Brian Berletic
@BrianJBerletic

Ignorant people often tell me: "Brian, you're WRONG about Islam!!! The Quran CLEARLY promotes violence! Read 2-191!!!"

This cherry picked quote says:

"Kill them wherever you come upon them and drive them out of the places from which they have driven you out. For persecution is far worse than killing. And do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they attack you there. If they do so, then fight them—that is the reward of the disbelievers."

This quote seems truly shocking to people who think a single quote taken out of context can define an ENTIRE book and even an entire religion without any necessity for further inquiry or to at least read the quotes directly BEFORE and AFTER.

But if you are capable of thinking for yourself and desire to know the actual truth, you might decide more context is required and read at least this section of the Quran yourself.

The quotes immediately before and after the above quote state:

"Fight in the cause of Allah ˹only˺ against those who wage war against you, but do not exceed the limits. Allah does not like transgressors."

And:

"But if they cease, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

In other words - only fight if attacked, there are limits to what you can do even in self-defense, and if your attacker seeks peace - make peace.

This is reasonable - the foundation of modern concepts of self-defense, just war, and also forgiveness and peacemaking.

The people falling for this cherry picked misrepresentation of the Quran get their information not from actual critical thinking or through their own research, but from listening/believing what racist idiots say on the Internet, including those working for US interests by misleading Americans, creating fear, all to promote strife at home and endless wars abroad.

Many of these people repeating these lies already decided to hate Muslims before even knowing anything about them - and simply adopt and repeat lies that confirm their racism, bigotry, and ignorance.

They also disingenuously portray writings from centuries later by fringe sects claiming to be Muslims as "the Quran" knowing ordinary people will never check the Quran and realize it says nothing of the sort.

What this reveals is that Muslims and Islam are no threat to the West - the West's own ignorance, racism, and bigotry are - as are the interests exploiting this ignorance.

1000s of Westerners have died in these endless wars predicated on these lies about Islam, fighting extremists the US and its proxies created - not Islam. Trillions of dollars have been stolen from Western tax payers while their own nations rot out from under them in the process...

...ignorance can be deadly and destructive, literally.

Think for yourself. Read the Quran for yourself before passing judgement on it and the 2 billion+ people who adhere to the principles and values contained within it - people who are first and foremost the victims of US-sponsored extremism themselves.

Same goes for all the lies Americans are now being told about China or for that matter - Venezuela.

If you really think these nations, people, or faiths are real threats - do real research to understand them better if only to improve your chances of victory (know thy enemy...) - and often upon doing so - you realize they are NOT a threat - instead - it is the people telling you they are who threaten America and Americans most.

https://x.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1992829183110615480?t=OSkSeB8m193Ke_kD6iUKIg&s=19