My Dear short-fused Belloti,
If you are offended by some of my posts, I am only responding to the same scorn and vituperations that had been poured on me and my lord Jesus by all the enthusiatic jammat on this forum.  You see, nobody has monopoly of violence, whether verbal or physical, some of us only do not believe in it as a means-to-an-end. By showing that I am not only up to the task, but can also up-the-ante if called for, now there is a call for ceasefire in some quarters, good, we can now have an issue based discussion and critique of islam, muhammed, quran, Jesus etc without anybody calling for head of fellow discussant. Remember, when Hezbollah attacked Israel, the response was swift and appropriate maybe disproportionate and soon the whole world was calling for ceasefire. Yorubas also say a fi owo kekere gba abara nla, that is what is called reverse psycology as I stated in my other post to you
It is only open-mindedness and availability for issue-based, intellectual debate that you jammat need in this century; only if 'moderate muslims like you can educate peoples at your local mosques about the need for dialogue rather than riot and passing futile fatwah at every opportunity.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Shalom

NB: But remember, if you katyusha-me, I am still ready to-F16+Tomahawk-you!!!

this discussion has turned into a war of words!!!

How do you all intend to enlighten one another this way?

My step-uncle showed me this article

http://allafrica.com/stories/200609210318.html

Nigeria: Jigawa Riot - Gov Turaki Escapes Death  - 9/21/2006

GOVERNOR Ibrahim Saminu Turaki of Jigawa State, yesterday, narrowly escaped death close to the Dutse central mosque while on a peace mission to douse the ethno-religious riot that seized the sleepy capital.

Hundreds of youths had massed around the mosque for a briefing from the Emir when Governor Turaki arrived in company of his chief detail and within seconds, the peace effort crashed as protesting youths turned again him, leading to a complete break down of law and order.
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The visibly shaken governor made his way to his battered Peugeot 607 car and escaped from the scene to Andaza, 15 kilometres away from the state capital, while his chief detail identified as Friday who received a machete cuts on his face was rescued by armed policemen drafted to the mosque.

The town had earlier in the day been thrown into pandemonium when the police attempted to disperse a peaceful demonstration by youths who alleged blasphemy of Prophet Muhammad by a tailor in the city.

By then, the police had picked up the suspect for interrogation to ascertain the truth of the allegation. However, youths fearing miscarriage of justice on the part of police launched a protest

In the ensuing clash, no fewer than six people were injured and treated at the Dutse General Hospital. This seemed to have provoked the natives who accused the police of taking side against the protesters. The action of the youths triggered panic across the city, forcing hundreds of non-natives to seek refuge at the police headquarters. No fewer than six churches were razed down, while about 20 residential buildings were burnt.

Although no life was lost, the town's commercial centre was in ruins while some selected shops within Dutse market were torched. The police following the deployment of more personnel, however, brought the situation under control.

Governor Turaki quickly called an emergency security meeting with heads of various security agencies with the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Kano, Jigawa and Katsina in attendance.

Hi Nairalander,
The issue here is not what the Pope said,
rather it is the way our Muslim brothers react to
any issue that has to do with Prophet Mohammed.
If the Islamic religion does not encourage Violence
WHY is always that they only KILL and DESTROY when ever
they is little misunderstanding.
Pls stop the killing.
Peace.spread love not Violence.

The way they react whenever Muhammad is 'dissed' is exactly the way Mo reacted to his enemies.
The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree,like prophet like sons.
Thanks for that story nico.
Burning churches is their signature style,I would have been suprised if allah did not ask for ashes of some churches as an appeasement.

They will tell us the Muslim violence is all politically driven not religious.
Are you the only ones in politics?

@Archbishop: I think the real issue is not what the Muslims do. Even though I disagree with the reactions of the Muslims, but we as humans should not allow ordinary person to disrespect a prophet. It is the carelessness of most of us that has emboldened people in the West to the point that they made fun of Jesus concerning his sexuality. We need to protect all these people who have passed away. If Muhammad (AS) were to be alive, he would have left the former Nazi, who is now passing for a pope alone to his ignorance.

Have you noticed that Muslims do not even insult and true personality in the Bible, which I might add that includes the 12 companions of Jesus (AS). I am not saying that Saul/Paul is from this group. He came later.

