Religion is the issue

In David Jardine's letter Religion not the issue in The Jakarta Post on Oct. 8, 1999, he tries to make the point that there is no Western conspiracy against Islam. He mentions Bosnia which is an unfortunate example because Bosnians are only Muslims by default, (their ancestors where Christian heretics who when persecuted by the accepted Church turned to Mohammed rather than St. Paul), and also they are Europeans, not Arabs or Asians.

David's thinking reminds me of people who are against "affirmative action programs" where marginalized groups are given advantages over other groups. Critics of affirmative action usually argue from the point of view of the "Establishment" e.g. white people and not blacks in USA; men, not women in most countries; and able-bodied people, not handicapped.

The point I wish to make is that white Western Christian males, with their powerful country's histories behind them, find it hard to understand that yes, Islamic countries do feel left out by Christian Western countries. If we admit that this is so, maybe we will be able to tolerate and understand some of the things we read in Islam-based newspapers.

However while I am sympathetic with Muslims about the current world order, I am also concerned that Asian Muslims seem content to blame others for any plight they find themselves in, e.g. international money brokers in Malaysia or ethnic Chinese in Indonesia.

If a religion is to have any worth it needs doctrines that the people can obey and follow. It needs a moral and ethical code. The Muslims have this because in the Koran Mohammed has revealed God's will for us. Why then is it them that the students constantly confront the issues of corruption, collusion and nepotism and not the teachers of the Islamic faith? Why are obviously wicked men, who steal from the poor, corrupt society and care only for earthly things not loudly condemned by the Muslim teachers? I would like to see affirmative action on behalf of the marginalized Islamic world but Islam can only be judged ready for affirmative action by its ability to deal with its members, as Mohammed taught.

PETER THOMAS

Jakarta