SURVEY: CAIR needs to reconsider how they interpret surveys.
It seems that CAIR is joining in the ranks of many others who survey as a method of changing popular opinion. However, they also are like other political groups in that they spin the feedback to say what they want it to say. I will therefore respond in kind at first to show the foolishness of interpreting results in a loose fashion.
http://www.cair.com/CAIRSurveyReport.pd
DATA: Only 2% describe themselves as "very knowledgeable" [of Islam].
Hmmm ... this roughly equates to 1/2 of the Muslim population. I suppose the men.
==> Are we to conclude then that Muslim American men are "very knowledgeable" of Islam?
Hmmm ... this also roughly equates to the percentage of the population that is diagnosed with Bipolar &/ Schizophrenia.
==> Are Muslim American men then most likely to be afflicted with serious mental disorders?
Hmmm ... fewer now consider themselves knowledgeable about Islam than before.
==> Are more Muslims turning to Jesus?
I don't rank among those very knowledgeable or even moderately knowledgeable of Islam & I am not a flaming evangelist to Muslims not having directly planted any Muslim congregation, nor have I ever been a follower of Muhammed. I simply write the above three suppositions to indicate that self-regard is a poor measure of reality. It is not how we regard ourselves, but how God regards us. This is the fundamental error of Islam: it is a merely social movement which uses God's name in vain & draws near to God with their lips & with their motions while the heart of the follower of Muhammid remains far from God. Again, it is a social movement, not a movement towards God.
??
How then does one gage being "very knowledgeable about Islam" other than self-regard?
??
====
Some critiques of CAIR's survey.
First, I will note a very clearly biased interpretation that CAIR gives which conceals the actual results of the survey:
On the Palestinian-Israeli Issue more are said to be "even-handed."
- Actually, what the statistics show is that people are now more opinionated: 13% fewer gave "no opinion" as their response; 13% more gave the "both equally right" response ... which would roughly mean the same as "both equally wrong." What CAIR did _not_ note was that _more_ believe that Israel is totally right now than last year. So, I suppose that CAIR now considers it "even-handed" to have an opinion rathat than no opinion ... or to support Israel? I hear an machine SPINning on that one. But, who am I to decide what is propaganda and what is not?
===
- Only 16% expressed a willingness to receive a Quran if offered one for free, even though a mere 6% have a Quran at home.
- Since 91% already have a Bible, and there are 10% who are willing to receive a Bible for free.
... Could it be that those virtually all those who do NOT yet have a Bible would be willing to receive a Bible??
CAIR seems to be gearing up for a "Q" document campaign. Liberal Bible "scholars" have waged a similar campaign for years. The main problem: There is a lack of factual & historical basis for many of the Quranic pronouncements just as there is a lack of basis for the many statements in the "Q" document. Since CAIR has Muslims as their primary constituents, May I recommend that they adapt a simpler approach:
CAIR should distribute Bibles to any interested Muslim for free. Perhaps they would like to purchase Bibles at a discount from the American Bible Society or the International Bible Society. This is one way that CAIR could show that they really do care about the Muslims who pay their bills.
==
This is a list of poorly worded questions/statements that they give, or an expansion on some questions that indicate the inherent bias of the questions:
"Almost all Muslims are Arabs."
- A change is noted in the numbers who believe this. This is simply a matter of increased media coverage & dispersion of information. People are realizing the spread of Islam. The fact that the Tsunami of Aceh happened in the "most populous Muslims nation on earth" and was talked about for a while could account for part of this dissemination of information.
"Contributions to civilization."
- This is difficult to measure: algebra, alchemy / chemistry, & alcohol are all words rooted in times of Islamic dominance in one area. One should note that at those times, there were many more Christians in the areas where governments were run by Muslims. Thus, the actual contributions of those cultures would be hard to gage: who was a Christian & who was a Muslim? (Which scientist, mathemetician, geographer, historian was a follower of the Lord Jesus or a follower of Muhammed in the given historical periods?) Also, one must recall, that one of the main reasons for this contribution was translation of earlier writings & interaction with learning from the Meditteranean Basin & the Indian Subcontinent & various other areas affected by the Islamic Empire which rose around 700 years after the birth of the Lord Jesus and began to decline sometime later due to internal moral decadence. Thus, To say that Islamic cultures contributed is not to say that it was the Islamic faith/ideology or even that Muslims were the primary source of the benefaction, though Muslims & all those under Islamic domination have benefitted by the contributions of those who sought to be a blessing to those around them.
