Egypt refers case to trial
Does the name Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah ring any bells? Well he is the radical Islamist Egyptian imam who tore up a Christian Bible in front of the U.S. Embassy back in the middle of September.
He reportedly was arrested under Egyptian blasphemy laws. At first he was supposed to go to the local court Sept. 25, then Sept. 30, then Oct. 14, then Oct. 20 … and as far as I can tell, it still hasn’t gone before a judge. Now, those of us in the U.S. are used to these things dragging on in the court system for years, because that is how it is done here … but that is not how it is done in the Middle East. Even on relatively serious crimes you get a very speedy trial (if you are not an international celebrity, and even then it might be dicey) and if convicted, the sentence usually is carried out rather rapidly.
However, in this case, I guess the clerks of the court have lost the paper work and everybody else is distracted by the elections in the US. I think our defendant in this case has just walked right back to his TV studio to resume his life.
The question I have is: where are the riots here in the US demanding he be held accountable for insulting Christianity. Oh. that is right, Christians can’t be insulted in an country following Islam’s Sharia law.
Just thought I would point that out in passing.
PS: The Feds still are holding the alleged producer of the allegedly insulting YouTube video in jail on charges of parole violations. No hearings yet. That will have to wait until after the election.
Showing posts with label Islam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islam. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Leadership? Is it lacking?
Once again, someone much more articulate than I am summarizes my feelings quite well.
One of the things that distress me about the current American administration is the lack of the elusive thing called “Leadership.” Unfortunately, neither President Barack Obama nor his cadre of senior leaders seem to know what that is.
It is, as President Harry Truman once put it, an attitude that “the buck stops here.”
Even if subordinate staff fails at their jobs, the responsibility still lies with the leader. That, apparently, is something that the president, the vice president, the secretary of state, the UN ambassador and others fail to grasp. Just look at who is getting blamed for the ever changing narrative about the assassination of the American ambassador to Libya.
It is becoming increasing obvious that the Global War on Islamic Terrorism has not ended, nor is it really winding down. It is, however, shifting to new theaters of operation while in the old theaters of operation seems to be finding new life as the forces of Islamic Terrorism regroup, reassess, adapt, innovate and overcome.
This is what always happens in the ebb and flow of war and, yes folks, we are engaged in a “war”, even if it remains “undeclared” and most people wish it would just go away. It won’t.
The Americans do not like wars. Honest, they don’t. They are taxing, dirty, ugly affairs that disrupt the tranquility of their existence, which to most mean being allowed to do their business in relative peace and harmony. As some political wag in the past said, the business of the US is business … and war disrupts business so it becomes an annoying bother.
However, conflict is endemic to human relations and war is conflict writ on a large scale. I wish people would realize that, but I am very aware that most people would rather ignore that little aspect of human relations.
That is where leadership comes in. Leaders help followers understand those things that the followers don’t want to face. Leaders help followers see what needs to be done and why, and inspire them to do the work necessary to accomplish whatever needs to be done.
Our leaders are not doing that right now. They are failing us.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Time to hit the streets
Egyptian Imam burns Bible pages
Everybody, man your battlestations! It is time to hit the streets and hold riots. Mobs need to burn Egyptian flags and to besiege the Egyptian Embassy or consulates nearest you.
It seems that some conservative, right-wing fanatic Egyptian imam (Islamic cleric like a Christian pastor) tore up a New Testament outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Eqypt, and burned the pages. Of course, his government has had him arrested and charged with insulting Christianity, but are we satisfied?
NEVER!
It is not enough; we need to hold our own riots here over the burning of the American flag and other insults to our national pride.
Insulting Christianity, indeed … although I do wonder if he was taking on the Baptists or the Catholics, or was it the Church of God, or the Methodists, the Lutherans or the Presbyterians, Greek Orthodox or the Mormons. Heck, how do I know?
Anyway, let’s see today is Friday, 9/28/12, the Islamic holy day, so I guess it is time for large masses of us Americans who are just really ticked off over the way this fall’s presidential election campaign is going with all those idiotic television ads and robocalls to your house all day, that we need to find the nearest Egyptian consulate and sack it. Not that our election has anything to do with it, but it will give us a chance to vent and divert our attention from the candidates running for various offices.
Obviously, our government will understand. I mean President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton apologized for that idiot out in California who put up that video mocking the Islamic prophet (pboh), Mohammed, and said how they understood Muslims killing an American ambassador in response … it was senseless they said, but they understood how the Muslims could feel insulted and so it was the Americans’ fault.
Now, where was my directory of diplomatic facilities in the U.S.? Where did I put it? Dang, it must be around here somewhere. Maybe I can find it in the Yellow Pages … does the phone company even put out a Yellow Pages book anymore? My phone company doesn’t.
Oh, well, I guess I will just have to stay home then. (Y’all might do so too … it wouldn’t be nice to sack embassies and consulates anyway.)
Friday, September 21, 2012
Outstanding idea
Publish a Muhammad cartoon a day
Who is Daniel Pipes?
Daniel Pipes, the director of the Middle East Forum, has an excellent idea.
Those of us in the West who think those Islamicists protesting the stupid “Innocence of Muslims” movie and other parodies of their prophet and their faith should “get a life” as some of the younger generation might say probably to pay heed.
We should inundate the media with parodies, satires, cartoons and continue to do so until the Muslims get tired of rampaging through the streets and getting heads bloodied by their own political powers.
Excellent suggestion, Mr. Pipes. I heartily endorse it. It is our way of protesting their protests.
Who is Daniel Pipes?
Daniel Pipes, the director of the Middle East Forum, has an excellent idea.
Those of us in the West who think those Islamicists protesting the stupid “Innocence of Muslims” movie and other parodies of their prophet and their faith should “get a life” as some of the younger generation might say probably to pay heed.
We should inundate the media with parodies, satires, cartoons and continue to do so until the Muslims get tired of rampaging through the streets and getting heads bloodied by their own political powers.
Excellent suggestion, Mr. Pipes. I heartily endorse it. It is our way of protesting their protests.
“Manufactured” Outrage
Salman Rushdie, the author who wrote the controversial (in the Islamic world) “Satanic Verses” published in 1989 and who still lives under a fatwa of death from Islamic religious leaders with a bounty on his head, says the recent demonstrations about the silly video “Innocence of Muslims” are “manufactured” by people who want to increase their political power.
I have a one-word reaction: DUH!
This is not news, but should be repeated over and over and over again until not only the American people (and just about everybody else), but its media, elites and government leaders get the message.
What is happening is not so much about what is wrong with us, or what we did or didn’t do; it is about how religious and political leaders in countries with significant Muslim populations can increase their control over the people they lead and deflect criticism and anger from their own policies.
George Bernard Shaw, you were so prescient when you wrote Animal Farm … or maybe you were just very perceptive about the human condition.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Welcome to our world, Japanese
Japanese react to Chinese protests
It seems that the Chinese are having rather tumultuous demonstrations about the Japanese defending their claim to a small group of basically deserted islands at the southern end of the island nation against claims by China that the islands belong to them.
At the root of this disagreement in the East China Sea, as in the South China Sea, is that beneath them thar waves lies a potential wealth of riches in energy in the form of petroleum and natural gas deposits (which both nations desperately need to power their economies).
It is interesting that the Japanese are sort of shaking their heads and going, “Why is this happening to us? Why are these people holding demonstrations/riots outside our embassy and at places where we have invested in their country?”
The Japanese admit that their ancestors (mostly anyway, very few of the World War II and before generation are still alive) did very bad things and things that they would never do now. They also know that the Chinese, more than once, have tried to invade their islands in the past.
Right now, they seem to be echoing Rodney King (Los Angeles race riots in the 1990s) “Can’t we just get along?”
Well, my friends: “Welcome to our world.”
The Japanese are learning what it is like to be Americans in many countries. It is not so much that you are doing wrong, but the other side is portraying you as the foreign devil to unite their people instead of having them question their own leadership.
As we have seen across the Muslim world in the recent weeks, it is not that the United States actually did anything wrong, especially by its own laws, but the national, community and religious leaders are using some obscure event to whip up their people into an emotional state that allows the leaders to be ignored over their own malfeasance.
Don’t worry, my Japanese friends. This is the normal state of international, political and human relations.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
May be life yet in the War Powers Act
President sends letter to Congress
Hallelujah! President Obama this week sent a letter to Congress, as required by the 1970s War Powers Act, to inform it that he had dispatched troops to Libya who might face combat.
The President at least is observing the letter of the law this time. Last year, when U.S. Special Operations troops were on the ground in Libya and in planes either over or near the embattled country, he thought it was not necessary to follow the law.
Of course, given the nature of the current crisis in the Muslim world, he probably should crank up the copy machine and just change the country to announce where he is sending the next group of Marines, since another two such fleet security teams reportedly have been dispatched to different embassies.
It might be that it is election season, but I am glad to see the President at least telling Congress what is going on. Now, if his administration would be a little more open about what happened in Libya, and other countries where U.S. embassies have been under siege. Hiding behind the supposed FBI investigation into the deaths illustrates a law-enforcement mindset and not a combat mindset. That, unfortunately, is unfortunate because it seems to ignore the fact that Islamic terrorists have declared global war on America.
Too bad Congress can’t just declare war on the Islamic terrorists, only they don’t have a state, per se; they don’t have a government; they don’t really claim sovereign control over any land. They do, however, have a flag … I wonder if that is enough?
Anyway, kudos to President Obama. You did the right thing.
To my Muslim readers: Why the violence?
