Let Them Know Jihad is Simply the Struggle to do Good

   Heard one news report today say the San Bernadino shooters had been "radicalized." I know the investigation is still underway, and perhaps it isn't yet determined that a radical Muslim belief system led to the shootings.
   But, I cannot help but think of two blogs I wrote last week, warning that if you tell someone enough that they believe in something, they might come to believe you. If you tell them their religion believes in killing those who do not believe as they do, there will be some who come to believe you.
   They will be "radicalized."
   Some may be radicalized as they are recruited by the radicals, others might be led that direction by hearing the drift of comments in the general public that say their religion is a violent one, and suggesting that the word, "Jihad," means a holy war against non-believers.
   What I'm saying, is that people often become what they are told they are. So, we should not want to tell them they are killers.
   My thought is, we should be doing everything we can to counter that message. If we can find Muslim leaders who say, "Wait, this is inaccurate. This is not what we believe," then we should get that counter message before the Muslims.
   I found one such source tonight. I found a link that says jihad is not killing innocent people. It is not committing suicide, for suicide is a sin. It is not acting out of hate and anger. It is not a holy war against unbelievers.
   Jihad is simply struggling and striving for good and for Allah. It is one's inner struggle of good against evil.
   http://www.justislam.co.uk/product.php?products_id=2
   If we hear the definition is a holy war against unbelievers, and we can become convinced it is correct, why should not some Muslims also come to the same conclusion? If it makes sense to us, it can make sense to them. It then becomes imperative that we get the message before them that "jihad" means something else rather than the evil things being ascribed to it.
   They want to do live their religion the right way. Let's not give them reason to believe the right way is to kill.