Why is it that Christians think that they are free to insult the prophet of God. Why. The pope, if he was intending to instigate a religious dialogue, he was very naive in his methodology. He was even a yellow belly that he did not give the response of the Muslim Scholar who was dialoging with the Emperor. He stopped short of the response. that tells you that he was disgenious. That is very unbecoming of a religious leader.

olabowale that is besides the point.
The issue is not what was said by the pope,you cannot control what people say.
The only thing we have control over is our action after words have been spoken.
And so far the Muslims have proven to the world time and time again, what an aggressive blood thirsty bunch they are.

Rather than try to disprove the obvious,you must look inwards and ask yourselves the simple question why

The issue is not what was said by the pope,you cannot control what people say.
The only thing we have control over is our action after words have been spoken.

the topic is comments by the pope annoy muslims.
so you also have to consider what the pope said.


Also how can you say you can't control what people say, but can control actions of people (or our actions). i think its easier to control what is said than actions.

@Babyosisis: As a person I try very much to bite my tongue. The biggest attack a person can visit upon me is to abuse my family, any one of them with word.

You could hit me, but do not abuse my family. Yet, I love any of the prophet of God more than any member of my family. I love Muhammad (AS). So when I hear or read about any abuse of this nobility, I weep inside. I have to compose myself in order to continue to be civil. Maybe, if i show kindness, God may soften the heart and the speech of that person who is that vile against this beloved man (AS).

I fear that a person may reject faith through my action, so I strive for goodness. Words hurt. It hurts and deep wound is created.

I really wonder!! If it very difficult for the educated jammat on this forum to accept and understand that muslimis amd muslimas CANNOT prevent a critique, comment or discussion of their religion/prophet in this century and years to come by any means; how will they be able to educate the uneducated jammat in their local or neighbourhood mosque who look up to them for inspiration.
The Pope has every right to make any comment however critical of islam it could be (that is called freedom of thought and speech); he only apologised to prevent the opportunity for some hooligans to go on killing and looting spree in the attempt to defend the name of their powerless deity and his slave who cannot defend his own name.

olabowale:

@Babyosisis: As a person I try very much to bite my tongue. The biggest attack a person can visit upon me is to abuse my family, any one of them with word.

You could hit me, but do not abuse my family. Yet, I love any of the prophet of God more than any member of my family. I love Muhammad (AS). So when I hear or read about any abuse of this nobility, I weep inside. I have to compose myself in order to continue to be civil. Maybe, if i show kindness, God may soften the heart and the speech of that person who is that vile against this beloved man (AS).

I fear that a person may reject faith through my action, so I strive for goodness. Words hurt. It hurts and deep wound is created.

Sharpened cutlasses hurt too. very deep wounds are created.

[b]Bro. Olabowale spoke my mind and the minds of millions of muslims. The earlier you guys accept this fact, the better for our debate here. A little negative word about our Holy prophet creat a deep wound on our hearts. The fact that we try so hard to be civil and control our anger deserve some form of understanding from you. The world can be a lot better if we don't need to use insultive words.

In islamic Teachings there are 3 ways to respond to problems like such:-

1. If the problem or injustice do exist, do your best to correct it actively by whatever means neccessary.

2. If you d rather not do that then voice out your protest against such deed.

3. The least thing you can do as a muslim is to express deep sorrow and sadness with regards to the issue.

Any muslim the world over must definitely belong to either of these, else should evaluate his faith. No matter how hard we try to ensure peace and harmony between us and you, its unfortunate you always keep taking us for granted. Cant we all unite and ensure that these things never happen in the first place.[/b]

it took so many hours to read this tpoic from start to finish, i really do not care what a religion entails but i care a lot when followers violently defend so-called slugs thrown at their supposed to be "supernatural" God. if christains misyarn a lot about islam so do muslims about christainity. Candidly I think the problem is that christains are too chicken to do the "volience" thingy cos if they did moslems would not have the guts to torch the nearest church when there is a problem. bottom line: christains should do to muslims has muslims have done to christains, capish

I fear that there are not many mainstream Muslims who take the view of the moderate Muslims. While the latter are more reasonable, the former class will hurt and maim and think it only pleases God.