Short history of Muslim intolerance
Obama says US has respect for people of all faiths
And then again, maybe not – No one murdered though (NSFW or kids)
I would hope that someone of the Islamic faith would explain to me the reason for the violence – and resultant carnage – every time some obscure person or entity in the “West” does something that criticizes or portrays the Islamic faith in a less than favorable light. Oh, I have my own thoughts, but I would like to hear from some Muslims.
You see, I find it odd that people launch themselves into the streets and attack people, places or things based on what to them is merely a rumor. How many people out there demonstrating and fighting with riot police really have viewed the YouTube videos “Innocence of a Muslim” or its short version trailer? I would hazard a guess, that even with all the publicity, it remains a relatively small number, particularly in countries where internet access is nowhere near as prevalent as it is, let say, in the United States.
You look at the list of incidents over the past decade or so (see first link) and you wonder what really is going on. It really isn’t over the books, films, cartoons, or whatever; it is over something else – local control.
It is, simply put, an effort by local political and religious leaders to incite and then divert the passions of the people they are trying to control away from themselves. Tired people who are angry are less likely to do violence to their leaders if they have some “foreign” devil to blame for their troubles instead of the “known” devils who are ruling them.
This is not new. It is as old as mankind. Tribal leaders, religious leaders, leaders of all shapes, sizes and descriptions always try to find a devil of some type to get the people they want to support them to focus their energy (actually anger) on.
You see, we humans are perpetually angry. We always find someone or something to be angry about. If you don’t agree, stop and think about all the things that aggravated, irritated and angered you just today. It probably be everything from that stupid alarm clock that woke you this morning, to the idiot driving that car that you didn’t like or some crazy politician making a promise you know he (or she) won’t even try to keep (much less have any realistic chance of keeping in today’s world).
That much anger needs to be channeled. It is dangerous but it can be useful. You want to cause fear and to influence the people you want to control as well as to do harm to people who disagree with you. Well, let’s whip up your friendly neighborhood mob and just march them out to do something outrageous … ok, we won’t tell them it is stupid, idiotic and outrageous, we will just get them mad enough to get their emotions to overtake their normal rational selves.
How many times have you done something in a fit of anger or pique that in retrospect that you have asked yourself “WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING?” Don’t you worry, we all do it, so you are not alone.
Our president does it at almost every campaign stop when he tries to whip up anger against those evil rich people who don’t pay their fair share of taxes or those evil corporations who are out to steal you blind. Hey, the Republicans are just as bad, saying the president is out to ruin the country, that he really hates the country but he just won’t tell you that. It all is to strike fear into your heart and get you to act in the way that they want you to do.
You see, these political and religious leaders often don’t want you to think for yourself. They don’t want you to look at the options they are offering and decide for yourself if those options really are in your own best interest. Nope, can’t give people that choice, you see, because they will screw things up by not deciding what is in their own best interest … even if they think it is and can tell you why.
So, I look at the rioting and chaos around the world and I wonder “How can those people really think that their actions really are in their own best interest?”
Well, I would say “I haven’t a clue.” But I do. People who want power know the best way to control people is to get them emotional enough to overcome reason. Then there always are the “looters” (those people who want something for nothing) who take advantage of the confusion and chaos to do things that will gratify themselves for the time being.
However, you see this in the way soldiers are indoctrinated and the way “true believers” are indoctrinated. It is all an effort to get the individual to surrender themselves to things that really are alien to themselves (even if sometimes necessary) and get them to overcome their fears and do things that really are not in the individual’s best interest.
For example, running into a hail of bullets really is not in the best interest of an individual soldier, but sometimes it has to be done in order to “advance” the cause, whether it is win the war or just save the life of your buddy.
So, if Islam is such a peaceful religion, and if Islam does not see itself “at war” with other religions (particularly Christianity and Judaism, and sometimes Sunnis versus Shiites), then why the violence?
It is interesting that the web site The Onion, which takes a satirical and irreverent view of the world all the time, can post a rather obscene cartoon, yet no one has been killed over the cartoon (at least yet – I think because no one can figure out a target). I wonder why this is.
I, like most other people in the United States, and much of the “West” merely shake our heads and go “what idiots” and go on with what we are doing. Why does that seem so impossible for so many Muslims in so many countries around the world?
Obama says US has respect for people of all faiths
And then again, maybe not – No one murdered though (NSFW or kids)
I would hope that someone of the Islamic faith would explain to me the reason for the violence – and resultant carnage – every time some obscure person or entity in the “West” does something that criticizes or portrays the Islamic faith in a less than favorable light. Oh, I have my own thoughts, but I would like to hear from some Muslims.
You see, I find it odd that people launch themselves into the streets and attack people, places or things based on what to them is merely a rumor. How many people out there demonstrating and fighting with riot police really have viewed the YouTube videos “Innocence of a Muslim” or its short version trailer? I would hazard a guess, that even with all the publicity, it remains a relatively small number, particularly in countries where internet access is nowhere near as prevalent as it is, let say, in the United States.
You look at the list of incidents over the past decade or so (see first link) and you wonder what really is going on. It really isn’t over the books, films, cartoons, or whatever; it is over something else – local control.
It is, simply put, an effort by local political and religious leaders to incite and then divert the passions of the people they are trying to control away from themselves. Tired people who are angry are less likely to do violence to their leaders if they have some “foreign” devil to blame for their troubles instead of the “known” devils who are ruling them.
This is not new. It is as old as mankind. Tribal leaders, religious leaders, leaders of all shapes, sizes and descriptions always try to find a devil of some type to get the people they want to support them to focus their energy (actually anger) on.
You see, we humans are perpetually angry. We always find someone or something to be angry about. If you don’t agree, stop and think about all the things that aggravated, irritated and angered you just today. It probably be everything from that stupid alarm clock that woke you this morning, to the idiot driving that car that you didn’t like or some crazy politician making a promise you know he (or she) won’t even try to keep (much less have any realistic chance of keeping in today’s world).
That much anger needs to be channeled. It is dangerous but it can be useful. You want to cause fear and to influence the people you want to control as well as to do harm to people who disagree with you. Well, let’s whip up your friendly neighborhood mob and just march them out to do something outrageous … ok, we won’t tell them it is stupid, idiotic and outrageous, we will just get them mad enough to get their emotions to overtake their normal rational selves.
How many times have you done something in a fit of anger or pique that in retrospect that you have asked yourself “WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING?” Don’t you worry, we all do it, so you are not alone.
Our president does it at almost every campaign stop when he tries to whip up anger against those evil rich people who don’t pay their fair share of taxes or those evil corporations who are out to steal you blind. Hey, the Republicans are just as bad, saying the president is out to ruin the country, that he really hates the country but he just won’t tell you that. It all is to strike fear into your heart and get you to act in the way that they want you to do.
You see, these political and religious leaders often don’t want you to think for yourself. They don’t want you to look at the options they are offering and decide for yourself if those options really are in your own best interest. Nope, can’t give people that choice, you see, because they will screw things up by not deciding what is in their own best interest … even if they think it is and can tell you why.
So, I look at the rioting and chaos around the world and I wonder “How can those people really think that their actions really are in their own best interest?”
Well, I would say “I haven’t a clue.” But I do. People who want power know the best way to control people is to get them emotional enough to overcome reason. Then there always are the “looters” (those people who want something for nothing) who take advantage of the confusion and chaos to do things that will gratify themselves for the time being.
However, you see this in the way soldiers are indoctrinated and the way “true believers” are indoctrinated. It is all an effort to get the individual to surrender themselves to things that really are alien to themselves (even if sometimes necessary) and get them to overcome their fears and do things that really are not in the individual’s best interest.
For example, running into a hail of bullets really is not in the best interest of an individual soldier, but sometimes it has to be done in order to “advance” the cause, whether it is win the war or just save the life of your buddy.
So, if Islam is such a peaceful religion, and if Islam does not see itself “at war” with other religions (particularly Christianity and Judaism, and sometimes Sunnis versus Shiites), then why the violence?
It is interesting that the web site The Onion, which takes a satirical and irreverent view of the world all the time, can post a rather obscene cartoon, yet no one has been killed over the cartoon (at least yet – I think because no one can figure out a target). I wonder why this is.
I, like most other people in the United States, and much of the “West” merely shake our heads and go “what idiots” and go on with what we are doing. Why does that seem so impossible for so many Muslims in so many countries around the world?
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Global War on Terrorists revisited
As you read, keep this picture in your mind. It is Libyans trying to pull the U.S. Ambassador to safety.
US Ambassador to Libya killed
US suspects jihadists in Libyan attack
Strike in Libya suspected to have been coordinated
Not all agree that all are Anti-American
Some help evacuate ... but four die
For those who thought the Global War on Islamic Terrorists was over: Think again.
This war probably is just beginning. As Winston Churchill said after the climax of the Battle of Britain in 1940: This is not the beginning of the end, but it is probably the end of the beginning.
The Islamic terrorists basically won the prelims and round 1 (9/11), with the US basically winning on points round 2 (we got Osama Bin Laden and a few others of the top leaders of the Al Qaeda gangs), as well as knocked Saddam Hussein out of the box (yes, he was supporting Islamic terrorists, just not Al Qaeda Islamic terrorists, directly). However, that does not mean the fight is over.
The question, now, is where do we go from here? Well, as the latest 9/11 attacks on 9/11/12 indicate, the forces wanting to do harm to the United States are still organized and still capable of organized and well executed attacks. Anybody who thought differently needs to reevaluate their perspectives.
Having said that, it would be easy to go off the deep end and blame all Muslims for what transpired this week, when obviously that would be untrue. Just as those in the Islamic world blame all Americans and all Christians for all the evils that they perceive in the world also are mistaken.
