Fort Hood shooter was recent convert to Islam (human)

[sailordave]

So tell us again that this is the religion of peace?

[Nea1]

There are extremists in EVERY religion.

[Theliberalvoice]

DO you have a link to support your claim?

[Memphis1979]

I just heard it on the news that he was a recent convert to religion, no link yet. NBC nightly.

Crazy.

[ovcatto]

What faith did Timothy McVeigh convert to?

[Thomas R.]

There's indications now he'd always been Muslim.

I don't think Islam is a "religion of peace", it's hard to be that when your founder led an army, but I don't think that means it's about random or unrestrained violence. What I've read of it Islam is in some ways a "realist" religion. Humans are probably never going to be total pacifists so Islam doesn't even pretend to claim that's possible. However it does teach that there are rules and restraints to war. To be a "lone wolf" shooting people is contrary to the spirit and principle of Islam as I understand it. Islamic culture and faith traditionally opposes "anarchic" or destabilizing violence. Hence some Muslims will accept a tyrant out of fear that overthrowing him will lead to anarchy. Also it is generally against Islam to kill women, children, the disabled, the clergy of "People of the Book", monks, and nuns. An Algerian Islamist group had its image severely damaged when it attacked a Trappist monastery. Also you are traditionally to give warning before you attack so the enemy has a chance to surrender peacefully.

Then there are some heterodox forms of Islam, like Ahmadiyya, that state war is only allowed in clear cases of self-defense.

So taken together possibly this man did justify his own actions by his faith, but this is probably not that different than many warped people who justify their violence based on Christianity or Hinduism or Sikhism.

[Jazzymom]

Originally Posted by sailordave

So tell us again that this is the religion of peace?

He was probably not a convert. According to ABC news he attended Damascus University in Syria and was Jordanian.

Again there is nothing to say he did this because of his religion. We don't know why he did it.

[Jazzymom]

Originally Posted by ovcatto

What faith did Timothy McVeigh convert to?

Mcveigh was not a muslim. I believe he was a Christian

[Miss Blue]

Originally Posted by sailordave

So tell us again that this is the religion of peace?

I listened a CNN phone interview with the shooters cousin who said he was always a muslim.
Not a recent convert

BTW, what would that have to do with his going crazy and shooting down innocent people?

[MontanaGuy]

I have to agree that it's really unfair to categorize Muslims in general as extremists and to suggest that all of them want to commit acts of terrorism and kill innocent people. When you consider the fact that there are hundreds of millions of Muslims in the world who live in peace with their neighbors it appears to me to be unjust to point to a single incident like this one and blame it on every single one of them as though they have a violent agenda that they all support. That's just not the case.