I've learned as well to be courteous in addressing issues, and I'm still learning - who knows, perhaps someone might be helped, or otherwise be turned off entirely by my action and/or reaction. Here I agree with olabowale, even though we differ in our views many times.

Belloti, thanks for that input to make some of us see how some Muslims feel about issues and how to handle them; I only pray that on both sides of the divide we'd be more respectful and tolerant, as well as be ready to engage in honest dialogue than go on rampage at every effort to reconcile faith and reason. I apologise if my inputs or reactions have hurt anyone, but I do pray that people would understand that we must as a matter of urgency and priority speak the truth - even if it hurts.

texazzpete, that's so, so true - and those who weird the cutlasses should understand that progress and development do not come by cutting off productive hands.

@belloti

Thank you very much muslims have the right to be angry and about insinuation at there religion I find it difficult why you dont also think that when you call the People that follow the teaching of Christ Infidels and Insult the bible that was written of 4000 years to do.

I perhaps feel from your response you feel that we dont feel bad at all when statements about Jesus and our Holy book. We are followers of christ and we dont worry ourselves about your book The quran we are busy apply our bible on our lives to be holy and prepare to Meet JESUS OF THE BIBLE OUR LORD AND GOD.

@ Olabowale

My brother in Tribe I am happy that the aspect of The religion of Islam that is violent is not present in the yoruba areas where I am from we never or hardly fight just because the Islam we know was not made to be a state religion we know why the states where there is violence is because the people are not 1st nigerians but Islamist that must make all Nigeria become an Islamic nation.

You have agreed in your sumation that you sometimes are angry and

olabowale:

@Babyosisis: As a person I try very much to bite my tongue. The biggest attack a person can visit upon me is to abuse my family, any one of them with word.

You could hit me, but do not abuse my family. Yet, I love any of the prophet of God more than any member of my family. I love Muhammad (AS). So when I hear or read about any abuse of this nobility, I weep inside. I have to compose myself in order to continue to be civil. Maybe, if i show kindness, God may soften the heart and the speech of that person who is that vile against this beloved man (AS).

I fear that a person may reject faith through my action, so I strive for goodness. Words hurt. It hurts and deep wound is created.

You have the right as a person to do all you want in Christianity but as a followers of Christ you are not Forced and Any true Christian does not War to make Christianity a state Religion. The Purest form Islam is When Islam is a state religion and We have people to Enforce The Sharia.

Infact I know that Osama bin Ladin Wanted the Americans out of Saudia Arabia that is where his problems came with his former allies against RUSSIA. You must know that the quest to have a pure form of the Worship of allah will never die in the hearts of those who seek to make it so and they are angry that ontop of this "PAGAN" state they insult our "Prophet" This is where the problem is .

As for me you can Choose to insult My Christ and God Jesus The Son of God What did they not do to you But them all where are they now.
Jesus was Slapped for my sake
He was hanged on he tree for my sake
He was pierced in his side for my sake
He was mocked
He never hit back Yet he was and is God Though he had the to he never did

you have and will never be able to do any of these directly to him.

Backslider, we dont agree with any kind of insult on any religion or even an individual. The reactions by our muslim brothers too was wrong. But i d rather condemn the root of the crisis than the crisis itself, because i really dont want it to happen again.

kbone:

it took so many hours to read this tpoic from start to finish, i really do not care what a religion entails but i care a lot when followers violently defend so-called slugs thrown at their supposed to be "supernatural" God. if christains misyarn a lot about islam so do muslims about christainity. Candidly I think the problem is that christains are too chicken to do the "volience" thingy because if they did moslems would not have the guts to torch the nearest church when there is a problem. bottom line: christains should do to muslims has muslims have done to christains, capish

Christianity was founded on humility. Christians are not meant to fight physically, it's a spiritual warfare and only the military are permitted to defend the state, even at times, God turns the physical battle to a spiritual one, and wipes out hundreds of thousands of enemies without using physical means.
Some moslems intend to attack the Christians (because of their religion and because they stood for Christ) - the result of which may not be immediate (usually spiritual)

Christianity is more concerned with the life beyond. The life below is about 70 years average, but 1 million years is like a second in eternity, more reason why he said "Ye are not of the world"

Therefore, christians should not be in a hurry to defend their lives, cos he who tries to save it would lose it, and if a suicide bomber kills you for Christ's sake, then your reward in heaven must be secure. It is a challenge to all Christians to change their ways and prepare for death. This way, you can be sure of heaven "Just In case The bomb lands in your house" so you don't die twice.

