Commentary on the beheading of Paul Johnson and reaction to radical Islam representing all Islam.
I despise Islam. It is the Uncle Waldo, the pedophile, of organized religions. I suspect I’m supposed to feel sorry for the women in chadors, and burkhas, who are assumed to be against this jihad shit, who will be beaten if they speak out. Well, Fuck You Gals, too. Quit being slaves. Quit being allowed to make yourselves slaves.
And from the comments:
Islam is toxic to human life. We can try to undesrstadn/appease/coddle the islamic community until we are all dead or in dhimmitude. Or we can solve the problem. Solving the problem involves genocide.
Sometimes “racism” just feels right, you know?
Comments
49 responses to “Misreading Islam?”
The puritanical Wahabi sect pretty much controls all religious life in Saudi Arabia. They have official status in the kingdom. Their fundamentalist intolerance is responsible for the climate which produced 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers.
Those bigots you quoted have much in common with the Wahabis. The only difference is that they would like to set up a Christian fundamentalist theocracy in the United States which would be similar to the society depicted in Margaret Atwood’s novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale”.
Exactly. And at the same time the Saudi Royal family has to employ a private garrison just to protect itself from it’s enraged populace. Prince Bandar likes to have it both ways – the Wahabi conservatism and traditions and then drinking and whoring with the westerners.
Good call on Handmaid’s Tale – that book totally freaked me out when I was in high school.
Essentially we should always be wary of any fundamentalist, radical anything.
Actually, Tim, I don’t consider myself religious. How the hell did Christian fundamentalism enter this discussion? When Pat Robertson beheaded someone?
Andy: read my earlier post. I consider the Saudi royal family to be the root of this problem. I’m not crazy about the profanity I used in this post, but I was upset. And I firmly believe this religion is vile. Read my website if you think I’m a fundamentalist headcase. I assure you I am not, and generally eschew politics in general. Quit making generalizations, and OPEN your minds, fellas.
Quit making generalizations, eh? Seems like that was the thrust of your post.
The Fundamentalist Christian remark was not directed at you Velociman – just a warning that radical anything can turn violent. I just thought lumping all of Islam with the more radical sects (and yes, totally at the whim and bathed in Saudi Royalty) seemed unfair to the millions of peaceful Muslims. It’s akin to saying that since there’s crazy Christian groups that bomb abortion clinics then Christianity is by definition a vile war-making religion. I guess for me it always comes down to that terrible alchemy when economics meets religion – and religion is used as a system to control people rather than inspire them to better lives.
True that Jerry Falwell’s minions have not turned murderous just yet – but when you’re waging a war in Iraq based on the idea that We are Good and They is Evil (and dis-allowing any debate or discussion) – you don’t need to push the crucifix much farther. Bush considers himself appointed by God and he easily commands support from the fundie Christians who are so scared of anybody with pigment or an alternate sexuality.
Regardless thank you for your comments…
Yes, there have been fundamentalist Christians who have used violence. One example that comes to mind right away are those who were bombing abortion clinics a few years back. The difference is that there were many Christian leaders speaking out against this violence in the media at the time. I rarely ever hear of Muslim leaders denouncing the beheading of Americans in Pakistan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Why is that? These killings are being done in the name of Allah! So why are the peace-loving Muslims not outraged by this? I just have to wonder.
“True that Jerry Falwell’s minions have not turned murderous just yet…”
Well, they haven’t put on uniforms and marched in droves, but I’d say they’re murderous.
Fine, my good sir. Please let me know what you glean. I stand firm, however, in my assertion that the VAST majority of mosques worldwide continue to preach hate, and jihad. I know of NO Christian or Jewish church or synagogue that does this. Can you explain that? It has certainly been going on long before the Iraq war. Can you explain that, sir?
The entire philosophical basis of the American government is the protection of the minority voice, i.e. that the loudest or the most popular opinion doesn’t automatically make the rules for every single constituent under its purview.
I can’t dispute what “the vast majority” preaches or doesn’t preach. Personally, I don’t have the relevant knowledge. But even supposing such a claim to be true, the implication that some course of action against the entire Islamic population is justified by the behavior of some is reprehensible. That we should hate an entire population for the actions of a few, a majority, or even all but one, is just disgusting.
