I can't tell you how many times I've lied this week, I am glad my religion allows me to be a creative liar.
Because if you're "experts" are Laura Ingram I would say their expertise is somewhat colored. The problem with the attitude of accusing the Islamic faith of encouraging lying is that as have been pointed out members of all faiths act duplicitously and in some cases apparently their religion sanctions it. So its not a matter of that Muslims are duplicitous but that all people are capable of duplicity. Yet this posts and your so-called experts are making it out to be that Muslims are duplicitous and that it is in the nature of Islam and the Koran itself that encourages this duplicity ignoring the fact that this is a common trait among all people and faiths. This problematic on two fronts. First is that its making it seem like Muslims are somehow special in this regard when the truth is that everyone does it. Its like saying, "Muslims in battle will try to kill people and the Koran encourages them too." very true and if you're fighting Muslims you should be aware they will want to kill you but at the same time all people in battle try to kill other people. Therefore its a point completely out of context in comparison to any other religion meant to paint Islam and Muslims in a bad light. Second you seem to always forget that we are in a battle for hearts and minds. There are about 1 billion Muslims out there and by far the vast majority of them are not terrorists. A large percentage of them might not like us but that doesn't mean they are prepared to take arms against us. That said statements that seek to portray Muslims and the Qu'ran in particular in a bad light are not helpful to us. Short of an apocalyptic war we cannot kill, jail or even deter all of our potential enemies. Like it or not we have to win them over. I've noticed anytime you make a posts or thread critical of Islam you always argue that you aren't bashing Islam or all Muslims just terrorists. Not being able to get into your head I don't know fully whether you mean that but I find that hard to accept that you don't see how the article you posted isn't an indictment of Islam and all muslims since it mostly sites ancient examples and even Sadat who largely governed as a secular leader and then doesn't bother to qualify any of its references to "Islam" or 'Muslims."
It wasn't Laura; she was only the host. They were two terrorism experts: one military, one non-military... may have been Steve Emerson.
I really doubt there is such a pattern because I don't recall starting that many posts about Islam. Otherwise I don't disagree with your conclusion. I don't have issue with Muslims while I do with terrorists. This formalized lying is new to me. The experts on the radio think we should be concerned; the experts here think it is offensive to even talk about it. I don't know where to go from there...
giddy, Do you understand that the first thing you have to do in order to treat people poorly is to dehumanize them? Turn them from individuals who have feelings, hopes and dreams just like you and me and turn them into a "they". It's much easier to kill and exploit people if we can say, "they are nothing like us, they have no morals, they are sub-human". Since war began every side tries to turn the "enemy" into a them. "they" are easier to hate. Don't believe the hype. Fight the propaganda and think for yourself and always try to see things from both sides. our personality is filtered with variables: 1.your parent’s point of view (even if you change from this later it's where you start) 2.Your local surrounding. 3. Living in Texas (if that is where you do live) 4. Living in America. 5. Living in this time period. Both chronologically and developmentally of our society. Now since all these factors color how we view the world can you imagine how a person growing up under conditions like a hut in a third world country must see things. If you have ever traveled abroad one the first things you notice is how differently people view the world. Who is to say who is right? It's all perception. Don't believe the propaganda.
giddy, last time I checked, the way that google works is that when you see a link comeup high on the google returns...it doesnt necessarily make it the best link...google ranks returns by the amount of pages that link to the page in question I wouldnt have bothered to point this out except you seem to have given a lot of weight to this link being 3rd or 4th return on a google search...when that probably should not be counted on to determine its veracity.
It is silly for Coulter to talk about Sheehan, and then act like she doesn't understand we were attacked on 9/11 and we have to fight terrorism. Sheehan isn't asking for clarification on why we are fighting terrorists. Sheehan is asking for clarification on why went to Iraq. Iraq was not a participant in 9/11 in any way shape or form. Coulter is once again off the mark.
Ah, the mystery of search engines... I gave more weight to the discovery that several of the other links referenced or linked to the link I posted.
understood....but I still think it wise to be more sceptical of information gleaned from a medium where you dont know the motivations of the creators. It is damn easy to make a page and have it appear to be a reliable and unbiased source of information on the surface. Of course....these days you cant really trust any source of information unless you know from firsthand knowledge that they are accurate....it is indeed a conundrum for the determined information seeker.
Let's not forget the sequence of events... I heard two fairly recognizable terrorism experts on a nationally syndicated radio show talking about the phenomenon (one was Steve Emerson IIRC) and then went and attempted to do a confirming search on the Net. I'm re-reading some of those search results as I have time... Here's an interesting link from a truly liberal woman (hit the back button to go to her home page): http://mideastreality.com/goodtree/beth46.html
whatever your source is it is still stupid because everyone lies one way or another muslims or not.. saying something and omitting other stuff is still lying right.. but you attempted that only muslims lie..
There you go bass fishing again... I said that it was institutionalized by the religion. Go google it yourself. You'll get pages of results-- even some from liberal ladies like the one above. I would lie my ass off if I needed to... ... but this is much more subtle and pervasive. Read about the explanations of some of the public apologies (in Spain in particular) of the Muslim clerics in light of al-takeyya.
ok first I searched for the meaning of Al-Takeyya: or "al-Taqiyya" - "Concealing or disguising one's beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/or strategies at a time of eminent danger, whether now or later in time, to save oneself from physical and/or mental injury." A one-word translation would be "Dissimulation." which makes sense if someone is in grave danger it is okay to lie.. everyone does that in war.. even if you're an american soldier you will have to lie to your enemy to protect youself or other soldiers from harm.. even american media will lie - conceal the position of american troops in order they not be harmed.. then based on this you have stated that the Islam religon institutionalize lying. And you did not specify for certain cases of self-defense and self-preserverance only which is a lie or concealment but I'm not going to make a big deal of it and pretend I'm a better person.. does islam tell its followers to lie every chance they get and for whatever reason they have? that's institunionalizing right? are there instances in the bible where there are lies and its okay to lie?
Do you really think you can pick out the definition you like and just run with it? Read some more. There is much more complex nuance to this issue.
tell me what else? what did you run with? aren't they're all just examples of lying during time of war / self-defense / self-preservation? where did you base your conclusion the islam institutionalizes lying? you haven't answered this yet.. are there instances in the bible where lies are committed and left unpunished or villified?
hey Giddy, does the Bible condone murder? kidnapping? lying? U.S. evangelist backs off Chavez assassination call
