President Francois Hollande announced Thursday as a day of national mourning in France. The Notre Dame Cathedral will chime its bells to remember the victims of the terror attack. France's national security alert has been raised to the highest level with heightened patrols for media offices, schools, tourist and religious sites.
France has been actively rallying for action against the ISIS or Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In September, 2014, the extremist group had declared that it would target all the countries who were part of a US-led coalition, especially the "dirty French".
France is also directly involved in the war against Islamic extremists in the Sahel region in Africa. In recent months it has also been grappling with a problem of "home-grown jihadis' as hundreds of radicalised youth have been leaving from France to fight alongside extremists in Syria and Iraq.
These attacks are likely to push France to introspection as rising racism against its own Muslim citizens is believed to be pushing many into the hands of extremists. There are fears that this terror attack will further stigmatise French Muslim communities.
I waited a day to let the dust settle before weighing in on this.
I had hoped that by this morning we would see all of the attackers either dead or in police custody. Sadly such is not the case.
You know I often attack all religion as being primitive unnecessary superstitious garbage, but that has never been more true than when applied to the Islamic religion.
And I am not alone in having that opinion.
No, all religions are NOT equally violent. Some have never been violent, some gave it up centuries ago. One religion conspicuously didn’t.
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) January 7, 2015
I have often pointed out that Christianity was EVERY BIT as violent two hundred years ago as Islam is today. But the fact remains that was two hundred years ago!
I have never understood the idea of killing to defend your god.
If he is indeed God (Allah if you prefer.) then he needs no defense.
It is only the weak that act out in violence in response to criticism, or laughter.
If your rallying cry is "There is no god but Allah." Then clearly there is no god for whom you can blame for your despicable acts of cowardice.
I think it would put an end to this thing...which as of now is just beginning...to publish every one of those cartoons large, front page, in major newspapers all over the world. In other words, let the act of the terrorists be the direct cause of the whole world seeing them, the direct cause of them spreading and being laughed at. It might make would-be copycats reconsider.
ReplyDeleteI disagree.
DeleteOnly would agree if we can publish all the nasty cartoons the right has and all the ones the left has about religious issues in this country. All religions are to blame for this shit show.
Sam, what you wrote is logical, and would make perfect sense, except that when it comes to ISIS, Hezbollah, or any of the other violent sects of Islam, there is no reasoning with them.
DeleteThese Muslim extremists are beyond reach, beyond hope, and beyond reason.
They believe that Allah has given them a divine calling to kill the apostate and reviled heathen, and to take revenge for the invasion and occupation of their sacred lands (Saudi Arabia)
The violence and retribution is many generations deep now, our support for Israel, and the slaughter of innocents in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq has produced a near eternal hatred in the minds and hearts of the extremists
Since the end of WW1, England, France, Russia, and America have been involved in border creation, occupation, propping up dictators, and sedition in many Mideast countries.
There is also a long history of bad blood, grievances between Sunni/Shia, tribal rivalries, nationalism, and wars in the Mideast which Western incursions have only made much worse.
Bush and Cheney knew nothing about this history, and had no idea they were about to fulfill the wildest hope of Bin Laden by being stupid enough to do a full out invasion of Iraq, thereby touching off generations more violence and retribution.
That has all culminated in the fierce and horrific violence we see today spilling into Europe from Algeria, Yemen, and obviously the 9/11 tragedy in the USA.
Religion has always been the prime mover to prop up and justify prejudice, violence, and war between cultures and races.
For the violent Islamic movement, there will be no quarter given, and nothing anyone does can stop it, short of all Westerners abandoning business and occupation of Mideast countries for good, and making whatever restitution is possible.
I am not being an apologist for this horrific act of terror against a bunch of cartoonists, far from it.
I'm just trying to portray that the issues at hand are rooted in centuries of conflict, as well as being the direct result of religious blindness and prejudice.
And as others below have noted, it's not just the Muslims that have committed horrific atrocities on other cultures and countries.
Your suggestion is worthy of note, but I'm convinced it would only foment more terror attacks.