Still, whatever percentage of the Muslim world it is, the number of jihadists and fanatics that see the world through a prism that allows only Islam to shine through is very large and very dangerous. Whether it was the demonstration at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, or the demonstration/attack at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, there are those in the Islamic world who are willing if not to use violence, then to threaten its use, to protest speech that is protected in other parts of the world and in a more perfect world would be protected in their own parts. However, the tolerance necessary for that to happen apparently is not available among these people.
So, how do you impose tolerance on people. Force rarely works. It just tends to piss off people who weren’t pissed off in the first place but got caught in the crossfire. The U.S. has plenty of experience with that racket and we never seem to learn from it.
Of course, the object is to make it in the enlightened self-interest of those who live in the area where it is unsafe to be an American or a Christian come around to the point of view that making life unsafe for Americans or Christians, or for that matter any minority, definitely is not only not in their own interest but also not in the best interest of those contemplating acts which make it unsafe for Americans or Christians.
We hope that the governments in Egypt and, especially, Libya have already gotten that message. All the things I said in my post “Something wrong here” hold very true. But it is time for the new regimes in Libya and Egypt to step up to the plate and demonstrate that they have gotten the message. Libya appears to be making the appropriate noises, while the new president of Egypt seems to be blaming the victims. That is not appropriate.
No, I feel our Arab Muslim friends need to get themselves out of the playpen or schoolyard mentality or they just might get treated like children.
I have said before and reiterate here, the Islamic world is in desperate need of a rapid period of reformation and enlightenment, much like the Christian west went through three to five centuries ago.
If modern Muslims can get past the violence that is in much of the Quran (just as there is much in the Christian bibles – mainly in the Old Testament, however), then possibly the impending clash of civilizations won’t happen. Still, if only 1 percent of the billion or so Muslims in the world hold to the ways of Islamic Jihadists, we are talking about 100 million people. That is an awful lot of people bent on making war.
The words you see now coming from Americans is merely frustration and exasperation. I would dare say that most Americans really don’t want to go to war with Islam or its radical jihadists. Nope, we would rather sit home and enjoy our family lives, just like most Muslims would like to do the same.
The problem, apparently (on the Muslim side of the equation), is that the religious and political leaders keep stirring the pot. There comes a point, unfortunately, when following people like that becomes counterproductive, if not downright unhealthy, particularly if you are messing with the 900-pound gorilla.
If the gorilla loses its temper (to really mix clichés) it is going to be like the bull in a china shop and a whole lot of things are going to get broken, hurt, killed, etc. that don’t have to get killed, hurt, broken or destroyed. It is not going to be a pretty sight.
The problem is with the Islamic jihadists, no matter how they try, they are not going to kill the 900-pound gorilla without a whole lot of the world suffering. It then behooves the rest of the world to choose sides.
Now, I am not saying this 900-pound gorilla is perfect, or ever will be a perfect gentleperson, but it can be reasoned with and it can willingly reach mutual accommodations. It is, however, not a pacifist. It will strike out when wounded or angered, just like any human or any other animal.
The question then becomes in this Global War on Islamic Terrorists, does the rest of the world want to sit on the sidelines and hope the big guy doesn’t get so mad that he starts doing things that he and they will regret. Remember, despite what you think, there are no Roger Rabbit bullets yet … they still are Dumb-Dumbs.
I don’t have the answer, other than to say to the rest of the world: I suspect that American patience and tolerance is wearing thin. Whether you want to admit it or not, but the Americans have been asked to play global constable and firefighter for the last 70 years and I suspect that a lot of Americans are about ready to hang up those badges.
Some of you might want to say “great, just want we want,” but be careful for what you wish for. Without the restraints of the badge, Americans might turn out to be just like you … only with a lot more firepower. Is that what you want? As much as I hate having to have had carried that badge, I would rather we operate under its restraints than without it. It could get awfully ugly and I hate that type of ugly even more.
We would really rather see all those people, Muslim and not, who don’t agree with the Islamic jihadists to stand up and take back their neighborhoods. It is their town. They have to live in it and if they don’t want to see it smashed flat because some big hammer came crashing down to smash some bad guys, then maybe they should take care of the bad guys.
Just some random thoughts here; I won’t venture to say they are coherent, but they are one American’s reaction to the world.
Post Script: You want a clue about what happened in Libya ... watch the movie "Rules of Engagement", it came out in 2000.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Something wrong here
Egyptians storm US Embassy compound in Cairo
Protesters scale wall of US Embassy in Egypt
Libyan protesters burn American consulate
Libyan protesters kill US Consular employee
US Embassy statement on events
OK, folks, something is seriously wrong with this picture and it ain’t the U.S.’s fault.
Sorry but Muslims are going to have to get a tougher skin and stop acting like idiots because it reflects badly on them and their religion. Tuesday, 9/11/12, Muslim protesters in Egypt and Libya attacked U.S. diplomatic offices, killing one person, wounding a second and tearing down the U.S. flag while painting graffiti on the walls of the U.S. Embassy compound in Cairo, Egypt.
Their reason: Because America allowed some unknown filmmaker in California to produce a movie that depicts the prophet Mohammed in a bad light … actually; it apparently depicts him as a sex-crazed murdering maniac.
This of course is insulting to any true-blue Islamicist and merits at least a riot or two, burning buildings and flags and possibly killing some people. What a bunch of bovine scatology or maybe I should say porcine scatology or porcine fecal material!
I am sorry Egyptians; I am sorry Libyans; but in this country you are allowed to insult religions, people, government institutions, businesses, hospitals, your neighbors, etc. and if you don’t like it, then you take them to court. You do not shoot people; you do not storm their property; and you do not destroy or deface their property. No, you don’t do those things because you respect the rights of others to be idiots.
And especially you don’t go blaming the government or some government agency of a nation that isn’t even yours for letting their citizens act like idiots. Obvious, the Americans are much more enlightened than you are, or at least more tolerant than you are, because we just nod our heads and say, “They are at it again” and go on about our lives.
We don’t storm the local mosque, or the Egyptian Embassy or whatever goes for the Libyan Embassy, every time a mob kills a bunch of tourists or Christians or whatever minority group is in disfavor in the Middle East. No, Americans look at the person who is insulting and say, “What an idiot” and let him go on being an idiot.
You see, we Americans are governed by the rule of law. Apparently that concept is alien where you live. You really ought to try it sometime. It lets all sorts of people with differing views and opinions coexist peacefully without destroying people or lives. I am beginning to understand that in Egypt and in Libya your people apparently don’t like the idea that an individual can be allowed the freedom to think for themselves. Apparently, if these latest actions are any indication, you think that everyone has to believe just as you do, or they should die or something worse.
And despite the rhetoric being spouted by our government and its leadership, we are starting to get just a tad bit exasperated with the screaming intolerance being exhibited by your so-called demonstrators.
We put up with you burning our flag, burning and destroying religious texts that we hold sacred, because a) you are not Americans and we don’t expect you to understand the concept of the law and tolerance and b) because you are not here. Otherwise we probably would be suing your pants off, in court where the law is the master and not your emotions because you were insulted.
I think I can speak for a lot of Americans. You all in the Middle East, and much of Muslim world, need to grow up real fast and understand that you can’t just throw temper tantrums when somebody offends you. You consider the source, call them ignorant if you want, and then move on.
But going down and defacing their property, shooting people, and basically showing your derrieres is so beneath what you could be as a person. It definitely shows a enormous lack of dignity and self-respect on your part.
One of these days, those with patience, well, you will see their patience tested, if not run out and though might does not make right … might does wield a pretty big hammer and you don’t want to be where it falls.
Protesters scale wall of US Embassy in Egypt
Libyan protesters burn American consulate
Libyan protesters kill US Consular employee
US Embassy statement on events
OK, folks, something is seriously wrong with this picture and it ain’t the U.S.’s fault.
Sorry but Muslims are going to have to get a tougher skin and stop acting like idiots because it reflects badly on them and their religion. Tuesday, 9/11/12, Muslim protesters in Egypt and Libya attacked U.S. diplomatic offices, killing one person, wounding a second and tearing down the U.S. flag while painting graffiti on the walls of the U.S. Embassy compound in Cairo, Egypt.
Their reason: Because America allowed some unknown filmmaker in California to produce a movie that depicts the prophet Mohammed in a bad light … actually; it apparently depicts him as a sex-crazed murdering maniac.
This of course is insulting to any true-blue Islamicist and merits at least a riot or two, burning buildings and flags and possibly killing some people. What a bunch of bovine scatology or maybe I should say porcine scatology or porcine fecal material!
I am sorry Egyptians; I am sorry Libyans; but in this country you are allowed to insult religions, people, government institutions, businesses, hospitals, your neighbors, etc. and if you don’t like it, then you take them to court. You do not shoot people; you do not storm their property; and you do not destroy or deface their property. No, you don’t do those things because you respect the rights of others to be idiots.
And especially you don’t go blaming the government or some government agency of a nation that isn’t even yours for letting their citizens act like idiots. Obvious, the Americans are much more enlightened than you are, or at least more tolerant than you are, because we just nod our heads and say, “They are at it again” and go on about our lives.
We don’t storm the local mosque, or the Egyptian Embassy or whatever goes for the Libyan Embassy, every time a mob kills a bunch of tourists or Christians or whatever minority group is in disfavor in the Middle East. No, Americans look at the person who is insulting and say, “What an idiot” and let him go on being an idiot.