I think that regardless of any “truth” from which a stereotype or prejudice is derived (e.g. “gay guys are slutty”), we would be remiss in trying to apply it to anyone we don’t know.
My friend is getting married in a couple of weeks. She is a Muslim. And if anyone were to try to tell me that letting people like her get caught in the crossfire would be justified as a means to an ends, I would be up in arms.
Andy
Do you think you would have free speech on your nice personal blog in a muslim state?
You better stop drinking that kool-ade, brother, it’s rotting your brain.
I just stopped by here, and your remarks are making you look dumb as dirt.
Yeah Andy. We have FREE SPEECH, so we should just SHUT UP and let the “Moral” Majority tell us what to do and think.
Makes sense.
No one is telling anyone to “shut up”, Sam. All Wesley was trying to do was to point out that what Andy was saying was foolish. But by all means, you and he can keep on being fools. You can point out the “Drinking the Kool-Aid is Inadvisable” sign to the horse, but you can’t make him not drink it.
By the way, I see that what you and Andy are doing is apparently not “moralizing” but instead something of a higher and purer order. So noted.
Do you think you would have free speech on your nice personal blog in a muslim state
I would argue that the lack of free speech is more a function of the political system of many Muslim countries (dicatorship, monarchy) then their religion.
And no one in the administration seems to be concerned about lack of free speech in many oil-bearing countries – not to mention atrocious human rights records and systematic discrimination against women.
And speaking of free speech – didn’t we close down a newspaper in Fallujah for publishing views we didn’t agree with? Americans really do enjoy our high horse – too bad we don’t always live up to our brand name.
mosques worldwide continue to preach hate, and jihad. I know of NO Christian or Jewish church or synagogue that does this.
Does convervative Christian discrimination against gays and lesbians count?
Bin Laden/Robertson/Falwell Quiz
Sam said, “Yeah Andy. We have FREE SPEECH, so we should just SHUT UP and let the “Moral” Majority tell us what to do and think.”
THERE YOU GO AGAIN. A new record for the liberal left leaping to a completely unprovable conclusion
“I stand firm, however, in my assertion that the VAST majority of mosques worldwide continue to preach hate, and jihad.”
Of course, you have visited the VAST majority of mosques worldwide, or you can produce credible (that would exclude Rush Limbaugh and NewsMax.com) statistics which can back up that wild generalization.
“I know of NO Christian or Jewish church or synagogue that does this.”
You don’t, but I do. Those so-called “Aryan” Christians who preach hatred against anybody who doesn’t have at least three blond grandmothers. Our own homegrown terrorists, the Oklahoma City bombers, had links to such groups. Speaking of links, here is one to a “Christian Identity” religion.
Caution: It isn’t pretty.
http://www.kingidentity.com/
In Israel, there are extreme elements, mostly among West Bank settlers, who are in favor of expelling all Arabs, not only from the occupied territories, but from Israel proper. Benny Elon, a recently sacked member of the Israeli cabinet, is the most high profile individual to express support for such views.
Interestingly, fundamentalist Christians in the US who observe the cult of “the rapture” also favor such expulsions from Israel for religious reasons.
There are at least as many varieties of Islam as there are of Christianity. A Unitarian and a Pentecostalist are closer to each other in terms of religious practice than a Wahabi and a Sufi are.
This BBC overview of Islam will help enlighten the ignorant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/islam.shtml
What one hears in a mosque has almost nothing to do with jihad, except maybe the Bush-Cheney-Ashcroft jihad against civil liberties.
This commentary from an Islamist site has more to do with giving head than with lopping off heads.
http://islam-usa.com/e110.htm
Americans have not been singled out for beheadings. They are a part of everyday life in Saudi Arabia.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2966790.stm
Of course, Bush won’t complain to his Saudi pals about these executions because he authorized more executions than any other governor in the period 1995 to 2001.
About a third of all Muslims in the US are native born African Americans. Is that what was meant when it was stated that, “Sometimes “racism” just feels right, you know?”