Bush and Cheney knew nothing about this history, and had no idea they were about to fulfill the wildest hope of Bin Laden by being stupid enough to do a full out invasion of Iraq, thereby touching off generations more violence and retribution.
DeleteThat has all culminated in the fierce and horrific violence we see today spilling into Europe from Algeria, Yemen, and obviously the 9/11 tragedy in the USA.
Oh puhleese.
Cheney took advantage of this knowledge by allowing (planning?) 9/11 and reaping the money from it.
Anon @ 7:54 A.M. - Fuckin' right Cheney reaped a lot of money from it (Halliburton)!! W was the puppet, Cheney was the real power, calling all the shots. Remember the old adage, "true power rests behind the throne".
Delete7:54am
DeleteI appreciate your thoughtful and intelligent comment however, Cheney et al, knew that their actions would further destabilize an already unstable middle east, that's why they did what they did.
Osama bin Laden was trained and a member of America's CIA. Saddam Hussein was a friend in better times. Its more than Religion fueling wars its OIL!
Delete343 I know and when the ownership transfers then all will be all fuckered up...but in a good way...glare!
Deleteand the meek shall inherit the earth...smile!
Sam, in 2006 French Charlie Hebdo was the only newspaper daring to republish the drawings of Muhammad from the Danish Jyllands-Posten that had "sparked" riots and deaths... just drawings.
DeleteAt that time, Danish authorities had condemned the Jyllands-Posten for its "insensivity".
American Muslim Leader: Paris Shooters 'Jihadists' And 'Un-Islamic'
ReplyDeleteAmerican imam Feisal Abdul Rauf offered unambiguous condemnation on Thursday morning of the attack on a Paris satirical newspaper that left 12 dead.
In an interview on CNN's "New Day," the imam began by offering condolences to the families of the victims and the loss of innocent lives. He soon moved on to condemn the killers of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper staff, arguing that the attackers had no religious justification.
"On the Islamic principle of justice and law, libel, even if this is proven to be libel, it's not a capital crime," he told host Michaela Pereira. "So on every single count, from justice, law to ethics, these terrorists have acted outside the aegis of Islam."
He went on to state that the incident was an act of terrorism.
"What they're doing is categorically un-Islamic. They are jihadists and as experts have told us, all acts of terrorism are politically motivated. This is about advancing their political agenda," he added.
Azhar Usman, an American comedian and Muslim, offered similar sentiments.
"I think it's almost disingenuous to say these guys are upset about some cartoons," he told CNN. "These guys are jihadists. They're motivated by political gripes."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/muslim-leader-condemns-charlie-hebdo-attack
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/msnbcs-moyheldin-defends-islam-against-charges-of-intolerance-this-is-not-a-religious-issue/
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/stewart-delivers-powerful-statement-on-charlie-hebdo-comedy-shouldnt-be-an-act-of-courage/
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/1-charlie-hebdo-suspect-surrenders
I really don't see how you can say that we were only violent 200 years ago. After all, Bush used God as his guide for the invasion of Iraq. He and Cheney hide behind God for their approval of torture, as do Sarah Palin and every other GOP 'Christian.' Even Obama's drones are no doubt approved by God. We are really not that much better than these jihadists. I fail to see much difference between what they do and what our homegrown 'patriots' do when they gun down an abortion doctor, or threaten the government of this country with their stupid rifles, or when Bachmann says her constituents will be armed against the very government enabling her lifestyle. We are a very violent nation, and most of that violence can be traced to people who called themselves Christian American 'constitutionalists.'
ReplyDeleteIf your rallying cry is "There is no God but the God of white males" then who do we blame for their (our) despicable acts against women, the poor, the elderly, and other nations?
You know what? You make a very good point Sally.
DeleteI agree with Sally.
DeleteWell said, Sally. To rate varying religious by their level of violence is too complex and impossible to quantify.
DeleteAnd don't forget the stupid religious bombings in Northern Ireland a few years back.
DeleteWrong Sally. Iraq was not a religious war by a long shot. It is not as complex as you think Bill F.
DeleteSpot on Sally!
