For too long that section of the British media that is broadly of a leftist nature, such as the Guardian, the Indpendent and the BBC for example, have sold us all the false idea that Islam is a religion of peace. However, unfortunately for those media types who pander to and excuse Islam, the available evidence that it is not a religion of peace is everywhere.

Although this idiotic Islam-blindness is still very prevalent in the media, a small chink of the light of truth about Islam has appeared in today’s Independent on Sunday.

The Independent on Sunday’s web edition said:

“Amal Farah, a 32-year-old banking executive, is laughing about a contestant singing off-key in the last series of The X Factor. For a woman who was not allowed to listen to music when she was growing up, this is a delight. After years of turmoil, she is in control of her own life.

On the face of it, she is a product of modern Britain. Born in Somalia to Muslim parents, she grew up in Yemen and came to the UK in her late teens. After questioning her faith, she became an atheist and married a Jewish lawyer. But this has come at a cost. When she turned her back on her religion, she was disowned by her family and received death threats. She has not seen her mother or her siblings for eight years. None of them have met her husband or daughter.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done – telling my observant family that I was having doubts. My mum was shocked; she began to cry. It was very painful for her. When she realised I actually meant it, she cut communication with me,” said Ms Farah. “She was suspicious of me being in contact with my brothers and sisters. She didn’t want me to poison their heads in any way. I felt like a leper and I lived in fear. As long as they knew where I was, I wasn’t safe.”

Real religions of peace don’t give out death threats to those who have doubts, they might ostracise a person, feel sorry for them, hope they will return, try and answer their doubts and fears, but there is very little genuine peace in Islam. Islam does not use these peaceful ways, Islam threatens death. Those in the UK who have left, or do not observe the commandments of other monotheism based paths such as Judaism and Christianity, do not, on the whole, have to hide their identity and location from their former co-religionists, for fear of violence. Islam on the other hand has strong cultural and theological backing for the killing of those who either leave or question the path of Islam.

The Independent added:

“This is the first time Ms Farah has spoken publicly about her experience of leaving her faith, after realising that she did not want to keep a low profile for ever. She is an extreme case – her mother, now back in Somalia, has become increasingly radical in her religious views. But Ms Farah is not alone in wanting to speak out. “

Although it is heartening to see ex-Muslims speaking up, those of us who study the world of Islam know that this is not an ‘extreme case’. In the UK and in Muslim majority nations and in Islamic enclaves around the world, those who choose life and freedom by leaving Islam, are often at extreme risk. This sort of threat to individuals isn’t an aberration, it is normative Islam.

The Independent article although trying to pass off the murderous hatred for ex-Muslims by practising Muslims as ‘extreme’ did at least recognise that the lot of ex-Muslims in Islamic lands is really not good.

The Independent continued:

“In more than a dozen countries people who espouse atheism or reject the official state religion of Islam can be executed under the law, according to a recent report by the International Humanist and Ethical Union. But there is an ongoing debate about the “Islamic” way to deal with apostates. “

Unfortunately a bit of lazy journalism crept into the article when it gave the psuedo-moderate Muslim, Mohammed Ansar and the deeply questionable Muslim Council of Britain a platform.

The Independent said:

“Broadcaster Mohammed Ansar says the idea that apostates should be put to death is “not applicable” in Islam today because the act was traditionally conflated with state treason.

Some scholars point out that it is against the teachings of Islam to force anyone to stay within the faith. “The position of many a scholar I have discussed the issue with is if people want to leave, they can leave,” said Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, the assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain. “I don’t believe they should be discriminated against or harmed in any way whatsoever. There is no compulsion in religion.”

Don’t lie to us Mr Mogra, we’ve all seen how ‘no compulsion in religion’ works in places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia and a multitude of other places. That line really doesn’t wash with non-Muslims anymore, we’ve seen to much of the evidence that shows that there is a lot of compulsion in religion where Islam is concerned.

The article went on to give positive mentions to the avowably athiest Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and told the tales of some of those ex-Muslims who were willing to speak to the paper.

It is good to see a Left wing newspaper at long last taking an interest in the plight of ex-Muslims and it is to be hoped that this article will educate those who encounter ex-Muslims in their daily lives, about what many of them struggle against. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we should treasure and guard well our ex-Muslims, because they risk so much, including their lives, to be free. In too many cases, ex-Muslims have to struggle to embrace the freedoms that you or I may take for granted. Ex-Muslims should truly be referred to as brave fighters for freedom.

Links

Original Independent article

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/allah-vs-atheism-leaving-islam-was-the-hardest-thing-ive-done-9069598.html

Website for the Council of British Ex-Muslims

http://www.councilofexmuslims.com