[Reader-list] BOYCOTT SECTARIAN AGENDAS

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear all

The intrinsic argument in most of these hate mails seems to be that Islam as
a religion is the major problem, for the Quran by religion doesn't encourage
people to live in harmony with people of other religions. Also, the manner
in which the Quran is written, the Suras or the verses used in it as well as
their meaning has been used as a point to state that Islam is a problem for
the nation, and for the world.

Yesterday, as I saw a Youtube video on Muslim demographics posted in this
very forum, it states that Muslims have a very high birth rate in many
European countries. There is no clarity as to why this is being opposed,
except on the grounds of changing culture, which is unfair because culture
is never stagnant and always changes.

Another concern for me is that there must be some context in which all these
military campaigns of Muhammad would have been carried out, and also
different contexts in which he gave such messages. Therefore, it would be
great enough if one could put some of these contexts in which some of the
Suras used by jihadists are put up, so that a proper understanding of these
takes place, and the growth of fundamentalism and extremism can be curbed.

It's in this context that Pheeta's mail seems correct, for one can't simply
ignore fundamentalism and extremism. But they have to be combated by a
mixture of making other issues important, as well as sidelining them through
judicial, police, education and social reforms. These will ultimately go on
to the political side finally, which is of course the last stage of reform
(meaning reform of electoral and party-based political system). And in that
context, one needs to know what kinds of these verses are being misused , as
also the shlokas of the Gita.

Regards

Rakesh