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.Anonymous wrote:PP again. If a Google map satellite can pinpoint my house and display it and the shrubbery in great detail (without my permission) then couldn't intelligence track and possibly help eliminate?Anonymous wrote:There is enough information for the talking heads to discuss strategy and if nothing else to raise awareness of what's going on. I have heard numerous reports about the President's absenteeism from the rally but 2 or 3 reports about the Nigerian massacre.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why isn't this stuff on the news ever??
The local and national news (such as Brian Williams' NBC "Wold News") spends all this time on France, "free" college, winter weather and cold temps, and other filler stories, but there is a huge massacre and nobody bats an eye?
Is there no outrage? No protests? No acknowledgement of the atrocities?
Reporting in northern Nigeria is notoriously difficult because of instability in the areas most affected by insurgents and the terrorists’ own hostility to the press. Journalists have been targeted by Boko Haram and, unlike in Paris, people on the ground are isolated and struggle with access to the internet and other communications.
Boko Haram waited three days in the bush before attacking and overtaking the military base. I would think there would be eyes on military installations, air strips, etc.
The sad reality is that not all terrorist victims are equal. The real question is why are we ignoring the Boko Haram problem if we are so focused on the war on terror? There have been many talks about ISIS and its ruthlessness but just faint peeps about B.H. This is an interesting article http://us.sputniknews.com/world/20150112/1013459723.html
Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote:With freedom comes responsibility, as the saying goes. People focus on their rights, maybe once in a while, we should focus on our duties to mankind. Hate begets Hate. I have never understood the principle of "right to offend". Why would you like to offend someone? What's the usefulness of this right? What was the value added to the world of the distasteful cartoons? They didn't make the world a better place, they contributed to the marginalization and mockery of minorities and contributed to adding more hate to a broken world. Just because you have a right to say something, doesn't mean you should!
With that said, shouldn't the person who the hatred is directed at just ignore the ignorance of the name caller? Of course just because they can be offensive, does not mean that they should be. Unfortunately, it always has been and most likely always will be. When I was younger I was picked on and made fun of. I was offended and it hurt terribly. However, there came a point where I realized that they are making fun of me because of some issue that they have going on in their life. It has nothing to do with me. They have a right to their opinion and to voice it. I have the option of not letting it affect me. More than likely, they are the ones that are miserable and I decided not to let them drag me down with them. Hate does not always beget hate. Unfortunately it does when people are uneducated and are easy pray for those who do hate...no matter what their background is.
Well the majority ignores them, one in a while you have a.lunatic who goes bersek, and the Paris attacks were not just about the cartoons. There are underlying issues that brought us to where we are today and this can not be analyzed in a vacuum, outside of the context and surrounding climate
Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote:As a Muslim having family in Europe and the US and having lived in both, i'd like to say that American Muslims are way more integrated than their European counterparts. Say what you will about America, but at the end of the day, we remain a nation that not only tolerates but for the most part embraces our differences, our individualities, freedom to worship who we want, how we want. Yes, we are not perfect, and we still have our issues but we are still better than most, and we are still working to get better. And this is why, I as a Muslim love America and will choose it 100 times over France. And this is the sentiment of most American Muslims, while most European Muslims, at least the ones i spoke to felt misunderstood and marginalized by their governments. No wonder, most of the islamophobic cartoons and anti-islam movies were birthed in Europe!
I agree with you that the US, as a country built as a melting pot on tolerance, including religious tolerance and individualism is a great place to live wherever you come from. But I think you are dreaming if you think that a Muslim would be easily elected/nominated in the US to any position with power without his/her religion beign an issue. The fact that a Muslim woman wearing a niqab can live freely in the US is one thing, the fact that the same woman can run for governor and be elected is totally another. di you really believe that a woman wearing a hijab and regularly praying at the Mosque would have no issues being elected in the US as governor or in Congress? I think the very same woman, with the very same platform and experience would have a very different chance of beign elected if she was Cristian or a practicing Muslim coverning her head.
I never said that! I didn't comment on Muslims being elected at all. Of course, the society we live in is not ready for it, but it is constantly changing, so who knows? Maybe my children or grandchildren will see that in their lifetime!
