Questions to Consider...
What need has a Cleric for a private militia?
What does a Muslim Cleric's individual need for a private militia say about the religion of Islam in general, and the people and attitudes of Islam specifically?
How does Islam reconcile the obvious contradiction of Clerics and their personal armies, and Islam's desire for the rest of the world to recognize its faith as a religion of peace?
Would Islam be more aptly labeled a cult of death?
When is it ever prudent to take anyone at their word at every turn?
Why is Islam afforded unquestioned support by so very many educated people around the globe?
Why is the world so seemingly unconcerned about Islam?
What does a Muslim Cleric's individual need for a private militia say about the religion of Islam in general, and the people and attitudes of Islam specifically?
How does Islam reconcile the obvious contradiction of Clerics and their personal armies, and Islam's desire for the rest of the world to recognize its faith as a religion of peace?
Would Islam be more aptly labeled a cult of death?
When is it ever prudent to take anyone at their word at every turn?
Why is Islam afforded unquestioned support by so very many educated people around the globe?
Why is the world so seemingly unconcerned about Islam?
from the mind of... Eric | 8:49 AM
11 Comments:
The world welcomes evil, chaos and deception. The world is and has always been anti-christ.
What need has a Cleric for a private militia? What does a Muslim Cleric's individual need for a private militia say about the religion of Islam in general, and the people and attitudes of Islam specifically?
Answer: nothing. Step back just a bit and do a little thought experiment. There are militant brands of Christianity the world over, but I'd prefer not to think that their existence says anything about Christianity in general and the people and attitudes of Christianity specifically. Do the Branch Davidians in Waco, the crusades, the IRA, the Salem witch trials or thousands of other examples of where Christianity has turned violent negate your beliefs? Of course not. Why should Sadr do the same to Islam in general?
Sadr's movement is just as much political as it is spiritual. That's what happens when a religious group lives under the tyranny of a brutal dictator who is supported by another religious group for decades.
Would Islam be more aptly labeled a cult of death?
Get real. No more than many other religions.
Why is Islam afforded unquestioned support by so very many educated people around the globe?
It's not.
Why is the world so seemingly unconcerned about Islam?
It's not. Speaking for myself, I'm very concerned about it-- or more accurately, by violent religious extremism in general and Islamic fascism in particular. I'd devote more energy to worrying about it if I didn't have to spend so much time worrying about politicians who want to use it as an excuse to whittle away at our freedoms and do incredibly stupid things, like invade Iraq and make our own country more like the ones we detest.
The world welcomes evil, chaos and deception. The world is and has always been anti-christ.
Oh give me a break.
Get real?
Here's what you don't see in America:
Pastor of the 1st Baptist Church in Anywhere, USA, sends out his militia to scour the streets for violators of decency laws; women without veils, skirts too short, and so on.
Pastor of Northside Baptist Church in the same town is visibly upset to discover his mother was detained during the 1st Baptist Militia's sweep, so he sends out his own militia to check the militia that ventured too far into Northside Baptist's territory: kidnapping the brother of 1st Baptist's pastor; killing a few enemy militia; firing a few well aimed RPG's at the 1st Baptist Church Sanctuary, then speeding away home in their SUV.
Meanwhile, the Pastor at Eastside Baptist preaches to his people about the evil mayor, who isn't doing the job he was elected to do, and suggests the mayor should be assassinated... that anyone who performed such an act would gain a boon from almighty god... but not to worry, should they fail in the attempt and die, god will reward them with 72 virgins in the afterlife.
How's that for a thought experiment?
Baptists can be pretty stupid on occasion, but forming private militias and acting like a bunch of barbarians is not their style.
...
David Koresh? A heretic, and cult leader. Decidedly NOT Christian.
The Crusades? What else would have stopped the Muslim incursion into Europe?
The IRA? Aside from its members personal affiliation with any specific faith, how again is the IRA officially connected to Christianity?
The Salem witch trials? Simple ignorance, and perhaps the only legitimate beef against institutionalized christianity here-- despite any lack of personal militia involvement.
You've missed the entire point of this post. You chose to concentrate on the sins of Christianity, and mitigate the sins of Islam, while paying lip service to being "very concerned about [Islam]-- or more accurately, by violent religious extremism in general and Islamic fascism in particular."
