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Christianity Today, November, 2008 |

INTERVIEW

Islam According to Gallup

Analyst Dalia Mogahed says it's time to rethink what we think we know about Muslims.

Interview by Warren Larson | posted 11/14/2008 09:04AM

Dalia Mogahed spoke at July's Common Word Conference at Yale University, where hundreds of moderate Muslims and evangelical Christian scholars met seeking better understanding. As senior analyst and executive ...

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John Rickets

Posted: November 28, 2008 1:46 AM

What grass has this guy been smoking? About 95% of all the violence in this world is related to Islam. Even now as I am writting Muslims have perpetrated a bloodbath in Mumbai, India. Its not only Palestine, look at any place where Muslims live (Thailand, India, Phillipenes, Indonesia, Ambon, Ossetia, Russia, Armenia, China, etc.. and the Muslim world). Just look at the life of the Prophet Muhammad who assasinated thousands, he is no doubt the best example of the Islamic violence. Islam has taken crime, like murder, looting and rape, and has turned it into a noble deed if done to further the Islamic cause. Crime and lust are lifted up to become "holy" deeds.

Gil T

Posted: November 26, 2008 9:54 PM

Alas! Dalia Mogahed has played right into my hands! Really, the information and the intent are good. My problem is how many Christians might believe “now I understand those Muslims” because they’ve reviewed the latest Gallup poll. This “survey” mindset is the atrophy of many disciples: “What church do you attend?” “Does your church believe in speaking in tongues?” Every item in their list is checked off and they believe they know the individual when all their survey has confirmed are some matters of doctrine and little or nothing about the individual. Better to think about how we can create dialog rather than checklists. For example: “Do you go to church?” “Yes, I break bread (worship, fellowship, rejoice) with the saints as often as we come together.” There are several points in this response for the enquirer to pull out for further clarification or discussion.

Leviel

Posted: November 26, 2008 11:27 AM

I am saddened by the responses to this article. It's aim was to point out that Muslims are human, just as Christians are - and that most people want the same basic things (which typically excludes killing other people) out of life. This hatred against other people based solely on one fact deeply concerns me; not only is it discrimination, but it also stinks of radicalism. The first step is to recognise each person you meet as a fellow human being; to _love_ them regardless of ANYTHING. Only after that should you start worrying about those "anything"s.

John	Posted: November 25, 2008 11:38 PM

I am a Christiam and was born and raised in a predominatly Muslim Pakistan. We the christians are opressed in all ways imaginable. I have seen Chirstian girls either raped or forcefully converted to Islam. It is a common belief among Muslims that to spare a snake is better than to spare an infidel. You will know the truth about Muslims if you read the Quran and study the history of Islam, it is all full of opressing their own and others who oppose or dont share their faith. Read the Quran and and you will know this faith, " the truth shall set you free". They have an aim and that id to dominate the rest of the infidel world, and so far they are succeeding.

Damri Sawadikap

Posted: November 25, 2008 8:18 PM


Muslims admire the western world and the technology. They wish they can dress like the non-muslims anywhere in the world. But it is their government that brainwashed them that non-muslims are infidels.

H Schroeder

Posted: November 25, 2008 1:03 PM


Since many Muslim countries consider questioning Shari'ah law blasphemy, and in some of those countries blasphemy is punishable by death, it seems to me that polls taken in those countries are meaningless as those polled are not willing to possibly risk their life by being honest, even with a pollster.

khathutshelo

Posted: November 24, 2008 9:06 AM

I am lost for words. CT is obviously batting for the wrong team. Isn't Saudi Arabia supposed to be moderate? Then why are there any churches lining up the streets of their cities. They still have the nerve to call Jews and Christians swine. So much for tolerance! This thing of blaming the Crusades for is petty and people should just grow up. There is only one true G-d, He is just and merciful and will judge the world and allah is not Him. Islam is about conquests and the fear of man, there is nothing peaceful about the movement! This marks the end of my walk with CT. There is no way I can carry on reading such nonsense. Maybe I am too zealous. Jesus is lord of all!