DeleteLook no further than the murder of Dr. George Tiller for an example of some home spun christian taliban behavior.
Delete“They wanted to bring France to its knees — they brought it to its feet”
ReplyDeletehttp://americablog.com/2015/01/wanted-bring-france-knees-brought-feet.html
Religion is the problem, plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteNo one religion is right.
No one religion has the right to impose its doctrines on others.
Laws should not be made because of one religion.
Humans have made the same fucking mistakes over and over and over again.
More and more I believe that we are an alien or super organism experiment, a plaything, and they bet on how many times we do things like we bet on the Superbowl.
Heck, for all we know, each of us signed up to come play the game and when we die and return to the mother planet we all have a good laugh.
What I posit makes just as much sense as any religion.
6:42, If we dump the divisiveness of religious belief maybe we’ll be invited back to the mothership. I can only hope.
DeleteReligion, be it Islam, Christianity, Judaism, WHATEVER the name, is THE NUMBER ONE oppressor, aggressor, source of violence against the most basic forms of human rights, civil standards, and human progress. ENOUGH IS F'ING ENOUGH. And that applies to those of us who wear diamond crusted crosses, etc. When are we -- as civilized humans -- going to accept that WE ARE WRONG? NO human has the right to take the life of another human, never mind the life of any other creature/entity created by a higher power than us. There is simply no justification, no excuse, and certainly NO GOD GIVEN MANDATE, ORDER, OR APPRECIATION for humans to engage in violence against one another based on theology, religion, or cultural differences. WE ALL BLEED THE SAME BLOOD.
ReplyDeleteEgypt created religions for man...shut them up...
DeleteISIS means the Mother of Egypt...ya know...the copy cat Mary and Jesus...I guess imitation is the best form of flattery...shrug...
Newspapers React To Charlie Hebdo Attack With Show Of Solidarity On Front Pages
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/07/charlie-hebdo-front-pages_n_6433722.html
Don't fool yourself. Christianity is just as violent in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteI think the "Christian" plan to force women to bring a baby to term whenever they have been impregnated is a form of violence.
DeleteYou are fooling yourself. These atrocities are being carried out in the name of Islam. I'm hardly worried about Christians carrying out terrorist attacks, or carving out 'Caliphates regions', or kidnapping/extortion, beheading, in the name of Christ. Islam is barbarically centuries behind other religions.
DeleteStop it with the liberal nonsense.
In this day of modern science what do you call a woman who doesn't want a kid and then gets herself pregnant and opts for an abortion? Smart?
Deleteorlin sellers
That is ridiculous and I'm not Christian. You are so naive it's frightening. Maybe that was true hundreds of years ago, but it is not true now.
Delete7:54- really??? Murdering people in the name of Allah is the same? Forcing young people to blow themselves up in the name of Allah is the same?
DeleteThat's just ridiculous. I'm pro choice all the way but arguments like that are simply silly, naive and inaccurate.
7:54, I’m right there with you. It is an act of violence and power.
Delete@ Orlin 8:34
DeleteThe answer to your question? Poor.
Repubes are making it harder and harder to get a.) a decent sex education, b.) decent birth control because the men in power are forcing BC off the insurance table (or trying to) and c.) have to fight with the idea that the dominant white christian male is thinking women shouldn't have any rights of control over her own body.
Forcing a raped 12 year old to bring a baby to term is violence against that 12 year old just as much as the rapist was violent.
DeleteLeland,
DeleteI'm talking your comment to mean that women have the right to their bodies to rent it to any man willing to pay their price. To smoke a hefty amount of crack cocaine during pregnancy, drink a case of beer and bottle of booze everyday and when the baby is stillborn not to have social services file child neglect charges against her. It's her body, right?
orlin sellers
Orlin thinks a woman who "gets herself pregnant" should be forced to carry the baby to term, even though "in this day of modern science," we have extremely safe and effective ways of ending that pregnancy.
DeleteBecause once a woman "gets herself pregnant," her body isn't hers anymore. Oh, and if she didn't actually want to get pregnant, she's stupid.