In fact, bigotry, fear, ignorance, and superstition are the toxins which can do the most damage to a democratic society.
We drink filtered water,we eat altered food.We get our processed news form the “good news people”.When man feels like he is better or has the right to dis-regaurd brother the real injusted happens.The beheading of the American is no worse than the small child killed by the US jets shooting up the desert.We are all the fault for not getting the people in Government that could solve the problems of war.The USA is a nation of war we can only exist when we are killing some third world nation.Behind the Eagle the Swstika is starting to emerge…. will the young people stand and address the issue or chat on the internet…………………..
Tandem discussion over on Velociman’s site.
HELLO THERE MR ANDY, I’M FROM A COUNTRY IN ASEAN A CLAIMED MUSLIM COUNTRY THOUGH IT IS NOT SHOWN IN OUR CONSTITUITION, YOU ARE CONSIDERED LUCKY TO HAVE THE LIBERTY TO BE ALLOWED TO HAVE AN OPEN FORUM – LIBERTY ALLOWS YOU TO, IN A WAY TO CONDEMN CHRISTIANITY. HERE, WHERE MAJORITY ARE MUSLIMS (65%), AN OPEN UNCONTROLED FORUM LIKE YOURS HERE WOULD DEFINITELY BE CLOSED DOWN AND YOU WOULD DEFINITELY BE CONDEMNED, IF IT THE COIN WAS FLIPED. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM BUT IT IS DEFINITELY BECAUSE OF THE NARROW MINDEDNEST OF MUSLIMS HERE AND THE TEACHINGS OF THE MUSLIM FAITH! CHRISTINITY DOESN’T TEACH HOLY WAR AS DEPICTED IN THE DEMONIC MUSLIM FAITH. CHRISTIANITY INSTEAD TEACHERS TO FORGIVE AND FORGET!
I hope the Iraqi civilians can learn to forgive and forget as well.
Doesn’t Christianity also teach that war is wrong? Thou Shalt Not Kill? Then why are so many Christian leaders and soliders advocating mass violence?
The Politically Correct canon requires that America and our traditional male-white-european power structure be the root cause of all of the ills in the world. The angels dancing on the head of a pin logic that would compare Jerry Falwell to Al Qaeda is a perfect example. In our system Larry Flynt fought publicly and victoriously all the way to the Supreme Court to defend his right to accuse Falwell of losing his virginity to his mother in an outhouse.
Anywhere in the Muslim world Flynt would’ve been beheaded without trial.
Yes Andy. America is the problem. Our prejudice, our fundamentalists, our military, our economy. That’s why Sharia and dictatorships rule the day in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere we caused it. Just ask elder sodomite Gore Vidal. Or go study at the feet of Michael Moore, that noted deep thinker. Or emigrate to France perhaps. Recent events there (synagogue burnings, Islamofascist Imams)indicate that the threat of incipient Americanism might break out any minute.
Anybody who believes that the June 20, 2004 09:58 AM post in this thread is for real, probably also believes that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq which were manufactured by members of al-Qaeda while Saddam and the Bush twins were in Prague busy planning the 9/11 attacks.
Andy, how are you attracting such, uh, people to your site? I’m glad none of them live in Oak Park nor would want to live in Oak Park. lol
I would argue that the lack of free speech is more a function of the political system of many Muslim countries (dicatorship, monarchy) then their religion
Have you not heard of Sharia…..the law of Islam that rules these states?
You know, the one that cuts off a hand for theft, or stones a womqn to DEATH for adultry?
WAKE THE FUCK UP! THIS IS NOT A GAME!