"Deserts"
- This is listed as a neutral comment. Now, for those of us who enjoy the comfort of rain & plant & animal life around us, deserts is NOT a positive comment!! Environmentalists will generally not say that desertification is a good thing. It is a very difficult condition for an environment to recover from. Arabs who live in Arabia in the heat of the sun do _not_ want to spend eternity in a desert. Having been in various deserts, including in Arabia ... I agree: Nobody wants to spend eternity in a dry & dusty land!! People want to enter a land of promise where there is life & life more abundant. The Lord Jesus offers that & fills our hearts with living water as we turn to Him. Jesus satisfies.
"It's OK to lock them up."
- Yes, of course. Anyone who commits crime & does wrong deserves to be put in prison, whether Muslim, Jew, "christian," Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Atheist, or Scientologist. The question is framed in such a way that people who do not consider the question will not want to "appear" as biased.
"They're just like everyone else."
- This is a meaningless question. All are sinners, yes. Yet each sins in a unique way. However, to say that Muslims are just like "everyone else implies that there is no reason for Muslims to remain followers of Muhammed ... which I do agree with. I.e. they need to become different. They need to be made holy, like Jesus. (Interestingly, fewer believe that Muslims are "just like everyone else." I think that the cartoon incident would increase this differential.
"They oppress women."
- Again, this is a simple thing to answer: Do non-muslims oppress women? Yes. Do women oppress women? Yes. Do abusive husbands oppress women? Yes. If some muslims oppress women all the time out of their convictions, then the answer is yes. If all muslims oppress women sometimes, then the answer is yes. If they are like everyone else and others oppress women, then the answer is yes. Basically, CAIR is setting themselves up for failure & hypocricy: Generalize in your questioning & try to deceive using the same methods that the serpent used when tricking Eve. ... Interestingly, MORE believe that Islam oppresses women now than before. Why? Are the facts getting out? Perhaps the statements of some women who were raised in Islam is one reason for this.
"Their civil rights have been limited since 9/11."
- Again, a no-brainer. All Americans have had their civil liberties restricted since 9/11. At times this has affected Muslims more, at times it has affected others more. But all have indeed been affected by 9/11.
"They worship the same God as Christians and Jews."
- This is a surface question. It approaches things at the level of linguistics. The real question is "do those who honor Muhammed as the 'last & greatest'" _know_ the true & living God. The answer to that question is know. Whether a Muslim worships the same God or not is to some degree very peripheral. One can bow down to the same King, without ever acknowledging that King or ever having peace with the King.
==> Peace only comes in Jesus.
======
MERT's OPINION (Which I believe is biblical & Christian):
Torture is never justifiable:
Execute those deserving of capital punishment if needed.
Redeem those who will receive grace.
======
CAIR seems to have a campaign to improve their image (i.e. their institutional idol):
1. Condemn terror more strongly.
2. Improve the status of women.
3. Improve America's image in the Mid-East.
4. Demonstrate more concern for other Americans.
5. Emphasize shared values. (family, ethics, piety, ??)
MERT's recommendations for how CAIR could have a better & more enduring name:
1. Edit the Hadith & Quran: Burn all copies that include reference to violence & remove all calls to jihad war against infidels, etc. Correct all poor history in the Quran & renounce the historical fiction that has been published as truth in the past.
2. Renounce Muhammed as their last & greatest prophet. Following a man who at one time was married to more than 4 women is not setting a good example.
3. Get beyond America. Look to the King who was born in Bethlehem.
4. Follow Jesus Christ (Isa Al-Masih) by loving your neighbor (American, German, Brazilian, Israeli, Korean, Kurd, Russian, Chinese, tribal) as yourself.
5. Value the crucifixion & resurrection of Jesus as the basis for our forgiveness & reconciliation & hope.
When CAIR adopts the above 5 recommendations, I am convinced that they will be empowered by the grace that He gives. (But they will probably have to change their name & purpose statement then.)
====
Finally, some concerns, that I believe have a bearing on how the church is relating to Muslims:
Notably, fewer Americans believe that immigrants are a not a burden. I.e. more believe that immigrants are a burden.
==> I believe that this reveals a fundamental problem: relying on & offering too many government programs. The result is a decline in fiscal health of the US government while giving excuses for blame-shifting.
Jesus offers a fundamental solution: The Good News!! Therefore, Christians ought to love their neighbors.
The survey showed that FEWER non-muslims indicate having friends / colleagues who are Muslims.
