91 Million

Two plus two equals four, sugar is sweet, and most Muslim don't want to slit the throats of unbelievers. My guess is that you needed neither this blog nor the Gallup Organization to convince you of those facts.

So to no one's surprise, when Gallup polled 50,000 Muslims over six years and three continents, and asked them whether they supported violent jihad, the vast majority of respondents — 93 percent — said no. For argument's sake, let's assume that percentage to be correct, despite the nagging suspicion that not all backers of jihad would readily cop to their true sympathies when pressed on the subject by a U.S.-dispatched stranger with a clipboard.

The happy finding was cause for much rejoicing in the media, including over at AFP, which, between the lines of this story, virtually belts out whatever the Arabic equivalent of Kumbayah is (Kumb-allah, maybe).

The study, which Gallup says surveyed a sample equivalent to 90 percent of the world's Muslims, showed that widespread religiosity "does not translate into widespread support for terrorism," said [Dalia] Mogahed, director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies.

About 93 percent of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims are moderates and only seven percent are politically radical, according to the poll, based on more than 50,000 interviews.

Only seven percent. That's fantastic. Nothing to worry about, then.

Only 91 million Bin Laden aficionados who cackle at the murders of Jews, Christians, atheists, apostates, artists, and authors.

Only 91 million devotees of stoning adulterers and insufficiently covered womenfolk.

Only 91 million religion-of-peace worshippers ready to either slay Danish blasphemists or celebrate such butchery.

Only 91 million would-be warriors so steeped in spirituality that they cheer when airliners piloted by their brethren slam into office towers, and when bombs placed by their co-religionists literally rip the limbs of off clubgoers in Bali and train travelers in Madrid.

What an encouraging number. I'm hugely relieved, really. How about you?

Comments

[Martin Owens]

That fact that the bomb throwers are a minority is no comfort, and certainly no
proof that things are somehow OK again.

When the Bolsheviks took over Russia, there weren't 5,000 of them in a population of 250 million- something less than .00005 percent. But their opposition was divided and weak.

So sorry but the Jihadis ranks contain some determined and capable people, and the fact that they are few is no protection. Do we really need another 9/11 to drive that home?

[markm]

That's 7% that are insane killers - and 92.99% that are either unwilling or afraid to denounce or restrain the killers. And that's the biggest difference between Muslims and Christians. There might be some Christian nut in my town that thinks God would like him to go slaughter unbelievers - but he knows that the other Christians would join in hunting him down, trying him, and imprisoning him for the rest of his life (and that only because the state constitution bans the death penalty).

I am just as relieved, seeing as i always thought all moslems were out to get me. Some people really need to get a life, talk to others, have an open mind, realise that not all isrealis want all palestinians dead and remember the crusades. Propagated by us civilized christians. Le The GOD you believe in fight his own battles, you are not here to play God.