Clearly, the author asked this rhetorical question to produce a “no.” So what does that mean? We must be pro-free speech if we’re posting here, which means we must be anti-censorship. But there’s an implied conclusion past the simple issue of free speech; we should be against any nation with different attitudes toward free speech, regardless of their other laws. This is too simplistic. We can’t extend our opinions on one practice to an entirety of beliefs and laws. It’d be the same as a country calling us “despicable” for our current capital punishment policies. Sure, some might not agree with it (and surely some do), but on the whole, the US is not a bad place to be. Point is: using an example of one unfavorable practice as justification of disapproving an entire nation (or religion) is faulty in reasoning. And it sort of lends itself to another point…
This illuminates a problem underlying many heated national and international debates that take place between Americans. There’s an implication that you have to be all in, or all out. If you dislike something about the US, you must f*cking hate things like free speech and voting. Oh, you don’t? Then you better shut the hell up! If you appreciate your freedoms, you had better overlook anything you don’t agree with. How stupid is this? The first amendment isn’t protecting the freedom to agree, it’s protecting the freedom to disagree. If someone seriously hates this country, then I might say, yeah, you could probably find somewhere better suited to your needs. But dissension doesn’t mean that someone is disloyal to his nation, or that he should feel guilt over expressing those opinions. It’s about free speech, man.
Christ, does it ever smell like guys who massage each others’ feet in here.
the one that cuts off a hand for theft, or stones a womqn to DEATH for adultry
Or what about arresting spouses of those you don’t agree with and imprisoning them. Oh wait, that’s us in Iraq.
It’s about free speech, man.
Exactly – the whole Why do you hate America so much? is tired and an easy reach. I don’t America – I hate the way it is being run. Free speech entitles everyone to say whatever they want – it just doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get heard.
The dissent = treason meme is especially stupid. I hope the troops come home safe – but I would have preferred that they hadn’t gone over at all to fight what has turned out a concocted war based on fabricated evidece. Americans are dying to ensure this country never has to deal with an oil crisis – and to line the pockets of military contractors. Iraq was never an imminent threat. Pre-emtpive war is in violation of all international standards for warfare and aggression. Pearl Harbor was a preemptive strike.
Here, man. This’ll save you some time with your political posting:
Blah blah right-wing Rumsfeld warmonger chickenhawk evil Bushies Wolwowitz and his neocon cabal for oiloiloiloiloiloil blah blah ignorant stupid bloodthirsty morons, the real axis of evil on a ranch in Crawford and blah blah blah no WMD he lied, Bushitler lied, people died died died tie-dyed peace peace peace down with the Zionists! peace peace Kyoto! they hate us they hate us they hate us and what can we do and root causes and root causes and blowback and Plame and Plame and Chalabi Plame Wilson blah blah blah unilateral multinational Halliburton Enronism crony capitalism and it’s all about oiloiloiloil blah blah blah, cowboyish disregard for allies, for the wishes of the world community who rise up against us, the terrorist threat is overblown and anyway, it’s all our fault because we gave Saddam his weapons to begin with, photo of Rummy and Hussein, but make no mistake, he no longer has those weapons because inspections worked, containment worked, and blah blah blah Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sudan handle it, Roy, handle it handle it, Caspian pipeline oiloiloiloil blah blah blah show me the stockpiles, anthrax CIA plant Richard Clarke said so and we believe him because and unless unless unless Abu Ghraib Abu Ghraib Abu Ghraib, square-jawed cocksucking military jarhead torturing fucks, bring home our troops! We care about the troops! We support the troops and don’t you question our patriotism our love for this fucking filthy crass consumerist bullying country of redneck dolts and biblethumping bourgeois suburbanites with their SUVs and where are the CAFE standards fight the real terror, eco-terror, Israel, the US, imperialist colonialist racist homophobic hegemonic and blah blah blah blah blah because dissent is patriotism and fighting against your country is really fighting for your country and our dissent keeps the nation strong and we’re brave and heroic and up is down and black is white and oiloiloiloiloiloiloiloil blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Dude – get your own blog.
Flounder, I can’t believe you’re missing this.
From Alt.Muslim:
Third, Muslims are reluctant to appear to “apologize” for something that they didn’t do, even if were done in their name. That doesn’t mean that they support what happened.
Ahem. To excerpt from my previous post: “Abu Ghraib Abu Ghraib Abu Ghraib”!
Heh. If you don’t think this discussion is worthwhile then leave.
And I’m assuming Johnnyantiwar and Jeff G are the same – you guys both have the same IP address.
