How should Catholics treat and view Muslims?

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Studies show that out of all the world’s Muslims, only about 1% are extremists. The rest are peaceful. So the Muslims at your local mosque are probably peaceful and do not want to kill you.
 
We should treat and view Muslims with realistic caution and Christian charity. We need to avoid both naivety and bigotry in our attitudes. Really nothing can replace charity and a firm grasp on reality.
 
bben15 said:
Studies show that out of all the world’s Muslims, only about 1% are extremists. The rest are peaceful. So the Muslims at your local mosque are probably peaceful and do not want to kill you.
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It all depends on what you consider extremists. Sure, the vast majority of Muslims do not belong to any terrorist or radical insurgent group. But if thinking people who leave Islam or who insult Mohammed should be killed makes someone an extremist, surely the percentage of extremists is much larger. Same with Holocaust denial, holding the position that the Jews should be somehow eliminated from Palestine, or that 9/11 was an Israeli and/or American government conspiracy. The list could go on and on. And in any case there is the strident denial of the most important facts of human history: the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The fact is that Muslims tend to have beliefs and values radically different from our own. We need to be able to acknowledge this without turning to hatred and prejudice towards individual Muslims. In today’s world simply blinding ourselves to these differences to make peace and harmony seem easier is too dangerous a strategy to be supported.
 
You need to know whether they are Muslims or Islamists. The former just want to live in peace with others. One of my docs is Muslim and is kind hearted, charitable and has been very open about inviting us to his home, to the Mosque for talks and to tour. His particular sect is also the target of the violent Islamists since they are more “westernized” than the Islamists allow.

We are foolish though to believe that you can take purported Muslims at face value. Their loyalty is to their tribe/sect not to a country or to an ethic of kindness and charity.

I’m sorry to say that I have become less and less positive about this faith as time goes on. The “good” Muslims won’t speak up (probably afraid and with good reason) and the bad guys, the Islamists are truly the most evil and depraved human beings to walk this earth. They are the kind that will cut off a man’s head and film it, hack a man to death on a London street, set off bombs in marketplaces, ambush tourists, and kill aid workers and humanitarian medical providers. They are EVIL EVIL EVIL and we must do everything we can to stop them from killing the innocents that they prey upon. They are weak and cowardly and evil. A horrible stew of inhumanity.

There is inherent evil in some sections of Islam and even if it’s a minority they are having a MAJOR impact. Virtually EVERY conflict on this earth is related to either two Islamist groups trying to kill each other or an Islamist trying to kill westerners.

Lisa
 
Aelred_Minor said:
It all depends on what you consider extremists. Sure, the vast majority of Muslims do not belong to any terrorist or radical insurgent group. But if thinking people who leave Islam or who insult Mohammed should be killed makes someone an extremist, surely the percentage of extremists is much larger. Same with Holocaust denial, holding the position that the Jews should be somehow eliminated from Palestine, or that 9/11 was an Israeli and/or American government conspiracy. The list could go on and on. And in any case there is the strident denial of the most important facts of human history: the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The fact is that Muslims tend to have beliefs and values radically different from our own. We need to be able to acknowledge this without turning to hatred and prejudice towards individual Muslims. In today’s world simply blinding ourselves to these differences to make peace and harmony seem easier is too dangerous a strategy to be supported.
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THIS! thank you…most are afraid to speak the truth.
Lisa
 
“How should Catholics treat and view Muslims?”

Like Human Beings.
 
LisaA said:
You need to know whether they are Muslims or Islamists.
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So, how do you know which is which? Do they self-identify? Are they stamped on the bottom of their right foot? That’s a joke, but seriously, doesn’t it create an unhealthy paranoia when you make such a statement? I could say with Americans you have to know whether they are normal or serial killers. The serial killers are evil, evil, evil.

So give me some practical advice on how you can tell one from another. Naturally, if they speak in radical terms, then it’s obvious they are radical Muslims, but what if they are the average, low profile Muslim? I think we need to be on guard not to put a stigma on Muslims in general.
 
Robert_Sock said:
One of my facebook ‘friends’ was saying some hateful things about Muslims, and I mentioned that we should treat them with LOVE and respect… she defriended me!
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How should we treat Muslims? The same way we treat everyone else, I suppose. 🙂
 
Treat them with the respect you would give anyone else, and view them however you want.
 
Follow the golden rule: Do unto others before they do unto you! 😃 j/k
 
If you meet any muslims in your neighbourhood or at work, just get to know them gradually the way you would anyone else. After the usual polite exchanges, you will likely learn more about them as individuals.

