ap story

To whom it may concern,

“DENVER – A watchdog group objected Tuesday to an evangelist’s invitation to speak at the Pentagon next month, saying his past description of Islam as “evil” offended Muslims who work for the Department of Defense and the appearance should be canceled.

Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, said inviting evangelist Franklin Graham to speak May 6, the National Day of Prayer, “would be like bringing someone in on national prayer day madly denigrating Christianity” or other religious groups.

It would also endanger American troops by stirring up Muslim extremists, Weinstein said.

The above is from an AP story I read on Yahoo today.  I have two issues with what Mr. Weinstein has said.

First of all, who cares if we offend the Muslim extremists?  Americans do that simply by breathing!  Muslim extremists are the misguided people who strap bombs on their children.  What sane person can identify such an act as anything but “evil”?  Muslim extremists are not like wasps in a nest– if you don’t stir them up, they won’t sting you.  They hate and they kill.  Most importantly, they do it without provocation as a direct result of their religious beliefs.

Which brings me to my second point.  If you study Islamic religious writings, you cannot fail to note that infidels are to be converted or die– literally.  This is NOT the message of Christianity.  In fact, it is the opposite of the Christian message.  Which would rightly be identified as “evil” by any Christian.  Most Muslims living in the U.S. do not take “convert the infidels or kill them” passages (and their like) literally.  And the majority of Muslims living in this country are peaceful, productive citizens.  American Muslims of this type should be a bit less sensitive, and realize they have more in common with their Christian brothers than the fools who strap bombs onto their children in the name of Allah.  Parts of the Muslim religion are “evil”.  Mr. Graham has merely spoken the truth. No educated Muslim should be offended by what the man has said.

Finally, if you reprint any part of this e-mail, please post all of it.

(name withheld)