Why?? Here are some possible reasons:
A. Muslims are converting to _?_.
B. Muslims are becoming less friendly or avoiding friendships
C. Muslims are emmigrating elsewhere.
C. Non-Muslims are less interested in befriending Muslims.
D. The definition of friendship is changing.
E. Muslims are starting their own businesses.
F. Muslims are being fired more.
G. Muslims are getting lazy.
H. The definition of colleague is changing.
http://www.cair.com/CAIRSurveyReport.pd
DATA: Only 2% describe themselves as "very knowledgeable" [of Islam].
Hmmm ... this roughly equates to 1/2 of the Muslim population. I suppose the men.
==> Are we to conclude then that Muslim American men are "very knowledgeable" of Islam?
Hmmm ... this also roughly equates to the percentage of the population that is diagnosed with Bipolar &/ Schizophrenia.
==> Are Muslim American men then most likely to be afflicted with serious mental disorders?
Hmmm ... fewer now consider themselves knowledgeable about Islam than before.
==> Are more Muslims turning to Jesus?
I don't rank among those very knowledgeable or even moderately knowledgeable of Islam & I am not a flaming evangelist to Muslims not having directly planted any Muslim congregation, nor have I ever been a follower of Muhammed. I simply write the above three suppositions to indicate that self-regard is a poor measure of reality. It is not how we regard ourselves, but how God regards us. This is the fundamental error of Islam: it is a merely social movement which uses God's name in vain & draws near to God with their lips & with their motions while the heart of the follower of Muhammid remains far from God. Again, it is a social movement, not a movement towards God.
??
How then does one gage being "very knowledgeable about Islam" other than self-regard?
??
====
Some critiques of CAIR's survey.
First, I will note a very clearly biased interpretation that CAIR gives which conceals the actual results of the survey:
On the Palestinian-Israeli Issue more are said to be "even-handed."
- Actually, what the statistics show is that people are now more opinionated: 13% fewer gave "no opinion" as their response; 13% more gave the "both equally right" response ... which would roughly mean the same as "both equally wrong." What CAIR did _not_ note was that _more_ believe that Israel is totally right now than last year. So, I suppose that CAIR now considers it "even-handed" to have an opinion rathat than no opinion ... or to support Israel? I hear an machine SPINning on that one. But, who am I to decide what is propaganda and what is not?
===
- Only 16% expressed a willingness to receive a Quran if offered one for free, even though a mere 6% have a Quran at home.
- Since 91% already have a Bible, and there are 10% who are willing to receive a Bible for free.
... Could it be that those virtually all those who do NOT yet have a Bible would be willing to receive a Bible??
CAIR seems to be gearing up for a "Q" document campaign. Liberal Bible "scholars" have waged a similar campaign for years. The main problem: There is a lack of factual & historical basis for many of the Quranic pronouncements just as there is a lack of basis for the many statements in the "Q" document. Since CAIR has Muslims as their primary constituents, May I recommend that they adapt a simpler approach:
CAIR should distribute Bibles to any interested Muslim for free. Perhaps they would like to purchase Bibles at a discount from the American Bible Society or the International Bible Society. This is one way that CAIR could show that they really do care about the Muslims who pay their bills.
==
This is a list of poorly worded questions/statements that they give, or an expansion on some questions that indicate the inherent bias of the questions:
"Almost all Muslims are Arabs."
- A change is noted in the numbers who believe this. This is simply a matter of increased media coverage & dispersion of information. People are realizing the spread of Islam. The fact that the Tsunami of Aceh happened in the "most populous Muslims nation on earth" and was talked about for a while could account for part of this dissemination of information.
"Contributions to civilization."
- This is difficult to measure: algebra, alchemy / chemistry, & alcohol are all words rooted in times of Islamic dominance in one area. One should note that at those times, there were many more Christians in the areas where governments were run by Muslims. Thus, the actual contributions of those cultures would be hard to gage: who was a Christian & who was a Muslim? (Which scientist, mathemetician, geographer, historian was a follower of the Lord Jesus or a follower of Muhammed in the given historical periods?) Also, one must recall, that one of the main reasons for this contribution was translation of earlier writings & interaction with learning from the Meditteranean Basin & the Indian Subcontinent & various other areas affected by the Islamic Empire which rose around 700 years after the birth of the Lord Jesus and began to decline sometime later due to internal moral decadence. Thus, To say that Islamic cultures contributed is not to say that it was the Islamic faith/ideology or even that Muslims were the primary source of the benefaction, though Muslims & all those under Islamic domination have benefitted by the contributions of those who sought to be a blessing to those around them.