If you are not a true Christian. Change your ways. If you are, be steadfast in the faith, If you can't change your ways, please declare yourself an atheist so the Moslems won't slaughter you and then send you to "HELL"

A word in your ear!

Now another idiot has come into a sensible intellectual discussion with solutions of his own. Segelo, are you a footballer, a bouncer or american football player? Whatever you do, you must be engaged in a kind of work where people don't think much. This is evident in your post with consistent misspelling of "ancient as ascent" among other shallow-thinking messages to everybody else.

HAVILA,
 Thank you very much for the insult and the choice of words used by your humble braininess  to address my person,it shows how easy it is for you to convert or rather win people over to your religion which I am not so sure is Christianity,it also goes a long way to show  how  tolerant  you are to wards other peoples opinions ,views and religion.Anyway I am even worse than any of the above stated social class,I am actually a common street tout not worthy of dining on thesame table with profs like you.
Your vulgar and violent approach to a common civilized discussion betwen adults is, I believe an extension of your pope's faith.I hope you know that he"the pope" falls in the agerange of those called the "NAZI JUNG'S" or betterstill in English"HITLER'S BOYS"  in Deutschland"Germany",I hope you know that he is from a part of germany renowed for it's brutal past of racism,hatred "intolerance and claim of superiority over other races,opinions,a place where it is  alright to insult other races comparing them to animals as long as you can "quote" it from anywhere. Abeg bro save your neck first before you stick it out for someonce else. When Jesus Christ was asked about the issue on tax, did he quote any evil emperor from any evil decade,as a man of god you should learn to use your common sense. The late john Paul will always have a place in my heart,he was a classic example of a true man of God,little wonder why somebody like Mamet Ali Hagca, the türkish Muslim who shot him some few years back begged to be at his funeral to pay his last respect to a man he said "was a true saint".
HAVILA
Initially I was furious when I saw your reply to my post but when I went through your previous post I realized that you are actually a confused man.with your half baked thinking faculty you started by telling us the history of Jesus Christ which obviously you know absolutely nothing about,I guess people like olabowale took you to school on this particular topic,in case your so called intellectual journey as not taken you that far,remove the Islamic sentiment by ola, that my brother is the bitter but true origin of Jesus Christ, it is pure history with scientific proofs and has nothing to do with Islam.
As regards to the African culture and tradition,HABA!  with all your gra gra iintellectual display didn't you see "we  should also try to remove the fetish aspects and show our children the beautiful and colorful side"so you don't see anything good and beautiful  about your culture and identity aside "ingraned"ingrained mr spell checker" cultural behavours" bla bla bla too much english.
But I read in one or even more of your postings quoting Yoruba proverbs,"Proverbs" is that not a part of the good sides?
Prof am sorry to say you are really lost,you  are probably one of those the Yoruba's use the "b, " word for "a kid that points to his fathers house with his left hand" and as the Yoruba's will say "may dogs eat that your filthy mouth with which you used to quote proverbs from a  culture and tradition you condemned with your big big oyinbo"
MR IINTELLECTUAL ,Mr bros ,Mr prof go into  a good ,I mean a standard llibrary not the quark ones you obviously patronize and you will find concrete documentation of the inhuman,fetish and barbaric past of the church.It was modified and a more acceptable  version was presented to the public. That is what I am asking of every African,we are not animals,we can also modify our religions and it could also help with tourism,just like Jerusalem and Mecca,Imagine people from Brazil and Cuba travelling to osun state Nigeria just to witness the osun oshogbo festival,or the new yam festival in the east e.t.c.
I was totally shocked when I ran into two white Spanish lads  at the mardi grass eager to know about Yoruba Deities.
 Religion is a beautiful thing,be it Christianity Islam or that of  our forefathers,The politics of it is what is evil,there is no difference between people like  Osama and our own dear prof hnd,ppp,pdp,anpp,asdd,hiv,aids,lord HAVILA. Your likes condemned Christ because you found it difficult to  accept his views,opinions and approach to issues.
like I said in my first post these are purely my personal oppinion and you don't have to accept it,if you feel wronged by it proof me otherwise don't insult me.
Well as a "brawler" or what did you call me "bushman" I have a party tonight and I have to look good for the ladies,my advise to you ,Mr uncle ,prof or let me step you up a bit like my Muslim friends (AS)HAVILA   punk,you need to loosen up a little, to me you sound more like an hypocrite than a real Christan and remember the voice to the  church "you are neither hot nor cold so I will spit you out",go and find better things to do with your life and let the true Christan's in the house emulate  Christ who I believe is the basis of Christianity and not profs turned popes who make statements pregnant with meanings and definitely not the descendants of Judas  like Mr I know it all , okun rin meta, lord ,apostle Havila .
And for the errors thanks a million ,that mistake as been taken care of by the relevant authorities ,You know a common tout like me that speaks French,English,Spanish and Deutsch, shits happen but that is not an excuse.
One more thing before I go ,please Havila you can call me idiot,bouncer  but please do not refer to me as "dude"that sounds gay and if you are trying to pass a message across to me,I am terribly sorry I don't get down that way.You can check on-line for gay websites,since you spend so much time on-line.  Ha Ha my God OK it all make sense now, Small wonder you called me names and got irritated at the mention of beyonce's shaking her bootie,sorry oh bros. prof stick to your iintellectual oyinbo bullshit and leave words like that to touts like us before you get yourself into trouble.
It's  pretty obvious that you "my brother" are khaki and khaki you will remain,it's a decease.

