Debate:Does mainstream Islam endorse violence?

Yes

The mainstream is by definition that branch of an organization which is most vocal and controls the policies of the organization. Thus we refer to the mainstream media as the most visible outlet of journalism, with the most access to the policy makers. The non-violent branch of Islam may be the numerical majority, but in terms of influence they are of no consequence, because they either fear or choose not to speak out. Teresita 17:26, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

main·stream /ˈmeɪnˌstrim/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[meyn-streem] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun 1. the principal or dominant course, tendency, or trend Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

By definition, you're completely wrong. --Rustyjd07 17:29, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

(Curses! Rusty beat me to it. But see what I would've written) - WHAT!? "Mainstream" = "the principal or dominant course (see here). Dominant means the larger. The majority of Muslims are peaceful and contribute directly and greatly to American and European culture. By definition, too, the radical elements of a group of people are not the "mainstream."-AmesG_yo! 17:31, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

In some countries, the "mainstream" attitude seems to be one of condonement. I am not sure whether that is the case in all Islamic nations (i.e. Turkey or Indonesia). One thing that we can all agree on, I hope, is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. MountainDew 17:33, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

Squeaky wheels and grease isn't the debate topic. Please stay on the issue at hand, else intelligent conversation is impossible. Thank you. --Rustyjd07 17:34, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

Rusty, quit being ridiculous. You know what I'm saying. MountainDew 17:35, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

Mainstream doesn't mean nation-by-nation - it means Islam as a whole over time.-AmesG_yo! 17:36, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

No

No way does mainstream Islam endorse violence. Only the radical few (who we all hear about in the papers) take the sections of the Koran literally about attacking/killing infidels. You don't see Indonesia (the most populous Islamic country) pumping out terrorists and constantly killing Christians/Hindus/Jews/etc. Those who believe that Islam promotes violence are sheltered in their learnings. Jrssr5 10:28, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

Actually, indonesian muslims are constantly killing Christians. [[1]]Bohdan 18:33, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

constantly, really? Explain that to my christian aunt, uncle and 2 cousins who lived there for 3 years. I'm sure they'd love to hear how they were constantly threatened. I was there for a time as well and received nothing but excellent treatment from the locals. Jrssr5 23:28, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

excellent treatment, really. Explain that to me as i too spent time there and received more than a few threats. Perhaps i misstated using the word "constantly" but muslims in indonesia clearly do persecute and kill Christians, and it is false to say that they dont, no matter what your relatives tell you.Bohdan 22:15, 4 April 2007 (EDT)

No. How many Western Muslim terrorists are there? (I mean those who have lived in Western nations their whole lives). It's environment, not religion, that causes violence. Czolgolz 10:31, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

All of the London bombers were born and raised in Britain[2]. Look here to see all of the Western born muslim terrorists [3]. Enjoy.Bohdan 18:40, 3 April 2007 (EDT)

Comment

Islam is a pretty big thing. It has about a billion and a half adherents, about five times the population of the United States.

The United States includes Republicans and Democrats, Timothy McVeigh and Martin Luther King, Unitarians and Seventh-Day Adventists, members of the Crips and members of Habitat for Humanity, vegetarians and gun lobbyists, the ACLU and Focus on the Family. America includes violence and America includes apple pie. I like to think apple pie is more mainstream.

Would you care to sum up "mainstream America" in a short, facile generalization? I wouldn't. And I know a lot more about America than I do about Islam.

Hey, I didn't know what Shi'ites and Sunnis were until five years ago. And I barely know them now. (Saddam Hussein was a Sunni, but was he a "mainstream" Sunni? Quick, without looking it up: is Al-Qaeda Sunni or Shi'ite?)

I sure don't know whether "mainstream Islam endorses violence." And I'm not sure how many of the pundits writing in English about such things can even speak Arabic. Dpbsmith 19:39, 5 April 2007 (EDT)