Bowing Down to Islam (again)

[JW]

A couple of things

In the Muslim world, Islam is a part of everyday life, government, school, everything.

Islam itself is a peaceful religion, like Christianity, but just like Christianity, there have and will always be those that take certain parts of the Qumran or the Bible to extremes while ignoring other parts, and unfortunately this really hurts that religion more than it helps it.

I cringe everytime I think about the Crusades and the effect it still continues to have on people to this day.

[Steno]

Or the Inquisition, or the Catholic church at the time of the Medicis. This just happens to be Islam's bloody period; the Christians came out of theirs on top, so maybe Islam will too.

[Zeuslax]

It's worth the 9+ minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCMbDtDL ... re=related

[Dan Wishengrad]

A couple of things

In the Muslim world, Islam is a part of everyday life, government, school, everything.

Islam itself is a peaceful religion, like Christianity, but just like Christianity, there have and will always be those that take certain parts of the Qumran or the Bible to extremes while ignoring other parts, and unfortunately this really hurts that religion more than it helps it.

I cringe everytime I think about the Crusades and the effect it still continues to have on people to this day.

Excellent point, John! Great post and insightful comments.

The schism between the Shia and the Sunni (Islam's two major denominations) seems almost a silly argument to many non-Muslims -- who is the rightful caliph, or heir to Mohammed's legacy who should lead the faith? The Shia believe it is hereditary, and passed down through an unbroken genetic line. The Sunnis believe it should be granted to the most learned and wise current scholar of the Koran. How much blood is now being shed in the Islamic world because of this schism?

But this isn't much different between the schism between Jews and Christians -- Christians accept Christ as the messiah, we Jews don't and are still waiting for our Messiah. Both our two faiths are based on the same Old Testament -- yet millions of Jews have died over the centuries for refusing to accept Christ as the savior. Is this any less "silly"?

Coach Williams and I may sometimes disagree on American political ideology, but I say he is absolutely 100% correct here.

And in the words of that great and learned scholar (Rodney King): "Can't we all just get along?"

[JW]

A couple of things

In the Muslim world, Islam is a part of everyday life, government, school, everything.

Islam itself is a peaceful religion, like Christianity, but just like Christianity, there have and will always be those that take certain parts of the Qumran or the Bible to extremes while ignoring other parts, and unfortunately this really hurts that religion more than it helps it.

I cringe everytime I think about the Crusades and the effect it still continues to have on people to this day.

Excellent point, John! Great post and insightful comments.

The schism between the Shia and the Sunni (Islam's two major denominations) seems almost a silly argument to many non-Muslims -- who is the rightful caliph, or heir to Mohammed's legacy who should lead the faith? The Shia believe it is hereditary, and passed down through an unbroken genetic line. The Sunnis believe it should be granted to the most learned and wise current scholar of the Koran. How much blood is now being shed in the Islamic world because of this schism?

But this isn't much different between the schism between Jews and Christians -- Christians accept Christ as the messiah, we Jews don't and are still waiting for our Messiah. Both our two faiths are based on the same Old Testament -- yet millions of Jews have died over the centuries for refusing to accept Christ as the savior. Is this any less "silly"?

Coach Williams and I may sometimes disagree on American political ideology, but I say he is absolutely 100% correct here.

And in the words of that great and learned scholar (Rodney King): "Can't we all just get along?"

Thanks Dan,

But also don't forget that Christians were persecuted by Jews and Romans because of their acceptance of Jesus as the Psalm 2 Messiah or Anointed One in the 1st and 2nd century. One of the greatest Jewish Scholars, the Apostle Paul (Known as Saul before conversion to Christianity) was one who imprisoned, and persecuted.

I only mention this to bring up the fact that we, humanity, are capable of some of the worst things imaginable, it is not suprising that this isoccuring throughout the world.

[Beta]

Bhutto assassinated.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/27/pakistan.bhutto/index.html

To put into perspective, this is a far bigger situation than if something like that were to happen to Hilary, since Bhutto was the first ever elected female ruler of a muslim state.

[Zeuslax]

Its a very big deal and has much larger implications.

[JW]

I don't see this settling down at all.

Southwest Asia is errupting

[Beta]

I am sure this is somewhere linked to the crusades.

We cannot blame religious fanatics...why blame the perpetrators...when it is possible to blame white Christians.

[Zeuslax]

I know the water cooler political debates have been slow with the holidays and winter, but there are better ways to antagonize debate.

I am sure this is somewhere linked to the crusades.

We have a lot of college age contributors. In your 2nd or 3rd year you start getting into Western European history at many institutions. It’s what they know and can speak to. The analogy, (from a big picture perspective) in many respects, is valid.

Muslim on Muslim crime does nothing but solidify the non-radical podium. At what level the violence causes a change in position, I’m not sure. You can guarantee that think tanks around the world are looking at this closely. Hopefully the intensity, frequency and level that we saw in the Sunni Triangle aren’t necessary in all circumstances.

[JW]

I as an evangelical Christian don't use the Crusades as an example of why Religious fanatacism occurs. I know why religious fanatacism occurs.

This is from someone who is in his 2 year of Graduate Study. As an evangelical Christian, i don't excuse what the Crusaders did, but I don't want to forget what they did, because like many know, if we forget History, it has the opportunity to repeat itself.

Whether it is political or religious, all i know is that Southwest Asia is in a lot of Trouble. And unfortunately a lot of innocent God-fearing Muslims are suffering for the actions of many of the Muslim fanatics.

[Beta]

I know the water cooler political debates have been slow with the holidays and winter, but there are better ways to antagonize debate.

I am sure this is somewhere linked to the crusades.

Si, and the first ever elected female ruler of a muslim state getting assassinated during elections is a pretty big deal...esp for a nuclear power...and I would think that would be enough to cause some debate.

The crusades thing is a joke...since it would appear that whenever religious violence is brought up...something that happened a ridiculously long time ago and has no bearing on anything today's issues is brought up.

[DwinsChamps]

The crusades thing is a joke...since it would appear that whenever religious violence is brought up...something that happened a ridiculously long time ago and has no bearing on anything today's issues is brought up.

Whether or not YOU make the link between The Crusades and today's Islamic violence is immaterial; what matters is the fact that the majority of the Muslim world accurately views The Crusades as the symbol of the western antagonism that has long sought to impair the nations of Islam. It surprises me how faceciously you discuss the event that is quite literally at the root of Islamic instability.

[Jac Coyne]

what matters is the fact that the majority of the Muslim world accurately views The Crusades as the symbol of the western antagonism that has long sought to impair the nations of Islam.

And the U.S. is fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq because of the hostages taken by the Barbary pirates...

Let's not prop up the medieval tenets of radical Islam -- the abolition of women's rights, free speech, religious choice and freedom in general -- with a 500-year-old crutch.

It surprises me how fececiously you discuss the event that is quite literally at the root of Islamic instability.

Best. Typo. Ever.

[Steno]

thanks for bringing the scatalogical implications to light, Jac. That warrants three guffaws and a hearty chuckle.