Bin Laden as a “Symbol of Islam”
The popular web-comic “Indexed” has a somewhat controversial Venn diagram out today, listing Osama Bin Laden (and Santa) as a “symbol of a popular religion”.
Santa? Rarely seen? Surely not!
Now Santa is hardly a symbol of a popular religion, a symbol of a certain holiday usually associated with a popular religion maybe, but not of actual Christianity itself. However, is Bin Laden a symbol of Islam? The first thing that comes to mind when I hear the name Bin Laden is “terrorist”, or “9/11″, but it was Islamic terrorists who committed that atrocity (as well as many others). It seems almost too easy to associate terrorists with Islam, and vice-versa; the religion certainly encourages followers to kill unbelievers, even if the “moderates” deny it.
Proponents of Islam will often refer to it as the “religion of peace”, and yet you have to take a step back and look at what this so called peace has brought. I have to admit, every time I hear Islam described in such a way, I just stare in disbelief. It all boils down to a couple of things; namely, whether it is right to judge a religion by its extremists, and whether the religious beliefs of the terrorists were the influencing factor in their decision to carry out their plans.
Religion being an influencing factor is, in my opinion, undeniable. The hijackers died as martyrs for Islam, and we all know what their last words were, so the factor that remains is whether religious extremism is a good indicator of the actual religion. There are extremists in all religions; many simply twist the words of prophets to force their own agenda, but others are quite the opposite. Islam rewards those who kill infidels in battle, whilst Christianity makes no such promise. When considering the religion of Islam purely from scripture, I’d say it is more of a religion of hate than of peace.
As a religion of hate, Bin Laden is a good a symbol as any, although he is one of many, including the hijab (symbol of the Islamic oppression of women), and the scores of young Islamic girls who know all too well the religion’s position on child molestation.
I noticed we haven’t had a poll recently, so this is a good point to have one. Simple yes or no question: Do you think of Osama Bin Laden as a symbol of Islam? Leave a comment on why you voted, or if you think I’m talking complete nonsense.
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Bin Laden is to "symbol of Islam" as the Easter Bunny is to "symbol of Christianity".
Bin Laden is certainly not a symbol of Islam, although I think it would be fair to describe him as a symbol of terrorism as that's what most would associate him with. Any talk of Islam being a religion of peace is nonsense; regardless of what atrocities may have been perpetrated in the name of religion there's no denying that the Qur'an preaches violence and hatred toward the non muslim, eg:
Surah 47:4 " When you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them…"
On the subject of Islam, this blog is worth a look: http://islamoscope.wordpress.com/
Herpdederpdedeedlyderpdedoo. My email is johnjunior71@yahoo.com
3Finka – it is true that the Qur'an documents those intolerance, which fundamentally is no different from Christian intolerance.
Anyway, Bin Laden is not a symbol of Islam but I feel that many Americans perceive him as so. Prior to Islamic insurgences and 911, I would dare say most Americans had no contact to Islam, nor an inkling of what this religion, like any other religion, espouses. 911 has caused a nation-wide anti-Islamic sentiment, which technically should be anti-terrorism. Not all Muslims agree with what Bin Laden did and not all Muslims are fundamentalists. I think a good portion of them are misunderstood by the American population.
Osama Bin Laden. Living proof that misanthropy is underrated.
I think that picture was probably inspired by Bruno, who told a terrorist that Bin Laden looked like a "dirty Santa Claus." Someone probably liked it, and tried to make a web joke about it.
Actually many americans had a great deal of exposure to Islam, if through public figures alone. Are you forgetting about such people as Malcolm X?
Like the Nation of Islam portrays mainstream Islamic beliefs in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It's a different denomination (so to speak).
It is as good a representation of Islam as American Lutheranism is a good representation of Christianity.