Religion has animated human society from before man emerged from the caves.  Say the words “Crusade”, or “Mecca” and images immediately come to mind.  Religion is the source of much that is good in society.  The fount of the American experiment, with its natural rights and currency which reads In God We Trust, springs from the old testament. Frankly, I wonder if human civilization itself would have been possible without gods or an almighty for people to coalesce around and receive absolute truths such as those declared by the ten commandments.

That said, the history of religion is replete with examples of terrible deeds done in the name of god. One needs only look to the teachings of Al Qaeda and the terrorism it promotes to see the most current permutation of this perversion.   

There are some who say that religion doesn’t matter. That it doesn’t really have a beneficial impact on the lives of individuals. That the idea of god is for fools and western society would be just as well off without it.  To those with that belief, I offer the following question posed by radio talk show host Dennis Prager. 

If your mother, wife, daughter, or girlfriend was walking down a lonely street…..a somewhat run down city street…..after dark…..and the bulb in the street light up ahead had been darkened by a rock…and a group of 5 young laughing men were approaching your loved one……would it matter to know that the men had just come from bible studies?

I think we both know the answer.  Hmm.

One of the things about Islamic terrorism that has always disturbed me is the lack of vocal and constant outrage by the Muslim community against people who commit terrorist acts in the name of Allah. These terrorists, who strap bombs to their chests and drive explosive laden vehicles are someone’s son, friend, brother or uncle.  Where are the voices of the families of those who murder in the name of martyrdom? Why are so many leaders within the Muslim community silent given the roar of Islamic extremism?

Last week 5 American youths of Middle Eastern descent were arrested in Pakistan.  They are accused of going in search of Al Quada and explosives training. They are members of the ICNA Center, a Virginia mosque which is affiliated with the Islamic Circle of North America.  The ICNA is an organization that offers conflicting voices in regard to terrorism.

The ICNA website says they condemn terrorism and the 9/11 attacks.  They also condemn the murderous acts of Major Hasan at Fort Hood.  However, although they “seek the pleasure of Allah” by opposing immorality and supporting civil rights, they have kind things to say about Hamas and are accused by the Anti-Defamation League of anti-semitism. 

An August poll on the website of Why Islam, an ICNA sister organization asks “What do you think of Osama bin Laden?” The three choices were innocent, guilty, or not sure.  Only 13% of respondents picked guilty. Those results speak poorly about ICNA if their teachings confuses followers to such ill informed conclusions. Perhaps it is not surprising that sort of environment led five of their members to fly to Pakistan in search of terrorist training.

As for those 5 Muslim Americans arrested in Pakistan……their parents went as a group to the Imam of the mosque that the youths attended.  They expressed concern because their children had gone missing and one of the brothers had information that they had gone to Pakistan.  After a video was discovered in which the youths proclaimed their intent to fight for Islam, members of the mosque contacted a national Muslim group which contacted the FBI. 

All the wars, legal efforts and intelligence gathering can’t prevent young some Muslims from wanting to be religiously motivated murderers. It was said by Hillary Clinton that it takes a village to raise a child.  Apparently, it sometimes takes a parent to prevent one’s own kid from becoming a terrorist.

I salute the Muslim parents who were brave enough to go to authorities, confront their community leaders, and begin the process that prevented their children from doing evil in the name of holiness. It is a necessary step along the path of peace that former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir outlined in her famous saying “We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”