“Abu Ghraib” and the innumerable apologies aren’t part of the discussion? K.
“I would argue that the lack of free speech is more a function of the political system of many Muslim countries (dicatorship, monarchy) then their religion.”
You could argue that Andy, but, you would be wrong. Islam (fundamentalist) is a total life style. Islam is the religion. Islam is the law. Islam is the government.
Andy: Everything you’ve written above demonstrates what George Orwell said about an idea — or several in your case — being so stupid only an intellectual could believe it. Incidentally, what does a “creative coach” do? And don’t you feel a little embarrassed mentioning it?
“Doesn’t Christianity also teach that war is wrong? Thou Shalt Not Kill? Then why are so many Christian leaders and soliders advocating mass violence?”
A more appropriate translation would be thou shalt not murder. This distinction usually isn’t necessary because people understand that is what is meant and there are few trivial enough to twist the Commandments for a childish argument.
Christianity does have the concept of Just War. There have been discussions of Just War at Rev. Donald Sensing’s blog. Reverend Sensing was an Artillery officer.
WOW
18 comments ! nice.
I started a new “series” on my site tonight and would love if you could check it out and let me know what ya think. Later sexy.
being so stupid only an intellectual could believe it
Sort of like how the White House still insists on the Al-Queda/Saddamm connection even after the commission said it was immaterial?
Incidentally, what does a “creative coach” do? And don’t you feel a little embarrassed mentioning it?
Yeah – I’m totally embarrassed. I’m glad you put me in my place. I guess you showed me.
the concept of Just War
Is the War in Iraq a Just War? Or is it just another war?
Islam (fundamentalist) is a total life style.
Right – you said fundamentalist and I agree with you. Are all Muslims in all Muslim countries fundamentalists? This whole discussion hinges on over-generalizing the behavior of some Muslims as representative of a whole – and suggesting that their destruction is the only viable solution.
thou shalt not murder
Is killing innocent civilians not murder? (And yes, I know Saddam murdered his own civilians – but then again so have we)
innumerable apologies aren’t part of the discussion? K.
I think I misconstrued the tenor of your post Jeff/Johnny. Sorry bout that.
Further linkage at Jeff’s site.
I think my favorite part of all this so far is the foot massage thing.
The second funny part is all the pissing and moaning about how awful it is for people to bash Islam yet turn around in the same sentence and bash Christianity.
Grade A Hypocrites!
Andy, I sympathize with your intent to spare an entire group of cultists for the act of a selection of the more overty violent ones. You are refusing, however, to analyze with any objectivity the content of their belief system. The post-modern relativism with which you have been programmed has been in the works for over 100 years and is hardly anything new. The Renaissance gave way to the somnolent greyness of the 19th century “Awakenings”, and to this condition whereby its subjected cannot and will not see the forest for the trees.
Can you not see that victimization/relativism/pacifism and spiritualism/mysticism/fanaticism are two sides of the same coin? The timeline is almost complete whereby both camps are implicitly uniting. The left (with its assertion that it is against racism, against intolerance) finds itself having to support Islamism (one of the most intolerant religions) because really they are both on the same page vis a vis they are both socialist in nature. The left, whose belief that the government (and therefore the sword) will cure societal ills has allied itself with the mystics, whose belief in the supernatural trumps logic and reality. Both camps have united against the Mind.
You want to read something? How about a short philisophical history of the world? “For the New Intellectual” – Ayn Rand.
One day you will understand that Mohammed’s followers do not give a damn about your sensitivites, do not share your avowed belief in “live and let live” and you will literally awaken. I hope it is soon.
Islam (fundamentalist) is a total life style. Islam is the religion. Islam is the law. Islam is the government.
Yes, and that’s exactly the sort of system that far right Christian fundamentalists want for this country.
I’ve never seen so much single minded ignorance in a single thread.
You’ve got quite a discussion going here, Andy, and props to Jeff and Bill for directing traffic…I’m hafta read up on Sensing and refresh my Rand.
“smells like guys who massage each others’ feet”?