You see, we Americans are governed by the rule of law. Apparently that concept is alien where you live. You really ought to try it sometime. It lets all sorts of people with differing views and opinions coexist peacefully without destroying people or lives. I am beginning to understand that in Egypt and in Libya your people apparently don’t like the idea that an individual can be allowed the freedom to think for themselves. Apparently, if these latest actions are any indication, you think that everyone has to believe just as you do, or they should die or something worse.
And despite the rhetoric being spouted by our government and its leadership, we are starting to get just a tad bit exasperated with the screaming intolerance being exhibited by your so-called demonstrators.
We put up with you burning our flag, burning and destroying religious texts that we hold sacred, because a) you are not Americans and we don’t expect you to understand the concept of the law and tolerance and b) because you are not here. Otherwise we probably would be suing your pants off, in court where the law is the master and not your emotions because you were insulted.
I think I can speak for a lot of Americans. You all in the Middle East, and much of Muslim world, need to grow up real fast and understand that you can’t just throw temper tantrums when somebody offends you. You consider the source, call them ignorant if you want, and then move on.
But going down and defacing their property, shooting people, and basically showing your derrieres is so beneath what you could be as a person. It definitely shows a enormous lack of dignity and self-respect on your part.
One of these days, those with patience, well, you will see their patience tested, if not run out and though might does not make right … might does wield a pretty big hammer and you don’t want to be where it falls.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Thank God for religious freedom
Pakistan grants bail to girl accused of blasphemy
Iran releases Christian pastor
The Mutawah
There is one thing that most Americans have a great difficulty in understanding and that is living under theocratic rules.
Of course, to your run-of-the-mill progressive, American Christian fundamentalists fit the description, but believe me, they don’t even come close. Fundamentalists in the U.S. of any stripe don’t hold a candle to the real thing that you find in Muslim countries functioning under the auspices of Sharia laws.
For example, the young Christian girl in Pakistan who was charged with blasphemy for supposedly burning a page from the Quran (the Islamic faith’s version of the Christian Bible or the Jewish Torah, the holy book). Apparently, it seems, that the equivalent of a priest or rabbi or pastor fibbed and that was what got the child arrested. Due to international pressure, at least the girl was released on bail. That doesn’t mean that the charges can’t go ahead, but it does mean that she gets out of jail to be with her family, hiding somewhere in Pakistan from those Muslim fundamentalists who would like to see her drawn and quartered. And you think American Christian fundamentalists are intolerant.
In the second case, an Iranian who was fulfilling the role of a Christian church minister apparently is not going to be put to death for apostasy by the Iranian regime. It seems that the international attention won another victory and he got off on appeal, which reduced his charges to a lesser crime and he was released in lieu of time served, which was three years in the pokey.
You see, things like that don’t happen in the United States and won’t as long as the law is respected by those who believe and those who don’t believe. It wasn’t always that way, but it is the way it is today and has been for a good long time now … well at least for about a century or so. Yes, we do tend to tolerate differing religious views in the U.S., even though those not currently popular often have a relatively rough time of it. Unfortunately, intolerance also is one of those faults/sins that we will never get rid of … but, more than other places, at least we have a bridle on it.
What we don’t have are mutaween … or as I call them the mutawah. In Saudi Arabia, the mutaween are the enforcers of customs and mores, like what you wear, are you observing prayer time, is your shop not selling unapproved goods like CDs, DVDs and alcoholic beverages. I know my progressive friend out west sees an American version of these religious policemen in everything the religious right/conservatives seem to do, but really, our religious right has nothing on the mutawah. And such enforcers here definitely don’t have the sanction of the government, and despite his fears, I don’t think our government will give such enforcers sanction.
When I was stationed in Saudi Arabia, I had a number of encounters with the mutawah. Most were amicable – they didn’t speak much English and my Arabic was limited to about three or four phrases. There was one incident when the business I was visiting suddenly shut all the shutters on the windows to the street and as it continued on with business, the owner explained to me that it was prayer time and rather than shut down the press run he was doing for me, he just closed the shutters so the mutaween wouldn’t see what was going on. I guess my time was worth more than the pressmen’s prayers or the fine he would have faced had he been caught (which he said he was occasionally – he did this often and not just for the infidel American Army NCO who was there – and was ready to pony up the fine).
There was one encounter, which fortunately I missed, where another NCO, who was a friend of mine, literally had to drag a female soldier out of a shopping mall before she got arrested. They were both in civilian clothes and she was wearing the obligatory floor length skirt, but her shirt sleeves only came down to her elbows and she wasn’t wearing something covering her hair. A couple of mutaween decided that she wasn’t observing the local dress code and decided to hassle her about it. Being a proper American who seems to think that the U.S. Constitution applies anywhere in the world, she proceeded to try to make a federal case out of it. Bad idea, young lady. Well, the NCO rode to her rescue, literally dragging her by her arm out of the shopping mall as she was practically screaming about her rights and away from the two officers.
When they got back to the hotel where we were billeted, I got the story and we two NCOs tried our best a) to calm her down and b) explain to her the facts of life that what goes in the US does not always go over in other countries and we have to respect that. We may not agree with it, and definitely don’t have to like it, but we do have to – as we usually put it – SADO. (SADO stands for Salute And Drive On and is what you do when you have to do something someone in authority tells you to do that you disagree with or think is wrong)
When I look around and see a Mormon and a Protestant, backed by two Catholics, running to lead the United States I am amazed (Well, not really, because I am an American who believes in the tolerance of America). It is not something that you will see in very many countries around the world. Well, even in the US, the fact that these candidates even profess their religious preferences raises eyebrows in some progressive quarters that would rather see secular humanists in the job. They have no room for those who see some value in religious faith or the belief in some deity that you can’t see or prove the existence of. To them it, it all opiates for the masses and a bunch of hokum.
Of course, we may come to the obverse of a theocracy, and that is almost as scary as the thought of living in a theocracy.
Iran releases Christian pastor
The Mutawah
There is one thing that most Americans have a great difficulty in understanding and that is living under theocratic rules.
Of course, to your run-of-the-mill progressive, American Christian fundamentalists fit the description, but believe me, they don’t even come close. Fundamentalists in the U.S. of any stripe don’t hold a candle to the real thing that you find in Muslim countries functioning under the auspices of Sharia laws.
For example, the young Christian girl in Pakistan who was charged with blasphemy for supposedly burning a page from the Quran (the Islamic faith’s version of the Christian Bible or the Jewish Torah, the holy book). Apparently, it seems, that the equivalent of a priest or rabbi or pastor fibbed and that was what got the child arrested. Due to international pressure, at least the girl was released on bail. That doesn’t mean that the charges can’t go ahead, but it does mean that she gets out of jail to be with her family, hiding somewhere in Pakistan from those Muslim fundamentalists who would like to see her drawn and quartered. And you think American Christian fundamentalists are intolerant.
In the second case, an Iranian who was fulfilling the role of a Christian church minister apparently is not going to be put to death for apostasy by the Iranian regime. It seems that the international attention won another victory and he got off on appeal, which reduced his charges to a lesser crime and he was released in lieu of time served, which was three years in the pokey.
You see, things like that don’t happen in the United States and won’t as long as the law is respected by those who believe and those who don’t believe. It wasn’t always that way, but it is the way it is today and has been for a good long time now … well at least for about a century or so. Yes, we do tend to tolerate differing religious views in the U.S., even though those not currently popular often have a relatively rough time of it. Unfortunately, intolerance also is one of those faults/sins that we will never get rid of … but, more than other places, at least we have a bridle on it.
What we don’t have are mutaween … or as I call them the mutawah. In Saudi Arabia, the mutaween are the enforcers of customs and mores, like what you wear, are you observing prayer time, is your shop not selling unapproved goods like CDs, DVDs and alcoholic beverages. I know my progressive friend out west sees an American version of these religious policemen in everything the religious right/conservatives seem to do, but really, our religious right has nothing on the mutawah. And such enforcers here definitely don’t have the sanction of the government, and despite his fears, I don’t think our government will give such enforcers sanction.
When I was stationed in Saudi Arabia, I had a number of encounters with the mutawah. Most were amicable – they didn’t speak much English and my Arabic was limited to about three or four phrases. There was one incident when the business I was visiting suddenly shut all the shutters on the windows to the street and as it continued on with business, the owner explained to me that it was prayer time and rather than shut down the press run he was doing for me, he just closed the shutters so the mutaween wouldn’t see what was going on. I guess my time was worth more than the pressmen’s prayers or the fine he would have faced had he been caught (which he said he was occasionally – he did this often and not just for the infidel American Army NCO who was there – and was ready to pony up the fine).
There was one encounter, which fortunately I missed, where another NCO, who was a friend of mine, literally had to drag a female soldier out of a shopping mall before she got arrested. They were both in civilian clothes and she was wearing the obligatory floor length skirt, but her shirt sleeves only came down to her elbows and she wasn’t wearing something covering her hair. A couple of mutaween decided that she wasn’t observing the local dress code and decided to hassle her about it. Being a proper American who seems to think that the U.S. Constitution applies anywhere in the world, she proceeded to try to make a federal case out of it. Bad idea, young lady. Well, the NCO rode to her rescue, literally dragging her by her arm out of the shopping mall as she was practically screaming about her rights and away from the two officers.
When they got back to the hotel where we were billeted, I got the story and we two NCOs tried our best a) to calm her down and b) explain to her the facts of life that what goes in the US does not always go over in other countries and we have to respect that. We may not agree with it, and definitely don’t have to like it, but we do have to – as we usually put it – SADO. (SADO stands for Salute And Drive On and is what you do when you have to do something someone in authority tells you to do that you disagree with or think is wrong)
When I look around and see a Mormon and a Protestant, backed by two Catholics, running to lead the United States I am amazed (Well, not really, because I am an American who believes in the tolerance of America). It is not something that you will see in very many countries around the world. Well, even in the US, the fact that these candidates even profess their religious preferences raises eyebrows in some progressive quarters that would rather see secular humanists in the job. They have no room for those who see some value in religious faith or the belief in some deity that you can’t see or prove the existence of. To them it, it all opiates for the masses and a bunch of hokum.
