Fifth. To understand what is going on when people BUT away everything negative about Islam (BUT I know a nice Muslim, BUT there's bad stuff in every religion, BUT think about the Crusades), there's The Big BUT System: http://westindanger.com/ed/big-but-system.html
Here just note that if you say something negative about another religion or political ideology, people don't BUT everything away. They don't say, BUT I know a nice Christian, Democrat, Republican, Hindu, etc.
Sixth. One can keep going further. To explore infiltration, a great start is the interview that got me to believe in the reality of infiltration, Communist infiltration in this case. It's very powerful, as I know not only from my response, but from the responses of other people. It's Yuri Bezmenov with Deception was My Job: https://youtu.be/y3qkf3bajd4
Why the misinforming? My guess is that many of the reporters (who are often not reporting) believe they are misinforming for a good cause. In other words, something else is more important than truth.
A final point. At some point, it's important to read the Quran. I recommend the Koran at a Glance, because the chapters have been put into chronological order. Also, passages relating to major concerns, like Allah, believers, unbelievers and jihad, have been highlighted: http://koran-at-a-glance.com/
I often refer to 1000+ Mistakes in the Quran and its strong proofs that it is not true that the Quran is the word of a god. NO god makes 2400+ errors about facts, other non-religious errors, contradictions, etc. in his holy book. This proves that the Quran is made up by somebody else, likely by Muhammad. This means Islam is a made up "religion" - a superstition.
R.L.
****
Ignorance about Islam can only be fixed by investigating the sources, starting with the koran. Most will not take on that endeavor, and why would they? After all, it may only make them less happy.
Now for my two cents. I'm not sure if it works, at least it silences the islam apologists. I ask for specific examples of how islam improves on our society.
I have yet to receive a positive answer.
The reason I ask this question is twofold. First, I'd really like to know. Second, if one thinks that islam, or any ideology for that matter, deserves a place in our societies, it should have at least a few positive effects. For islam this need is especially pressing because we already know some of its negative impacts. If there is no answer, one may easily dismiss the demands to accept anything islamic.
RNL,
UK
****
Here is my response to "Religions are all the same" and/or "Let's deal with Christianity first / as well." I tailor it depending on whom I'm responding to. I've found it quite effective with the many people who haven't a clue about Islam!
This notion of equivalence between Islam and Christianity is very foolish and dangerous. Just consider this. What chance would there have been of Christianity ever reforming, and reverting to being a peaceful, proselytizing, voluntary faith - after its politicization by the Romans, and hundreds of years of bloody religious wars and persecution in Christendom - if Christianity's foundational figure, Jesus, was recorded in scripture as giving up his peaceful ministry (body count nil); repudiating his edict "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's," (the basis of freedom of belief, and the separation of religion and state); raising an army, and conquering unbelievers "through terror", with a sword called the "divider of vertebrae"? If he had established a totalitarian "Messiahphate"; had all critics and opponents murdered; mandated death for apostasy and blasphemy; beheaded a whole tribe of Jewish men who had surrendered to him (down to the pubescent boys); forced the captured women and children of the men he conquered and slaughtered into slavery - and endorsed, and himself practiced, sex slavery? Precisely - not a chance.
And that sequence of events is exactly what is recorded in Islamic scripture in respect of Mohammed's life and "perfect example", for all Muslims for all time. As three of four well-known atheist thinkers have pointed out, there are important differences between religious ideologies - and Islam is, as Sam Harris has pointed out, the mother lode of bad ideas. Regardless of whether Jesus and/or Mohammed are essentially fictional characters, the ideology is the point. Whatever faults there may be in modern Christianity, as believed in and practiced in various ways (and there are plenty in some variants, and especially in the hierarchies of the faith), there is simply no comparison whatsoever to the existential threat to the West from political Islam. And Islam is political to its (jack)boots, and always has been. It is quintessentially fascist, jihadic and phenomenally dangerous - and can never change because its scriptures can never change. We fail to understand that at our existential peril.
Mary Edwards,
U.K.
****
My approach is to keep sending links and any information on Muslims, Islam, and Sharia to a number of people, slowly gaining more attention.
We have to keep spreading the word and ignore the charges of racism and the slurs.
Those of us who are paying attention, are well read, informed and have some first hand experience, we are not racists but realists.
Also, I send pictures. Pictures speak louder than words.
