Submitted by FinanceDoc, Aug 29, 2007 16:32

Pipes is increasingly skating on thin ice with his synthetic distinctions between Islam and Islamism. Here, he attempts to distinguish between "inspirational" passages in the Qur'an and "objectionable" ones.

And who will decide which is which?

It would seem that Bin Laden, Zawahiri and the estimated 200 million violent or violence-sanctioning Muslims in the world find suras like 4:89 extremely inspirational; will they be denied their holistic view of Islam? Will Jewish scholars like Pipes persuade them of the error of their ways?

In the past, Pipes has admitted that no moderate Islam exists. Failing a reformation, no moderate Islam will be forthcoming.

The only path to reformation within Islam is for their holy books to undergo a transformation — for the violent passages to be excised or heavily reinterpreted on behalf of the Muslim masses.

So we are essentially back to the notion of banning the Qur'an in its current state.

Will the 200 million allow the perfect word of Allah to be adapted?

Not without a fight.

So we are also back to the notion of a long war where ultimately, the 200 million will have to be killed or so completely defeated and demoralized that they no longer have any power to influence outcomes.

Only a massive military defeat of these Muslims will clear the playing field for the tiny nascent group of "Moderate Muslims" Pipes has put so much of his faith in.

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