With freedom comes responsibility, as the saying goes. People focus on their rights, maybe once in a while, we should focus on our duties to mankind. Hate begets Hate. I have never understood the principle of "right to offend". Why would you like to offend someone? What's the usefulness of this right? What was the value added to the world of the distasteful cartoons? They didn't make the world a better place, they contributed to the marginalization and mockery of minorities and contributed to adding more hate to a broken world. Just because you have a right to say something, doesn't mean you should!
This would have made worldwide news , had it happened anywhere but Africa. Can you imagine if 2000 French citizens were killed? The horror!
Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote:
Just like civilians in Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 but we killed over 500,000 of them and called it collateral damage.
Why are you changing the subject? Christians, Armenians and Yazidis weren't collateral damage for ISIS and you know that perfectly well. Collateral damage is what happens when you don't mean to kill but do. ISIS targeted Christians, Armenians and Yazidis deliberately. You know that also. Your comparison is entirely unwarranted.
Muslima wrote:
Well, I don't know how any Muslim can just declare the blood and wealth of another human being let alone Shia halal. I am Sunni and would never ever dream than anyone's blood is halal. Anyone can say anything, doesn't make it so. So the fact that it is written in a book somewhere in Saudi Arabia or Arizona doesn't make it so. The Shia-Sunni issue goes beyond the scope of this thread and can't be summarized in a few lines, but your approach is very simplistic! Sunnis and Shias have lived in perfect harmony for years, and still do in many areas of the world today. The original split of Muslims in the first place, that gave birth to Sunnis and Shias was Political not Religious, so to make this just a matter of Religion is misleading!
You wouldn't dream of it? What does it matter what you dream about? "A book written somewhere in Saudi Arabia or Arizona"? Are you deliberately being dense or what? It's not a book written "somewhere". It's an official textbook used by all, yes ALL schoolchildren in public schools of Saudi Arabia, in all schools in the country of the major Sunni power that has successfully sold its version of Islam around the world because it could afford to do so. Oh, and don't forget all Saudi-sponsored Islamic schools around the world. If you have never seen it, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.
Please do name "many" areas of the world today where Sunnis and Shia live in perfect harmony today. Might that be KSA? Where Shias are marginalized and kept from the army, government, diplomatic corps and any position of importance? Might that be Bahrain? Where the peaceful Shia MAJORITY population was sprayed with bullets when they asked for more power? Might that be Pakistan or Afghanistan, where bombs routinely go off in Shia mosques and markets?
Yes, the original split of Muslims was political in the first place. But it has since been very well-metabolized into the Sunni religious discourse. If you're Sunni, you should know it.
Look, I am not going to go back and forth with you on the Sunni , Shias and Saudi Arabia's hate for shias. You are the same poster who always brings this into any discussion about Islam or Muslims, you don't get it and will never do, so it is pointless and sterile and I don't like to waste my time. Shias have been mistreated in some majority Sunni countries, the same way Sunnis have been mistreated in majority shia countries, the same way, the US, Europe, Asia has been mistreating their own minorities for decades. It is a human problem! Saudi Arabia teaches wahabism and that is reflected in their textbooks, and some did refer to shias as Mushreeks. Most of the Sunnis believe that Shias are misguided, not Mushreek. My grandfather follows wahabism, his wives dress all in black and in niqab, but that is their choice and they are the most loving people that I know. We do not have hatred in or hearts for shias , just because they are shias, shias and sunnis live in harmony in many places in the world and have done so for centuries . Of course in areas where they fight for political gains, the control of institution, they clash, but the majority of Sunni Muslims don't walk around looking for a shia to kill.
As a Muslim having family in Europe and the US and having lived in both, i'd like to say that American Muslims are way more integrated than their European counterparts. Say what you will about America, but at the end of the day, we remain a nation that not only tolerates but for the most part embraces our differences, our individualities, freedom to worship who we want, how we want. Yes, we are not perfect, and we still have our issues but we are still better than most, and we are still working to get better. And this is why, I as a Muslim love America and will choose it 100 times over France. And this is the sentiment of most American Muslims, while most European Muslims, at least the ones i spoke to felt misunderstood and marginalized by their governments. No wonder, most of the islamophobic cartoons and anti-islam movies were birthed in Europe!
Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote:Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote: I truly believe that what is happening across the Levant is political... I think any solution to this can not ignore the context of this violence: there are political and social causes that allow radical voices to be heard and acted upon, and this has nothing to do with the core values or practices of Muslims as a whole. We need to present a different ideology to the marginalized who fall for the radical rhetoric, and that starts with a conversation, but any attempt to modify the core values of the religion itself will fail.
