In the last eight years interest groups that enjoyed access to the Bush administration sought to facilitate their agenda and interests by vilifying Islam and Muslims in general.
They did so very successfully. It is clear to me that many of the abominations committed during the last eight years, including horrible wickedness we see in Iraq, were committed by individuals whose willingness was influenced by injurious pervasive rhetoric on Islam. The vilification of Islam and Muslims greased the wheels of torture and war crimes.
In a few weeks Obama will address the Muslim world in a major speech in Cairo. This will be an important speech that will hopefully mend fences between the US and the billion or so Muslims including American Muslims.
In this diary I will attempt to convey my own understanding of Islam in a sympathetic way.
I will focus on three issues. The perception of Islam in Christian Arab discourse. Islam as a reformation of the Catholic church and the related genderless God in Islam, which contrasts with the paternal masculinity of God in the Christian tradition. I will also summarize a few points to keep in mind when addressing the Muslim world.
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