@segeloh
   Sorry O!D tin pain U reach that?Just swallow 2 tablets of Piroxicam stat!Some Prozac would also do you some good.
My dear Havila,U have spoken well.Please do not dignify him with a response.

belloti:

Bro. Olabowale spoke my mind and the minds of millions of muslims. The earlier you guys accept this fact, the better for our debate here. A little negative word about our Holy prophet creat a deep wound on our hearts. The fact that we try so hard to be civil and control our anger deserve some form of understanding from you. The world can be a lot better if we don't need to use insultive words.

1. The word "debate" does not exist in the Islamic dictionary, it is simply an euphemism for intolerance!
2. "A little negative word about your 'holy' prophet"? What about the daily NEGATIVE words about Isreal and the constant threat to drive them into the sea considering Isreal is the cradle of christianity? What about the holocuast cartoons gleefully hanging in the Iranian national museum? What of the daily slurs on the bible even by "educated" muslims on this forum? What of the almost daily burning of churches and desecration of christian holy sites? What of books like the Davinci code? So all these do NOT create deep wounds on our heart? Are "deep wounds" the sole monopoly of Moslems? You try so hard to be CIVIL? Does 9-11 imply civility? what of 7-7, Mumbai, Madrid, Lebanon, Nairobi, and the burning of 10 churches in Jigawa state over the week? Are all these acts of civility?
Controlling what anger? Is anger the sole perogative of a muslim? Are christians not prone to anger too when they see the atrocities commited against their kin in Darfur?
Understanding? From those you refer to as Apes and Infidels? From those you have threatened to chop off their necks? Understanding from people against whom you declared a day of anger? Understanding from the Europeans whom you have threatened to destroy and plant the flags of Islam in Rome? Understanding from the jews who have been in constant threat of extinction since 1948?

belloti:

its unfortunate you always keep taking us for granted. Cant we all unite and ensure that these things never happen in the first place.

Taken you for granted? You mean the christian refugees in darfur, the 3000 who died on 9-11, the millions in danger of suicide bombs in Europe and the jews under constant katyusha rocket bombardments are the ones taking you for granted?

belloti:

Ever heard of such violence in kuwait, Qatar, UAE, or even Saudi Arabia. In Iraq, itself the hottest point, can u tell what percentage of that country are violent?. In Nigeria for instance, i ve never experience such violence in my home state of Zamfara and Sokoto. Generally, if you look at these violence, you can always pin them to a particular political cause or rebellion, Islam was only used as a smokescreen. Sometimes even muslims in such areas might end up being targets. So Violence is not Islamic. Majority of muslims, the worldover are peaceful.