Of course, we may come to the obverse of a theocracy, and that is almost as scary as the thought of living in a theocracy.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Journalistic hit job
Mormon Church takes in billions in tithes, owns billions in property and businesses
First of all: Who the heck cares how much Mormons give to their church? Who cares what they spend it on? And why would anybody be trying to study it?
Ok, folks, once again, it seems that NBC News has decided that the fact that the Mormon Church receives about $7 Billion per year through tithes from its members, that makes it a) worthy of a news story and b) critical analysis of the LDS Church’s investments. I guess this is because probably Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney happens to be Mormon and this gives NBC an opportunity to sling a few globs of mud and stuff.
Well, how about the Roman Catholic Church? I mean Paul Ryan and Joe Biden, the major parties’ presumed nominees for vice-president are both Catholics. What about their church? Oh, the best estimate I could find was somewhere between $100 Billion and $400 Billion, and that does not include the money that church receives from being the largest landholder in the world. As for all it other assets, let’s just say they are priceless.
My point being is that who the devil cares how much the Mormon Church receives in tithes … or for that matter, what any other church receives in tithes and donations? Unless you are member of the church involved, then it really isn’t any of your business … unless, of course, you are looking to stir the kettle of resentment against a particular faith. You think this is silly? Just look at the Jews who have been the targets of pogroms and discrimination because they are perceived to be “wealthy.” It matters not if they are or not, the resentment makes a good diversion from other issues that those stirring the pot would rather the masses don’t notice.
I am sorry, but I was hoping that we in America had gotten past that type of behavior. Obviously, I am wrong, but I guess I could continue to want to hope that we are better than that.
It angers me, not because I am particularly religious (and I definitely am not Mormon nor Jewish), but because it is something that has to be pointed out at all. NBC, the silly professor in Florida who apparently did the study and any other hangers on really deserve to be shunned. You know the good Amish tradition when someone does something that violates community standards, the community just stops talking to them, stops all associations with them. We need to start invoking it against some of these instigators.
It seems that no matter what religion you are these days, you are going to stand condemned for being a believer. I wish those who profess to want to be our leaders would be lashing out verbally against these kinds of attacks. I don’t mean the leaders under direct assault. I mean the other leaders in our communities, our civic groups and organizations, our churches, our synagogues, our temples, our mosques, our city halls, our county seats, our state capitols and, yes, even in the our national government who should be out there saying: This type of attack is wrong. We call on it to be stopped.
Ok, I am a raving lunatic. I know that this is not going to happen, nor does the realist in me ever expect it would ever happen, but I can at least be a lonely voice in the wilderness. Hell, I know I am, but at least I am saying something. I only wish more people would say something.
You know the old saying: If you convince two people to do the right thing and they each convince two people in turn, and you keep that chain going with each individual convincing two more people, it is amazing what you can accomplish.
Anyway, it is a random thought.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
This is asinine, people
Chicago Seek to Ban Chik-Fil-A
Chik-Fil-A is bad (as are Christians)
Boston wants to Ban Chik-Fil-A
Politicians face road to unconstitutional acts
Ok, boys and girls – my fellow Americans – this is absolutely stupid with a capital S.
It seems the mayor of Boston and the mayor of Chicago (and some other town out in California) and the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite rights advocates have their nose out of joint because the president of the private company that franchises all the Chil-Fil-A restaurants happens to be a card-carrying Baptist who believes that homosexuality is a sin.
These people want to use the law to ban this person’s business from operating in their cities and if possible run them out of business. WRONG ANSWER!!!
First of all, there is not documented case to my knowledge of Chik-Fil-A restaurants ever denying service to any gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite person. The company even makes a point of this that it is NOT their policy to do so.
So, the president of the privately-held company tells a Christian publication that if it is said that he is against gays getting married, then he is guilty as charged. That is what he believes, that only a man and woman can get married.
So the progressives, ever so willing to tolerate differing views from their own, throw an absolute temper tantrum.
Give me a break. I am sorry, but this pushes my buttons. I may disagree with what you believe, but honestly – after 26 years as an active and reserve component soldier and 30 years as a civilian newspaper journalist – I will put my life and my reputation on the line for your right to hold your views without threat from the government.
For years, I worked one block and lived about five blocks from a very infamous store in South Carolina. It was the Redneck Shop and Klu Klux Klan Museum. If you don’t think I didn’t hate that shop and all it stood for, then you have no clue who I am. However, I -- in print and in person -- defended the right of the owner of that shop to operate his souvenir store just off the public square in that town. I may not of liked it, and may have told everyone who asked if they please would not patronize the store, but I fought just as hard against any effort by the city government or any level of government to force it to close.
You see, freedom isn’t just a one way street. People are not just free to do and say things that you like. They are also free to do things that you absolutely detest or express views that are so stupid you want to vomit.
My progressive friend out west seems, from his Facebook posts, to be one of those people who, if I showed the same sense of tolerance he seems to, I would be banning him from Facebook and the world. I let him rant, because – to be honest, Don Carlito – it makes me laugh and shake my head how silly you can be.
Now, for what it is worth, the GLBT people are literally trying to force their views down “our” collective throats. If you don’t agree with the “rights” as they define them, then they want government to punish you. No, that will not happen. I am sorry. You have every right to your sexuality, your beliefs, your views, but you have no right to dictate to me what my views on your sexuality, your beliefs, your views, your actions, are or will be! That is a line you do not cross.
I had no problem with the military GLBT people marching in uniform in the recent parade in San Diego. No problem at all, as long as each individual maintained proper military decorum as a representative of their service. That, among other things, basically means no sexual hijinks, no over the top displays of affection, etc. It doesn’t matter what parade you are in, that sort of behavior represents improper military decorum.
If you are not in uniform, and then do what you want, but once you put that uniform on, you have sworn to uphold that military decorum under the articles of the Universal Code of Military Justice. It does not matter how many stripes, or lack of, or bars, stars or leaves you have, it is still wrong.
I really am getting tired of the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite community ramming their views of a proper life down people’s throats. I hate to think what would happen to them if they were doing this stuff in some other countries, particularly Muslim countries.
Anyway, if you can’t tell, I really am pissed off. And I am really getting tired of the so-called progressives and liberals who put up with this bovine scatology. Almost as pissed off as I am at conservatives and religious fundamentalists and evangelicals who just won’t let the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite people live their lives.
Chik-Fil-A is bad (as are Christians)
Boston wants to Ban Chik-Fil-A
Politicians face road to unconstitutional acts
Ok, boys and girls – my fellow Americans – this is absolutely stupid with a capital S.
It seems the mayor of Boston and the mayor of Chicago (and some other town out in California) and the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite rights advocates have their nose out of joint because the president of the private company that franchises all the Chil-Fil-A restaurants happens to be a card-carrying Baptist who believes that homosexuality is a sin.
These people want to use the law to ban this person’s business from operating in their cities and if possible run them out of business. WRONG ANSWER!!!
First of all, there is not documented case to my knowledge of Chik-Fil-A restaurants ever denying service to any gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite person. The company even makes a point of this that it is NOT their policy to do so.
So, the president of the privately-held company tells a Christian publication that if it is said that he is against gays getting married, then he is guilty as charged. That is what he believes, that only a man and woman can get married.
So the progressives, ever so willing to tolerate differing views from their own, throw an absolute temper tantrum.
Give me a break. I am sorry, but this pushes my buttons. I may disagree with what you believe, but honestly – after 26 years as an active and reserve component soldier and 30 years as a civilian newspaper journalist – I will put my life and my reputation on the line for your right to hold your views without threat from the government.
For years, I worked one block and lived about five blocks from a very infamous store in South Carolina. It was the Redneck Shop and Klu Klux Klan Museum. If you don’t think I didn’t hate that shop and all it stood for, then you have no clue who I am. However, I -- in print and in person -- defended the right of the owner of that shop to operate his souvenir store just off the public square in that town. I may not of liked it, and may have told everyone who asked if they please would not patronize the store, but I fought just as hard against any effort by the city government or any level of government to force it to close.
You see, freedom isn’t just a one way street. People are not just free to do and say things that you like. They are also free to do things that you absolutely detest or express views that are so stupid you want to vomit.
My progressive friend out west seems, from his Facebook posts, to be one of those people who, if I showed the same sense of tolerance he seems to, I would be banning him from Facebook and the world. I let him rant, because – to be honest, Don Carlito – it makes me laugh and shake my head how silly you can be.
Now, for what it is worth, the GLBT people are literally trying to force their views down “our” collective throats. If you don’t agree with the “rights” as they define them, then they want government to punish you. No, that will not happen. I am sorry. You have every right to your sexuality, your beliefs, your views, but you have no right to dictate to me what my views on your sexuality, your beliefs, your views, your actions, are or will be! That is a line you do not cross.
I had no problem with the military GLBT people marching in uniform in the recent parade in San Diego. No problem at all, as long as each individual maintained proper military decorum as a representative of their service. That, among other things, basically means no sexual hijinks, no over the top displays of affection, etc. It doesn’t matter what parade you are in, that sort of behavior represents improper military decorum.
If you are not in uniform, and then do what you want, but once you put that uniform on, you have sworn to uphold that military decorum under the articles of the Universal Code of Military Justice. It does not matter how many stripes, or lack of, or bars, stars or leaves you have, it is still wrong.
