Allahu Akbar! – God bless America!

[Jeroen]

To be honest: I always feel uncomfortable when I hear Muslims shout ‘Allahu Akbar!’.
It sends shivers down my spine - ‘Allahu Akbar!’ - while they pickup the remains of their loved ones from under the ruins of another bombardment – despair in unfamiliar eyes.

Muslims throughout the world shouting ‘Allahu Akbar!, Allahu Akbar!’ during protests and funerals. It frightens me. Gunshots fired in the air. ‘Allahu Akbar!’ it makes me nervous - fanatic anger in unfamiliar eyes.

To me the ‘Allahu Akbar!’ has long been a mantra of Muslim religious fanatics. A mantra that provoked fear in my heart. Perhaps I was programmed to be fearful of Muslims by western propaganda since my early childhood.

Until I saw this child from Lebanon, an American refugee, and all of a sudden my eyes where opened and my heart was cleansed from this fear. The child’s mother made her daughter say ‘God bless America, God bless Lebanon’. I watch other refugees being interview by MSNBC and CNN: ‘Thank God we are alive, God bless America’.

In that moment I remembered the many videos made on 9/11, the fear and disbelieve of those who watched the buildings come down: Oh my God! Oh my God! God must have been called upon a million times on that horrible day, although for many it was just an expression of fear. And I remembered an email from someone in Lebanon that was posted here on DU. Some people where disturbed by the many religious references in the email and felt that the email was somehow frightening. I felt the same thing.

Now I finally realize we in the western world have our own ‘Allahu Akbar!’, albeit in a slightly different way. The languages of the Western culture, dominated by the Judeo Christian tradition, contain many references to God. Many phrases, words and expressions are translations of the Bible. Oh my God! God bless. Salt of the earth. Blood money. Thank God. God knows. – It is everywhere and therefore I couldn’t see. Imagine how we sound like in the ears of the Muslim world. Could we be perceived as religious fanatics? I would not be surprised if that is the case.

There are, of course, true religious fanatics in the Muslim world. Those who consider themselves morally superior over non Muslims, promoting hatred and in doing so the suffering of thousands. There are true religious fanatics in the Western world, like the President of The United States who vetoed Stem Cell Research and thereby prolonging the suffering of thousands, maybe millions – God knows how many.

There is a cloud of fear hanging over our world. Scenes of death and destruction are pouring into our lives daily. And from the darkness of this constant fear, God is called upon, in every corner of the world, by atheists and believers alike.

Let there be light.

[Ravenseye]

1. You're right

Heck I'm not even Christian and I'll say things like "Jesus!"

When you see the fanatics over there, don't forget that they are the James Dobsons (and worse) of their religion. Most of the people just want to live their lives and not get killed.

Allahu Akbar is a key phrase from very basic Islamic prayer. In the ways you describe it, it definately is being used analagously to "Thank God".

[CJCRANE]

2. For God's sake...

God help us...

Jesus Christ!

Good post. I never thought of it that way, but it's true.

[Steven_S]

3. In The Name Of God.....

Millions have been and will continue to be slaughtered. Unless and until people share your (our) vision of this insanity it will just continue until most of us are dead.

[GeorgeGist]

4. So,,,

help us God. Please.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. It always amazes me that "God" the Master of the Universe need help.

The author of all things, the Alpha and Omega, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, etc, always needs defending...and money.

Only two conclusions can be drawn: Either *He* (has to be a HE, but nobody knows why), isn't all the above, or he's incredibly incompetant.

The only other option is that we pipsqueeks of the universe have a distorted vision of "God" and/or the universe.

[Deja Q]

6. Agreed. But, on a lighter note, if I actually get a date and

(so to speak) "hit a home run", if I say "Allahu Akbar!" instead of "Oh God!", what will "the other" think? :rofl:

[Jeroen]

7. “Damn..he is a terrorist after all “; -)