You also have to accept the fact that many of these terrorists genuinely believe in their rhetoric and are genuinely knowledgeable and actually have a large scope of knowledge when it comes to the Quran, it's tasfir and the hadith. You just can't assume that this is some elaborate ruse by them. Many of them are genuine believers in their cause.
I believe this is true. Would appreciate your comment on this, LCAhmed. I have read the Quran. What I came away with was an understanding of how various passages in it lent themselves into being manipulated into supporting the types of activities we have seen. This is exacerbated by the economic and political situation many in the Middle East find themselves in, which creates a lot of dissent. When this is combined with how intertwined religion is with the daily lives of many Muslims, particularly in the Middle East where Islam is so prominent, one can see how people could be swayed against the West (which is painted as the reason for all their problems) and how 'jihad' is the recourse.
I don't want to go into nuanced detail at the very moment due to time restraints on my part but the largest issue with the core ideology of Islam was Muhammad's inherent political intentions. Unlike Christianity, where the most venerated figure desired a 'personal relationship' with god, Muhammad desired Islam to be political with his desire to infuse political and territorial disputes with religion.
I agree to an extent. I'm a firm believer (and looking back at what I said, I may be contradicting myself a bit) that Religion is not a one size fits all or cookie cutter thing. It's different for everyone. if we can agree that no 2 people are the same, then Religion, or anything else will never be the exact same for people as well. I guess for me, ideally I'd like to say it's nice to have someone like a scholar give you their viewpoint on an excerpt, but ultimately you should read the verse yourself and get your own understanding of it. I have not read the Quran in its entirety and I do not read Arabic so whatever I have read is translated, which anytime you translate you do lose some meaning. So I will hold my tongue as I am not qualified on the text. My idea of how things can get so bad is just like in Politics, there is corruption up top where people are very knowledgeable about a subject matter, more knowledgeable than most to where it would be difficult to argue against them, at which point this corruption is able to do as it pleases, manipulating those who are not as knowledgeable as the ones commanding them to do things whether it be right or not and these people believing that the people commanding them would not misguide them. If someone only wishes to do what is right, and someone who says they have knowledge to allow you to succeed in this goal but you must do as they say, no questions asked, I feel unfortunately more often than not, this person will accept this agreement. I see it a lot in those paid programming shows early in the morning or late at night saying if you want to get into heaven, donate to our cause and God will forgive you, blah blah blah. Essentially selling peoples hopes and dreams. I can understand your viewpoint. I will say this, it is very difficult to live purely in this World, regardless of in the West or not. I have live overseas for a summer, and seeing the things that go on in a Muslim country of Jordan (not radical at all) They do things just as bad as what I have seen done in America. A lot of finger pointer and name calling, and being blind to what's right in front of them. Are there good religious people there, yes. But there are also immoral irresponsible whatever else you want to say people as well. I don't believe anyone really has the right to "throw the first stone". With that being said, I think everyone likes to find a scapegoat enemy to target instead of truly looking within and fixing themselves.
I have worked for multiple multi-national corporations with many people from Malaysia, Pakistan, the ME in general, etc. that are Muslim. Most are perfectly normal, caring, humble people that just want to do their job and take care of their families. The biggest issue I've had with some of them is the answer "God Willing" if I ask if their project tasks will be completed on time. (Means probably no by the way) I have, however, run into my fair share of Muslim men that try real hard not to, but often fail at showing disrespect to our women counterparts. Addressing questions to me when they should be going to the women in the group, looking for confirmation from me when my female peers have given an answer, not performing tasks unless a man puts them in the plan rather than the woman. I've had to remove a couple of Pakistani IT professionals from projects because they flat out refused to acknowledge the woman project manager's authority to lay out tasks. This was in the US, not on some expat assignment in Iraq or Angola btw. I'd say that's the biggest issue in my day to day life. I have had two encounters with Pakistani people, one a person on a project I worked and one with an older man that lives with his family in my neighborhood. Both, in casual conversation somehow worked into the conversation that Jews were bad in some way. Like wink, wink, nudge, nudge can't trust a Jew type of thing...they are out to get us all! I have also multiple times gotten the "Terrorism is terrible, BUT..." statements from Pakistanis in particular. The attitude that terrorism and murder is bad, BUT there is some type of justification. Gives you the feeling with some of these guys that while they would never kill anyone, it doesn't REALLY bother them that someone else did. I think that is the thing that has bothered me most with some of these guys.
First of all Sharia law includes things like not drinking alcohol or gambling. 2nd, I'd throw that poll out as it's not an accredited polling agency that conducted it. I have never met a violent Muslim - I've met many Muslims, many South Asian Muslims but also Iranians, Egyptians, Iraqis, Lebanese, and Syrians. None have even shown or supported violence against civilians while many do think the U.S. and Israel is unjust.
Islam is not good for the planet, neither is any religion - you are in the way of progress if you are stuck in some mythology of the past. DD
A closet homosexual, bar owners/pot heads, depressed alcoholic, and a right wing anti-immigration man. That's how some of these individuals have been described. Knowledgeable they are? I'm glad you know for a fact they are genuine believers in their cause. Hilarious, I know your mommy is a Muslim, I guess your dad works for the CIA/FBI/Homeland Security.
Does disrespecting a man who lived in the 7th century irk you so much to involve my mother? Any criticism of Islam I have on theological grounds. I don't attack individual Muslims. I hardly make any commentary about Muslims in general. It's just pure theology.
.. it may sound strange, but some thinks the polite way to ask a male companion. Cultural thing not as a disrespect but like excuse me for interrupting.as for refusing women authority ...well ..a female manger is more demanding and more likes to go into microscopic management ,inshallah won't work with them as often I know a lot of Pakistanis , no one is exactly like the other, generally I like them .as for Jew's perception , I had a training in Jewish Hospital in Montreal,Canada. According to some who I asked over what's behind the name! They said there was a time when hospitals refused to treat Jews,so they built their own hospital .perception changes ,Palestinian/Israeli play a major role too.
If they say "God Willing" to a project being done on time - you should just say...well I hope so, because if not you are fired...."God willing" DD
Maybe start be denouncing the parts of the faith that are clearly archaic, like how women are to be treated, etc. And if Trump gets elected who knows? DD
I see a lot of white supremacists. Not just overseas, but here in Texas. How are you playing your part? If you examine each individual's relationship, I'd say you have less of an excuse.
And you are assuming that he hasn't denounced things like that, I've known the guy for a while so assuming that he wouldn't condemn such acts/statements is pretty stupid.
My part is to say that religion is all made up mythology and that mythology is causing people to kill each other over stupid made up campfire stories. And yes, that whole Trump White power campaign is heinous, but he is doing exactly what ISIS does trying to divide and conquer, the problem is that sucks for the entire planet if there is another war. What I would like, is for Islam to create it's own new testament and moderate itself for modern people - as I personally fear for where this is headed. You can't let fools like Isis or other religious zealots lead from a bully pulpit and that seems to be exactly what Islam and it's Ideology does - so it needs to evolve - and sooner than later. DD
