Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Jew and I can tell you historically I would bet Christians have engaged in more terrorism in the name of religion (certainly against Jews) than any other religion.

To me it doesn't really make sense however to blame a religion for terrorism-- it will at most be an excuse not a reason.

stop feeling sorry for yourself. You were never a slave in America like the blacks, you were not robbed of your land like the native Americans. You live in an expensive area and send your kid to a private school and shop at wholefoods

If you like, you can try living among the muslims or communists or someone else

I think you might want to look at some of the history of how Jews have been treated throughout history. The last 65-70 years have been something of an anomaly.

Historically, their land and wealth were frequently stolen, they were considered a despised segment of society, they were subject to religious persecution, pogroms and genocide.

Anonymous wrote:Muslims stress that good friends should be muslims too. I know jews are the same. Mostly a friendship if ok, but one with a person of same faith would be better.
I do know muslims, and some jews. They never mix. At my last job the jewish person never spoke to the muslim. No hello, no casual comments to even general office conversations

Could you elaborate on that? I've never heard that. For either religion.



~Muslim family with many Jewish friends.

Anonymous wrote:I'm Catholic and I do have Muslim friends.

I can tell you what I take issue with is these posters like MUSLIMA (see thread Be Wary of Racism and Islamophobes). Clearly stirring it up then when called to the mat, back peddling. I don't even think Muslima is an actual Muslim nor is her side kick. Or at least one of the peaceful ones.

Whomever he/she is clearly has an agenda and is a wingnut.

I'm Christian and I've posted a lot on that thread. I think she's Muslim -- why would anybody devote that much time to a prank, and she's got many of the characteristic ways about thinking about her religion. I can see how one might wonder if the sidekick is out to damage Islam. That said, I agree Muslima stirs it up, she tosses stuff out there to see if anybody knows enough to challenge it. But, she never, ever back pedals and will keep insisting she's right even after stats from Pew or other places show she's wrong. Or she'll redefine common words like 'equality" and then insist we should have known what she meant all along. That's what boggles my mind. However, I think it's very characteriatic of a person of faith, and I say that as one myself. All of us have to watch ourselves to make sure we're not arguing to defend some some identity or tribe rather than from logic. Some Christians can be just as bad.

I'm Catholic and I do have Muslim friends.

I can tell you what I take issue with is these posters like MUSLIMA (see thread Be Wary of Racism and Islamophobes). Clearly stirring it up then when called to the mat, back peddling. I don't even think Muslima is an actual Muslim nor is her side kick. Or at least one of the peaceful ones.

Whomever he/she is clearly has an agenda and is a wingnut.

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Jew and I can tell you historically I would bet Christians have engaged in more terrorism in the name of religion (certainly against Jews) than any other religion.

To me it doesn't really make sense however to blame a religion for terrorism-- it will at most be an excuse not a reason.

I don't know about that -- the old testament is pretty gruesome. Even if it was just stories, why make up awful stuff like that to impress people?

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Jew and I can tell you historically I would bet Christians have engaged in more terrorism in the name of religion (certainly against Jews) than any other religion.

To me it doesn't really make sense however to blame a religion for terrorism-- it will at most be an excuse not a reason.

stop feeling sorry for yourself. You were never a slave in America like the blacks, you were not robbed of your land like the native Americans. You live in an expensive area and send your kid to a private school and shop at wholefoods

If you like, you can try living among the muslims or communists or someone else

Christianphobes!!! Oh, wait as a Christian I'm supposed to be humble. Carry on....

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Jew and I can tell you historically I would bet Christians have engaged in more terrorism in the name of religion (certainly against Jews) than any other religion.

To me it doesn't really make sense however to blame a religion for terrorism-- it will at most be an excuse not a reason.

"Frederick Douglass told in his Narrative how his condition as a slave became worse when his master underwent a religious conversion that allowed him to justify slavery as the punishment of the children of Ham. Mark Twain described his mother as a genuinely good person, whose soft heart pitied even Satan, but who had no doubt about the legitimacy of slavery, because in years of living in antebellum Missouri she had never heard any sermon opposing slavery, but only countless sermons preaching that slavery was God's will. With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil — that takes religion. "
- Steven Weinberg

I'm a Jew and I can tell you historically I would bet Christians have engaged in more terrorism in the name of religion (certainly against Jews) than any other religion.

To me it doesn't really make sense however to blame a religion for terrorism-- it will at most be an excuse not a reason.

Anonymous wrote:I admire those who are devout and spiritual regardless of which religion and know Christians, Jews and Muslims who fall into this category and have a great deal in common. I know some Hindus, but don't any who are devout. I loathe fundamentalism and fanaticism of whatever persuasion; white Christian evangelistic Klan members, certain Israelis, ISIS, and Hindu terrorists in India. I even hear there are sword wielding Buddhist monks in Asia. This group too has a great deal in common.

what admirable qualities do religiously devout people have in common?

I admire those who are devout and spiritual regardless of which religion and know Christians, Jews and Muslims who fall into this category and have a great deal in common. I know some Hindus, but don't any who are devout. I loathe fundamentalism and fanaticism of whatever persuasion; white Christian evangelistic Klan members, certain Israelis, ISIS, and Hindu terrorists in India. I even hear there are sword wielding Buddhist monks in Asia. This group too has a great deal in common.

Anonymous wrote:From the Hindu perspective you Abrahamic guys are all just having an intramural squabble.

Kidding aside, limiting questions like this to only the Abrahamic traditions seems kind of silly. Between Hindus and Buddhists you've got about 1.1 billion people.

I fear Modi is trying to make India more israeli - i.e. instead of a jewish state, a hindu ethno-state.

Ridiculous.

The issue with muslims isn't their faith per se, it is their need (more so than 1st world western states) to intertwine governance/politics with their faith.

Good governance and policy is anchored by fact and empiricism.

Faith is anything but.

Things like sharia are ridiculous as public policy and do not belong in the modern world.

That and the annoying tendancy for religions 'of the book' (well besides jews) to proselytize and/or pass judgement on non-believers.

What's up with that?

If you are muslim - good for you, keep it to yourself (this goes for any religion).

Religion should be neither seen nor heard by an outsider - keep it in your home or place of worship.

Do not bring it into the public square. period.

The muslim world struggles with this more than almost any other religion (and no i'm not giving israel a pass either - jewish ethnostate, you've got to be fucking kidding me in the 21st century).

Muslims stress that good friends should be muslims too. I know jews are the same. Mostly a friendship if ok, but one with a person of same faith would be better.
I do know muslims, and some jews. They never mix. At my last job the jewish person never spoke to the muslim. No hello, no casual comments to even general office conversations

I'm Catholic. I have two very close Muslim friends. I don't think Islam is evil or that it condones terrorism. Extremists can warp public perception of any faith. Fear breeds prejudice.