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[[Image:Quran.jpg|thumb|right|Pages from the [[Koran]], a 7th century epic poem by a single author claimed to be inspired by a supernatural being Muslims call 'Allah'.]]

[[Image:Quran.jpg|thumb|right|Pages from the [[Koran]], a 7th century epic poem by a single author claimed to be inspired by a supernatural being Muslims call 'Allah'.]]

'''Islam''' is a major world [[Political|socio-political]] system<ref>[http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/100100/sec_id/100100 Why Islam is Not a Religion], by Rebecca Bynum (Nov. 2011) Speech delivered October 18th to ACT! for America Chapter in Memphis Tennessee</ref> based on the teachings of [[Muhammad]] (sometimes Mohammed), a seventh century [[Arab]]. Muhammad claimed descent from [[Ishmael]], the son of [[Abraham]]. Muhammad claimed to have received revelations from Allah, the entity which adherents of Islam claim to resemble the [[God]] of [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], via the archangel Gabriel, which were written in the [[Koran]] – thus forming the core teachings of Islam. Adherents of Islam, along with their liberal allies (including in the [[mainstream media]]), claim it to be a "religion", although unlike Christianity, Judaism and other religions, Islam is presented and acts in ways opposite to the teachings of legitimate religions, but more akin to the totalitarian ideologies of [[Nazism]] and [[Communism]], based on the history of Islam and its followers.  

'''Islam''' is a major world [[Religion|religio]]-[[Political|political]] system<ref>[http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/100100/sec_id/100100 Why Islam is Not a Religion], by Rebecca Bynum (Nov. 2011) Speech delivered October 18th to ACT! for America Chapter in Memphis Tennessee</ref> based on the teachings of [[Muhammad]] (sometimes Mohammed), a seventh century [[Arab]]. Muhammad claimed descent from [[Ishmael]], the son of [[Abraham]]. Muhammad claimed to have received revelations from Allah, the entity which adherents of Islam claim to resemble the [[God]] of [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], via the archangel Gabriel, which were written in the [[Koran]] – thus forming the core teachings of Islam. Adherents of Islam, along with their liberal allies (including in the [[mainstream media]]), claim it to be pure religion unbounded by any politics. However, unlike Christianity, Judaism and other religions, Islam is presented and acts in ways opposite to the teachings of legitimate religions, but more akin to the totalitarian ideologies of [[Nazism]] and [[Communism]], based on the history of Islam and its followers.  

The Koran's singular authorship offers no corroborating evidence, as the four Gospel's do for example, of testimony of independent eyewitness accounts to its claim of divine inspiration as the Mosaic Law requires,<ref>Dueteronomy 19:15 ''By the testimony of two is a matter established''. The testimony of one - Mohammad - is insufficient to convict the human race, or infidels, of sin, ''per the Law of Moses'' or the Koran itself which claims descent.</ref> from which the Koran's author borrowed selectively.

The Koran's singular authorship offers no corroborating evidence, as the four Gospels do for example, of testimony of independent eyewitness accounts to its claim of divine inspiration as the Mosaic Law requires,<ref>Dueteronomy 19:15 ''By the testimony of two is a matter established''. The testimony of one - Mohammad - is insufficient to convict the human race, or infidels, of sin, ''per the Law of Moses'' or the Koran itself which claims descent.</ref> from which the Koran's author borrowed selectively.

==Overview==

==Overview==

[[File:World Muslim Population Pew Forum.png|thumb|The Muslim population of the world map according to the Pew Forum 2009 report.]]

[[File:World Muslim Population Pew Forum.png|thumb|The Muslim population of the world map according to the Pew Forum 2009 report.]]

The word "Islam"<ref>Arabic الإسلام‎‎, specifically referring to submission to Allah</ref> means "submission" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. Islam, as originally designed in the Koran, presents itself as an "Abrahamic faith" and has [[Moses]] in it,<ref>Brannon Wheeler. Moses in the Koran and Islamic Exegesis. Routledge, 2002.</ref> as well as [[Jesus]] as a prophet in Islam,<ref>Muhammad Ata ur-Rahim, Ahmad Thomson. ''Jesus: Prophet of Islam''. TTQ, INC., 2003.</ref> and specifically denies Jesus's divine nature.  

