, where do I sign up? Read more
TJM on YouTube
October 4, 2007
Just a quick video on YouTube , since some think that we only deal with Christianity. Here it is!
Islamic Light, Bahrain & Me.
August 17, 2007
As-salamu alaykum,
In the younger years of my life, I grew up in an Island Kingdom in the Middle East. Bahrain; A few miles off the coast of Saudi Arabia, in all the rich & vast beauty of the pristine blue waters of the Persian Gulf; Bahrain, simply hearing her name brings joy to my heart. I was born and raised in Al Bahrain; The land of the beautiful, the land of pearls.
I was raised a Roman Catholic by religious parents, but I loved Islam more than my religion. But it never even occurred to me that I will end up in neither of them. Life took me to a state of skepticism, of reason & of science; it took me, to Atheism.
In Islamic thought, pearls symbolize Read more
Would the Real Christians Please Stand Up?
August 8, 2007
One of the basic problems that I have with many religions is a simple one: who are the true “role models?” How many times have you heard this said, “Oh, yeah…but he’s/she’s not a real Christian?” Far too many. Read more
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