8:34 orlin, gets HERSELF pregnant? You don't know much about reproduction do you? Yes women do have a right to their own bodies.
DeleteYou old fucking geezer. "Rent it to any MAN willing to pay their price." You see orlin, if MEN weren't handing out money to dip their dicks, they wouldn't be causing pregnancies now would they? If MEN could keep their sperm in their dicks, problem solved, right orlin? I don't know how old you are but it's time you learned, it takes two to fuck.
At Orlin again
DeleteNow you're just being stupid!
No, stupid is not wanting to get pregnant and then getting pregnant.
Deleteorlin sellers
orlie, stupid is the man that can't keep his dick in his pants. If men would stop shooting their sperm all over, there wouldn't be any fertilized eggs, would there? Why don't MEN stop getting women pregnant?
DeleteWhat a surprise. Orlin is anti-abortion, but not apparently because of religious reasons. He's anti-abortion because he thinks only stupid women get pregnant when they don't want to.
DeleteOf course, who gives a shit? If I have an unwanted pregnancy, no matter what the reason, I have the right to use modern science to end that pregnancy. I don't have to tell Orlin (an obviously intelligent man) that birth control is not 100% effective or that people aren't %100 perfect or that people have regrets.
Orlin, you've proven yourself on this thread to be a pompous ass.
Anon 2:18
DeleteI'm guessing that the odds of not getting pregnant by using your brain is about the same as not getting AIDS by that same method. I gotta think it would be a real bitch to get pregnant and AIDS at the same time by not using the brain God gave you. But Hey, that's just me.
orlin sellers
Yes and England is suffering so? is that it?
DeleteReligion is a “medieval form of unreason”: Salman Rushdie responds to Paris attacks
ReplyDeleteRushdie expresses his support for the publication and calls for the defense of satire, “which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity.”
http://www.salon.com/2015/01/07/religion_is_a_medieval_form_of_unreason_salman_rushdie_responds_to_paris_attacks/
yes and ISIS means Mother of Egypt...odd how those initials are a constant nightmare to Palin and those 'people' who have some evil in them...paybacks a bitch!
DeleteNON!
ReplyDeletehttp://americablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/worlds-papers.jpg
Sign One that You May Be Confused About Your God: He claims to be omnipotent, but he needs you to defend him from being teased and namecalled.
ReplyDeleteSign Two that Your May Be Confused About Your God: He claims to be omnibenevolent, but his punishment for namecalling is indiscriminate murder.
This is something I will remember and use. Thanks
DeleteA overwhelming majority of the US Congress consists of white, male christians. Their preferred mode of violence is waging war, including the use of killer drones.
ReplyDeleteOh give me a break. Turn a blind eye to the fundamentalist extremist muslim problem at your own risk.
DeleteWhat a bunch of bullshit. As a liberal I can say that liberals like you are so fucking naive it's frightening!! I don't like congress but this is not a valid comparison. You are exactly who Bill Maher describes as the liberal who refuses to criticize radical Islam because it's so PC.
DeleteI sound like our troll but really open your eyes and grow the fuck up.
Has President Sarkozy called Sarah Palin yet to get her opinion of this story?
ReplyDeleteHe was, Prime Minister, not President, and he no longer is.... and why does everything have to relate back to Palin in your little brain?
DeleteAnon 8:14--- I believe that Anon 7:50 was referring to the prank call from "President Sarkozy" made to Sarah Palin during the 2008 election, which she fell for completely, and during which she was utterly ridiculed.
Delete8:14 ... (Bristol) you are an ignorant slut
DeleteNicolas Sarkozy is a French politician who served as the 23rd President of France from 16 May 2007 until 15 May 2012.
Ummm Sarkozy was president of France.
Deletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2898809/Sombre-Sarkozy-Former-French-President-supermodel-wife-Carla-Bruni-attend-funeral-journalist-friend-Paris.html
Good point about the Palin remark, but Sarkozy was president of France from 2007-2012.
Delete"John McCain and I LOVE you, Mr. Sarkozy".
