It has been announced that Tony Blair wants to ’devote his life to faith’. By ‘faith’ I suppose we are to understand ‘interfaith dialogue’, so as to try and ensure that we all live together in harmony.
This is a noble ambition indeed; unfortunately, however, there is one stumbling block: The nature of Islam!
For ‘interfaith dialogue’ to be meaningful, there has to be a readiness by all parties, in this case especially Jews, Christians, and Muslims, to compromise, for without compromise, interfaith dialogue becomes a meaningless exercise.
In Islam we find an implacable faith, an unyielding belief system founded on totally different principles than both Judaism and Christianity.
Christianity is based on love: The love of God, the love for God, the love of humanity. Islam, by contrast, is not a religion based on love; rather, it is based on total submission to Allah, and where there is no total submission to Him, we find the sword used to rein in the people. Indeed, Muhammad himself announced the sword to be an instrument of faith. Who, then, are we to argue with Muhammad’s declaration? How can we put a positive spin on that?
It is interesting to note that there is a maxim used by Muslims which states the following: ‘To convince stubborn unbelievers, there is no argument like the sword.’ [Source: Washington Irving: Mohammed]
For this reason, if for no other, it is difficult to see what Tony Blair hopes to achieve with his devotion to interfaith dialogue. How does he hope to change the nature of the faith of Islam? It is impossible to change nature. Indeed, can we change the nature of anything? And if this is so, then what hope have we of changing the nature of Islam, especially after more than fourteen hundred years?
The only man who could have changed its nature was the Prophet Muhammad himself. But as he is no longer around to make any changes, it is not going to be possible for mere mortals to change anything in that religion. You see, Islam is not a religion like Christianity anyway. Christianity has evolved, and has undergone a reformation. This reformation was made possible partly because Christianity, being based on the Bible, especially the New Testament, is to all but fundamentalist Christians considered to be a book that is inspired by God. The words contained therein are not generally considered to be God’s actual words.
In this respect, Islam is very different. Islam, as we all know, is based on the Qur’an, and that book is not considered be inspired by Allah; rather, Muslims consider the book to comprise the actual words of Allah as dictated to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel in the form of a recitation. In fact, the very meaning of ‘Al Qur’an’ is ‘The Recitation’.
The result of this difference between the holy books has led to two quite different civilizations and cultures. Muslims are very defensive of Islamic culture and civilization in a way that Westerners are not defensive of theirs.
Take our leaders. They are reluctant to face up to the fact that we have a huge problem on our hands with Islam in general, and with the rapid growth of Islam in the West in particular. In this reluctance, they are doing us no favours. On the contrary, they are remiss in their duties as guardians of our way of life, as guardians of our Judeo-Christian civilization.
What, for example, are our leaders doing to protect our values and our way of life? Interfaithing will offer no protection; actually, on the contrary, it will probably lead to compromise – the compromise of Westerners. To me it seems like a cop out. It is a smokescreen to enable the top echelons to put profit above principle.
The jihad which is being waged against the West threatens us all. It is not something we can afford to ignore; yet people are ignoring it, largely in the hope that it will go away. It won’t. If anything, it will get worse.
The jihad has many guises. One of the latest is the economic jihad being waged against capitalism. Only this morning, it was reported that there have been calls for Ireland to introduce Shari’ah-compliant finance as a matter of urgency. As a matter of urgency, no less! Why? So that Muslims living and working in Ireland can live their lives according to their faith, without feeling conflicted by the terms and conditions of living in the ‘evil’ capitalist system.
One can but ask oneself one question here: If living under capitalism is so onerous for these Muslims, then why did they come here to live in the first place?
The leaders of finance houses who are working so hard to introduce Shari’ah-compliant financial services and products seem to be oblivious to the fact that Islamic economics is competing in every respect with capitalism. Isn’t it true to say that the interest rate is the keystone of a capitalist economy? Take that keystone away and the whole system will start to fall apart.