Meanwhile, as they get to know you, they’ll be sussing out whether or not you’re a nice Christian person or a morally depraved product of North American consumer culture.
 
JamesCaruso said:
So, how do you know which is which? Do they self-identify? Are they stamped on the bottom of their right foot? That’s a joke, but seriously, doesn’t it create an unhealthy paranoia when you make such a statement? I could say with Americans you have to know whether they are normal or serial killers. The serial killers are evil, evil, evil.

So give me some practical advice on how you can tell one from another. Naturally, if they speak in radical terms, then it’s obvious they are radical Muslims, but what if they are the average, low profile Muslim? I think we need to be on guard not to put a stigma on Muslims in general.
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James I realize this was tongue in cheek to some extent but the reality is that Islamists do self identify to a great extent. Muslims, not so much. You can even look to the Boston Bombers’ family. The mom was first shown in western dress, hair done, make up and out in public. Then the family changed and became very Islamic, railing against the country that gave them shelter, the sons affiliating and watching Islamist videos, the older brother going to Chechnya.

Let’s wave a red flag here? This couldn’t have been more obvious. We had a situation in this city where a young married man suddenly had his wife wearing full cover, he grew a long beard, began complaining about his co-workers and their ways. When he was arrested for plotting a terror attack his co workers were SURE he was innocent…but he wasn’t and he’s now in prison. Ditto with a man who worked for our mayor…very open about his conversion to Islam, vocal about his criticism of western ways. He was found to be plotting to bomb a Jewish school.

Now if I see a bearded man followed by a woman in a hijab pushing a baby stroller, I don’t recoil in horror. But when you see big changes in behavior, in associations, in communications…wake up and smell the dynamite. It’s just foolish to presume that Islamists are like you and me, just misunderstood. They are not. I am frankly tired of our “tolerance” that has gotten people killed. These guys are not hiding in the shadows. In virtually every case of homegrown or imported terrorists Islamists, people knew what they were doing.

Lisa
 
Treat Muslims as you are called to treat all as a Christian, with love and respect even if it is not returned in kind. However difficult that may be.
 
Robert_Sock said:
One of my facebook ‘friends’ was saying some hateful things about Muslims, and I mentioned that we should treat them with LOVE and respect… she defriended me!

What are your views on the vast number of Muslims in the world?

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=17499&stc=1&d=1372124808

Above is the controversial picture of Pope John Paul II kissing the Koran.
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Catholics (and Jews) should treat Muslims with the same charity and respect with which they expect to be treated. We need not prejudge what their personal or political views are. We should treat them as individuals.
 
With the same respect and dignity you would like to be treated.

We do not judge, we bless, as Christ did teach. No matter what religion you encounter all you need to know is that we have a free choice to believ as we do.

It is really not important to be right in public, if you know that you have the truth, you know, if the other one tell you that you don’t have it, let him think that you are wrong. And if God want you to defend your faith, He will give the words needed to do so. (It is a bit like a marriage, you always have a easier time by saying “yes honey” then to start a animated argument that you will lose anyway.)
 
LisaA said:
James I realize this was tongue in cheek to some extent but the reality is that Islamists do self identify to a great extent. Muslims, not so much. You can even look to the Boston Bombers’ family. The mom was first shown in western dress, hair done, make up and out in public. Then the family changed and became very Islamic, railing against the country that gave them shelter, the sons affiliating and watching Islamist videos, the older brother going to Chechnya.

Let’s wave a red flag here? This couldn’t have been more obvious. We had a situation in this city where a young married man suddenly had his wife wearing full cover, he grew a long beard, began complaining about his co-workers and their ways. When he was arrested for plotting a terror attack his co workers were SURE he was innocent…but he wasn’t and he’s now in prison. Ditto with a man who worked for our mayor…very open about his conversion to Islam, vocal about his criticism of western ways. He was found to be plotting to bomb a Jewish school.

Now if I see a bearded man followed by a woman in a hijab pushing a baby stroller, I don’t recoil in horror. But when you see big changes in behavior, in associations, in communications…wake up and smell the dynamite. It’s just foolish to presume that Islamists are like you and me, just misunderstood. They are not. I am frankly tired of our “tolerance” that has gotten people killed. These guys are not hiding in the shadows. In virtually every case of homegrown or imported terrorists Islamists, people knew what they were doing.

Lisa
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What do you propose we do with the vast number of Islamic people living in the world? Death camps?

I say we change there culture, the same way our culture is changing. We need to treat them with LOVE and respect.
 
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