Thank you Muslima. I only disagree with one thing -- we cannot extricate religion and politics in Iraq. Here in the US, that separation is much more distinct, but not in Iraq. That is my point -- Islam and politics are so intertwined, to say an event is only caused by politics and not religion is not accurate at all.
I agree with you -- "we need to present a different ideology to the marginalized who fall for the radical rhetoric, and that starts with a conversation." Well said. A conversation about what? An ideology about what? The disenfrachised Maslawis didn't commit to nonviolence to seek political gains. They welcomed a violent group of Sunnis who promised power and control. To them it was a win- (political) -win (religious) situation. Religion is absolutely and unquestionably a driver in what occurred on June 10th.
You know, the Iraqi scholar Fanar Haddad stated that more often than not, the intricacies of faith and theology are about as relevant in Iraqi sectarian dynamics as Christianity is in the rhetoric of European far-right groups.It is religion as identity rather than religion as faith that is being mobilized . Islam is not just a religion, it is a way of life, and so it differs from other religions in many ways. However, the relationship between 'Islam' and politics is not as simple as many make it seem.. So, 'Islam cannot mix with politics' is not an accurate statement. Nor is 'political matters cannot be dissociated from Islam' an accurate statement either. A lot of Muslims have created a "do-it yourself Islam" that is used to justify every action against the people that they perceive as oppressors. I quoted Yasir Qadhi yesterday, a Muslim scholar that I profoundly respect, and will repeat what he said again since he is way more eloquent than I am. Talking about these issues and he said every single terrorist, from Bin Laden himself, to the shoe-bomber and under-bomber and Boston bomber and every other bomber in between, ALWAYS mentions the deaths of civilians in Muslims lands as a direct cause of his own terrorist operations. While I continue to oppose these groups who claim to defend Islam (because killing innocent people is not allowed in Islam, and because attacking the superpowers of the West will result in the deaths of even more Muslims around the world), we do need to move the conversation beyond just 'condemning' every violent act from a Muslim radical, and realize that what is at stake is the continuing appeal amongst a segment of Muslims to Islamic violence as a response to Western aggression. Unless and until people of Western countries start asking themselves, 'Is it really worth it to invade other lands on false pretexts, to detain innocents for decades on end, to torture prisoners, to support brutal Apartheid states, to bully minorities by passing draconian laws and demonize their faith, etc.', there's only so much we as Muslims can do to prevent the hot-headed radicals in our midst as well.'
As a Muslim, I denounce such wanton violence and blood being shed in the name of my faith. The question is, as an American (or British, or French...): do you as well denounce the violence that your country have wrought across the globe?What we need in today's world, other than cases of self-defense of course, is to spread a culture of mutual co-existence and multi-faith dialogue and cooperation.
Muslima -- a very thoughtful reply. There's a lot to unpack here but it is getting late. I will look into the writings of Yasir Qadhi for further insights. Thank you -- have a good night.
Thank you and have a good one! This is the interview of Yasir Qadhi I was referring to:
Christians in Mosul, Armenians in Aleppo and Yazidis in Iraq have absolutely nothing to do with the Western aggression, and still ended up dead.
Just like civilians in Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 but we killed over 500,000 of them and called it collateral damage.
You talked about the political motivation behind ISIS in Iraq as a response to the allegedly sectarian Iraqi government that embraced Shias too tightly and marginalized Sunnis. You are being disingenuous if you do not admit that the hatred toward Shia "rafidah" is very much a part of the mainstream Sunni discourse, and has been for a long while before Al-Maliki was even born, and that discourse toward Shia is "we dominate you or we kill you." The Sunni discourse sees any, ANY Shia rule as illegitimate, and it doesn't even recognize Shias as complete Muslims. None of that would have changed if Al-Maliki was more open toward Sunnis.