Ken,
Canada
****
What have I found most effective for reaching people? Nothing at all! I find when debating with people on the internet that we always leave with our respective views untouched (although you never know when you may have planted a seed). As for personal contacts with family and friends, I find it frustrating how they automatically employ the BIG BUT system as you aptly call it. Even those who understand there is a problem I find doggedly inert. I give them links and books but they don’t read them. There is always something more important to do.
But I wasn't alerted by anyone talking to me either, only by one atrocity too many. I do not expect to reach anyone directly now but just put information out there where they can find it after they have also been revolted by one or other atrocity and go looking beyond the mainstream media. On the other hand, awareness is growing. My wife was surprised to learn that a friend of hers had bought Douglas Murray’s "The Strange Death of Europe" and I was surprised when a friend I had crossed swords with over the issue sent me the same book as a Christmas present (it would have been a much better present if she had read it herself).
ECAW,
UK
****
One friend who used to ask me not to talk about such things, now lets me speak. I found that just expressing concern when there was something in the news that was undeniable enabled me to further elaborate on how we have been conditioned to deny such. It's a very subtle approach. It can work with friends, but there's not enough of them to make an immediate difference in the big picture.
R.T.,
Canada
****
I mostly in low key ways quote and comment on the Quran, and when i meet opposition ask them to check if what I say is not true.
N.B.
UK
****
Photos of faces of people murdered by those who follow islam.
L.M.
US
****
Whenever there is an opening, I will ask what the person knows about Islam. As you know, few actually do, so I share my former ignorance and how it took years for me to be open to the dark truth about Islam. I might share how, in evaluating different religions, I look at how their scriptures or codes require their followers to treat those not of their faith. I have a collection of over 100 verses from the Qu'ran describing how non Muslims are to be treated by Muslims, which you know is extremely harsh.
I then correlate the behavior of ISIS and Al Qaeda towards non Muslims with the Islamic verses and how those groups use them to validate their behavior. Sometimes I'll be asked why don't all Muslims behave like them and of course that answer will vary as much as how diverse the behavior of people who call themselves Christians or any other religion, but that doesn't change the fundamental tenants of the faith. Also, Islam is peculiar in its use of a strategy called taqiyya, or deception.
At that point, depending on the interest of the person or group you are speaking to, you can get into how the Quran is divided into two parts with most Muslims not wanting to expose new converts to the harsh second half. The most important thing is to get people to think and question, which is my goal. I always suggest that inquisitive people read Political Islam With a few exceptions, what I describe has been successful.
R.D.
USA
****
We are many and we need to put our collective heads together to form unified, workable approaches (one shoe does not fit all) to deal with what I often refer to as the willfully ignorant.
People balk at being pushed, but will often follow a good message.
I have an advantage over some in that I have personally lived and worked in Moslem countries for over a decade. That establishes a credential that causes people to listen.
A while back, I worked out a program to help high school students to understand and teach themselves about Islam. It was in the form of a handout with a short introduction: "Are your teachers lying to you?" and then listed a dozen web sites and YouTube posts that grabbed the students' attention. Working with a few others, we'd hand out 800-1000 copies as kids exited their schools. When done, the kids had taken these home to share with families, and only a half dozen or so were thrown away.
With others, I have gone to very public gatherings (Earth Day in San Diego - packed with liberals) where we set up booths offering information about Islam. Moslems came and started debates which attracted crowds who came to hear - in all cases, the Moslems made themselves and their arguments look foolish.
To win, we need activists who will promote our side with reasonable and responsible information that serves to at least open closed minds to be more receptive of truths and facts. It's not a "shazzam" enlightenment, but a gradual process.
James E. Horn
****
One point I have found makes at least Christians think: I ask why the churches and Christians betray themselves by letting Islam and the Quran make strong claims about made up and wrong points in their argumentation, without strongly giving proofs that the disinformation is - well - disinformation? Two obvious points are: why do Christians and the churches not strongly disprove the Islamic claims that the Bible is falsified, and that Jesus was a Muslim. Both points are so central in the Quran, that Islam cannot go on as it is going today, if it has to admit that one or both claims are wrong. Especially for the first point there are very strong proofs for that the claim is not true, but also for the second one there are more than sufficient proofs.
G.D.F.
****
People simply do not know how harsh the Quran is, and believe it it is somewhat on par with the Bible. I start from there.
H.R.
UK
****
What is Islam all about?
What is the history of Islam?
What about Mohammed?
Here: a quick intro to Islam.
ISLAM 101.