1. We have never heard of violence in Qatar or the UAE but we know the bulk of the money to fund terror organisations comes from there. Kuwait? Ever heard of the Iraq-Kuwaiti war? Saudi Arabia? There can be no "violence" in a country where churches are banned and christian gatherings is an offence that carries a death sentence! Besides it is instructive to note where Osama bn Laden is from!
Zamfara? Does that preclude the banning of churches and the imposition of sharia law on christians? Does that preclude the banning of christian prayers in schools and the discriminatory fees recently introduced primarily to target christian southerners?

Was the crisis in Jigawa a "political cause" or a "rebellion"?

Violence is not Islamic? What of those who cut off our heads and shoot tourists in the name of Allah?

Majority of muslims the world over are peace loving? Yes they are, until another person makes a politically incorrect but true statement about Islam!

bolarge,
wetin dey ma guy? thanks for your prescription,I go try am.Life no hard reach as una they carry am for head,una think say una get monopoly of brain and mouth to insult people abi?.

@ Olabowale,

No one feels happy when the prophet of God is "insulted" but do you think it is right to take a life than to have it repent of his ways?

Do you think you can fight for God or his prophets? If that is a good excuse then i don't think we all should be alive. Everyone should be killed the moment they sin.

Do you agree? For God's sake we are in the 21st Century. Someone could bring up an annonymous website and insult the Prophets of God and 2 billion people could be murdered for that reason, what are we talking about. Is this spiritual or physical?

Religion is supposed to be spiritual, why place so much emphasis on word of mouth or pictures? Cleanliness is next to Godliness, correct, but God doesn't need us to protect his Chosen, he is SPIRITUAL! You guys really need to wake up and review some things now or in the future. Cos your children will ask you someday, Why is killing always the "solution"?

belloti:

Backslider, we don't agree with any kind of insult on any religion or even an individual. The reactions by our muslim brothers too was wrong. But i d rather condemn the root of the crisis than the crisis itself, because i really don't want it to happen again.

Unfortunately no human can control an utterance emanating from another's mouth but every right thinking human should have some element of self control,that's what differentiates us from wild animals,the same reason we would not stoop at a market place and defecate just to show people our digestive organ is still in tip top shape.

If Islam does not teach self control which is a taught in Christianity as a fruit of the Spirit,it may be wise to add it on the curriculum even as an addendum.
As we speak,no one knows who the next victims would be.

meanwhile enjoy this hilarious comedy piece titled "death to America"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T89y01dZc1c

[flash=200,200][/flash]
pls and pls i want u pple to stop argueing on religion and pls settle among each other.
for olabowole u have spoken well,but pls let bygon be bygon.

[flash=200,200][/flash]
pls and pls i want u pple to stop argueing on religion and pls settle among each other.
for olabowole u have spoken well,but pls let bygon be bygon.

please who knows when abu is writing it's post jamb exam

wrong thread.
wish I could help

"How dare you say Islam is a violent religion? I'll kill you for it!"

@Seun:
Very brilliant article!! right in line with the thinking and writing of a lot of reasonable peoples (regardless of religion) on the 'Religion' forum of Nairaland

I Beg you Mr Olabowale Read with a Clear Mind.


"I HAVE a theory about riots: those out on the streets often don’t have a clear idea what they’re rioting about. And invariably, they have a lot of time on their hands.

After all, how often do you find an employed person asking for leave to join the demo of the day? But when you have time to kill, you’ll join any crowd that’s out to protest, no matter what the cause. When Salman Rushdie’s ‘Satanic Verses’ inflamed the Muslim world, how many people demonstrating had actually read the book? I must confess that neither had I, but it wasn’t for lack of trying: struggling manfully, I ploughed through the first hundred pages before admitting defeat. So I never actually read the passages that gave rise to the famous fatwa. But I doubt very much if the people who rioted even saw the book.

The same is true for those now up in arms about the Pope’s address at the University of Regensburg. I have printed out the speech, and must confess that it’s heavy going. The offending section is a tiny part of the paper, and it remains a mystery why Pope Benedict needed such an obscure quotation in his discussion of faith and reason. Having said that, he has addressed an issue that needs to be debated: how should believers reconcile their faith with the dictates of reason? According to him, modern Christianity has bridged the gap, while Islam hasn’t.

