1. Bill Narvey said:

When Andrew Jaffee says, “it is time for Muslims to take a hard look at the direction in which their religion is heading”, just which Muslims are you speaking of?

The Haj to Mecca draws tens of thousands of the faithful each year.

Apart from symbolically throwing stones at the devil, this Islamic multitude listen to Imams preaching about the joys and superiority of Islam and explaining Islam’s fall from grace and power because of Western perfidy, most of which has been at the hands of the Jews and Americans, though some room is made to include all infidels as having had a hand in humiliating Islam.

In the result, much of the Imams’ religious teachings and preachings to the faithful gathered at the Haj are laced with the most virulent and vile anti-American, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric which serve to stoke the fires of their religious fervor.

There are countless examples over many years of Islamic religious leaders preaching their gospel of hate and calling for the deaths of other non-Muslims, whether that preaching is done during the Haj or just regular services in Mosques in Muslim countries or if you are a Westerner, in a Mosque near you.

This is not at all the kind of message Rabbis, priests and ministers preach to their congregants.

With that, it is hard to wrap one’s mind around those Western leaders who insist on describing Islam as a religion of peace, harmony and goodwill.

The Haj is covered by the media and much of what is seen and heard by those making the Haj to Mecca reaches the eyes and ears of countless more Muslims.

Radical Islam incorporates many of the themes of Muslim victimization at the hands of the evil infidels and consequential Muslim humiliation and hatred for the West, America, Israel and Jews.

The Saudis, amongst others zealously follow Wahabbism, a radical version of Islam. The Saudis have for a great many years been carrying out a successful campaign of spreading and indoctrinating a great many more Muslims, be they in Islamic states or Western Muslim communities in the ideology of radical Islam.

The tired phrase “moderate Islam” coined by some pundit searching for some pat phrase to describe non radical Islam, is as devoid of meaning now as it was when it was first introduced.

Does Moderate Islam mean all Muslims but for the front line of radical Islam that is prepared to wage war against non-Muslims and get its hands bloody? Does it also include supporters and financiers of radical Islam?

Is the phrase, “moderate Islam” meant only to include those Muslims who seek to practice their religion in peace and show tolerance and respect for non Muslims? If so, why was the phrase “peaceful Islam” not chosen?

To be sure there are many Muslims who eschew Islamic radicalism and who would prefer to practice their faith in peace and who wish to engage with the west in mutual respect and tolerance. Unfortunately we hardly hear from them and when we do, their voices are barely a whisper against the din of radical Islam.

Western leaders continue to repeat ad nauseum that the vast majority of Muslims are peace loving followers of Islam while the radical Islamists are relatively few who have high jacked Islam? Really??

These wishful thinking bromides sound great, but all the evidence points to radical Islamic ideology directing a very great many Muslims and to some extent at least, influencing and shaping the thinking of a very great many more Muslims.

It is not for Western leaders and pundits to disingenuously or wishfully declare the virtues of Islam.

It is incumbent upon those Muslims who truly are seeking to practice their religion in peace and to interact with the West with mutual respect and tolerance to prove to the West that Islam is the religion of peace, harmony and good will that Western leaders keep saying it is.

That proof will only come when such Muslims stand up themselves to reject and denounce radical Islam and gain a vast following that march against and render radical Islam irrelevant and powerless.

It seems from what has been observed over the last 50 years or so, radical Islam has gained a lot of steam and Islam is exactly where a great many Muslims want it to be and is going in the direction that a great many Muslims pray for.

So just which Muslims is Andrew Jaffee speaking of?

2. The City Troll said:

Great Blog. I have been looking for a good Blog from Israel to link on my site and your it. I hope you don't mind.

The City Troll

3. Nannette said:

Estepona, there's been antisemitism in this world for a few thousand years now, and why should these youngsters show any tolerance for Jews when they're so busy arse kissing Islamists!

Let them boycott Israel and the Jews, but let them dispose of their computers, diabetic, cancer and heart medicines, and the voicemail and texting technology of their mobile phones.

Let's see if any of them have the guts to really show their hatred and boycott these things.... imagine if they took their themselves, their parents or grandparents off cancer, diabetic and heart medication - then there would be far fewer antisemites.

4. The City Troll said:

To all concerned Both David Vance & Andrew McCann of A Tangled Web did NOT post those comments. A Tangled Web which is their Blog is a STRONG SUPPORTER of Israel and would be aghast when I let them know their names were used for such comments....

5. Nannette said:

thanks for pointing that out City Troll - these cowards can't even post in their own names and have to use someone else's identity.

6. David Vance said:

Hi Everyone,

As a proud Friend of Israel, and as someone who has written extensively from a pro-Israeli point of view (Check out IsraelInsider back articles) I find the comments attributed to me and my colleague Andrew just pathetic. Perhaps you would be kind enough to remove them when you get a chance - I appreciate there are many crazies out there but I'll not have my support for Israel besmirched by some sad anti-Semitic goon. And as far as the saddo is concerned who is impersonating me - if you're reading this -why not find the courage to come over to A TANGLED WEB - we know how to deal with your ilk there.