I have operated a Catholic/Interfaith discussion board for about nine years. I've had all kinds of discussions with people of various religious backgrounds-- mostly Catholics and other Christians, but also a handful of Jews and the odd Muslim.
My experience with Muslims is that they do not engage in interreligious dialogue/debate. And when they do, they do it very poorly. Now, to be fair, I find there is a breed of anti-Catholic Fundamentalist Christian who are not very competent in interreligious dialogue/debate. Same thing with a certain breed of adolescent-minded atheist. All to say that it's not only Muslims who're bad at this sort of thing.
When they do engage in religious dialogue, I have found that, in general, they show little intellectual curiosity towards Catholicism. They want to talk about their religion-- naturally-- but they don't want to learn about the Christianity. Subtleties like the differences between Protestant theology and Catholic theology, sacraments, organization, etc, that goes above their head.
When you engage in religious debate, it's natural that you want to present your point of view. But the smart debater will try to learn from his opponents. In a mature discussion, both sides are very knowledgeable about theology, history and various aspects of his religion. One will try to take into account the facts presented by the other, is able to tailor arguments for argument's sake-- based on those assertions.
I have found that all Muslims want to do is present their religious point of view, debate their conception of Christianity, vanquish those strawman arguments, and then declare themselves the winner.
I think this attitude stems from a deeply ingrained sense of superiority that Muslims once held. Learning about other religions was generally considered a waste of time in their culture. Why bother when it's so obvious Islam is right and Islamic culture is obviously superior?
When you try to tell them they are wrong, they don't get it. They are so certain they are right about Christianity, that whatever correction you try to offer bounces off their head and doesn't register. I remember one time, I was trying to tell a Muslim that Catholics do not believe in the Protestant doctrine of "Bible alone", but he wouldn't listen. He wouldn't take the time to understand the whole edifice of Catholic thought. It de-stabilized his arguments and therefore it thwarted his plans to convert all of us.
I think that Islamism will definitively have to be defeated on an intellectual level as well as through arms and security measures. However, I think that there is such a deeply ingrained rejection of Western ideas that it's going to be a tough fight. When I consider how tough it is to talk to a Muslim who is literate enough to use the internet, I wonder how will we communicate to those who are practically illiterate, almost certainly unschooled?
Religious dialogue has to be undertaken, as Pope Benedict says, under the aegis of Reason. But I wonder: will the Muslim world, as a whole, be up to the task?
I understand there are plenty of moderates out there. We don't hear them. I don't see them engaged. It seems like there are all kinds of excuses given as to why they can't speak up. For instance, that they risk being killed for their faith. But it seems to me that if non-violence is the Islamic way, they should be just as ready to be martyred for their non-violence, as extremists would be for their jihad. Otherwise, they will be kowtowed into accepting the dominance of the Islamofascists, and I don't know how their terrorism will be overcome. If Catholics threatend me with death for asserting the Catholic Faith, at some point, I'd have to say: oh yeah? I'll sooner die for the Truth than let you silence me, it's that important!
I'm a bit pessimistic at this point. I hope the Pope's words will inspire the moderates to go to bat for the notion of interreligious dialogue. This would be very helpful.
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