Islam and Tolerance

Yesterday's announcement that Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer has been denied a visa by the United Arab Emirates to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships is distressing news. Because officials refused to explain themselves, one can only assume this is a religious/political statement caused either by the recent Israeli invasion of Gaza or by the simple fact of Peer's citizenship.

Despite the loud claims of Islamic apologists that it is a sweet faith of love and tolerance, here's another example of its intolerance, inflexibility and medieval mentality. One would think that a country like the UAE which likes to think of itself as modern, sophisticated and worldly would hesitate to ban players from a tournament based solely on religion. Yet they did it, the moderates obviously trumped by more conservative, religious elements in the government.

Wanting desperately to believe that Islamic fundamentalists are a distinct minority, I'm dismayed to find what I thought was level-headed, moderate Muslim country still involved in maintaining it's religious and political purity by barring a Jew with a tennis racket in her hand. I was unaware that the Qur’an had outlawed tennis rackets for Jews. I was also unaware how deep the xenophobia of Muslims when it comes to non-Muslims, whether they are athletes, cartoonists or religious critics.

Beyond confirming once again Islamic disdain for the rights of non-Muslims, this decision also demonstrates the hypocrisy of many Muslim countries. They want to be western, modern and cosmopolitan and they feel they deserve respect for leaving the past and moving into twenty-first century. But they refuse to be tolerant and respect the basic human rights of others who don't share their views. If you ain't on their religious bandwagon, you're riding the wrong bus and you can go to hell in hand basket as far as they're concerned. Not very modern at all. In fact, the very sort of thinking that started and propelled so many of the religious wars that have been waged against non-Muslims.

Why such intolerance? Too many Muslims world wide in too many countries to make sweeping generalizations, but a lack of education probably explains some of it. High levels of illiteracy and poverty combined with low levels of formal education for millions means that fear is strong and lowest common denominator controls the debate. The mullahs wield power by appealing to that lcd. They wave the Qur’an, scream about infidels and demand that sinners pay for their sins with blood. Wow. Not very modern.

Not very tolerant either. I was hoping the tennis players would en masse refuse to play unless Peer was given a visa but evidently $2,000,000 in prize money is enough prevent them from voting against intolerance by walking away. That too is sad but that's a whole other issue.