In Islam, riba is frowned upon. But let’s get one thing straight: Riba is generally translated as usury, not as the interest rate per se. There is a world of difference between usury, which is the charging of extortionate rates of interest for loans, and the general interest rate which is not to be equated with such extortion. Yet nobody seems to be making any difference between them. The financiers appear to have been hoodwinked into believing that the interest rate is itself frowned upon in Islamic economics. It must be said that one’s definitions in this matter depend on the Islamic scholars one reads: Some scholars frown upon the interest rate altogether, calling it all usury, whilst others take a more liberal approach and make a distinction between a reasonable rate of interest and an extortionate rate.
Whichever is the case, the fact remains that Islamic economics is not compatible with the long-term interests of a capitalist economy. One can but worry about the tentacles of Islam tightening their grip on Western economies. Lest we forget, the old adage, He who pays the piper calls the tune comes to mind. We need not wait to learn that this is indeed true. We can discern the verity of the adage already when we look around us. Take the power of the petrodollar as a case in point. Its power is profound, and it can be felt around the globe.
It is one reason why our leaders and business people are reluctant to speak out. They are overcome by greed and fear: They are greedy to earn back the petrodollars, and they are fearful that if they speak out they will incur the wrath of the Muslims living in the West, and cut off our oil supplies into the bargain.
You see, they do not have the stomach for any form of confrontation. The sad reality is, however, that the West will not survive this onslaught without a confrontation of some kind or other. It’s just not possible. Muslims are too determined to replace our Judeo-Christian civilization with an Islamic one, too determined to replace capitalism with an Islamic economic system.
But by confrontation, I do not necessarily think that we need to go to war (though that cannot, of course, be ruled out in the long-run). But we do need to protect our own values and our own way of life. Alas, this is not happening. Our leaders are giving in at every turn. Appeasement of Muslims both at home and abroad is the norm of the day. It will do nothing for the West except accelarate the demise of our civilization, and accelerate the demise of capitalism, too.
Can’t the people in power see what they are doing? Are bankers and financiers so greedy that they are willing to bring down the West for their own short-term gain? Do they not realize that they are playing with fire? Do they really believe that capitalism and Islamic economics can co-exist? Can they really be that ignorant?
Personally, I think they are not; rather, I think these people are out to get all they can before the house of cards is brought down. Remember the fall of communism? Capitalism will fall equally easily if we do not pay more attention. It’s hard to believe, I know. But the introduction of Shari’ah-compliant finance and other Shari’ah-compliant products is just the start. It is the introduction of Shari’ah law by the back the door. Today it’s banking; tomorrow it will be Shari’ah enshrined in the laws of the land, enshrined in the constitutions of Western countries. How foolish our leaders, bankers and financiers are!
Before 9/11, it would have been hard to imagine that the West could have been so weak and unwilling to fight for a way of life we have come to expect and love. But it all started going wrong after those attacks, because we were too reluctant to state the case against Islam, clearly and unequivocally. The politicians have busied themselves making excuses for Islam and have deceived the public in so doing; the business people and bankers have busied themselves making money from the countries awash with petrodollars. And in so doing they have chosen to turn a blind eye to the financing, by Saudi Arabia, of the propagation of Wahhabi Islam in the West.
So what exactly is Tony Blair going to achieve with his lifetime spent interfaithing? Is he merely going to sell the West farther down the river? And in any case, what are his qualifications for doing this job? What does he know about Islam? And where has he learnt that which he does know?
One thing is for certain: People like Tony Blair are not going to learn the true nature of Islam by sitting in five star hotels in Bethlehem, talking to fabulously rich Muslims from oil-rich countries. To learn about the true nature of Islam one has to mix and talk with people at the grassroots level. The rich are generally Western-educated, indulge in alcohol, spend enormous amounts of money in casinos, live in the lap of luxury, and generally do not adhere strictly to their faith. They are also generally well-travelled; so they are not representative of the ordinary man in the Arab street. Ergo, little can be learnt from them when it comes to the faith of Islam.
Isn’t it high time that we all started taking stock? Isn’t it high time that we woke up to the reality which confronts us? Isn’t it high time that we started to put principle before profit?
©Mark Alexander
13 comments:
I recall that Tony Blair once stated, "I've read the Koran from cover to cover."
Do you believe that statement? I don't.
First of all, one doesn't read the Koran "cover to cover." It's not organized like the Bible.
Second, and more important, if Blair had indeed read the Koran and paid attention to what he was reading, he'd recognize that Islam is incompatible with Western principles.
