much has been said about the controversial film by geert wilders, fitna, which aimed to literally depict the alleged atrocities of Islam in the eye of the non believer.many have been angered by the producer of this film.
from street demonstrations to camping in front of dutch embassies to putting a price on geert wilders' head.
i was as curious as most muslims around the world and searched for the film on the internet.
what i saw was apalling.
i was not apalled by the people who decided to produce the film....but rather, i was shocked by what was portrayed on it.... ie. acts of violence by my fellow muslims.
sure, the film was a cut and paste job, and the quranic verses were taken out of context...
but let's just think rationally.
this was the point of view on a non muslim and i believe, many non muslims are just like him.
as much as we are angered by the portrayal... i think we should ask ourselves these question:
1. what have WE done as muslims to portray that the religion is about peace and all the good things everyone can ever wish for.
2. how do we defend ourselves as believers when there are scores of our muslim brothers and sisters slaying people's throats mercilessly, attacking innocent people with suicide bombings, raping women, killing children, all in the name of JIHAD?
3. how do we justify their acts of terrorism and yet say islam is about peace.
and most of us reject and condemn the film and its intentions, without even watching it.
we start to boycott dutch products when all these while, we've been nurtured by it...
take dutch lady for example.... gosh... i think even those before i was born have been drinking its milk products, and i believe our very own grandchildren are nourished by it too.
why are we punishing the dutch.. when we should only be angry with one person.
but then again, try putting yourself in his shoes, which i believe are the same shoes that many non muslims wear.
try to look at this matter in their perspective before we start to condemn them.
what can we do to convince people that islam is not what was portrayed on the film....
how can we assure them that all those atrocities portrayed in the film are acts of extremists who have gone astray from the truth.
perhaps we all, muslims and non muslims alike, should read the great Quran and understand its text before we make conclusions about islam.
i like my apples with a pinch of salt.
