Mr. Trump & Senator Cruz: There is No Such Thing as Radical Islam

There is no such a thing as “radical” Islam. There is no such thing as “radical” Catholicism. There is no such thing as “radical” Protestantism. There is no such thing as “radical” Mormonism. There is no such thing as “radical” Hinduism. You get the point. There are radical people in each of these religious movements who claim/hijack these faith traditions. But their claims are lies—bold faced lies. They do not represent their respective teachings of these faith traditions. The actual teachings of these religions, and so many others, promote peace, abhor killing, and abhor war in the strongest terms. This abhorrence is expressly stated in the holy texts of these religions. The Quran, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, and the Vedas, all condemn killing and condemn war.

This understanding, that these religious traditions are not radical and violent, informs the responses of President Obama and Hillary Clinton to the Paris bombings and shootings. They refuse attach “Islam” to the terrorists that inflicted death on over one-hundred people and injured many more. And they refuse to block the entrance of Syrian refugees based upon their religious affiliation.

Donald Trump, on the other hand, so completely attaches terrorism to Islam that earlier this week he suggested that there may be a need to close Mosques in America to alleviate terrorist threats. Mr. Trump, that is collective punishment and it should not, and just cannot prevail in the United States without compromising the integrity of the nation. Recall the Japanese internment camps of World War II and retract your recommendation at the earliest possible moment.  See http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/16/politics/donald-trump-paris-attacks-close-mosques/

Senator Ted Cruz similarly and explicitly attached terrorism to Islam. Earlier this week he said:

“Our enemy is radical Islamic terrorism, in this case ISIS, and their goal is nothing less than the destruction of the free world. The sooner we have a leader who understands this elementary truth the sooner we can start taking the necessary steps to protect ourselves from this evil. . . . As long as we have a Commander-in-Chief unwilling even to utter the words radical Islamic terrorism, we will not have a concerted effort to defeat these radicals before they continue to murder more and more innocents. . . . It makes no sense whatsoever for us to be bringing in refugees who our intelligence cannot determine if they are terrorists here to kill us or not. See http://www.redstate.com/2015/11/15/ted-cruz-enemy-radical-islamic-terrorism/

Cruz further explained that there should be a religious test imposed upon Syrian refugees. Accordingly, if the refugee is Christian, they may enter the United States, find safety, and make a new start. If the refugee is Muslim, they may not be admitted—they are a threat on the surface that must be turned away. He also explained that President Obama’s willingness to allow Muslim refugees to cross into American borders is “lunacy.”

Ironically, Senator Cruz’s father fled Cuba many years ago in response to that nation’s oppressive governmental policies and laws. He was welcomed in America. Fortunately, there was not a religious litmus test imposed upon refugees like the senior Mr. Cruz. Had there been such a test, he may have been denied entry and Ted Cruz would have spent his childhood and adult life languishing in the oppression of Cuba. See http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/17/politics/ted-cruz-refugees-syria/

Bottom line, there are a few commonalities held by Muslim and Christian refugees that are fleeing Syria. They both suffer when they are hungry, they both bleed the same blood, they both grievously mourn over dead family members and friends that have been murdered by a vicious regime, and they both yearn for freedom. Both “huddled masses” should be welcomed to the United States without a religious test of any kind. Let them in.