You've missed the entire point of this post. You chose to concentrate on the sins of Christianity, and mitigate the sins of Islam
No, you've missed the point of my response. Sadr's milita says a lot about sectarianism, religious extremism, the aftermath of dictatorship, Iraqi tribalism, and policital instability, but little about Islam in general. And no, I'm not mitigating the problems with Islam, just saying your not scoring any valid points with your post.
And it seems like you can't read parallels drawn between Islam and Christianity (meant only to illustrate the flaws in your logic) without seeing it as an attack on Christianity. Did you notice that I mentioned militant Christian sects and said "I'd prefer not to think that their existence says anything about Christianity in general and the people and attitudes of Christianity specifically?"
My point, El, is that finding examples of violent extremism within any one general faith says little about that faith in general.
UNLESS you want to come to the same conclusions about your own religion, which I was NOT proposing.
"but not to worry, should they fail in the attempt and die, god will reward them with 72 virgins in the afterlife."
Ha! Same kind of promises made to Crusaders!
David Koresh? A heretic, and cult leader. Decidedly NOT Christian.
That doesn't help your point. It's the same thing the Sunnis would say about Sadr.
The Crusades? What else would have stopped the Muslim incursion into Europe?
Ha! Are you THAT clueless about history? The Crusades were incursions into Muslim territory to take back Jerusalem. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Crusade
As far as Christian militias, we came close to that during Reconstruction. Remember, the KKK was chock full of god fearing Christians, and still is:
http://www.kkkk.net/
I'm just sayin' if you think examples of violence and ignorance tarnish an entire faith, then you have to apply that logic to your own faith. Personally, I disagree with your logic, so I am not attacking Christianity the way you are attacking Islam.
Re-read your Wiki link, specifically the portion labeled "Background."
"Muslim armies had been busy conquering much of northern Africa, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Spain, which had been some of the most heavily Christian areas in the world. The Reconquista in Spain was the first major effort by Christians to retake lost territory, which occupied Spanish knights and some mercenaries from elsewhere in Europe in the fight against the Islamic Moors. Elsewhere, the Normans were fighting for control of Sicily, while Pisa, Genoa and Aragon were all actively fighting Islamic strongholds in Mallorca and Sardinia, freeing the coasts of Italy and Spain from Muslim raids
"Because of these ongoing wars, the idea of Holy War against the Muslims was not implausible to the European nations... In 1074, Pope Gregory VII called for the milites Christi ("soldiers of Christ") to go to the aid of the Byzantine Empire in the east. The Byzantines had suffered a serious defeat at the hands of the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Manzikert three years previously."
The fact that the call to aid the Byzantine Empire was "largely ignored, even opposed" is a fact of history.
Think, "Impetus".... Muslim agression, and advancement into European lands... Christian lands.
If you intend to post Wiki links, make sure you've scanned more than the first paragraph.
I had read the whole series, which is excellent by the way. The text you excerpt does not contradict my post.
As far as impetus goes, are you saying that Muslim incursions into Europe excuses the brutality of the Crusades?
I do not. But your phrasing suggests you believe the brutality was exclusively Christian. It wasn't.
As far as impetus goes, how about a more recent example-- 9/11. The events of that day were the impetus for everything that has followed, for right or wrong.
However, impetus does not excuse outcome. But neither does the opinion of some Americans, that the war in Iraq has not been worth the effort and/or cost, determine the worthiness of our efforts there.
Think of Iwo Jima... Was the loss of 42,810 US Military personnel worth gaining the "strategic" S. Pacific island?
This sums up my concern:
"religious extremism in general and Islamic fascism in particular"
Christianity went through its own version of what may be happening within Islam. It was called the Reformation, when brothers took up arsm against brothers, as well as infidels.
Thank GOD the Vatican, or the Lutherans, or the Schmalmadic(sp?) League didn't have nukes. Lord kep nukes from the Islamofascist freaks.
Amen!
Agreed. Amen!
Sol,
Islam is in crusade mode! Look at Europe! Look at the rest of the sorry world!
What is the biggest concern for the world at this point?
We are in the midst of a crusade, I believe. They intend to rule us. Shall we let them?
Great post, BTW, EL!
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