In the light of recent terrorist atrocities by islamists I notice some people condemning all muslims indiscriminately, and others defending moderate muslims by contrast with extremists. It seems to me that, in the UK at least, only a very small percentage of muslims are committed to shooting, bombing, beheading, and generally terrorising people they disapprove of. There is a similar small percentage of pathological murderers in other communities too, and it would be wrong and unfair to characterise all muslims as terrorists. But there is a bit more to it than that. Most muslims, including so-called moderate ones, appear to believe in and practice, among other things: * gross discrimination against women * gross discrimination against gays * mutilating the genitals of children * enforcing strict but absurd rules about food and drink * suppressing freedom of speech and publication * promoting creationism as against scientific evolution * enforcing strict dress codes * persecuting people who cease to be muslims * opposing human rights, equal justice and democracy. In my opinion, not being a murderer or a terrorist is a good start, but most ordinary muslims would need to develop their attitudes quite a long way before they could be properly called "moderate" even by the standards of mainstream christian churches in the 21st century.
Are not all religions guilty of such attributes? Whether they be C of E, Coptic, Judaism, Catholicism et al. My understanding of Bhuddism and Hinduism is limited so I cannot comment. Christopher Hitchens has some very interesting and thoughtful insights into the subject of religion.
* gross discrimination against women Generally every race and religion despite what has been fought for..... * gross discrimination against gays Ditto.... * mutilating the genitals of children Jews and Muslims at least.... * enforcing strict but absurd rules about food and drink Jews, Muslims and Mormons....any more? Oh yeah........Amish * suppressing freedom of speech and publication Communist countries also....Amish * promoting creationism as against scientific evolution Doesn't every race have a percentage that do this? Amish? * enforcing strict dress codes Muslims, Jews, Orthodox Jews, Sikhs, Amish etc etc * persecuting people who cease to be muslims Catholics do the same, apparently and so do the Amish, I believe * opposing human rights, equal justice and democracy. Again, a percentage in every race do the same * and don't forget enforcement; restriction or the banning of education.
Christianity just happens to be 400 years further along the religious evolutionary path. Is it just coincidence that Christianity has largely evolved in a better educated more forward thinking culture than some other religions? Now that Muslims have migrated to countries other than those traditionally associated with that religion I expect Islam to evolve as well. It seems that when confronted with science and decent education religion doesn't have much hope of survival without large scale modification to its beliefs and interpretation of its sacred scriptures. Isn't it odd how any word from god seems to coincide exactly with man's understanding of the world at that point in time, and how irrelevant it becomes as man's knowledge increases. The answer to religious conflict surely has to lie in better education for all. The sooner everybody wises up and works out that there is no supernatural being in charge of everything then the sooner we will end religious conflict. We will then get a clearer view as to what is actually behind many of the conflicts. I believe religion is too often cited as the rallying call when it is often actually about money, land, national pride, amongst many others.
It's never good to blame an entire group of individuals based entirely on their loose affiliation. However I do think that if members of the congregations that these men were a part of did not support this kind of behaviour then they could have done something, anything to warn an authority group. It could all have been avoided by one single person highlighting dangerous individuals. In my opinion, no other Muslims are to blame for the killing, but other members of society, who by coincidence happen to be muslims, could have stopped it from happening. I'm more frustrated when the guy in the video said "women in my country have to see these things as well" when he sounded like he was in his country. Woolwich. I hope they have a prolonged and painful death with full knowledge of the end result with no hope of an end to the suffering. But if they need an axe man I'll gladly draw the curtains on this horrible episode.
Personally, I think you have this round the wrong way. It is in many respects that Christianity allows more freedom which has favoured independent thought. As Brits, it is easy to think that the national religion, C of E, is normal. In fact, it's exceptional. It's about as much of a non-religion as you can get. Very few rules and regulations, no great insistence on guilt. If you don't go to church for years and then do, no one seems to mind much. You can get divorced, indulge in birth control. The ceremonies are low on pomp and ritual, praying doesn't seem to be that fervent. it still involves belief in a non existent entity, but at least it's pretty cool with people who don't subscribe to the code. I'm sort of inclined to agree with Pete. So many of the tenets and way of life of Muslims are an anathema to western values. That's really the issue I think many people in the West have with it. I do get the feeling that the West should possibly be more militant in defence of its values, but naturally, that doesn't mean anything to do with invading people or going to war with them, or abandoning them in the farcical "War on Terror" (perhaps one of the most ridiculous propaganda phrases ever).
I agree with what you are saying. I have highlighted the bit in red because I want to know are you saying agree with me or there will be conflict. Gods were invented to explain things man did not understand at the time. a lot of those things we can now explain which makes a lot of Gods redundant now they seem to exist as excuses
He also said "Get them to bring our troops back".............So he obviously didn't know which country he belonged to and is a seriously disturbed individual..........whether that has anything to do with being Muslim, who really knows? AL
There has been a similar incident in France today..... French anti-terror soldier has throat slashed by 'jihab-wearing maniac of North African origin' while on patrol in Paris | Mail Online AL
This is surely the crucial thing. When you admit that there is no god, you probably also admit that there is no afterlife. It doesn't follow as strict logic, but I would suspect that most atheists don't believe in an afterlife. And that is quite tough. It means that all your dead loved ones have gone for good, and that when your time is up, it's really up. Religion is the palliative for dealing with this bleak reality. And it also means that your life is essentially pointless. It has no more significance than that of a slug, in the cosmic order of things. I suspect that these two barriers will mean that religion will endure for centuries yet, no matter how much we find out about the universe.
Good point. Even those who do not believe in the supernatural find it hard to eliminate completely. Every time I say to somebody that I "wish them good luck" I am implicitly invoking a supernatural concept. Actually I prefer to think of supernatural notions as metaphors, or ironical jokes.
Just out of interest, does anyone realise that MOST muslim's are not good or bad but normal. A bit to the left or a bit to the right, the same as us really. I'm a Irish catholic but I had nothing to do with the IRA !...........and I use contraceptives and I pray. (sometimes)!