DeleteOMFD.
Sarah Palin is the queen of freedom of speech and don't you forget it. Who better to stand with France under any leader? She has always shown her support and she will continue along with her son.
Delete“They wanted to bring France to its knees — they brought it to its feet”
http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab40/katiepavlich/ScreenShot2013-03-18at80539AM_zpscaed9a6d.png
Angry young men with guns and explosives find something to focus their murderous rage. Here in the US we've had government officials, schoolchildren, firefighters and police targeted. Europe, so far, has a narrower scope of targets and a narrower segment of the population supplying armed angry young men. But I don't think Europe is immune from a much larger range of targets by a larger variety of perpetrators.
ReplyDeleteJust like the US, Europe is going to have to confront the underlying problem, every single person is a target when guns and fury combine.
Make that guns and religion and fury, please.
DeleteNot much indication that religion motivated our assorted school shooters. The Newton school murders weren't labelled "terrorist attack" because we attribute the shooter's motive to mental illness. Your kid and mine is a target when guns and fury combine.
DeleteI'm merely covering MORE territory. All three can create death and destruction - seperately or in combination.
DeleteThe Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword: 28 Cartoonists Pay Tribute To The Victims Of The Charlie Hebdo Shooting
ReplyDeletehttp://www.boredpanda.com/charlie-hebdo-shooting-tribute-illustrators-cartoonists/
23 Heartbreaking Cartoons From Artists Responding To The Charlie Hebdo Shooting
ReplyDeletehttp://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/heartbreaking-cartoons-from-artists-in-response-to-the-ch#.rs3Y7ZWLn
Charlie
ReplyDeletehttp://index.hu/napirajz/2015/01/08/charlie/
The underlying issue of Je Suis Charlie is the freedom of expression. How ironic that Sarah clings to the Constitution and all of its amendments, including the first amendment, freedom of the press. The amendment was designed to prevent the government from controlling the message. But, how about her fan websites, where comments that express a different point of view are not posted and the person writing the comment is banned from the website? Her fans will never hear or read any other point of view. (My mind's made up. Don't confuse me with the truth).
ReplyDeleteAlready there is a viral FB posting of
Delete"Jesus Charlie".
uggh
Everyday after work you go to the local bar to have a few beers. Everyday the bartender says ugly things about your mother. Every single day this happens. How long before you get fed up with it and you take a punch at the guy and try to knock his block off?
ReplyDeletePretty much the same thing with Charlie.
orlin sellers
Do the "knock his block off" with high capacity rapid fire weapons and rocket propelled grenade launchers, you are likely to damage innocent by-standers. Pretty much the same thing with Charlie.
DeleteOh for pete's sake. Not too intelligent, are you, orlin?
DeleteBS!! There is NO excuse for murder!! Saying something bad is not the same! Give me a break!!
DeleteWhat an asinine comment. orlin, you pollute every site you visit. Troll.
DeleteOr you could stop going to that particular bar.
DeleteI dunno. Maybe stop going to that particular bar? Stop rewarding the bartender with your money? Find someplace where people's opinions more closely reflect your own?
DeletePunching is a Palin thing to do.
Orlin, do you live in an Andy Capp cartoon?
DeleteHow long til you stop going to that bar?
DeleteActually, one might consider rehab if one needs to drink every single day after work...or get a new job??
Anon 9:16
DeleteThat's funny if you think about it. Maybe you could stop going to that Palin website. Stop rewarding her with all your hits. Find someplace where peoples opinions more closely reflect your own.
Anon, you don't think you are throwing verbal punches?
orlin sellers
@9:53
DeleteOrlin lives in an illusion of intelligence.
@ Orlin Sellers -
DeleteYou enjoy being provocative!
Unfortunately, you analogy does not work.
But most assuredly, even if it did, you accidentally, on purpose, missed the point - didn't ya?
Killing people because they express ideas that conflict with yours is unacceptable in a free society. Period.
The bar story has NOTHING to do with this situation at all. If some one is stupid enough to frequent a bar where the bartender is hurling insults and if a bartender is stupid enough to repeatedly insult his customers, we need a priest, a rabbi and an imam to walk into the bar to complete the joke.
