“Moderate Muslim” analogies starring Zudhi Jasser

Zudhi Jasser is the moderte Muslim darling of conservatives, including FOX News.

Dr. Jasser’s actions reflect his words – he walks his talk.  He is indeed a “moderate among moderates” among Muslims.

But here is the confusing part:  He is self-described as a “devout Muslim.” 

Islam revolves around the teachings and life of Muhammad.  One cannot be a  devout Muslim without being a follower of Muhammad.   Muslims cherish Muhammad and his life as much as Christians cherish Jesus Christ.

But isn’t Muhammad the one who authored the Qur’an, the whole Qur’an, including the violent, supremacist, intolerant, Jew and infidel-hating parts that abrogate the peaceful, tolerant parts?  Doesn’t that book, and the life Muhammad, serve as the model of behavior for Muslims?  And doesn’t that book, and the life of Muhammad teach all the things that are contrary to Judeo-Christian morality, including lying (taqiyya), the subjugation of women, polygamy, the  treatment of the “infidel” as inferior, intolerance toward other faiths and gays, honor killings, and a myriad of other behaviors that are considered “atrocities” from a western perspective?

Yet Jasser insists he is a “devout Muslim.”

Here are a few analogies to try on for size:

In the early 40’s there were Nazis and there were devout Nazis.   A person who disavowed the actions of Nazis did not call himself a “devout Nazi.”  I would think such person would disavow any association with Nazis.

During the cold war in the 50’s and 60’s, there were Communists and devout Communists.  A devout Communist would be known as one who was an activist for Communism, a believer in the teachings of Marx, Stalin, and Lenin and faithful to the current communist regime.  A person who disavowed the tenants of communism would not call himself a “devout communist.”

We have the Italian Mafia, Chinese Mafia, and Russian mafia, among others.  One who called himself a “devout Mafioso” of any stripe would be loyal to the leaders of whatever “family” he belonged to. 

Jasser has explained that he is attempting to “reform” Islam.  He has latched on to the popular but misled politically correct view of Islam that it is really “a religion of peace hijacked by a few [million] radicals.”  I cannot tell you how sick and tired I am hearing that line.  Being a Muslim, don’t you think he would know better? 

But instead we have a populist “Islamic reformer” who claims he is a devout Muslim using that same line.  And we have people believing that – fawning all over Jasser - because he says Islam is something it is not.

Let’s for a moment accept the idea that Jasser disavows or spiritualizes major portions of the Islamic trilogy.  That does not make him “devout.”  That makes him an apostate.  But lets accept this scenario for the sake of discussion.  That would mean that Jasser really believes that Islam is not what Muhammad taught and is not represented by the life he lived.  Instead, he is urging us to believe that Islam is not really based on the life and teaching of Muhammad, but an Islam of his own invention that bears no relationship to the historical Islam that has survived and conquered mercilessly through the centuries. 

Unfortunately, despite all the wishful thinking, that Islam is not at all represented by the great preponderance of Islamic leaders today who worship, mimic, promote, and enforce Muhammad's methods and behaviors.

Jasser, at best, is distorting the truth of Islam.  At worst he is as deceptive as the devil.  If he was sincere and truthful, and not merely acting, he would disavow Islam and admit to its historic doctrine; a doctrine that is at odds with everything he appears to promote in this country.