The word "Islam"<ref>Arabic الإسلام‎‎, specifically referring to submission to Allah</ref> means "submission" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. Islam, as originally designed in the Koran, presents itself as an "Abrahamic faith" and has [[Moses]] in it,<ref>Brannon Wheeler. Moses in the Koran and Islamic Exegesis. Routledge, 2002.</ref> as well as [[Jesus]] as a prophet in Islam,<ref>Muhammad Ata ur-Rahim, Ahmad Thomson. ''Jesus: Prophet of Islam''. TTQ, INC., 2003.</ref> and it specifically denies Jesus's divine nature.  

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Islam has been criticized for some time, due to its demanding of strict submissiveness (especially of women), its suppression and violations of human rights (also including those of women), and its predisposition to being violent toward those of religious faiths and attacking those faiths deemed a threat to Islam; there have been over 23,000 terrorist attacks committed by adherents of Islam since [[September 11, 2001 attacks|the Islamic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001]].<ref>http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/</ref> A more recent strain of Islam has combined European totalitarianism and a virulent [[anti-Semitism]]. This version is called [[Jihadism#Lesser jihad|lesser jihad]], [[Islamism]], radical Islam or militant Islam. Without the historic institution of the Caliph, this form degenerates into stateless terrorist activity that strikes at the heart of civilized man. Some who identify as Muslim have denounced the violent ihadism while others remain silent. Some Muslims and non-Muslims theorize that mainstream Islam has become corrupted over the years that there needs to be an [[Islamic Reformation]] similar to that of the [[Protestant Reformation]].<ref>Michaelle Browers, Charles Kurzman. An Islamic Reformation? Lexington Books, 2004.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/954/distinguishing-between-islam-and-islamism|title=Distinguishing between Islam and Islamism|author=Daniel Pipes|date=June 30, 1998}}</ref> The Reformation movements were costly and bloody for well over a century.

Islam has been criticized for some time because of its demanding of strict submissiveness (especially of women), its suppression and violations of human rights (also including those of women), and its predisposition to being violent toward those of true religious faiths and attacking those faiths deemed a threat to Islam. There have been over 23,000 terrorist attacks committed by adherents of Islam since [[September 11, 2001 attacks|the Islamic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001]].<ref>http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/</ref> A more recent strain of Islam has combined European totalitarianism and a virulent [[anti-Semitism]]. This version is called [[Jihadism#Lesser jihad|lesser jihad]], [[Islamism]], radical Islam, or militant Islam. Without the historic institution of the Caliph, this form degenerates into stateless terrorist activity that strikes at the heart of civilized man. Some who identify as Muslim have denounced the violent jihadism while others remain silent. Some Muslims and non-Muslims theorize that mainstream Islam has become corrupted over the years that there needs to be an [[Islamic Reformation]] similar to that of the [[Protestant Reformation]].<ref>Michaelle Browers, Charles Kurzman. An Islamic Reformation? Lexington Books, 2004.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/954/distinguishing-between-islam-and-islamism|title=Distinguishing between Islam and Islamism|author=Daniel Pipes|date=June 30, 1998}}</ref> The Reformation movements were costly and bloody for well over a century.

[[Image:Mecca.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mecca]], one of the holy cities of Islam.]]

[[Image:Mecca.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mecca]], one of the holy cities of Islam.]]