Darrell

Posted: November 23, 2008 9:03 AM


What's wrong with you people??!!! Here we have someone trying to build a bridge of understanding and reconciliation between our two faiths and you guys are calling it all a bunch of lies and propaganda? and how did you come up with that line of reasoning? What makes you think it's propaganda? hmm.

mxew of seoul

Posted: November 21, 2008 11:19 PM

The bottom line is: islam is a totalitarian ideology of supremicism, intolerance and destruction of kafir. Mohammed and Allah repeatedly insulted others who didn't agree with Mohammed. The worst insult is kafir. Most Korans translate this word as unbeliever, but that is a neutral term. The Koran goes further to say that Allah hates kafirs and plots against them. Over half of the Koran is written about kafirs and it is uniformly negative. Kafirs may be murdered, tortured, enslave, raped, robbed, insulted and deceived with impunity. Islam is the perfect war machine. It has both a military strategy, found in the Sira and the Hadith, and a brilliant war ideology. This perfect war machine has worked flawlessly for 1400 years and is working brilliantly today. If we kafirs don't admit its ISLAM we should destroy, it will destroy us. More ideas can be found at www.politicalislam.com

salome

Posted: November 20, 2008 8:05 PM


yeah Jim,they're real scared of a crusade--that's why they're here and in every eurO nation pushing islam. this gaLLOP poll is trash.

Gentle Lamb

Posted: November 19, 2008 10:38 AM

Islam have some hostile elements based on the Law. In order, to witness to them, one would have to take the cross and in many cases gives up our lives. Rights are not reciprocated in any most areas in Muslim countries. Whilst in the West, they are free to open Mosques, in the Arab world, we have much less freedom for evangelism and church building. It is very easy to use the law to deny the rights of people and vote for proposition 8 in USA, but true Christianity is to give up our rights for people that Christ many be glorified in us and through us. In Arab world, the majority does the same to the very small Christian minority. Gentle Lamb, Singapore http://www.psa91.com

Mike	Posted: November 18, 2008 10:08 PM

Of course she is correct that you cannot judge a faith by its worst (or phony) proponents. However, instead of answering direct questions, she moves to a topic more in keeping with her thesis - "we're OK too". She essentially skips the issue of all Sunni group's response to apostates. Of course apostacy is frowned upon. But is it publically condemned? What are the normal consequences of someone leaving the Muslim faith? Prayer for their soul, rejection, prison, violence? She fails to be critical of her own faith. Naturally, this can be difficult even when you will not be openly punished by fellow fellowers. But a bluntly honest evaluation of her faith and co-religionist is only the first essential step toward respect. My guess, however, is this would result in severe emotional distress and, possibly, physical/social risk.

Kathleen Hooks (Registered User)

Posted: November 18, 2008 4:06 PM


Really sounds like a lot of justification and side-stepping without straightforward answers.

THOMAS

Posted: November 18, 2008 1:37 PM

Job well done. This was a great article, so many Christians fall for a manifest destiny world view which ultimately demonize the other so that the empire can hijack other nations resources. As Christians are primary purpose is to love our enemy, which means we should understand him. We are called also to be peacemakers so how can we build bridges to peace if we don't understand him. Christianity has only a remnant of persons who understand the kingdom ethics unfortunately, as we are co opted by dominant worldviews.

Steve Skeete

Posted: November 18, 2008 11:32 AM

I never accept anything I see in print without first checking the facts . So I must take Mogahed's "finding" with a block of salt. Ms. Mogahed views smells like a Muslim apologetic. I was not far into the interview before I began to smell the rat of Islamic sympathy. I am all for dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, as long as people are willing to accept truth. Mogahed is not. She calls Timothy Mcveigh a "Christian" based on his "writings". I have not read any of these "writings" but he would have to write extremely well to convince me that one can bomb buildings, kill hundreds of innocents and be a biblical Christian. Perhaps he experienced a "death-bed" conversion. What he had was not Christianity. That alone for me renders her "research" suspect. I also do not accept her comparing of Islamic radicalism with what obtains in Christianity. There are precious few parallels between how angry Christians and angry Moslem behave. Magahed managed to find these few.

LalDin

Posted: November 18, 2008 10:03 AM


How many Muslims can openly condemn 9/11... I think mostly do not...

