E Pluribis Islam?

I applaud Ms. Manji's article as a vital step in showing non-Muslims about the diversity within Islam. As a non-Muslim student of Arabic, I have spent a lot of time trying to learn more about the history and practice of Islam. In so doing, I have discovered a wide variety of viewpoints, from my Pakistani friend who doesn't wear the headscarf and has a wicked sense of humor to a Saudi girl with a passionate interest in choreography to the mosque in my town where the imam is the son of a Baptist preacher! The past and the present of Islam and its followers is rich and varied; if we sustain that image at home and abroad, there is the hope of true understand between and within faiths.

The danger from Islamists belies the danger of religion and faith itself. The moderates of any religion or faith may appear more reasonable but, the foundation of their belief, faith, is no different than the extremists. The strength of the extremists??? belief is rooted in the moderates tolerance and acceptance of faith as a belief system. In the 21st Century isn???t it time for reason to supplant the irrationality of faith?

The danger from Islamists belies the danger of religion and faith itself. The moderates of any religion or faith may appear more reasonable but, the foundation of their belief, faith, is no different than the extremists. The strength of the extremists??? belief is rooted in the moderates tolerance and acceptance of faith as a belief system. In the 21st Century isn???t it time for reason to supplant the irrationality of faith?

Reading this arcticule Salafism reminds me of the evanglist that was largly responsible for the Iraq invasion. But also the idea that their is the only true interpretation of their religion. Fortunately for Christianity many different interpretations are accepted but Islam unfortunately very conversative teachings hold much sway over almost all Muslims.

Congratulations on engaging yourself in the onerus task of modernizing your religion and make it fit in the contemporary world. Keep good work and fight the fanatics till last. Only muslims can change islam. Live and let live is the motto.

Good Luck, you need a lot of it.

Sikh community leaving Orakzai Agency GEO Pakistan
Updated at: 0303 PST, Friday, May 01, 2009
PESHAWAR: Sikhs, living from centuries, are now resolving to say goodbye to Orakzai Agency and migrating to unknown places due to tensions in the region besides local Jirga also ordered them to pay annual protection money worth of 15 million rupees to militants.

According to sources, militants captured the shops and homes of 35 Sikh families and arrested the head of their community Klank Singh and Sewa Singh in the Ferozkhel area of Lower Orakzai Agency.

As a result, a local Jirga was held which pronounced 15 million rupees levied on Sikh community to be paid to militants as protection money at the end of every year.

Following the Jirga ruling, militants auctioned their houses and other belongings while Sikh community has started migrating from the