Paris Terrorist was Radicalized by Bush’s Iraq War, Abu Ghraib Torture
ReplyDeletehttp://www.juancole.com/2015/01/terrorist-radicalized-torture.html
‘Cartoonists for Peace’ respond defiantly to Paris Terrorists
“They are cowards who react to satire by going for their Kalashnikovs.” That was how renowned French cartoonist Plantu described the killers of 10 media workers and two policemen in Paris Wednesday.
http://www.juancole.com/2015/01/cartoonists-defiantly-terrorists.html
French Outlets Rally Around Charlie Hebdo To Print 1 Million Copies
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/08/charlie-hebdo-publishing-continue-paris-newspaper-shooting_n_6436238.html
Paris Terrorist was Radicalized by Bush’s Iraq War, Abu Ghraib Torture.
DeleteWWJD?
What will Jeb do?
O/T. SuperPAC formed to draft Palin for President:
ReplyDeletehttp://politicalearthquakepac.com/missionstatement/
sigh...
I wouldn't worry about the nut cases. They do more for Palins downfall.
DeleteSarah Palin's Earthquake Movement
https://www.facebook.com/PalinQuake/posts/201183209968237
... be very aware of this woman, who runs the Barracuda Brigade website, and Facebook page.
When We Take Over Europe We Will Make It Legal To Rape White Women!
http://barracudabrigade.net/muslims-%E2%9E%A0-when-we-take-over-europe-%E2%9E%A0-we-will-make-it-legal-to-rape-white-women/
Armored Vehicles Needed For ‘Constitutionalists’ With Guns
http://barracudabrigade.net/wash-deputy-sheriff-%E2%9E%A0-armored-vehicles-needed-for-constitutionalists-with-guns/
Alicia Luke
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QAxfrwC-XK0/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAArSs/-Nmfx3IH2SY/photo.jpg
Barracuda Brigade
https://plus.google.com/u/0/108474730324651325555
Patriots Who Dare...
https://plus.google.com/u/0/103368872570234232542/posts/Q8cdPMF1kh3
Muslims Stand With Charlie Hebdo
ReplyDelete...We stand with Charlie Hebdo
Already on the horizon we see Islamophobes and skeptics of Islam taking great lengths to announce that all of this can be blamed on Islam. But I must emphasize, through this short opinion piece, that Muslims support Charlie Hebdo. They stand with them because they cherish freedom of the press and, more importantly, they have a fundamental and primary respect for life that only God can remove.
Therefore, I am with Charlie Hebdo. I am with the families of the journalists, designers, and employees who were assassinated. With all my heart I share their sorrows, the loss of a loved one is one of most inhuman things that can be done to anyone. But as a Muslim and as a person who has written often on the questions surrounding Islam in France, I have to let you know that Islam, the Prophet of Islam, is not what these people have done: these people have committed murder, period.
These people have done something else that Muslims will not forgive them for: they have dishonored the name of the Prophet, and they have corrupted the name of the beautiful religion that is Islam. How can one justify such an an atrocity performed in the name of this beautiful religion? We are determined to clearly state: Muslims stand today with Charlie Hebdo.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/asif-arif/muslims-stand-with-charli_b_6431628.html
Sharpening Contradictions: Why al-Qaeda attacked Satirists in Paris
ReplyDeleteThe horrific murder of the editor, cartoonists and other staff of the irreverent satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, along with two policemen, by terrorists in Paris was in my view a strategic strike, aiming at polarizing the French and European public.
The problem for a terrorist group like al-Qaeda is that its recruitment pool is Muslims, but most Muslims are not interested in terrorism. Most Muslims are not even interested in politics, much less political Islam. France is a country of 66 million, of which about 5 million is of Muslim heritage. But in polling, only a third, less than 2 million, say that they are interested in religion. French Muslims may be the most secular Muslim-heritage population in the world (ex-Soviet ethnic Muslims often also have low rates of belief and observance). Many Muslim immigrants in the post-war period to France came as laborers and were not literate people, and their grandchildren are rather distant from Middle Eastern fundamentalism, pursuing urban cosmopolitan culture such as rap and rai. In Paris, where Muslims tend to be better educated and more religious, the vast majority reject violence and say they are loyal to France.
