Debunking anti-Obama e-mails

The first section of this e-mail appears to come from an anti-Muslim message that did not single out Obama as a target. Snopes has a debate on some of this message dating back to August 2006, months before Obama entered the presidential race. Resourcefully, someone seems to have just grafted a few lines of anti-Obama commentary onto some anti-Muslim screed and sent it back out onto the Internet.

The first tipoff that something's wrong with the e-mail's facts is the idea that American Muslims are "so quiet" and "not speaking out about any atrocities." Plenty of American Muslims did just that. The basic question the e-mail poses, "Can a good Muslim be a good American?" is blatantly racist, and the author's "friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years" is a questionable authority to rely on (if he exists).

Theologically -- no … Because his allegiance is To Allah, The moon God of Arabia

Religiously -- no … Because no other religion is Accepted by His Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256) (Koran)

Scripturally -- no … Because his allegiance is to The five Pillars of Islam and the Quran.

These first three lines essentially disqualify Muslims from being "good Americans" because they're Muslims. It's true, Muslims worship Allah, accept Islam and have a scriptural allegiance to the Quran and the five pillars of their religion. But besides the fact that a theological test for "American-ness" would be unconstitutional, the author gets some basic facts wrong.

There are some fundamentalist Christians who have decided that Allah is actually a pagan moon god who was worshiped on the Arabian peninsula before the rise of Islam. But Muslims (and most scholars) believe Allah is the same God that Jews and Christians worship -- the word means "God" in Arabic. And mainstream Islam considers Christians and Jews to be fellow "People of the Book." Their religions are acceptable, being monotheistic, though Muslims believe Mohammed was God's last and greatest prophet.

Geographically -- no ... Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

This is true -- devout Muslims pray five times a day, facing Mecca -- but irrelevant to the question of loyalty. How do you show geographic loyalty to the United States? What does geographic loyalty even mean? Nothing, but the line sounds authoritative.

Socially -- no … Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.

This isn't true. There are lines in the Quran warning Muslims not to be allies with Christians or Jews, but others also say Muslims should treat non-Muslims equitably and kindly, as long as they aren't actively fighting against Islam.

Politically -- no … Because he must submit to the Mullahs (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.

Yes, many radical clerics do preach the destruction of Israel and America. And some of them are mullahs (though that's a title usually used only with Shiite Muslim clerics, who are pretty rare in Saudi Arabia). But just as not all Christians are obliged to listen to the rantings of John Hagee, Muslims aren't obligated to listen to radical clerics.

Domestically -- no … Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34)

The Quran does allow men to marry four wives, as Mohammed did. But the verse the author cites specifically says that's only OK if men are sure they can "do justice" to all four. (There are some lines elsewhere that appear to suggest beating wives if they don't obey their husbands, but there are also lines in the Bible that mandate animal sacrifice and the murder of adulterous women.)

Intellectually -- no … Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical Principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically -- no … Because Islam, Muhammad, And the Quran does not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

The Constitution isn't explicitly based on the Bible. The author may be under the sway of Christian scholars who want to reinvent America's Founding Fathers, many of whom were Deists, as Christian fundamentalists. There's also no reason that Muslims can't intellectually understand its principles. Islam does allow freedom of religion (if you're monotheistic), and Turkey -- a Muslim nation -- is a democracy. As is India, home to more than 150 million Muslims.

Spiritually -- no … Because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as Heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran's 99 excellent names.

This isn't true. One of Allah's names for himself is "the loving." The phrasing here would also seem to mean that only Christians can be "good Americans."

Therefore, after much study and deliberation …

Perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS In this country. -- They obviously cannot be both "good" Muslims and good Americans.

Call it what you wish it's still the truth. You Had better believe it. The more who understand this, the Better it will be for our country and our future. The Religious war is bigger than we know or understand …

And Barack Hussein Obama, a Muslim, wants to be our President? You have GOT to be kidding! Wake up America!

With a few simple ellipses, an error-filled e-mail playing on fear about Muslims becomes an error-filled e-mail playing on fear about Barack Obama. After everything you've just read about the nefarious Muslims, why would you vote for one?

Of course, Obama isn't a Muslim. Obama's father and stepfather were Muslim, and plenty of Muslims share his Arabic-sounding middle name. But Obama wasn't raised as part of any religion -- he attended a Catholic school, as well as a public school, while growing up in largely Muslim Indonesia. His mother's family were Christians, and Obama belonged to a United Church of Christ congregation in Chicago for years. (Perhaps you've heard something about it?)

Obama even says if he wins the election, he will be sworn in on the Quran -- not a Bible!

Footnote: He was sworn in on the Quran for his current office and he refuses to pledge allegiance to the United States or put his hand over his heart when the National Anthem is played!

Again, not true. The author has managed to compress most of the better-known anti-Obama smears into one e-mail, with a footnote for a veneer of scholarship. Obama was sworn into "his current office" (the U.S. Senate) on a Bible, and he's certain to be sworn in as president the same way if he wins.

The national anthem and Pledge of Allegiance line has been kicking around in other erroneous e-mails for months. Obama was even asked about it at a Pennsylvania debate against Hillary Clinton in April. It's based on a photo of Obama without his hand over his heart during the national anthem at an Iowa campaign event. Obama says his grandfather, a World War II veteran, taught him to put his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance but to sing during the anthem, and besides, his campaign has provided other images of Obama saluting the flag during the anthem.

The Muslims have said they will destroy us from within. Hello! Having a Muslim president would seem to fit the bill! Will you trust this man with our national secrets?

SO FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

THE MARINES WANT THIS TO ROLL ALL OVER THE U.S.

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