Lee	Posted: November 18, 2008 9:14 AM

I have recently become a fan of CW, which I find interesting and thought-provoking. However, this article raises serious questions regarding your editorial judgment: a simple Google search would've shown that the Mogahed's use of her Gallup numbers is questionable, to say the least. Indeed, Gallup figures have privately denounced the book for its use of their figures; why they won't do so publicly is obvious to anyone who has followed the debate over Islam the last 7 years. It is unfortunate that this contribution to that conversation advances a dishonest thesis that bears no relationship to what the polling numbers really show. Did the author even read the book, or look at the numbers?

bj christian

Posted: November 18, 2008 7:25 AM

While it is true that we should strive to live at peace with all men in this world we should not allow ourselves to be deceived by antichrist doctrines. This woman is just as any other antichrist when defending her beliefs she says "look at yourselves, you have extremists too". While this is true in the broader sense the true Christian knows and discerns the doctrine and the times we live in. Do not be deceived by friendly antichrist doctrine for even Satan can appear as an angel of light.

John	Posted: November 18, 2008 7:25 AM


As a Christian, I wouldn't want my adherence to the Bible to be judged by the ruthless behavior of David or Joshua against the enemies of Israel. No one is good but God.

Donna M.

Posted: November 18, 2008 6:45 AM


This author is most certainly a Muslim, intent on spreading false propaganda about the Islamic faith and tenets. As many politicians have in the past, Dalia hopes that people will just accept this blatant lie as fact, without researching truth... trading truth for a lie.

Meiyan

Posted: November 18, 2008 12:55 AM

yes. i agree. Muslims do read the Quran, but they are asked to memorize it since birth and have no idea what it means (so my muslim friends say). If they would just try to understand it and not be so closed minded about christianity then they will come to know the truth. Muslims undergoes a lot of persecution too, not only christians. and like christians, the quran tells them to hold steadfast to islam despite the persecutions. And as christians, i have learnt to stop condeming islam or muslims but to start evangelizing to them. Buy condemning them, we give them a bad picture about christianity (that we are judgemental and such). =) God bless. And we as christians should not be so arrogant thinking we are holier then muslims. its not what God wants us to do. We must remain humble and love muslims. (love the sinner, hate the sin.) Muslims DO NOT know what they actually believe in, except what they are thought to believe in. They simply defend their faith cause its human nature to defend

Jeff Fairchild

Posted: November 17, 2008 2:07 PM

Folks, I know it is popular to try to gain understanding of other religions. I suppose it is alright to get the basics. However, Islam is a deception of Satan. There is no other way to put it. Jesus said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father except through me." No amount of dialogue will change this. Islam is no where equal to being a disciple of Christ. It is evil and will always be evil because it decieves people and the one and only way to be saved. Through Christ. CT let's get back to issues concerning the true faith.

Veritas

Posted: November 17, 2008 1:05 PM

1. How does anyone survey 900 million (90% of a BILLION) people in one lifetime? 2. Would the same 900 million be willing to press the alleged minor numbers that espouse terrorism, jihad suicides, et al, to stop in order to be invited to the table of world humanitarianism? We can be embarrassed all we want, but it ought to be based on fact. Has anyone verified Mogahed's work? Written and televised news reports out of places like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Micro Asia, to name only very few, of nation-wide violent expressions by Muslims against Christians and the West cannot be swept under the carpet. They are very real. As a thinker, I must wonder how much of Mogahed's work is simply Islamic marketing propaganda. Before you get too red-faced, think about it for a minute.

Roy	Posted: November 17, 2008 9:51 AM

The folks that made the decision to post this article are "drinking the cool-aide!" What ever possessed you to publish such false and misleading information on Islam? Have you ever lived in an Islamic country? I have, for two years and I can tell you they are not the gentle people this article attempts to project. The Islamic religion is NOT a peaceful religion and, I believe, it is demonic in it's root. Satan loves to divide and confuse. Don't be his pawn!

Fred Conwell

Posted: November 17, 2008 9:36 AM


The Islamic bible, the Koran. orders follolwers to kill all infidels (non-muslim). How can a Christian play footsie with such a mentality? We should know who their god is. We wrestle with his team daily.

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