Al-Qaeda wants to mentally colonize French Muslims, but faces a wall of disinterest. But if it can get non-Muslim French to be beastly to ethnic Muslims on the grounds that they are Muslims, it can start creating a common political identity around grievance against discrimination.
http://www.juancole.com/2015/01/sharpening-contradictions-satirists.html
I disagree with the article about something. Young Muslims are not joining ISIS because of anti-Islam protests in France and Europe. It's because their mosques (not all of course) have radical leaders preaching jihad. Radical Islam is a HUGE problem and threat and everyone who tries to blame external factors like protests or Israel or poverty is making a mistake. The ONLY thing that will change this is the Muslim community themselves. And I don't see them doing much about it, but I could be very wrong about that. All the Muslims who talk about how peaceful they are should be organizing and trying to change from within.
ReplyDeleteEven in this country, there are indeed radical Islamists trying to recruit young people both at mosques and universities. They view this as a holy war and there is nothing peaceful about their version of Islam.
I really wish more Muslim countries would take an active role in changing this from within, but from what I read, they look the other way and some secretly encourage it.
In 2015, you cannot compare the violent acts of ANY religion next to radical Islamists. I'm sorry but that's true. And if you don't see that you are blind. I feel sorry for the majority of Muslims who just want to live their lives in peace. But they are the only ones who are going to change this.
Has anyone watched The Honorable Woman on Netflix or BBC? It's really really good -
Leading Tea Bag Sarah Palin...
ReplyDeletehttp://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/BrokenRecord70/freedom_fries.gif
calls for Super Sized!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/files/2013/03/PalinBigGulp.jpg
I can't condemn religion in toto for criminal acts. Humans can be criminals and use their religion as justification, but we don't hear about Buddhists shooting people. We don't hear about Pagans attacking newspaper offices or clinics. We rarely hear about criminal activity among Jews, but if you read the news about the Middle East, Israel has been abusing the Palestinians forever. Interesting that all three of the religions that condemn murder with one and and commit it with the other, are revealed religions- they have a Word of God to follow and all gods help you if you don't follow it the way they think you should.
ReplyDeleteIt's not religion. It's the species. For some reason, we have a very hard time with the idea that somebody else might have a different faith.
Very sensible. Thanks.
DeleteI have to disagree about rarely hearing about criminal acts from Jews. How many Palestinians are they killing in cold blood each week?
DeleteIt is smart to be a Jewish lawyer.
Delete@ 9:56
DeleteI don't know the answer - but do you?
You mean a bunch of Jews are walking around with weapons and killing innocent Muslims who are sitting in restaurants and offices--every week? Really -Hmmm
Sorry, but I cannot give Christianity a pass here. Christians can be every bit as violent as Muslims. Think Ku Klux Klan, Nazis, the Inquisition, the Crusades. Northern Ireland, Slavery and on and on. Any religion that is given full power and authority in a country will use that power to abuse "non believers".
ReplyDeleteDon't ever think otherwise. And the only thing that prevents Christians in this country from persecuting others is the tenous separation of church and State we have here. But Christians are continually knocking at the gate trying to change that.
If Christians ever took over the government Gryphen, You'd be high on their list of infidels.
The Amish and Quakers have never really given me a hard time or started many wars that I recall.
Deleteorlin sellers
Orlin, give it up! You keep trying to bring up exceptions to prove you have a valid point. The problem is the exceptions you mention are so ridiculously STUPID as to make our point for us. You speak about specific exceptions when we are talking generalities.
DeleteThe Amish and the Quakers are MINORITIES in the religious fields. The THREAT comes from main stream fanatics.
Leland,
DeleteI would say that what happened in Paris is the exception and was done by a minority faction of religious zealots.