Western leaders have the mistaken notion that "we all worship the same God." Rubbish!
Interfaithing will serve nothing more than emboldening Muslims to impose their barbaric ways on the rest of us.
The resolve and unity following 9/11 have evaporated -- except for Muslims, that is. They now taste victory much beyond the destruction of the Twin Towers (and other attacks on the West).
Our leaders are dangerous idiots.
PS: Mark, you've outdone yourself with this essay! I hope that you are giving it as wide a dissemination as possible.
Excellent piece Mark. You are really on form with this one
Thank you, JAR. That's very kind of you. I appreciate it.
By the way, welcome back! This was always your home, wasn't it? It really is good to have you back.
Have you checked out my new website, Libralyrica?
Pop over there and see what you think.
I've been traveling the wide world of diverse opinion Mark, and boy is it wide, so wide in fact, I sometimes despair upon us ever reaching a consensus as to just what to do about our looming problems. It would seem that many would prefer to sleep on, that is...until death or slavery overtakes them.
I sometimes think that the Divine has given up on us, and I can't say that I'd blame him...what fools we mortals be!
AOW. Anything that issues from the mouth of that deceitful charlatan is almost always a lie. For the life of me, given the evidence of their own eyes, why anyone still believes Tony Blair is beyond my comprehension. The man has form, a staggeringly long track record of willful deceit. I guess it just goes to show that thinking for themselves is a burden that many would rather avoid at all costs.
As to your new website Mark, nice idea, but being a picky individualist sort of character, my tastes range to some rather less mainstream choices. I can even listen to some of my son's 'heavy metal' - though not for long.
Here is something to enjoy on a Saturday afternoon (or evening) Craig D'Andrea - Morrison County, a tune to express how happy the artist would be if a certain famous Canadian lady would go out on a date with him...see what inspiration women can inspire in men, and they still claim that they are "victims"...ho hum, no wonder the feminists think they have us wrapped around their little fingers.
JAR:
I've been traveling the wide world of diverse opinion Mark, and boy is it wide, so wide in fact, I sometimes despair upon us ever reaching a consensus as to just what to do about our looming problems.
Yes, that's where Muslims have the edge on us. Their opinions are far less diverse.
It would seem that many would prefer to sleep on, that is...until death or slavery overtakes them.
That's exactly what so many people are doing.
I sometimes think that the Divine has given up on us, and I can't say that I'd blame him...what fools we mortals be!
Would seem that way, wouldn't it?
As to your new website Mark, nice idea, but being a picky individualist sort of character, my tastes range to some rather less mainstream choices. I can even listen to some of my son's 'heavy metal' - though not for long.
Sorry you haven't got any taste in music! :-) But then, no worries; many others seem to like mainstream even if you don't.
That sort of guitar music which you appear to like just leaves me cold, I'm afraid. It doesn't stir the emotions enough for this warm-blooded individual. Sorry!
Mark, music, of all things, is the most subjective of human opinions. So...each to their own.
Some sage of times gone by, said, "What is a friend but another I", a sentiment I tend NOT to agree with, for I am not one to have need of an echo chamber for my personal preferences. So with that in mind lets raise a toast to our differences...long may they reign. And yes, I readily concede my tastes in music do range toward the eclectic.
However, having spent the morning working with my two sons, and being subjected to their preference in music for much of 6 hours, I take back what I said earlier about "heavy metal" music. :(
Having re-read your very excellent essay, and after having diverted the comments section by my return, as a courteous guest, (well, hopefully so :), may I make amends by steering the comments back to the subject in hand.
Straight off the mark Mark I have to disagree with your first premise - "This is a noble ambition indeed; unfortunately, however, there is one stumbling block:" - You grant to Mr. Blair a virtue he does not possess. Ambition...yes he has that in spades, but as to the the noble part, he has never been known to hold any sentiment for a moment longer than it was beneficial to the cause of Tony Blair. This whole charade is about keeping Mr. Blair in the limelight, he wishes to remain front and center upon the stage. Not contented with having wrecked the British state, and set the nation upon a course towards the dissolution of the democratic state and the subsumation of that former state under the boot of the decidedly un-democratic EU autocracy, and the almost certain civil war due to his enforced "community cohesion" policies of massed immigration, and multicultural love fest, in the face of all evidence as to its deleterious probable consequences, no, he wants to do more...gaud bless 'im. No, in the context of "stumbling blocks" Islam comes in as second best...this is all about our dear leader and his vanity...err...I mean...virtue. T B Liar is all about himself, he is the ultimate expression of hedonism.