I really am getting tired of the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite community ramming their views of a proper life down people’s throats. I hate to think what would happen to them if they were doing this stuff in some other countries, particularly Muslim countries.
Anyway, if you can’t tell, I really am pissed off. And I am really getting tired of the so-called progressives and liberals who put up with this bovine scatology. Almost as pissed off as I am at conservatives and religious fundamentalists and evangelicals who just won’t let the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transvestite people live their lives.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Islam: A Continuing Dialogue
This post is a continuation of a dialog started in the comments section of my post entitled: Criticism v. A Teaching Moment. Which, in itself was a continuation of a discussion of two earlier posts: Islam needs a Reformation and Update on Islam and Reformation.
To me this has been a pleasurable journey into sharing perceptions. However, as my interlocutor who is Muslim has found out, there is only so many characters that can be put in one of those comment boxes and what we want to say oftentimes exceeds that limit.
So, rather than try multiple comments, I have taken advantage my ability to express myself more fully in one take, as we used to say in the newspaper business.
To My Friend, The Anonymous Muslim
Salamalaikum
I would agree with much of your post, but I would take issue with some points.
First, I would never say that the U.S, or the West for that matter, is without sin. The U.S. and the Europeans, pretty much like all the other nations have been responsible for a lot of things, some times they have been good and others not so good. But that is because we are humans.
Second, to say that Islam allows what an American would call “freedom of conscience” is belied, at least in part, by the actions in a lot of countries that profess to be Islamic and are ruled by Sharia law.
http://www.cfr.org/malaysia/religious-conversion-sharia-law/p13552
Third, I would point out that what is one person’s luxury is often considered another person’s need. It really is a matter of perspective. I have no doubt that no matter where one goes this will be true. Now, for whatever reason you want to lay it to, people in the United States generally have more “things” that qualify as “luxuries” in other people’s eyes because they don’t have them. Yet, in America, we are having a great debate about the number of people living “in poverty.” I would point out that how you define luxuries and poverty really frame the debate and that real poverty, such as can be found primarily in the “undeveloped” world, is absent in the US. It is only a relative poverty. In fact, the terms developed, developing and undeveloped all are relative terms. They are relative to what you consider developed.
I would contend that the ancient civilizations throughout Asia, Africa, Central America, South America and even on remote islands across the Pacific were highly “developed” and not just the civilizations of Southwest Asia, Northeast Africa and Europe that the student of “western civilization” studies most intently.
Fourth, I would point out the BRIC nations are not being altruistic but rather cooperating in an effort to advance their own individual national interests. I think this is particularly true with the Russians and the Chinese. How else would one explain the creation of a new city in the South China sea far from the southeast coast of China.
Russian flexes its own muscles in its neighborhood through its control of many nations energy supplies.
My point would not be that the US is without sin, but that all are sinners.
Granted, there also is a cultural difference in viewing the use of “natural” resources. Do the resources belong to the people upon the land on which it is found? Do they belong to their neighbors? Do they belong to the world at large?
Do the people who would develop ways to recover these resources deserve any reward for their efforts or should it just go into a pot for everyone in the world? How do you determine who gets to benefit from those resources? Who gets what and how much? The bigger question being: Who decides?
I contend that no matter where you go, when those questions get asked and you involve humans in answering them, you will undoubtedly find those who see the process as unfair and unjust. It is inevitable.
Do not the foreigners deserve a return on their investment in the knowledge, technology and effort they bring to developing a resource in a given land. Who decides who gets how much of the benefits of that development?
Fifth, I would correct you on one point, the U.S. government did not (and could not) prohibit the airing of the tapes of Bin Laden. That the “American news media” did not give it the play that maybe you would have desired is different saying that the government prevented it. Having been a member of that “news media” for nearly 30 years, I can tell you honestly: It didn’t happen. It wouldn’t happen. I also know that the tapes were reported at the time, although very low key, and that the U.S. people were aware of the the threats. (We just didn't listen. Hey, I said Americans weren't always the smartest bulb in the pack)
Now, is the American news media parochial and myopic to the point that it often ignores what people are saying in other countries about American government policies? You can take that to the bank. You are absolutely correct, but the news media in the U.S. is not an extension of the government (even though sometimes it may appear that way, but more often than not the “media” is a real pain in the side of the government.)
As for Muslims being investigated in US for their possible views: Would not Christians be detained and “investigated” by your authorities, if a group of Christian warriors attacked your communities. To argue otherwise, I would think would be to ignore reality and would defy at least my expectations.
I agree that oftentimes the American government refuses entry to people whose past or political views it finds objectionable, but then what country doesn’t? All countries view those who might possibly pose a threat to the established order with disfavor and do everything that they can to discourage dissemination of those views. I don’t care if you are in the West or East, North or South, that is a given because that is the way people are.
To conclude, I would say that we all have a long journey ahead of us. God willing, Enshallah, maybe we will make it, maybe we won’t. I doubt that I will live to see it, but maybe my grandchildren, or their grandchildren will.
To you, my “friend”: Salamalaikum.
And thank you for continuing our dialogue
To me this has been a pleasurable journey into sharing perceptions. However, as my interlocutor who is Muslim has found out, there is only so many characters that can be put in one of those comment boxes and what we want to say oftentimes exceeds that limit.
So, rather than try multiple comments, I have taken advantage my ability to express myself more fully in one take, as we used to say in the newspaper business.
To My Friend, The Anonymous Muslim
Salamalaikum
I would agree with much of your post, but I would take issue with some points.
First, I would never say that the U.S, or the West for that matter, is without sin. The U.S. and the Europeans, pretty much like all the other nations have been responsible for a lot of things, some times they have been good and others not so good. But that is because we are humans.
Second, to say that Islam allows what an American would call “freedom of conscience” is belied, at least in part, by the actions in a lot of countries that profess to be Islamic and are ruled by Sharia law.
http://www.cfr.org/malaysia/religious-conversion-sharia-law/p13552
Third, I would point out that what is one person’s luxury is often considered another person’s need. It really is a matter of perspective. I have no doubt that no matter where one goes this will be true. Now, for whatever reason you want to lay it to, people in the United States generally have more “things” that qualify as “luxuries” in other people’s eyes because they don’t have them. Yet, in America, we are having a great debate about the number of people living “in poverty.” I would point out that how you define luxuries and poverty really frame the debate and that real poverty, such as can be found primarily in the “undeveloped” world, is absent in the US. It is only a relative poverty. In fact, the terms developed, developing and undeveloped all are relative terms. They are relative to what you consider developed.
I would contend that the ancient civilizations throughout Asia, Africa, Central America, South America and even on remote islands across the Pacific were highly “developed” and not just the civilizations of Southwest Asia, Northeast Africa and Europe that the student of “western civilization” studies most intently.
Fourth, I would point out the BRIC nations are not being altruistic but rather cooperating in an effort to advance their own individual national interests. I think this is particularly true with the Russians and the Chinese. How else would one explain the creation of a new city in the South China sea far from the southeast coast of China.
Russian flexes its own muscles in its neighborhood through its control of many nations energy supplies.
My point would not be that the US is without sin, but that all are sinners.
Granted, there also is a cultural difference in viewing the use of “natural” resources. Do the resources belong to the people upon the land on which it is found? Do they belong to their neighbors? Do they belong to the world at large?
Do the people who would develop ways to recover these resources deserve any reward for their efforts or should it just go into a pot for everyone in the world? How do you determine who gets to benefit from those resources? Who gets what and how much? The bigger question being: Who decides?
I contend that no matter where you go, when those questions get asked and you involve humans in answering them, you will undoubtedly find those who see the process as unfair and unjust. It is inevitable.
Do not the foreigners deserve a return on their investment in the knowledge, technology and effort they bring to developing a resource in a given land. Who decides who gets how much of the benefits of that development?
Fifth, I would correct you on one point, the U.S. government did not (and could not) prohibit the airing of the tapes of Bin Laden. That the “American news media” did not give it the play that maybe you would have desired is different saying that the government prevented it. Having been a member of that “news media” for nearly 30 years, I can tell you honestly: It didn’t happen. It wouldn’t happen. I also know that the tapes were reported at the time, although very low key, and that the U.S. people were aware of the the threats. (We just didn't listen. Hey, I said Americans weren't always the smartest bulb in the pack)
Now, is the American news media parochial and myopic to the point that it often ignores what people are saying in other countries about American government policies? You can take that to the bank. You are absolutely correct, but the news media in the U.S. is not an extension of the government (even though sometimes it may appear that way, but more often than not the “media” is a real pain in the side of the government.)
As for Muslims being investigated in US for their possible views: Would not Christians be detained and “investigated” by your authorities, if a group of Christian warriors attacked your communities. To argue otherwise, I would think would be to ignore reality and would defy at least my expectations.
I agree that oftentimes the American government refuses entry to people whose past or political views it finds objectionable, but then what country doesn’t? All countries view those who might possibly pose a threat to the established order with disfavor and do everything that they can to discourage dissemination of those views. I don’t care if you are in the West or East, North or South, that is a given because that is the way people are.
To conclude, I would say that we all have a long journey ahead of us. God willing, Enshallah, maybe we will make it, maybe we won’t. I doubt that I will live to see it, but maybe my grandchildren, or their grandchildren will.
To you, my “friend”: Salamalaikum.
And thank you for continuing our dialogue
Monday, July 23, 2012
Mosque vs. Tennessee Community
Mosque in Tennessee faces opposition
Never say that Americans lack bigotry. They can be just as bigoted as anyone in the world. In that sense, Americans are pretty much are like everybody else, regardless of color, creed or national background.