I recognize the protein wit-dom, but what does that smell like?? [i KNOW YOU’LL SAY “This Blog” but I don’t smell anything and I’m rather curious – not unlike the man who walks in on Johnny Depp and Flea in the toilet in Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing]
God Bless us, every one.
“Where the rubber meets the road”
I just read the Veloci post in question —
You know, the last time I heard that phrase, it came from a psychologist who was determined to have me commited to a juvenile detention center.
You know what I told him when he said that?
Piss up a rope.
I’m mirroring my reply to Veloci and his ilk because I’m sure his little orcs will be all over this site with their frothing vitriol:
“Maybe it’s just me, but the jihadists come out as tolerant in this string. It took almost a hundred years for them to seriously respond to outside exploitation and almost three years after that, the Crusaders want to nuke/MOAB Mecca.
You’re crying “WAKE UP!”, while yourselves in a fitful sleep with your hands clenched tightly on your nuts. I’m beginning to understand genocides past, through you, so thanks for the lesson.
I have to wonder, though, what your descendants will have to say when they find themselves on the receiving end of this fascist dildo? Oooh, they’re fighting back! Nuke the demon-spawn!
You’re lucky the Brits didn’t have ballistic missiles in the 1800s fellas, and the human race is lucky that hatemongers such as yourselves will never rise to office in a democratic country.
Do you remember your childhood? Do you remember having families? Do you think Arab children are born from goats and raised by djinn?
CORRECT YOURSELVES
Your Marklar will only rally the Marklar to Marklar. I suggest you Marklar over to Marklar and have a nice Marklar. If that doesn’t help, I know a cheap Marklar who will gladly give you Marklar. Smoke a fat Marklar and call me in the Marklar.
God Bless us, everyone.”
That’s right, I’m quoting myself – I’m a pompous ass. We all are, yes?
Take on Bush and…VOLTRON!!
the concept of Just War
Is the War in Iraq a Just War? Or is it just another war?
You’re not responding to the issue. The 10 Commandments don’t say a thing about this type of conflict and pretending they do is a pitiful argument. I just love it when folks who haven’t spent a day in church tell the rest of us what Christianity is about.
And the one thing that never changes is that liberals just can’t argue worth a shit.
folks who haven’t spent a day in church
I was raised Catholic and went to church every Sunday as well as Catholic school.
So Thou Shalt Not Kill has nothing to do with the deaths of inncoent civilians during warfare?
I’m so glad I gave up on the hypocrisy of Catholicism.
You’re not responding to the issue. The 10 Commandments don’t say a thing about this type of conflict and pretending they do is a pitiful argument. I just love it when folks who haven’t spent a day in church tell the rest of us what Christianity is about.
Um. 12years of parochial school, two churches as an adult, -every- Sunday, and I can tell you that Christianity rocks.
It’s Christians, and the fundamentalist, overzealous, let’s-kill-for-the-glory-of-jesus-and-to-get-rid-of-the-heretic-violent-muhammad-followers who scare me more than anything else. Matthew Sheppard was put on a fence and beaten to death. Sure, he wasn’t handed his own head, but Tim’s death was at least -quick-.
So tell me, are we dealing with ideology, or the fundamental problem of human brutality? And fueled by what? Fear? Greed?
(And, incidentally, it’s not that “liberals” can’t argue — it’s that the issues are too complex to try to explain in four-or-less letter words to those who see everything in black and white.)
however, in my assertion that the VAST majority of mosques worldwide continue to preach hate, and jihad. I know of NO Christian or Jewish church or synagogue that does this. Can you explain that?
Yes, someone, refute his unsupported assertion!
A Case of Mistaken Identity
This gentleman takes me to task for my earlier screed. I believe he thinks I am a Christian Fundamentalist. I assure you, Andy, I am not. I just don’t like Muslims when they behead my countrymen. One other thing: you…
From the “I just won’t get it until my heavily-moussed head has been hacked off and is resting on the small of my back” files
Misreading Islam? (Presented as a question, but don’t let the siren’s call of egalitarian rhetoric fool you. The answer is “Crusading Smirky McBushitler!”) Warning: The linked post is rife with super-earnest, holier-than-thou, multiculturalist twaddle …