Muslim Leader in Korea Speaks Out

Here is an interesting interview in the Korea Times with a leader in Korea’s Muslim community:

Accordingly, the 69-year-old clergyman asked terrorist groups around the world to turn to nonviolent and nonresistant measures. “They need to be convinced that we cannot control the evil by an evil measure. It should be done by the good measure.’’

Lee also made no bones about his criticism of “Western Powers.’’ “It is apparent that terrorism shall never be justified or encouraged, but on the other side we shall observe the sad history of the Middle East under the influence of Western Powers,’’ he noted. “They shall bear a certain responsibility for the cause of terrorism.’’ “Why do people commit suicide bearing bombs in the Middle East? They are definitely to blame. However, at the same time, we need to understand why they are doing such an act,’’ he said.

“Cannot control the evil by an evil measure, it should be done by good measures?”, Does he saying that the cause of terrorism is just, but they need to use non-violent means instead? I will also have to take that comment as meaning that he believes western powers are evil and later states that they are to blame for suicide bombings.

Here is what he thinks about the cartoon controversy:

Regarding the controversy over the “blasphemous’’ Danish cartoon, the clergy took a cautious, but strict, position. “It is inappropriate behavior for them to describe Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist,’’ he said.

Lee said the cartoon is also based on false stereotypes about the religion and the prophet. “On the contrary to the image of terrorists, the prophet spread messages of peace and equality around 1,400 years ago when every ruler wielded their powers to kill people,’’ Lee said.

Even worse, Islam strictly bans recreations of Muhammad’s image. “The prophet ordered not to paint his image for fear that he might be deified later. However, the Danish newspaper unduly depicts his image,’’ the imam said.

“False stereotype?”, isn’t there an inornate amount of terrorists hijacking the Muslim religion? This is what the cartoons were suggesting. Plus Muhammad may have ordered Muslims not to recreate his image but as far as I know he made no mention about Danish cartoonists recreating his image.

This religious leader is an example of what I see as the problem with the Muslim religion. Many Islamic leaders claim Islam is the religion of peace, yet they are weak in condemning terrorists and instead make excuses about how the evil western powers are to blame for all that ails the Muslim world.

The evil western powers are not the reason women are treated as nothing more than property in many areas of the Muslim world. Western powers are not to blame for the ruthless dictators that encompass much of the Muslim world. Western powers are not to blame for the lack of emphasis on education in the Muslim world. How many inventions and inovations have come from Islamic countries today? The lack of job opportunities in Islamic countries as well cannot be blamed on western powers. Not to mention the lack of basic human rights and freedom of speech.

Until religious leaders start to condemn the dictators and terrorists more strongly the religion of peace will continue to be hijacked by the extremists. Yet Islamic leaders such as this Korean leader condemns Danish cartoons more strongly than terrorism.