I never said the political motivation behind ISIS was a response to a sectarian Iraqi government. Please read critically, I clearly stated that ISIS uses the sectarian Iraqi government 's treatment of Sunnis as a means and tool to recruit more Sunni fighters on its ranks, in other words, the conflict between Sunnis and Shias sustains ISIS. Now, let's look at the origins of ISIS. ISIS was started more than 2 decades ago by a Jordanian named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who was a Mujahideen wannabe and went to Afghanistan to fight the Soviet Union in 1989 but he arrived there too late, so he returned to Jordan and became a non-factor for much of the following decade. In the early 2000s, he went back to Afghanistan and met Bin Laden but did not join Al Qaeda. After the fall of the Taliban Regime, he fled to Iraq where he remained unnoticed till Bush invaded Iraq in 2003. After the Iraq invasion, he set up the forerunner to today’s Islamic State: Jama’at al-Tawhid w’al-Jihad (the Party of Monotheism and Jihad) and started recruiting people to his cause. So yeh it goes way before Maliki and is political More on ISIS here http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/27/isis-monster-international-solution
The textbooks of Saudi Arabia describe Shiaism as "shirk akbar", which makes their blood and wealth halal to take, and that was published and disseminated way before the whole Iraq affair. The Shia of Khazara were slaughtered by the violent Sunni Taliban way before the whole Iraq affair. Don't pretend it's about Maliki and his government. That's BS.
Well, I don't know how any Muslim can just declare the blood and wealth of another human being let alone Shia halal. I am Sunni and would never ever dream than anyone's blood is halal. Anyone can say anything, doesn't make it so. So the fact that it is written in a book somewhere in Saudi Arabia or Arizona doesn't make it so. The Shia-Sunni issue goes beyond the scope of this thread and can't be summarized in a few lines, but your approach is very simplistic! Sunnis and Shias have lived in perfect harmony for years, and still do in many areas of the world today. The original split of Muslims in the first place, that gave birth to Sunnis and Shias was Political not Religious, so to make this just a matter of Religion is misleading!
Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote:The awkward moment when dictators, leaders and supporters of terrorist nations march for freedom of speech and against terrorism. It is a funny world we live in, I almost wish this was satire~
I am glad you finally recognize the supporters of terrorist Hamas as supporters of terrorism.
As they say, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote: I truly believe that what is happening across the Levant is political... I think any solution to this can not ignore the context of this violence: there are political and social causes that allow radical voices to be heard and acted upon, and this has nothing to do with the core values or practices of Muslims as a whole. We need to present a different ideology to the marginalized who fall for the radical rhetoric, and that starts with a conversation, but any attempt to modify the core values of the religion itself will fail.
Thank you Muslima. I only disagree with one thing -- we cannot extricate religion and politics in Iraq. Here in the US, that separation is much more distinct, but not in Iraq. That is my point -- Islam and politics are so intertwined, to say an event is only caused by politics and not religion is not accurate at all.
I agree with you -- "we need to present a different ideology to the marginalized who fall for the radical rhetoric, and that starts with a conversation." Well said. A conversation about what? An ideology about what? The disenfrachised Maslawis didn't commit to nonviolence to seek political gains. They welcomed a violent group of Sunnis who promised power and control. To them it was a win- (political) -win (religious) situation. Religion is absolutely and unquestionably a driver in what occurred on June 10th.
You know, the Iraqi scholar Fanar Haddad stated that more often than not, the intricacies of faith and theology are about as relevant in Iraqi sectarian dynamics as Christianity is in the rhetoric of European far-right groups.It is religion as identity rather than religion as faith that is being mobilized . Islam is not just a religion, it is a way of life, and so it differs from other religions in many ways. However, the relationship between 'Islam' and politics is not as simple as many make it seem.. So, 'Islam cannot mix with politics' is not an accurate statement. Nor is 'political matters cannot be dissociated from Islam' an accurate statement either. A lot of Muslims have created a "do-it yourself Islam" that is used to justify every action against the people that they perceive as oppressors. I quoted Yasir Qadhi yesterday, a Muslim scholar that I profoundly respect, and will repeat what he said again since he is way more eloquent than I am. Talking about these issues and he said every single terrorist, from Bin Laden himself, to the shoe-bomber and under-bomber and Boston bomber and every other bomber in between, ALWAYS mentions the deaths of civilians in Muslims lands as a direct cause of his own terrorist operations. While I continue to oppose these groups who claim to defend Islam (because killing innocent people is not allowed in Islam, and because attacking the superpowers of the West will result in the deaths of even more Muslims around the world), we do need to move the conversation beyond just 'condemning' every violent act from a Muslim radical, and realize that what is at stake is the continuing appeal amongst a segment of Muslims to Islamic violence as a response to Western aggression. Unless and until people of Western countries start asking themselves, 'Is it really worth it to invade other lands on false pretexts, to detain innocents for decades on end, to torture prisoners, to support brutal Apartheid states, to bully minorities by passing draconian laws and demonize their faith, etc.', there's only so much we as Muslims can do to prevent the hot-headed radicals in our midst as well.'
