<<Where's the hate and propaganda there?>> The comment/question was posed regarding the conditions for Muslim women? You donned the scholar hat to speak for the state of affairs of Muslims by using the most extreme conditions in the world to describe all Muslims.
<<Are we supposed to pretend that the Taleban...>> No need to pretend. There is plenty of media coverage about the conditions in Afghanistan. It is nothing like the life in the suburbs or farm towns of the USA. But then you are an authority so I don't need to tell you about it.
<<Or are we not supposed to associate them with Islam,>> You know very little about these people and are certainly in no position to judge them. They associate themselves with Islam. Many people and groups associate themselves with America, and yet we don't judge all Americans by the acts of a few. You are systematically seeking out negative examples, ignoring any competing data, appointing yourself judge and executioner of all you survey.
<<What bothers you more, the fact that a substantial number of Muslims use their religion to justify terrorism, both state and otherwise, or the fact that people sometimes refer to Muslim terrorists as Muslim terrorists?>> A substantial number of people in the world are caught up in struggles to survive. A few of them use extreme measures to move politics in their favour. When they are on our side they are covert ops, special forces, agents, etc. When they are aligned with our enemies, they are terrorists. It ALL bothers me equally. It does not bother me when Muslim terrorist are called Muslim terrorists. It does bother me when bigots try to use that to further their own hate agenda.
<<I personally don't think this tendency is unique to Islam.>> Me either. However, if you are serious here, you are a hypocrite Steven. When someone asks a question about Americans or mentions that they are an American...Do you post the data and pictures that describe the extreme examples of domestic violence, the divorce rate, adultery, drug abuse, alcoholism, violent crimes, general greed and lasciviousness; do you describe the vast halfway house and shelter culture, and the injustice often complained of by minorities in America????
<<I think that any absolute faith has a dark side, and that these dark sides tend to emerge and take over when faith and politics mix.>> I agree that when politics and religion mix and corrupt individuals have the upper hand we see dark and sinister results. I am not aware of a dark side to worshipping God, and don't believe their is one. I am aware of the dark side of my human self and have witnessed it in others. I am also aware of human oppression that comes of lust for power and influence and from greed for material things. This has nothing to do with faith. Faith or lack of it is simply your ability to trust a higher being than you self. The fact that some people use religious foundations to further their political aspirations, social status, or wealth and in so doing commit injustice is a demonstration of a lack of faith. |