In this case, a Tennessee community took umbrage at group of Muslims in their community building a mosque to hold their prayer services in. The county officials went along with majority in the county and did all sorts of things to block the mosque.
I think it was pretty stupid of them, but I have known plenty of local government officials who, to put it generously, were not the brightest bulb around.
So what should we make of this? Well, I could point out that in places like Saudi Arabia and other countries, people of minority faith also are prohibited from building their own houses of worship, but then, America is supposed to be better than that.
Yes, we are supposed to be better than that, but then again we are only human, so we are reduced to just trying to be better than that. Still, I can think of any number of issues on which some Americans are just out there with their prejudices. Of course, if you call them on it, they go: “What? Who me? There isn’t a prejudiced bone in my body!”
And they would be full of bovine scatology. We are all prejudiced to one degree or another, only some are more than others. We just don’t want to admit it.
I admit it. Won’t tell you what my prejudices are, but I have them, and I suspect that anyone reading this, if they are honest with themselves, would admit they have prejudices.
Now, I can understand why these “Christians” in Tennessee might be a bit apprehensive around Muslims setting up shop in their community. I mean we are fed our daily ration in the news everyday about Muslim violence. It is not that we don’t have our own violence, but if I wanted to I could cite several stories in the current news cycle that would illustrate Muslim violence, whether it is Muslim v. Muslim, Muslim v. Jew, or just Muslim v. infidels in general. It is not a pretty picture and unfortunately paints the entire faith with an image of violence. So, it is not surprising, that the people in this Tennessee community are a bit chary of having an obvious rallying point for “those people.”
The thing is that not all Muslims are Jihadis, just as not all Americans are religious bigots or racial bigots. (It seems most are financial bigots, however)
So, for a nation that once prided itself on its religious tolerance (which was less than legend would have you believe), this is a sad chapter and a classic example of the millennia-old NIMBYism that infects just about all of humanity.
Note: NIMBYism is an acronym: Not In My BackYard. In other words, you can do what you want near somebody else, just don’t do it around me.
Never say that Americans lack bigotry. They can be just as bigoted as anyone in the world. In that sense, Americans are pretty much are like everybody else, regardless of color, creed or national background.
In this case, a Tennessee community took umbrage at group of Muslims in their community building a mosque to hold their prayer services in. The county officials went along with majority in the county and did all sorts of things to block the mosque.
I think it was pretty stupid of them, but I have known plenty of local government officials who, to put it generously, were not the brightest bulb around.
So what should we make of this? Well, I could point out that in places like Saudi Arabia and other countries, people of minority faith also are prohibited from building their own houses of worship, but then, America is supposed to be better than that.
Yes, we are supposed to be better than that, but then again we are only human, so we are reduced to just trying to be better than that. Still, I can think of any number of issues on which some Americans are just out there with their prejudices. Of course, if you call them on it, they go: “What? Who me? There isn’t a prejudiced bone in my body!”
And they would be full of bovine scatology. We are all prejudiced to one degree or another, only some are more than others. We just don’t want to admit it.
I admit it. Won’t tell you what my prejudices are, but I have them, and I suspect that anyone reading this, if they are honest with themselves, would admit they have prejudices.
Now, I can understand why these “Christians” in Tennessee might be a bit apprehensive around Muslims setting up shop in their community. I mean we are fed our daily ration in the news everyday about Muslim violence. It is not that we don’t have our own violence, but if I wanted to I could cite several stories in the current news cycle that would illustrate Muslim violence, whether it is Muslim v. Muslim, Muslim v. Jew, or just Muslim v. infidels in general. It is not a pretty picture and unfortunately paints the entire faith with an image of violence. So, it is not surprising, that the people in this Tennessee community are a bit chary of having an obvious rallying point for “those people.”
The thing is that not all Muslims are Jihadis, just as not all Americans are religious bigots or racial bigots. (It seems most are financial bigots, however)
So, for a nation that once prided itself on its religious tolerance (which was less than legend would have you believe), this is a sad chapter and a classic example of the millennia-old NIMBYism that infects just about all of humanity.
Note: NIMBYism is an acronym: Not In My BackYard. In other words, you can do what you want near somebody else, just don’t do it around me.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Criticism v. A Teaching Moment
A person who wished to remain anonymous posted the following on my posting about Islam needing both a Reformation and an Enlightenment:
You are very ignorant--why don't you go to a mosque near you---it is Ramadan and you might get a free dinner---as well as be able to talk to actual Muslims---and see how the understand their religion. (The Saudi's are not the only Muslims on the planet---you know---in fact the Middle East has only 15% of the global Muslim population---it in no way "represents" Islam)
I am not offended by such a posting. In fact, it actually gives me what I call a “teaching moment.”
This person calls me “ignorant” and they have every right to do so. I will not deny them that right. I would disagree, and here are my reasons:
A. The person assumes that I have a very limited knowledge of Islam. I would contend that assumption is incorrect. I have, for instance, read much of the Quran, the Islamic faith’s equivalent of the Christian Bible. I also have read many other writings on the history of Islam, the history of the Arabian Peninsula, the history of South Asia. All this has given me part of my perspective on the religion, which I hold is not necessarily “evil” or “bad”, no more than any other religion is. It does, however, have some what I call “disturbing” tenets which call for violence against non-believers.
B. The person seems to be laboring under the impression that I have never sat down with some of the Islamic religion and had a discussion about the differences from the Judeo-Christian background I was raised in (my grandfather that I knew and lived with and gave me my first Bible was a Congregationalist minister and missionary). Again, an incorrect assumption. I had the pleasure of having lengthy discussions with a man my parents were assisting in his studies at a private college in California. This gentleman, and he truly was a gentle man, was – according to his story – the minister of secondary education in Afghanistan and a tutor to the king’s son at that time. He taught me a little about his language and about Arabic, the language of Islam, as well as about Afghanistan and sparked my interest later to spend a considerable time studying the history of South Asia in college. But fast forward almost 30 years; I was in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for more than half a year in 1990-1991. Granted, I was in the service of the United States Army, but I was not off on some isolated desert base. No, I was living and working among Muslims, representing many different countries. They will tell I was a curious American. I was always asking them if they could find me a good English version of the Quran (none did, although I finally was able to download one off the Internet) and I would take every opportunity to engage them in conversations that involved their religion, their customs and culture. I spent many hours in conversation with the Saudi Bedouin prayer leader at a business I visited weekly for three months while I waited for projects I was overseeing to be completed. I also shared green tea and conversation with the Lebanese businessman who owned the printing press where the newspaper I was editor of for the US Army was printed. I learned a lot from these encounters. Then, while I was in Kuwait for two weeks, I again had many encounters with local people with whom I had interesting discussions.
So, I don’t consider myself fluent in all the facets of Islam, I am conversant enough to hold what I feel are valid opinions on the subject. I also would point out that the Saudis, as the custodians of The Two Holy Mosques, do play a major role in Islam.
Now, the teaching moment: It is not wise to assume when you don’t know. This person, who did not identify their self, leaves me wondering whether or not they are a Muslim? I have no way of knowing. I have no way of knowing really what country they are from.
I do have a first impression of this person: They are not very polite. I would not call him ignorant. I have no way of knowing whether he has the knowledge base to be able to qualify him to not be ignorant, but I am not going to call ignorant, because I don’t know. However, I do know that being rude is not one of the tenets of Islam.
That is one of the problems we have in the world: People making assumptions. Assumptions, more often than not, turn out to be wrong.
A second problem is that we tend to make things personal. Rather than point out where I have erred, rather than take the time to show me why this person’s perception of the world is more accurate than mine, the person merely tells me I am ignorant. Wrong answer.
Now, I have pointed out many times in my posts that I happen to believe that people are not monolithic. That just because a person is (A), then all people are (A). That I think would be a very silly position to take.
I do think that most people do share a desire to survive and live a more comfortable life, if possible. I also believe most people would rather do it with less effort rather than more. Note that I said “most people”. When you are dealing with people, all are unique individuals (except maybe identical twins, but even then their life experiences are different and unique), and therefore you are not dealing with absolutes.
Now, I agree that probably the majority of those who profess to be Muslims are basically like most other people in their desires and don’t really give a rat’s behind about what other people think or believe. It doesn’t affect them.
However, there seems to be a substantial subset that does not have a willingness to be tolerant of the peculiarities of others who may happen to believe differently than they do. We see this when we see riots across the Muslim world when some obscure Christian minister of a small church in Florida announces he plans to burn the Quran as part of his worship service. Now, that was not limited to the Arabian peninsula or North Africa or even just South Asia.
Then there was the riots set off by the publication in a Danish periodical of caricatures of Mohammad, the Islamic prophet who plays the same role for Muslims as Jesus plays for Christians. Those weren’t just limited to Saudi Arabia or some Arab country.
The Muslim author Salmun Rushdie faces a death sentence because he wrote a book that was a satire about some of the parts of the Islamic religion.
We see this when Muslims all over the place react violently when some soldiers disposing of paper materials on an Afghan base burn some Qurans.
I can not visit Mecca or Medina, but Muslims can visit Jerusalem or Rome or London or just about any city in the U.S.
And now the Saudi government seems intent on making insulting the faith a criminal offense.
These things distress me, not because ALL Muslims believe that way, but with more than a billion adherents, even if it is just .01 percent who believe absolutely that infidels should die, then that would make up a very large body of people.
Granted, the Christian church has its extremists as well, and I believe these “cults” should be denounced and treated with disdain, but that does not excuse the need for Islam to come to an accommodation that lets it adherents accept without malice those who believe in a different view of God.
