Candy Crush, Highway Safety and Islam

The following was written by Chase Beckett:

My wife craves enjoys playing the computer game Candy Crush. The game designers repeatedly thwart her achieving a “higher level” and add insult to injury by building a mandatory 20-minute “wait” period before she continues her “quest” to achieve “Candy Queendom.” I was envious the game had more control than I did. I wondered if there was an app I could install on her phone for the purposes of a 20-minute timeout that would apply to dealing with me but so far no such app exists.

Stay with me, I’m getting to the connection with Islam.

After several months I noticed that the “mandatory” breaks were occurring less often and assumed she was finally achieving Candy Crush Paradise. When I inquired she proudly said, “Nope, I just move the date/time on my iPad settings up; I fool the game and play on as if nothing is wrong.”

Wow! I was very proud of my non-IT spouse jury-rigging her iPad to accomplish her end goal. I asked what I thought would be innocuous question, “Do you think by changing the date on the iPad you are cheating?” She replied in a superior manner, “Of course not, don’t be silly. I’m not going to let a game-manufacturer determine when I wish to play this game...are you serious?” Actually, yes and no.

Continuing my shallow defense of Candy Crush I told her that when she downloaded the game she agreed to the standard “terms and conditions” agreement. Didn’t she feel obligated to abide by these rules? I was immediately given the “stink-eye’ every husband fears, fully understanding any further cross-examination would result in some other form of “candy crush” and it wouldn’t be on a computer.

While most US peace-loving, patriotic Muslims are respectful toward non-Muslims, the reality is a significant number voice violent sentiments and see nothing wrong for the enforcement of Shariah law over US law (here and here for US Muslims, worldwide surveys here….1+ billion). While the majority of respondents were peaceful in the US survey (not the case worldwide), the peaceful Muslim is irrelevant, just as the “safe driver” on the road is irrelevant to me when I’m driving.

It is the drunk driver, the distracted driver, the sleep deprived driver that is relevant. They threaten my life or those of my family. Criticism of the drunk driver or the texting soccer mom is never countered with “most drivers are safe and aren’t a threat” argument. Yet with Islamic violence against Muslims and non-Muslims this is the standard argument. Passage of laws against drunk driving or banning cell phone usage is acceptable yet the weapon of political correctness is used to thwart the mere mention of lawful and reasonable actions against those elements of Islam that threaten non-Muslims and other law-abiding Muslims.   

A patriotic, friendly, secular Muslim may abide by society’s “terms and conditions” but at a time of their choosing using the logic of Islam/Muhammad’s laws of abrogation and taqiyya, a “peace-loving” Muslim may “reset the game,” ignore the “terms and conditions” of Western values and apply Shariah law. This Islamic lens of the “ends justifies the means” is incomprehensible to Western leaders who fail to understand Islam’s basic tenets.

No wonder the acts of a formerly peaceful Muslim who suddenly commits horrific acts of violence while shouting “Allah Akbar” is written off as being “radicalized.” The underpinnings of political Islam which fully justify the violent actions are left unsaid and substituted with politically correct terms like "lone wolf," "extreme Islam," or "violent extremism."

Being able to reset the rules, laws and acceptable behavior (under Shariah) is a game changer (no pun intended). Why do more Muslims not speak out about this? The price is too high and besides, why attempt to explain away violent behavior as being non-Islamic when there are enough non-Muslim apologists who do it for them?

Getting behind the wheel and determining which of the drivers on the road is unfit to drive parallels the dilemma non-Muslims and even Muslims face when determining which Muslim is likely to be the next terrorist. Who can tell when a peaceful Muslim will “reset their clock” and decide to follow the path Muhammad did while in Medina? Fortunately the majority don’t follow that path but how many of us will turn off our car’s airbags or not fasten their seatbelt because there are no threats on the next trip?

When our political and military leaders show the courage to speak honestly about the root causes of Islamic terrorism, true peace-loving Muslims and non-Muslims will find hope for the future and a way out of the violence attributed to political Islam.