We can debate his conclusion, and criticise his choice of supporting material, but we can hardly deny his right to hold an opinion. When Muslims demonstrated their opposition to his views, many of them carried placards threatening the Pope with death. In fact, the London police are seeing if they can prosecute some demonstrators for inciting others to violence. It seems that our stock response to the slightest provocation consists of death threats and violent demonstrations. These undignified protests reinforce the worst prejudices others have about Muslims. After all, why should some cartoons in an obscure Danish newspaper, or a papal address at an unknown German university, send hundreds of thousands pouring into streets around the world?

When we were children, when somebody said anything offensive, we would chant: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.” As we grew older, we learned that some words are deadlier than any sticks or stones, festering long after bruises and wounds have healed. But we were also taught to be stoical, and not to complain.

In a letter to the Guardian of September 20, San Cassimally of Edinburgh writes: “As a Muslim, I am much more saddened and shocked by the murder of the Somali nun than by what the Pope said in Regensburg, even if he knew exactly what he was doing.”

I would add that I am far more horrified by the endless Muslim-on-Muslim killing going on in Iraq than by anything the pontiff could possibly say. According to UN estimates, an average of a hundred Iraqis are being killed every day, almost invariably by other Iraqis. And all too often, many of the victims are tortured to death. When Israel killed a thousand Lebanese civilians in a month of senseless bombing, Muslims (and others with a conscience) around the world were rightly incensed. But approximately the same number of Muslims are being killed by other Muslims every 10 days in Iraq, and there are no protests anywhere. Before the invasion of Iraq, when Saddam Hussein tortured and gassed his own people with impunity, I do not recall any Muslims condemning him publicly.

Applying these same double standards, when Nato forces accidentally kill Afghans, we are furious. But when the Taliban kill innocent Afghans in suicide bombings, and assassinate teachers for teaching girls, we look the other way. Similarly, when the Iranian authorities rig elections and suppress their own people, we are silent spectators. But when President Ahmedinejad is seen as standing up to the West, we applaud him loudly.

This kind of moral inconsistency is reflected in the treatment non-Muslims generally get in Muslim countries. For instance, while the 300,000 Iraqi Christians were treated as equal citizens in Saddam’s secular regime, two-thirds of them have fled the increasingly Islamic nature of the present government. In Pakistan, we are regularly and correctly pilloried by human rights organisations for the wretched social and legal status of our minorities. Saudi Arabia, while funding Wahabi mosques across the West, refuses to permit non-Muslims to build their places of worship on its soil.

I am often asked why Muslims in Pakistan get so worked up about Bosnia, Chechnya and Palestine. I try and explain in terms of the ummah, and the feeling of connectedness between, say, Indonesian Muslims and Turkish Muslims. But I fear this is only a small part of the real answer. The truth is that the problems we face in much of the Muslim world are often so intractable that we escape reality by looking abroad. Matters like poverty, disease, political instability and institutional meltdown are too difficult to be tackled by the inefficient and corrupt elites much of the Muslim world is cursed with. To deflect blame, they fulminate against the West for its perceived anti-Islamic attitudes.

It is this mindless, knee-jerk anti-West sentiment that sustains the jihadi groups, and is now propelling us to a very real ‘clash of civilisations’. As Islam becomes more heavily politicised, it is evoking a strong reaction in the West. More and more, the Muslims who have migrated to Europe and America, as well as their children, are being seen as a fifth column. The sight of perpetually angry Muslims from London to Lahore, marching with placards calling for the death of somebody or the other, is moving normally liberal people to anger.

For me, the really worrying part of the Pope’s address was his demand for the subordination of reason to theology:

“Modern scientific reason quite simply has to accept the rational structure of matter and the correspondence between our spirit and the prevailing rational structures of nature as a given, on which its methodology has to be based. Yet the question why this has to be so is a real question, and one which has to be remanded by the natural sciences to other modes and planes of thought: to philosophy and theology.”

Sorry, but I’m not buying this, Your Holiness. This is precisely why I don’t think faith and reason can ever be reconciled."