There are small groups of largely Westernized Muslims who publicly reject Islamism. Such moderate Muslim conservatives are in the [[Republican Party]], known as the [[Muslim Republicans]].<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> One of America's Founding Fathers, [[Thomas Jefferson]], who was a religious [[libertarian]], declared: "''freedom for the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mohammedan, the Hindu and infidel of every denomination''."<ref>John A. Garraty, Story of America Beginnings to 1877, (1992) Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pg 706.</ref>  

There are small groups of largely Westernized Muslims who publicly reject Islamism. Such moderate Muslim conservatives are in the [[Republican Party]], known as the [[Muslim Republicans]].<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> One of America's Founding Fathers, [[Thomas Jefferson]], who was a religious [[libertarian]], declared: "''freedom for the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mohammedan, the Hindu and infidel of every denomination''."<ref>John A. Garraty, Story of America Beginnings to 1877, (1992) Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pg 706.</ref>  

Issues with Islam arose in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. Republican presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]] said that:  "''Radical, violent Islamists pose a threat to Americans and others around the world.''" and that "''they take a very different view of Islam than the Muslims I know.''" Romney said that when he lived in Detroit he knew Muslims, as Detroit has a large Muslim population, and says "''They are peace-loving and America-loving individuals. I believe that very sincerely. I believe people of the Islamic faith do not have to subscribe to the idea of radical, violent jihadism.''<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> Former Republican presidential nominee candidate [[Ron Paul]], a libertarian conservative, says that America should not fear Islam and said that America should just embrace people of all faiths.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> American conservative author Margaret Hoover believes that the Republican Party needs to recognize Muslim Republicans, noting an example of Muslim Republican youth Suhail Khan who she describes as "''one of thousands of Muslim Americans who work to promote Christian-Muslim understanding''".<ref>Margaret Hoover, ''American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party'', Random House Digital, Inc., 2011, pg 202.</ref> Candidates for the Republican nomination like [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[Rick Santorum]] strongly criticized Islamic extremism.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref>     

Issues with Islam arose in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. Republican presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]] said that "''Radical, violent Islamists pose a threat to Americans and others around the world.''" and that "''they take a very different view of Islam than the Muslims I know.''" Romney said that when he lived in Detroit he knew Muslims, as Detroit has a large Muslim population, and says "''They are peace-loving and America-loving individuals. I believe that very sincerely. I believe people of the Islamic faith do not have to subscribe to the idea of radical, violent jihadism.''<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> Former Republican presidential nominee candidate [[Ron Paul]], a libertarian conservative, says that America should not fear Islam and said that America should just embrace people of all faiths.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> American conservative author Margaret Hoover believes that the Republican Party needs to recognize Muslim Republicans, noting an example of Muslim Republican youth Suhail Khan who she describes as "''one of thousands of Muslim Americans who work to promote Christian-Muslim understanding''".<ref>Margaret Hoover, ''American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party'', Random House Digital, Inc., 2011, pg 202.</ref> Candidates for the Republican nomination like [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[Rick Santorum]] strongly criticized Islamic extremism.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref>     

[[Multiculturalism|Multiculturalists]] ignore or minimize violence in the history of Islam and exaggerate Christian atrocities to advance a [[moral equivalence]]. Proponents of this view often cite the [[Crusades|Great Crusades]]--an unsuccessful attempt by Western Christians to retake parts of the [[Byzantine Empire]] that had been conquered by Islamic armies--and various religious wars which were later fought in Europe between branches of Christianity. However, they brand critics of Islam "racists" (even though Islam is not a "race") and "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobes]]" (a smear term invented for the purpose of censoring and silencing legitimate criticism of Islam) for exposing today’s threats by [[jihadism|jihadists]].<ref>http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/charity.html</ref>

[[Multiculturalism|Multiculturalists]] ignore or minimize violence in the history of Islam and exaggerate Christian atrocities to advance a [[moral equivalence]]. Proponents of this view often cite the [[Crusades|Great Crusades]]--an unsuccessful attempt by Western Christians to retake parts of the [[Byzantine Empire]] that had been conquered by Islamic armies--and various religious wars which were later fought in Europe between branches of Christianity. However, they brand critics of Islam "racists" (even though Islam is not a "race") and "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobes]]" (a smear term invented for the purpose of censoring and silencing legitimate criticism of Islam) for exposing today’s threats by [[jihadism|jihadists]].<ref>http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/charity.html</ref>