As a Muslim, I denounce such wanton violence and blood being shed in the name of my faith. The question is, as an American (or British, or French...): do you as well denounce the violence that your country have wrought across the globe?What we need in today's world, other than cases of self-defense of course, is to spread a culture of mutual co-existence and multi-faith dialogue and cooperation.
Anonymous wrote:Muslima wrote:
This is the most ridiculous thing i have read in a long time. You have got to be kidding! You want 1.6 Billion people to pray a certain way and change their entire lifestyle because of a few lunatics? As far as what should be recited in prayers, just so you know, the Qur'an has 114 surahs (chapters) and 113 of them start with " In the name of God, the most Merciful, the most beneficent" and every single prayer ends with "May the peace and the Mercy of Allah be upon you". Having every single donation by Muslims being investigated? Com'on! And as far as making Hajj just for Muslims, well only Muslims can perform Hajj. And there is no way, any other requirement can be attached to Hajj as far as being a militant or to agree to any ideology/Philosophy, the only requirement is to be a Muslim, changing that would be contrary to the religion, unIslamic and not going to happen. While we are at it, how about we make guns illegal in every single state, since every single day, some lunatic can buy one and murder innocent civilians?
Muslima, I've read your previous posts and I admire your commitment to defend your faith. I simply think that the daily practices of Muslims should include more prayers about nonviolence. Why then did neighbors in Mosul turn on their Christian bretheren? Why did they take their homes, jewelry, and property? Because those Muslims are evil? No, they were not all evil. Because they were opportunists? No, not that either. Because they were afraid of ISIS? Yes, fear is a part of it all -- but at the end of the day, they turned on Christians because they are Christian, and they are akafir. The violence was justified to expand Sunni power, which necessarily meant crushing Yezidis and other minorities. Ensuring the survival of Sunni Islam meant the physical and political elimination of their enemies. If enough Muslims said this is NOT islam, we are NOT going to do your bidding, then perhaps IS would have stopped in its tracks. Don't forget that IS was initially welcomed by the Maslawis.
Please do not discount what is happening in Iraq and Syria (as the example I'm using in this thread) as simply the collective acts of loonies and crazies. They've got historical precedent and they are trying to restore the religious and political sovereignty of Sunni Islam across the Levant.
I am not discounting what is happening in Iraq or Syria, I just don't think it is religious nor do I think adding prayers about nonviolence would make a difference. For one there are enough chapters about nonviolence in the Qur'an for anyone inclined that way, 2nd the chapters recited during prayers can not be legislated ,and finally the majority of the world Muslims do not even attend congregational prayers on a regular basis. There is only one chapter that is obligatory at each prayer and that chapter does talk about compassion. I truly believe that what is happening across the Levant is political. With ISIS(sunni), it is a fight between Sunnis (minority) & Shias (majority) for control over Iraqi political institutions. The Iraqi prime minister Al Maliki (shia) has built a Shia sectarian state where Sunni are not accommodated and are arrested and oppressed routinely. This is what ISIS is exploiting to recruit members. I think any solution to this can not ignore the context of this violence: there are political and social causes that allow radical voices to be heard and acted upon, and this has nothing to do with the core values or practices of Muslims as a whole. We need to present a different ideology to the marginalized who fall for the radical rhetoric, and that starts with a conversation, but any attempt to modify the core values of the religion itself will fail.
Anonymous wrote:I still tend to be very skeptical that there are that many Muslim women who actually cover their faces out of genuine personal choice as opposed to it being what they think is expected of them. They've put the will of others before their own.
I still tend to be very skeptical that there are that many Non-Muslim women who actually uncover their bosoms out of genuine personal choice as opposed to it being what they think is expected of them. They've put the will of others before their own
The awkward moment when dictators, leaders and supporters of terrorist nations march for freedom of speech and against terrorism. It is a funny world we live in, I almost wish this was satire~