While we're on the subject of how to respond to Islamo-fascism, I must commend the letmeridewithyou or whatever campaign: yes, let's keep our friends close and our potential enemies closer. I don't ascribe to that interpretation however.

Seriously, I really doubt that there has been any upsurge in vicious and vile attacks on defenceless Muslim women anywhere in Australia - that's an almost archetypical beat-up of fascist apologists, posing as Left do-gooders.

I take the bus into town most days of the week and I've not only NEVER seen any vile attacks on Muslim women, not even sideways looks, but I've not noticed any reservations on the part of Muslim women, they seem as relaxed and comfortable - to coin a phrase - as they ever were. People stand up for them on the bus, there are occasional smiles - which I hope there will be more of now - and I get the idea that any hypothetical attacks on Muslim women would be quickly stomped on, perhaps literally.

So please, let's bury this bullsh!t once and for all: the vast majority of Australians are happy and relaxed about riding on the buses with anybody. Perhaps it's the non-bus-riding Greens and pseudo-progressives (who haven't ridden on buses since their student days) who are trying to whip up a non-existent 'problem'.

Actually, I really love being on the bus: you see so many Australians besides affluent Anglos: students, pensioners, and always Australians from clearly many different origins. We are One, AND we are Many. May it always be that way: WE ARE ONE. A lady in a nikab engaged some of us fellow-passengers in a spirited conversation about nothing in particular, with the odd jokes, it was a great way to pass the time. Beautiful eyes ;) [Sorry dear, when you're beautiful, you can't hide it.]

I deplore all attempts to divide Australians on some trumped-up issue, even more so in a beat-up over some scum-terrorist murdering people in Sydney, my home-town.

Joe

I sure would answer the questions raised about Islam, as the answers to these over a thousand year old questions exist and have been amply given to the satisfaction of hundreds of millions of rational thinking human beings, only if I knew the genuineness of the person raising these questions again; on this occasion.
Two things need clarification first; real identity of the person to assess his/her suitability for this theological discussion and satisfaction that the person raising the questions is not peddling the material fed to him/her with ulterior motives? And second, is this a correct precedence that action of a confirmed mentally unstable person is to be taken as representative of the entire community and is it fair to put the entire community on trial for this reason?
A comment about the ulterior motive. I can be wrong here, and I hope I am, I just try to put two plus two and they don't add up. I am puzzled as to who in Australia would fuel this fire of hatred which sure can result in more hatred and unrest and possible harm, like the author cited harassment of a lady. Who, in his right mind, can think that intolerance and mutual suspicion is beneficial to peace, harmony and tranquility of Australian society? .Keep in mind the current example of Ferguson Missouri, USA.
Yes it is understandable that there are people who must portray Muslims as subhumans, deserving to be exterminated...to justify keeping them in cage of Gaza, in order to grab their land and bombing them at will ..as is the bombing done today.
Yes the commandment of loving thy neighbor is from the same God who revealed it to Jesus and before that to Moses and possibly to the Messengers before Moses. After all, it is one God of the whole mankind and of all creations. His message is the same for all.
He says Love Thy Neighbor. Any one now telling us to Hate Thy Neighbor for the reasons he/she feels he/sheknows better, is claiming to be wiser than his/her God.

Jardine,

Dealing with Muslims is frustrating. Fifty years ago in school I used to debate, but nothing is like talking about Islam with Muslims. Facts and logic don’t matter. Words mean nothing. Facts are fluid and standards are applied arbitrarily. A source is good when they use it but weak or unreliable when I use the same. The more I studied Islam, the more it became a matter of WTF, as they say.

My experience with Muslims is between the unbelievable and bizarre. It is incredible how much they will do to ignore what the Quran and hadith say. I have had Muslims who wouldn't read passages in the Quran aloud, because, I suppose, they didn't want to hear it from their own lips. When asked to explain a ‘difficult’ verse, it is just excuses.

The fact is that "good" Muslims are either ignorant or in denial as to the hate and violence that permeates their dogma. They don't even want to know. To them, Islam is what they say it is, what they want to believe it is, not what the Quran and hadith say or even what Muslims do. It is in their minds. The problem is therefore that good Muslims have no problem with the hate in the Quran or Mohammad’s violence. Guess what that means!

Reason and logic also fail. If asked why a supposedly good, all-knowing god would leave passages in his scriptures that some followers would use to justify the evil they do, including child marriage and murdering young victims of rape (for not having the 4 witnesses), you get a blank stare.

The bottom line is that, for Muslims, the only real sin is unbelief. Allah himself performs barbaric torture on unbelievers, not for murder, or for stealing, lies or rape, but because of unbelief. None of that silly “confess your sins, repent and sin no more” of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Islam has rituals and routines, but little morality.

Muslims cannot change and they cannot be honest. They make excuses and blame others. The future will not be nice. Blood will flow.

kactuz

your experiences ring true to a number of people I know who have had similar experiences. My experience has been similar. Muslims who are ignorant of the Koran are some of the nicest people I have come across. Even some involved in the people smuggling industry (sanctioned by Rudd and Gillard) are the lovliest guys (fishermen trying to make a better life for kids). On the other hand I have met and talked to some who hold to the beliefs of the Koran. They lie, treat women shockingly (that's being nice) and are serial welfare cheats.

McAdam, About your “Two things”, actually three:

1. suitability for theological discussion
I don’t have a degree in theology, but I have read the Quran (uffa!) and hadith and early histories. I am also very familiar with the Bible and the classics of the Western tradition. None of this is needed to discuss an ideology or the behavior of people.

2. probability of ulterior motives. That is for each person to know. The only things that matter are are issues and facts. If asked about motive, I would say that I am worried about our future and probable conflicts, and that I think one particular group is causing trouble. Take it or leave it.

3. making one person as representative of an entire community. That is wrong. Period. However, patterns, statistics and facts can indicate a problem and should cause one to ask questions. The idea that “it is wrong to stereotype” is foolish. Everybody stereotypes and very often stereotypes have an element of truth, but not always. The lone sheik is not indicative of all Muslims, but the fact that Muslims almost everywhere they dominate discriminate against and persecute non-Muslims is damning.

Facts are facts. If I say that Muslims accept the Quran as the perfect word of god and Mohammad as a messenger and a great noble example, those are true. If I say that the Quran is full of hate and violence and that Mohammad did many evil things, those too are true (if words mean anything and if moral standards are universal).

If you are against generalizations, then you would condemn the Quran. Are you aware of the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of verses that vilify and slander non-Muslims in the broadest terms? Is it OK for the Quran to generalize about entire communities but wrong for us to hold Muslims accountable for their actions and beliefs? Who knows, quien sabe, maybe those quranic verses and the actions of Mohammad explain the intolerance of Islamic societies, the endemic violence and the integration problems of Muslims immigrants. That is just a wild guess, of course.

McAdam,

Muslims, Jews and Christians do not worship the same God as their respective definitions differ.

The God of Christianity is a Trinity, the very idea of which is blasphemy to Jews and Muslims.

God, as such, did not bid us to love our neighbour, that is a teaching of Christ.