By the simple fact of his being in the equation we lose sight of the very real danger of just what this issue is all about, as Tony will do just what he always does best, which is to obfuscate, in an endless charade with no greater purpose than maintaining his ego at the center of this firestorm, and at our expense.
Yeah, that's right...I don't like him ;)
Phew, this could be a long post; I've only touched the first point.
As you quite rightly point out Mark, for dialogue to have meaning and purpose, it requires two parties seeking mutual accord, not one seeking total domination with the other weakly squirming under an endless pressure, accomplishing nothing more than to spin the dialogue into an endless succession of concessions. With each passing day, our elites expose themselves for the empty vacuous fools they really are. Even if one believes that there is a hidden purpose to their actions, to ensconce themselves into a position of total dominance within the political structures of power politics, their folly in the belief that they can ride the tiger of Islam and eventually tame the beast is the very height of conceit; they will be devoured by it, though I suspect with all their high blown philosophy of moral relativism, they will be easily converted to the new dominant faith...in a few years their current strong convictions of atheism will be a source of constant protestations of denial to the new masters of fundamentalism.
Mark, as you point out, our faith, even our societies are based upon an assumption of love and compassion for our fellowship and communities. Unfortunately, our elites have been led astray by the pied pipers of Marxism. Even those who profess to have withstood the indoctrination, have, in effect, been consumed by its pernicious message, by the endless propaganda spewed forth in its cause, and by the general malaise of its insidious strangulation of a society's confidence in its own TRUE virtues.
Always on Watch is quite correct, Islam does indeed taste the sweet scent of victory, and is so emboldened, and if our elites are so clueless as to think that this will lead anywhere other than a most brutal and barbaric war, they are deluding only themselves, though so far, many others it would seem, are willing to be taken in by the endless tales of "community cohesion", but for how much longer(?).
‘To convince stubborn unbelievers, there is no argument like the sword.’ Until we in the West awake to this reality, we will face nothing but an endless succession of defeats. Oh we will still have our battlefield victories, to comfort our fears, but the real victories will fall to Islam, as they advance their cause throughout the Western world, as the men of steel, men of power, lose control by the hour (thanks Phil) As unpleasant as it is to hear, we MUST prepare ourselves for war. Not this TV war which has been raging for the past seven years,and which the pompous talking heads have been tut tuting over for ratings, but a real war, an in your face war, one which our leaders are loath to talk about. One where each and every one of us is on the line, for that will be the truth of the matter. If you think that that is alarmist...well, I'm sorry to disabuse you, but our elites have guarantied that that is exactly what our future holds for us all.
"For this reason, if for no other, it is difficult to see what Tony Blair hopes to achieve with his devotion to interfaith dialogue" Mark, Tony Blair believes in one thing only...himself and his higher virtue.
"The only man who could have changed its nature was the Prophet Muhammad himself"...etc,etc. Mark, with this paragraph you touch upon not only the differences between the two faiths, but what I think is an aspect of religious belief within the West that is often actually misunderstood, and is in effect, the Achilles heel of the Christian faith. We are led to believe that our abilities to evolve in our belief systems are a source of great strength, because in many ways they are, but they are also a source of great weakness and as such are at the root cause of the demise of the Christian faith in the heart of Europe. Christianity, as practiced in the Western world of self indulgence, has no longer any foundation stones upon which to anchor itself, for they have all been cast out as inconveniences at one time or another, and so many souls, seeing nothing of substance within the church, for what is now preached from the pulpit is whatever the prevailing orthodoxies deem suitable for our ears, and nothing more. While many may not be able to place a finger upon the actual root cause of the decline, they can easily recognise the hypocrisies of the modern church, and so turn away in disgust. Christianity's unrecognized nemesis Secularism is going to have to do a lot better, if it hopes to survive in the political arena for much longer, for Islam intents to eat it for lunch, as a preliminary course before the main dish of Christianity, and given the measure of of our elites, currently on display, it looks to be an extremely lite dish.
