What Percentage of Muslims Dislike ISIS?

What Percentage of Muslims Dislike ISIS?

This week, Pew Research Forum, one of the most trusted research and analysis organizations in the world, released a report that showed that the vast, vast majority of Muslims in nations with predominant Islamic populations overwhelmingly oppose ISIS. Some ask, “Why doesn’t this vast majority oppose ISIS?” They do. “Why doesn’t this vast majority stop ISIS?” They would if they could. But there is no central religious hierarchy in Islam. It is something like Protestantism. What percentage of Protestants in America are disgusted by Westboro Baptist Church? (Westboro’s website is: GodHatesFags.com) An overwhelmingly high percentage. If Protestants had a central hierarchy I trust they would jettison Westboro from Protestantism. As it stands, neither Muslims nor Protestants have the organizational structure to formally eject factions in their respective traditions. They can heavily oppose them, but they cannot excommunicate these groups that have hijacked Islam and hijacked Protestantism. I know, ISIS is murderous and Westboro Baptist is not (don’t be too sure about the latter) so that is not the point. The lack of a central organizational structure is the point. But making the claim that Muslims are in favor of ISIS and is a “radical” movement worldwide is highly inaccurate.

Here is part of Pew’s analysis:

“In no country surveyed did more than 15% of the population show favorable attitudes toward Islamic State. And in those countries with mixed religious and ethnic populations, negative views of ISIS cut across these lines. In Lebanon, a victim of one of the most recent attacks, almost every person surveyed who gave an opinion had an unfavorable view of ISIS, including 99% with a very unfavorable opinion. Distaste toward ISIS was shared by Lebanese Sunni Muslims (98% unfavorable) and 100% of Shia Muslims and Lebanese Christians.

“In no country surveyed did more than 15% of the population show favorable attitudes toward Islamic State. And in those countries with mixed religious and ethnic populations, negative views of ISIS cut across these lines.

“In Lebanon, a victim of one of the most recent attacks, almost every person surveyed who gave an opinion had an unfavorable view of ISIS, including 99% with a very unfavorable opinion. Distaste toward ISIS was shared by Lebanese Sunni Muslims (98% unfavorable) and 100% of Shia Muslims and Lebanese Christians.

“Israelis (97%) and Jordanians (94%) were also strongly opposed to ISIS as of spring 2015, including 91% of Israeli Arabs. And 84% in the Palestinian territories had a negative view of ISIS, both in the Gaza Strip (92%) and the West Bank (79%).”

Here is a link to the Pew Forum report should you choose to explore the analysis of the survey.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/17/in-nations-with-significant-muslim-populations-much-disdain-for-isis/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=d857bf86aa-Religion_Weekly_Nov_19_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-d857bf86aa-399913949

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