Emotions Versus Facts in the Counterjihad

The same man who shared the business card idea (see the post here) also wrote an article I'd like to share with you because he's doing what we're all trying to do (educate our fellow citizens about Islamic doctrine) and running into the same barriers we are. I like his insight about the process. Here it is:

Something struck me the other day when listening to a local radio show on finance; the topic was pricing one’s home for selling and weighing “emotion” versus “fact.” The radio host’s friend had a home for sale that had lingered on the market for some time. The expert knew the price was too high but didn't want to directly make that point to his friend. He asked him if had looked at Zillow or other websites comparing comparable homes in the neighborhood. The friend acknowledged the sites showed his home and other similar homes well below his asking price based upon all the “facts” that goes into these estimates.

The real estate expert, thinking he had demonstrated to his friend that facts were clearly aligned to justify a new lower price, was given this emotional reply: “I know it is worth more; those sites are simply wrong!”

Having had this discussion in my household, I remembered the “emotion” involved with selling one's home for less than what one “feels” it is worth. To move from the “I’d rather stay than sell at that price,” I had to recognize the emotion in the decision and move slowly into reality…the emotional investment disagreed with my concept of “reality”…other forces than “I feel” make up reality around us. However, in our society today, “feelings” are equal to “reality.” The real estate expert knew his friend was wrong because facts supported the reality of a lower price. He didn't lower the price and his home didn't sell.

When I talk to people about Islam, one gets to the emotional gatekeeper in each of us at various points. Some immediately bristle at the thought that something they honestly know very little about (which they don't admit to until you question them) but have an emotional stake in the concept: "all religions are equal" throw out the generic arguments, "there are Christians who do horrible things too," "all Muslims aren't terrorists,” “I know a Muslim and he isn't a terrorist,” or other ad hominem replies.

As Guy Rodgers, Executive Director ACT! for America likes to say, “the facts are on our side.” There are plenty of “Zillow” websites that highlight the facts that the orthodox Islamic ideology followed by many Muslims is proving to be the greatest threat to our national security. Move slowly with the “facts” because emotions are what we base many of our decisions on in life. These facts won’t automatically satisfy our friends, any more than the “facts” couldn't convince the homeowner to lower the price, even if it meant admitting his emotions were preventing him from accomplishing his goal (selling his home).

For me, I took an oath when I was in the military, “to protect and defend the Constitution.” For 20 years I wore the uniform and communism was easy to understand…it hadn't wrapped itself around a religion like Islamism. Once I began studying Islamic history (thanks Citizen Warrior and other sites/authors), emotions were replaced with facts and data that show the clear objectives of Islamic ideology; a single unified caliphate with no specific timetable but with many coordinated/uncoordinated actions, all leading to the same goal, a world under Islamic Shariah rule.

Even writing that last statement, an “emotional alarm” goes off inside my own head that says, “this can’t happen”…but I return to what I know from “Zillow” and the facts and reply calmly, “It is unlikely to happen in my lifetime (I’m 59) but it most certainly could happen in my children and grandchildren’s lifetime based upon the history of Islam.” So what do I do about it? Throw my hands up and merely complain? Or take action? Rant to my friends and allow my own "emotions" to turn off would-be converts?

I owe it to them and to the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives and bodies for the freedoms we all share. I can’t allow my emotions to keep me from doing what the facts clearly show is a threat to our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Most importantly, I can't allow my emotions to come out in conversations in a way that turns my listeners off. Get engaged, join ACT! for America, Oak Initiative, Tennessee Freedom Coalition or other like minded groups in your area or start one up if there isn't one to channel that emotion into useful action.