The central truth is...to those with the greatest convictions will go the victory. The West may have the power, but Islam has the conviction; and until we find leaders with the necessary testicular fortitude, we will continually drift towards the shoals of defeat.
"Take our leaders." I wish somebody would. ;) "They are reluctant to face up to the fact that we have a huge problem on our hands with Islam in general, and with the rapid growth of Islam in the West in particular" Mark, our leaders are trapped by a snare of their own devising, they are the very source of this looming conflict, and when the public awakens to just what they have done there will be hell to pay, unfortunately it will be the innocent who pay the greatest price. They are the ones who made these pernicious accords with the taqqiya merchants of the Islamic faith, they are the fools who let untold numbers of a determined enemy into our citadels, who can doubt the high price we will now have to pay to defend ourselves. It's probably a good thing that I hold no position of power, because if it was up to me, I'd hang the bloody lot of them! Lying, deceitful bastards: too busy stuffing their fat faces at the public trough.
George Washington warned of the dangers of party politics and its corrosive effect on human interactions, and the warning ended with the caution that sooner or later, the minds of men would tire of the endless bickering and so seek repose in the arms of some strong man, who would ascend the path of power..."Upon the ruination of public liberty", it would seem we are well and truly set on that path right now. When will we ever listen to the wise men, instead of these pompous frauds endlessly trotted out for our delectation.
"The leaders of finance houses who are working so hard to introduce Shari’ah-compliant financial services and products seem to be oblivious to the fact that Islamic economics is competing in every respect with capitalism." Ah yes, the god of mammon; what more does one need to know?
Mark, you are right that Islam means to replace our civilization with their own, though for the life of me, other than the loot to gained, I don't think they have a clue as to just how to run a functioning civilization, for their own societies are very dependent upon Western know how, Western consumption of the only commodity of any worth which they possess, Western aid, and above all, Western production of excess food products, and Western distribution techniques with which to feed the masses; take away all that and there really will be problems; and if Islam does manage to overpower the West, how long before those productive societies become the reflection of the slothful habits and corrupt despotisms of the Middle East, with the consequent demise of the very substance which generates the essentials for an over teeming life upon this planet, for then maybe Malthius' dire prediction might indeed spring forth.
Mark, I think war is the inevitable conclusion in the long run, I don't think that there is any avoiding it. WE are faced with an implacable determined enemy who due to our weak and clueless elites, has the scent of our blood within his nostrils and it inflames his passions for it restores his most pious hopes and desires of his fundamentalist faith.
"Can’t the people in power see what they are doing? Are bankers and financiers so greedy that they are willing to bring down the West for their own short-term gain? Do they not realize that they are playing with fire? Do they really believe that capitalism and Islamic economics can co-exist? Can they really be that ignorant?" Mark, these people believe in nothing and no one, their god is money, their faith is themselves. Only when their ill gotten gains are torn from their fingers will they see the danger that their actions have brought upon us all, but by then, they and we, will all be slaves. Do you not think it came as an enormous shock to the Romans as their cities were overrun, we too it would seem are about to experience the same, unless we awake from our comfortable dreams.
Mark, your excoriation of the greed and duplicity of the elites and financial institutions is right on the money.
Mark, we have both spent our lifetimes watching society put profit before principle, did we not see that some day there would come a day of reckoning for this folly. Even during my youth in the sixties I recall watching in appalled fascination as the local bigwigs tore down the old social structures, the Youth programs and the civil institutions which welded a society together, all upon the alter of ECONOMY. Even then, I saw trouble looming. For so long we have been led by loud mouthed fools and looters, and now the bill comes due, it is going to be painful to pay the piper after 60 plus years of these lies and deceits.
JAR:
I see you are as wordy as you ever were! :-)
I shall try and respond to you, but I shall not respond to all since doing so would keep me tied to the computer till suppertime!
