Earlier I wrote about a person who emails me with very odd views about Islam. Here are some of this person’s toxic ideas. He advocates:
- banning all Muslims from Australia
- supporting Pauline Hanson and Donald Trump
- putting all Australian Muslims in Concentration Camps
- strafing Muslim boat people (for the millennials, strafing means machine gunning)
And he quotes Adolf Hitler to advance some of his poisonous views.
Today, I got another email from him, in which he said that the Muslims who are facing genocide in Myanmar are simply being punished for 9/11.
That prompted me to ask him a couple of questions. My questions, and his answers, are as follows (prepare to be shocked):
Q1:How many of the thousands of Muslims being killed in Myanmar were involved, directly or indirectly, in 9/11?
A: All the Muslims receiving divine retribution in Myanmar were indirectly involved in 9/11. Anyone who believes that non-Muslims should be killed, especially if they are Jews or homosexuals and who give credence to the evil ideology of Islam are collectively guilty.
Q2: I get the clear impression that you think it is OK to kill people because of their religion, regardless whether they have done anything wrong. Or have I misunderstood?
A: I do not consider Islam to be a religion. Islam is an ideology that hides behind a cloak of religion. During WW2 the allies bombed civilians in Germany and Japan. These civilians may themselves have done nothing wrong, however they were collectively guilty. No allied aircrew were ever prosecuted for killing these people. I rest my case
This provoked me. I responded:
I understand your answers, and I disagree profoundly.
You clearly have no conception of the rule of law, or of any recognisable form of ethics. Your willingness to countenance the slaughter of countless thousands of people because of their religion (or ideology, if you prefer) is, quite frankly, appalling.
I do not know what religion or ideology you adhere to, if any. If you claim to be a Christian, it is clear that you know nothing about the teachings of Christianity.
Your answers disclose a degree of bigotry which astonishes me, despite the shocking content of some of the emails you have sent me in the past.
Your attitudes disgust me.
The British churches denounced the air bombing strategy targetting civilians. Australian churches welcome Muslims & seek peaceful dialogue & harmony. Whatever this bloke may think, he is in conflict with the Jesus of history, who welcomed the outsider & showed compassion to all who asked of him.
Isn’t “the Good Samaritan” a story to help people like your correspondent overcome their toxic views about people with different socio-cultural origins?
My dear Mr Burnside, I have followed your legal career and activities in the interests of refugees with great enthusiasm. I find you to be a genuine humanitarian and I applaud your work. I don’t pretend to understand why people who are mostly descendants of “boat people” themselves are so malicious towards new arrivals both here and elsewhere. I applaud your dedication to offer assistance both in practical and legal terms. Please accept my sincere gratitude and keep up the good work. If there is a place in the afterlife for good and sincere human beings, I am sure you will have a front-row seat. God bless you, your work, and your loving wife.
Blessings and thanks,
Gary McKenzie-McHarg