Do you disagree?
orlin sellers
alaska has the global 'mocktail' of all those nutjobs in one geographical area...seething at the mouth...
DeleteGryphen, are you forgetting the bible verses being written on the scopes of the guns of our army and marines? And you don't think Christians mix religion and violence and war?
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trijicon_biblical_verses_controversy
DeleteThe Palins have always supported France and liberty. Have you forgotten Sgt. Track Palin? He taught Sarah about the statue of liberty. He is very proud to have her tattooed to his warrior body.
DeleteThe Palin Liberty Pose ~> Deal With It !!!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=453144098089639&set=a.453143614756354.1073741826.100001821579593&type=1&theater
http://barbaricthoughts.com/2012/02/track-palin-plays-football-before-deployment/
christians are the worst in the world for murder...when you realize they don't care it will be allright for all mankind...so deal with that with that asshole...
Deleteok then lets consider the following: the Bible was wrote in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth...then we have when some will leave in a blink of an eye...well now we got scientists that found another Earth 500 light years away...far out dude! so let me understand this...for those that crucify people while on earth get to be 'left behind' and the 'good one's' get to 'take a trip' to Earth 2?
DeleteSounds good to me...bye Sarah and Crews...you will be left behind for sure...too late for all of you!
"You know I often attack all religion as being primitive unnecessary superstitious garbage, but that has never been more true than when applied to the Islamic religion."
ReplyDeleteIt applies in varying degrees to every religion, extreme and/or fundamental religions especially. Doing anything harmful, violent or negative in the name of (insert deity) is nothing more than doing something harmful, violent or negative. The overarching tragedy is that religions have somewhat of a "captive audience" and the world would be so much better if religious leaders used that fact for good rather than asserting superstitious dogma.
Good discussion here. It's too bad the MSM doesn't turn their opinion shows in this direction. (Religion is just too hot, I expect).
ReplyDeleteI heard a Muslim commentator say yesterday, that the religion is being hijacked. The extremist radicals no more represent the Muslim faith than Fred Phelps represents mainstream Christianity. Yes, there are a lot of jihadists causing great pain and suffering all over the world, but to brush the entire faith as evil is wrong. We all need to understand Islam better.
For example, one speaker said that the reason they are particularly offended by cartoons/pictures which portray Muhammad is that one of the fundamental values of the religion is that Muhammad is NOT the leader, only God is the leader, and he didn't want to precipitate a cult of personality around himself. Because this is a basic tenet of Islam, these pictures are offensive to all Muslims, not just the extremists. However, obviously, not all Muslims strike out so violently and inappropriately.
Yes, all religions have fomented wars in human history and the sooner we become an atheist nation, we should be able to curb those tendencies, as stated in the post.
"There'll never be peace until the last of the kings is hanged with the guts of the last of the priests"
Delete-- Denis Diderot (1713-1784)
4:38 Thanks for that one.
DeleteI wonder what a world with no hate or anger, just love for humanity would be like? Anyone who's held a newborn has had a frame of reference, but imagine a world like that.
ReplyDeleteRule book: God is Vanilla Ice Cream and religions are flavors of it...take your pick but don't expect me to like your flavor and I won't expect you to like mine...we should get along just fine!
ReplyDeleteBut humanity must fight about why you don't like my flavor of ice cream...it has become a bloody mess...there is no reward in competing to be a king of a graveyard...
This should make those warmongers 'bellow in their burbon'...yeah stocks might be up now cuz you shipped more arms...but when that global 'inquiry' begins from 'humanity'???
ReplyDeleteLol...good thing I am not on their shit list...for that I live they say...for those who bathe in warmonger behavior...your turn!
lol...when they get done crawling up every hole you got I will send an ointment...all of ya can rub in on the hole that hurts the most...head tilt...some will of course tape it for you...grin!
Thanks, Gryphen.
ReplyDeleteAs of now, the killers are holding one person hostage in the region north of Paris, and one friend of theirs has killed a policewoman and is holding people hostage in the west skirt of Paris.
Today's Moslem Prayers has been told to convey the starkest condemnations of all forms of violence, say major Islam associations.