Rationality

[DVV]

It is perfectly rational to argue that islamic terrorism has something to do with the written sources of islam, whatever Admin may think.
This has nothing to do with racism, it's not about Muslims, as I've already said, it's only about an ideology, that of the so-called jihadists, who can safely quote the Kuran, or the Hadiths, or the Sîra (the life of Muhammad), whenever they commit atrocities.

But freedom of speech seems already forbidden, so ok, the terrorists will won the game. At least on the casebook.

[Limehouse]

It is perfectly rational to argue that islamic terrorism has something to do with the written sources of islam, whatever Admin may think.
This has nothing to do with racism, it's not about Muslims, as I've already said, it's only about an ideology, that of the so-called jihadists, who can safely quote the Kuran, or the Hadiths, or the Sîra (the life of Muhammad), whenever they commit atrocities.

But freedom of speech seems already forbidden, so ok, the terrorists will won the game. At least on the casebook.

Hello David,

That's a tough question to answer.

Personally, I think the terrorism stems from a particular interpretation of the written sources of Islam rather than the Koran in general.

I suppose it is rather like the Christian crusades. People with an agenda will pick and choose what suits them and claim it is 'God's work' or 'God's will'.

I have many Muslim friends, colleagues and students and they all state that to kill another human is forbidden and wicked.

Kind regards,

Julie

[Wickerman]

We have Christian Extremists, and Muslim Extremists, to name a few.
The Extremists are the problem, regardless of the religion.

[Limehouse]

We have Christian Extremists, and Muslim Extremists, to name a few.
The Extremists are the problem, regardless of the religion.

I agree totally. I also think that it is easy to recruit vulnerable and marginalised people to these extremist groups because the group seems to be offering what is often missing in the person's life.

[The Good Michael]

We have Christian Extremists, and Muslim Extremists, to name a few.
The Extremists are the problem, regardless of the religion.

It's far more complicated than that. Where do the extremists live? Is the government connected in any way? What is the socio-economic situation of the country in which they live? What is their general age? Are they young men predominantly? Are they immigrants? Do they fit into their society in any general way? Currently, the extremists we see, in general believe they are following some religious path, but they are young men who feel they have no future. There are older men, supplying money and giving hopes and dreams to them, and the testosterone is heavy and thick.

Mike

[John Wheat]

It is perfectly rational to argue that islamic terrorism has something to do with the written sources of islam, whatever Admin may think.
This has nothing to do with racism, it's not about Muslims, as I've already said, it's only about an ideology, that of the so-called jihadists, who can safely quote the Kuran, or the Hadiths, or the Sîra (the life of Muhammad), whenever they commit atrocities.

But freedom of speech seems already forbidden, so ok, the terrorists will won the game. At least on the casebook.

Utter tosh. it is quite clear in the Quran that bombs and other weapons of mass destruction are forbidden. As for Jihad. It is supposed to be the concept of fighting and dying in the name of Islam when you are being persecuted for your beliefs. I suggest you that bother doing some research.

[The Good Michael]

Utter tosh. it is quite clear in the Quran that bombs and other weapons of mass destruction are forbidden. As for Jihad. It is supposed to be the concept of fighting and dying in the name of Islam when you are being persecuted for your beliefs. I suggest you that bother doing some research.

David is suspended. He does know something about Islam having lived in the only Islamic city in Ethiopia for quite a while and having written a book bout his stay there. Young men fighting for their own gain often conflate real meaning with warped ideology. I've lived in 3 Islamic countries all of which are mostly nostalgically religious rather than practicing. This is what the world needs, less real religion, more nostalgic harmless wistful faith.

Mike

[John Wheat]

David is suspended. He does know something about Islam having lived in the only Islamic city in Ethiopia for quite a while and having written a book bout his stay there. Young men fighting for their own gain often conflate real meaning with warped ideology. I've lived in 3 Islamic countries all of which are mostly nostalgically religious rather than practicing. This is what the world needs, less real religion, more nostalgic harmless wistful faith.

Mike

Hi Mike

Well why is he spreading lies about a religion then?

Cheers John

[The Good Michael]

Well why is he spreading lies about a religion then?

Experiential truths are different than truths learned from TV, wiki, or books. Mine are different from Davids'. None of us are lying. It's always perspective. Take Lechmere for example...a lot of the case for him looks like BS to me, but it just is someone else's truth.

Mike

[Mayerling]

Experiential truths are different than truths learned from TV, wiki, or books. Mine are different from Davids'. None of us are lying. It's always perspective. Take Lechmere for example...a lot of the case for him looks like BS to me, but it just is someone else's truth.

Mike

God help us all - we have to accept a "Rashomon" type of co-existence? There has to be a general medium, mutual acceptance of truth, or we are all finished.

Jeff

[The Good Michael]

God help us all - we have to accept a "Rashomon" type of co-existence? There has to be a general medium, mutual acceptance of truth, or we are all finished.

But there can't be anything like that except in that sloganistic and propagandistic way; a simplicity that allows for no nuance and dumbs us all down. Religion and the psychology of why people believe and to what depth and in what cannot be defined into even truths that are general for most people.

Mike

[Karl]

It is perfectly rational to argue that islamic terrorism has something to do with the written sources of islam, whatever Admin may think.

I would say it is understandable to think that, especially since even the terrorists believe so, but it is a rather unreflected. Does one assume that it is a coincidence that terrorism springs out from destabilised zones? Does one really think that the same destabilised zones would somehow not spawn terrorists if the religion was different? All terrorism is political, including the terrorism which sprang from the Troubles in Northern Ireland - and they, too, managed to find motivation in religion.

There are plenty of verses to pick from, no matter what book is your preferred one. Followers will invariably pick and choose according to their current needs and desires: people shape religion, not the other way around. It is very rare, indeed, to find a religious person who disagrees with God. It is also very rare to find two people who agree 100% on what God wants of them. This is because God is ever a projection of the believers. It doesn't matter if they are Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist or whatever: they are going to look to their religion for justification for what they are about to do, and if sufficiently motivated, they will look long enough until they will find it.

This has nothing to do with racism, it's not about Muslims, as I've already said, it's only about an ideology, that of the so-called jihadists, who can safely quote the Kuran, or the Hadiths, or the Sîra (the life of Muhammad), whenever they commit atrocities.

You can't make it about religion without also making it about every single follower of that religion.

But freedom of speech seems already forbidden, so ok, the terrorists will won the game. At least on the casebook.

Terrorists aim to make people afraid. And it seems to be working.