The Kuran and the American Way

Please don't mistake the motive of the terrorists (who are beheading hostages) for hatred. It's not hatred. It's objectification.

In sermons and lessons delivered in Iranian and Saudi universities and mosques the Jews and Christians are called pigs and dogs and monkeys. In the Wahhabi (Sunni) version of the Kuran (rewritten for the state sanctioned version of Islam in Saudi Arabia) the Jews and Christians who do not become Muslim are sentenced to death, specifically beheading.

The original Kuran does not contain this direct statement against Jews and Christians. As a matter of fact, pious Jews and Christians are assured of their reward.
"Believers, Jews, Christians and Sabaeans-whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does what is right-shall be rewarded by their lord." Koran 2:62

This verse mentions Jews and Christians by name. Later they are referred to as "people of the Book" and again the Kuran notes that some of them "recite the revelations of God and worship Him..."

The original Kuran is unambiguous about the possibility of the peaceful coexistence of Jews, Christians and Muslims. It is the more modern bastardization of the Muslim faith that is intolerant and objectifies all who are not Muslim.

It is not hatred. Just like the racism that Hitler exploited this objectification of all non-Muslims is being exploited by those in power. Everything that is wrong with the world is blamed on those non-Muslims. We know, from our own American experience, this objectification makes it much easier for a rational, sensible person to overcome the natural revulsion that would prevent them from committing horrific murders.

This method has been employed by countries at war for centuries. As a nation, we are attempting to do battle only with the evildoers. We are trying very hard to keep from slipping into the racism that would allow us to indiscriminately kill every Iraqi or every Afghani. We are trying very hard to be nothing like the terrorists. We are striving to set a higher standard than our enemies.

As has been "the American way" for so long, we strive to be a nation of high ideals, even when they are difficult and American lives must be given to protect those standards. Apparently, the original writing of the Kuran also encouraged it's readers to differentiate based on behavior, not on race.