Enough rambling. Via Con Dios and Enshallah..
You are very ignorant--why don't you go to a mosque near you---it is Ramadan and you might get a free dinner---as well as be able to talk to actual Muslims---and see how the
I am not offended by such a posting. In fact, it actually gives me what I call a “teaching moment.”
This person calls me “ignorant” and they have every right to do so. I will not deny them that right. I would disagree, and here are my reasons:
A. The person assumes that I have a very limited knowledge of Islam. I would contend that assumption is incorrect. I have, for instance, read much of the Quran, the Islamic faith’s equivalent of the Christian Bible. I also have read many other writings on the history of Islam, the history of the Arabian Peninsula, the history of South Asia. All this has given me part of my perspective on the religion, which I hold is not necessarily “evil” or “bad”, no more than any other religion is. It does, however, have some what I call “disturbing” tenets which call for violence against non-believers.
B. The person seems to be laboring under the impression that I have never sat down with some of the Islamic religion and had a discussion about the differences from the Judeo-Christian background I was raised in (my grandfather that I knew and lived with and gave me my first Bible was a Congregationalist minister and missionary). Again, an incorrect assumption. I had the pleasure of having lengthy discussions with a man my parents were assisting in his studies at a private college in California. This gentleman, and he truly was a gentle man, was – according to his story – the minister of secondary education in Afghanistan and a tutor to the king’s son at that time. He taught me a little about his language and about Arabic, the language of Islam, as well as about Afghanistan and sparked my interest later to spend a considerable time studying the history of South Asia in college. But fast forward almost 30 years; I was in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for more than half a year in 1990-1991. Granted, I was in the service of the United States Army, but I was not off on some isolated desert base. No, I was living and working among Muslims, representing many different countries. They will tell I was a curious American. I was always asking them if they could find me a good English version of the Quran (none did, although I finally was able to download one off the Internet) and I would take every opportunity to engage them in conversations that involved their religion, their customs and culture. I spent many hours in conversation with the Saudi Bedouin prayer leader at a business I visited weekly for three months while I waited for projects I was overseeing to be completed. I also shared green tea and conversation with the Lebanese businessman who owned the printing press where the newspaper I was editor of for the US Army was printed. I learned a lot from these encounters. Then, while I was in Kuwait for two weeks, I again had many encounters with local people with whom I had interesting discussions.
So, I don’t consider myself fluent in all the facets of Islam, I am conversant enough to hold what I feel are valid opinions on the subject. I also would point out that the Saudis, as the custodians of The Two Holy Mosques, do play a major role in Islam.
Now, the teaching moment: It is not wise to assume when you don’t know. This person, who did not identify their self, leaves me wondering whether or not they are a Muslim? I have no way of knowing. I have no way of knowing really what country they are from.
I do have a first impression of this person: They are not very polite. I would not call him ignorant. I have no way of knowing whether he has the knowledge base to be able to qualify him to not be ignorant, but I am not going to call ignorant, because I don’t know. However, I do know that being rude is not one of the tenets of Islam.
That is one of the problems we have in the world: People making assumptions. Assumptions, more often than not, turn out to be wrong.
A second problem is that we tend to make things personal. Rather than point out where I have erred, rather than take the time to show me why this person’s perception of the world is more accurate than mine, the person merely tells me I am ignorant. Wrong answer.
Now, I have pointed out many times in my posts that I happen to believe that people are not monolithic. That just because a person is (A), then all people are (A). That I think would be a very silly position to take.
I do think that most people do share a desire to survive and live a more comfortable life, if possible. I also believe most people would rather do it with less effort rather than more. Note that I said “most people”. When you are dealing with people, all are unique individuals (except maybe identical twins, but even then their life experiences are different and unique), and therefore you are not dealing with absolutes.
Now, I agree that probably the majority of those who profess to be Muslims are basically like most other people in their desires and don’t really give a rat’s behind about what other people think or believe. It doesn’t affect them.
However, there seems to be a substantial subset that does not have a willingness to be tolerant of the peculiarities of others who may happen to believe differently than they do. We see this when we see riots across the Muslim world when some obscure Christian minister of a small church in Florida announces he plans to burn the Quran as part of his worship service. Now, that was not limited to the Arabian peninsula or North Africa or even just South Asia.
Then there was the riots set off by the publication in a Danish periodical of caricatures of Mohammad, the Islamic prophet who plays the same role for Muslims as Jesus plays for Christians. Those weren’t just limited to Saudi Arabia or some Arab country.
The Muslim author Salmun Rushdie faces a death sentence because he wrote a book that was a satire about some of the parts of the Islamic religion.
We see this when Muslims all over the place react violently when some soldiers disposing of paper materials on an Afghan base burn some Qurans.
I can not visit Mecca or Medina, but Muslims can visit Jerusalem or Rome or London or just about any city in the U.S.
And now the Saudi government seems intent on making insulting the faith a criminal offense.
These things distress me, not because ALL Muslims believe that way, but with more than a billion adherents, even if it is just .01 percent who believe absolutely that infidels should die, then that would make up a very large body of people.
Granted, the Christian church has its extremists as well, and I believe these “cults” should be denounced and treated with disdain, but that does not excuse the need for Islam to come to an accommodation that lets it adherents accept without malice those who believe in a different view of God.
Enough rambling. Via Con Dios and Enshallah..
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Update on Islam and reformation
Ok, sometimes I don’t get things quite right. When I did the bit on Islam needing a reformation, I toyed with also arguing that it also needed to undergo a corresponding period of the Western world’s Enlightenment that followed the Reformation but that would have made it a bit more tedious to understand and explain. I should have taken the plunge and included it.
As it is, another person wrote a much more coherent piece than I did on why Islam needs both a Reformation AND an Enlightenment period (http://www.atlassociety.org/tni/islam-reformation). His article points out that Islam in a sense is already embroiled in its Reformation (about time, can we speed it up and get to the Enlightenment now). I just hope it doesn’t take another three or four centuries of conflict and war for them to get the message on tolerance, acceptance and compromise.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Islam needs a reformation
http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-arabia-considers-law-against-insulting-islam-153013387.html
The Saudi Arabians are supposedly considering a law against insulting Islam. I have no doubt it will pass.
Is it a good thing? Ask an American if they should pass a law against insulting any religion and most of them will hop up on their soapbox and rattle off something about the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution. So, understand, that we Americans come from a tradition that the state doesn’t formally recognize any particular religion or sect and forbids its lawmakers respecting, or favoring, any singular denomination, sect or faith. It has worked pretty good for us so far.
Now, there are those in the US who would like to outlaw various and sundry “fundamentalist” groups, or evangelical groups, or obnoxious groups that go door-to-door seeking to convert you to their particular religion. Others find various sects views to be obnoxious and seek to denigrate them … and probably would issue a “shoot on sight” order if it was left up to them. Such is the case with the religion of Islam.
This, unfortunately, is because many Americans do not understand Islam but sometimes I don’t think a lot of Muslims understand their own religion … but that is ok because a whole lot of Christians don’t understand their own sect/denomination church doctrine.
Still, I have long contended that Islam, like Christianity, definitely needs to undergo a “reformation.” You see, about 500 years ago, the Western version of the Christian Church represented by the Roman Catholic Church, which already had undergone its Shi’a/Sunni split with the Greek Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church even earlier, had a crisis.
It seems this Catholic Priest in Germany by the name of Martin Luther didn’t understand why the Roman Church was doing a lot of the things that it was doing. He listed his questions in the form of 95 statements and nailed them to a church door. Being the clever guy that he was, he also sent them to a local printer and had the document mailed throughout Europe. (That is the quick and easy version of a much more involved story). Anyway, Luther’s challenge to the Holy See in Rome didn’t go over very well and thus started what became known as “The Reformation.”
The Reformation basically was the reexamining of church doctrines but various and sundry literate people who thought deeply about faith, and religion, and theology came up with their own ideas and agendas. As a result, a whole host of protesters of the Roman Catholic way of doing things arose. These people became known generically as “Protestants” although few followed the same dogma.
As a result of the Reformation, the church changed, its relation to the state changed and, surprising enough (after several centuries of warfare) the relation between the various denominations changed to the current relative tolerance of differing views. Heck, modern Christians at least won’t kill you or burn you at the stake if you don’t profess to believe in their particular sect.
The religion of Islam needs to undergo a similar transformation. As it stands now, basically, if you are Sunni, if is off with the heads of Shi’a. If you are Shi’a, its off with the heads of Sunni. If you anybody else, it is off with your head unless you convert … or at least admit you are second class and submit to Islamic rules … your rules be damned. Now, I admit that is a bit extreme in the portrayal of Islam. It does have its softer side, but mostly that only extends to friends of the family and other believers.
Throughout the last 1300 years, Muslims basically have normally given non-Moslems a simple choice: Convert or die. Not always the best way to influence people and win friends, but it does the job rather effectively.
Unfortunately, we are still seeing that dynamic at work with the Jihadis who really don’t like Jews, Christians or anything to do with the semi-secular West that, to them, is the epitome of what immorality looks like.
Now, if we could somehow engineer a “reformation” among the Muslims, without of course the three or four centuries of warfare, and have them arrive at some new vision of Islam that would allow for the other religions of the world to exist without threatening to chop off everybody else’s head, the world would be a much more peaceful place.
But then I remember the Protestants and the Catholics in North Ireland haven’t really reconciled totally yet and my progressive friend out West says he just wants to shoot all the fundamentalist, evangelical, conservative, Bible-inerrancy believing Christians on sight (He gets rabid on the topic in his facebook posts).
Please tell there still is hope somewhere in the world. I so do want to believe.
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