"Deserts"
- This is listed as a neutral comment. Now, for those of us who enjoy the comfort of rain & plant & animal life around us, deserts is NOT a positive comment!! Environmentalists will generally not say that desertification is a good thing. It is a very difficult condition for an environment to recover from. Arabs who live in Arabia in the heat of the sun do _not_ want to spend eternity in a desert. Having been in various deserts, including in Arabia ... I agree: Nobody wants to spend eternity in a dry & dusty land!! People want to enter a land of promise where there is life & life more abundant. The Lord Jesus offers that & fills our hearts with living water as we turn to Him. Jesus satisfies.
"It's OK to lock them up."
- Yes, of course. Anyone who commits crime & does wrong deserves to be put in prison, whether Muslim, Jew, "christian," Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Atheist, or Scientologist. The question is framed in such a way that people who do not consider the question will not want to "appear" as biased.
"They're just like everyone else."
- This is a meaningless question. All are sinners, yes. Yet each sins in a unique way. However, to say that Muslims are just like "everyone else implies that there is no reason for Muslims to remain followers of Muhammed ... which I do agree with. I.e. they need to become different. They need to be made holy, like Jesus. (Interestingly, fewer believe that Muslims are "just like everyone else." I think that the cartoon incident would increase this differential.
"They oppress women."
- Again, this is a simple thing to answer: Do non-muslims oppress women? Yes. Do women oppress women? Yes. Do abusive husbands oppress women? Yes. If some muslims oppress women all the time out of their convictions, then the answer is yes. If all muslims oppress women sometimes, then the answer is yes. If they are like everyone else and others oppress women, then the answer is yes. Basically, CAIR is setting themselves up for failure & hypocricy: Generalize in your questioning & try to deceive using the same methods that the serpent used when tricking Eve. ... Interestingly, MORE believe that Islam oppresses women now than before. Why? Are the facts getting out? Perhaps the statements of some women who were raised in Islam is one reason for this.
"Their civil rights have been limited since 9/11."
- Again, a no-brainer. All Americans have had their civil liberties restricted since 9/11. At times this has affected Muslims more, at times it has affected others more. But all have indeed been affected by 9/11.
"They worship the same God as Christians and Jews."
- This is a surface question. It approaches things at the level of linguistics. The real question is "do those who honor Muhammed as the 'last & greatest'" _know_ the true & living God. The answer to that question is know. Whether a Muslim worships the same God or not is to some degree very peripheral. One can bow down to the same King, without ever acknowledging that King or ever having peace with the King.
==> Peace only comes in Jesus.
======
MERT's OPINION (Which I believe is biblical & Christian):
Torture is never justifiable:
Execute those deserving of capital punishment if needed.
Redeem those who will receive grace.
======
CAIR seems to have a campaign to improve their image (i.e. their institutional idol):
1. Condemn terror more strongly.
2. Improve the status of women.
3. Improve America's image in the Mid-East.
4. Demonstrate more concern for other Americans.
5. Emphasize shared values. (family, ethics, piety, ??)
MERT's recommendations for how CAIR could have a better & more enduring name:
1. Edit the Hadith & Quran: Burn all copies that include reference to violence & remove all calls to jihad war against infidels, etc. Correct all poor history in the Quran & renounce the historical fiction that has been published as truth in the past.
2. Renounce Muhammed as their last & greatest prophet. Following a man who at one time was married to more than 4 women is not setting a good example.
3. Get beyond America. Look to the King who was born in Bethlehem.
4. Follow Jesus Christ (Isa Al-Masih) by loving your neighbor (American, German, Brazilian, Israeli, Korean, Kurd, Russian, Chinese, tribal) as yourself.
5. Value the crucifixion & resurrection of Jesus as the basis for our forgiveness & reconciliation & hope.
When CAIR adopts the above 5 recommendations, I am convinced that they will be empowered by the grace that He gives. (But they will probably have to change their name & purpose statement then.)
====
Finally, some concerns, that I believe have a bearing on how the church is relating to Muslims:
Notably, fewer Americans believe that immigrants are a not a burden. I.e. more believe that immigrants are a burden.
==> I believe that this reveals a fundamental problem: relying on & offering too many government programs. The result is a decline in fiscal health of the US government while giving excuses for blame-shifting.
Jesus offers a fundamental solution: The Good News!! Therefore, Christians ought to love their neighbors.
The survey showed that FEWER non-muslims indicate having friends / colleagues who are Muslims.
Why?? Here are some possible reasons:
A. Muslims are converting to _?_.
B. Muslims are becoming less friendly or avoiding friendships
C. Muslims are emmigrating elsewhere.
C. Non-Muslims are less interested in befriending Muslims.
D. The definition of friendship is changing.
E. Muslims are starting their own businesses.
F. Muslims are being fired more.
G. Muslims are getting lazy.
H. The definition of colleague is changing.