Straight off the mark Mark I have to disagree with your first premise - "This is a noble ambition indeed; unfortunately, however, there is one stumbling block:" - You grant to Mr. Blair a virtue he does not possess. Ambition...yes he has that in spades, but as to the the noble part, he has never been known to hold any sentiment for a moment longer than it was beneficial to the cause of Tony Blair. This whole charade is about keeping Mr. Blair in the limelight, he wishes to remain front and center upon the stage.
I think you might have misunderstood what I wrote there. Or perhaps I wasn't clear enough.
I was not trying to imply that Tony Blair was noble; I was merely trying to say that "trying to ensure that we all live in harmony" is a noble sentiment. We all know that Blair is not noble. Everything that Blair does, as you rightly say, is about Blair. I agree with what you say there.
It is indeed about keeping Blair in the limelight. It is also about Blair making money and gaining prestige. The man is phoney - phoney right down to his fingertips.
Everything he has ever done has been about Tony. I don't trust that man one little bit.
And by the way, if Blair were such a religious man, if he were to be such a devout Christian, he would not have done all he has to destroy Christian culture by bringing in so many Muslim immigrants hell-bent on turning the West over to Islam. He would also not have gone to war so readily and caused so many people, Christian and Muslim, to be killed in that unnecessary war.
I must ask you one question before I forget. Who's Phil?
I was asked yesterday if I didn't think that my title, "Putting Profit above Principle" was an oxymoron. This questions says it all. If people think that way in the capitalist West, then the capitalist West will not be there for very much longer. If people think - and I am sure many people do - that principle is incompatible with capitalism, then the days of capitalism are numbered, especially when faced with an implacable enemy such as Islam, a religio-political system whose adherents believe Islamic principles to be of paramount importance.
That's one thing we have to admire Muslims for: Their devotion to their faith and cause. As you say, to today's capitalists their only cause is lining their own pockets, and their only devotion is to themselves.
But it is my belief that the capitalist West will not be able to hold out against a force such as Islam. Today's capitalists (and I say today's capitalists because I don't think historically capitalists were the same) will prostitute their principles for the bottom line. Principles mean nothing to them; to Muslims they are everything.
In answer to your question..."who's Phil - Phil Collins, the singer. The line "Men of steel. men of power, losing control by the hour", comes from a song of his from the eighties I believe.
Mark, I know we are both basically on the same page on these issues of our age, while my tone might seem to imply a disagreement of principle, it is in truth more of a foil with which to pitch my argument, and so between the two of us, and any other willing contributors, to allow readers to draw their own conclusions. Written dialogue can often times be very misleading, both from the perspective of the reader and the imprecision of the writer, hence the seeming confusion which reigns over the discourse within the West. Of course it does not help that there are so many dishonest interlocutors clouding up the dialogue.
Actually Mark, of late the muse has run of with my thoughts and my output has been very spartan...it must be your warm welcome of return which has inspired the muse to make a swift return. And anyway, would it be such a bad think for you to be restrained from hurrying towards the diner table...I know, speaking for myself, that would be no bad thing, as my waistline would greatly appreciate the abstinence ( why are there no smiley faces around here to make up for the missing body language, so essential in personal dialogue ... humph!!!! ). Well, enjoy your repast my friend. And enjoy my wordy comments as they have been somewhat infrequent of late.
JAR:
I am in no hurry for food. In fact, I have not long eaten lunch. I was merely being facetious.
I am glad my warm welcome has brought the muse back. Do feel free to give Muse free rein. You always did have an interesting take on things. In point of fact, you are right: Basically, we both sing from the same hymn sheet.
Sorry, JAR, I forgot to thank you for your clarification on 'Phil'. After all, it could have been 'Dr Phil' of Oprah fame! :-)
Dr Phil...Oprah...bah humbug, I can't stand such smug self referential drivel...why do people get off on such garbage(?)...don't answer as I already know, it's the supreme emptiness of their own lives, that they must live vicariously through that of others deemed more worthy, more fitting, more elegant, more valuable...anything to get away from the emptiness which consumes them....how truly sad.
I don't presume to imply that I live a completely fulfilling life, but I sure as hell don't need to live my life in the opinion of others, in the empty adulation of the celebrity culture of the beautiful people...yuck.
I was only joking. Really.
Yes, celebrity culture seems to have taken over the West; and, like you, it leaves me cold, too. I have no time for it. As you said: Bah humbug!
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