Dismay at US Koran 'desecration'

BBC ^ | 8 May 2005 | BBC News - World Edition

[BTHOtu]

All we are saying, is give peace a chance.

Come on, everybody sing!

[Skooz]

Wasn't one of "us."

It was an anti-American whackjob loonytoon.

[gridlock]

"The government of Pakistan condemns the incident and demands that an inquiry should be conducted to bring to justice the perpetrators of this shameful act," (Pakistani foreign office spokesman, Jalil Abbas Jilani) said.

Insulting the Koran and Islam's Prophet Mohammed is regarded as blasphemy and punishable by death in Pakistan.

Well, since his idea of bringing these Marines to "justice" is to stone them to death ... well ... that just ain't gonna happen.

[Skooz]

Please answer my posts.

Thank you.

[cripplecreek]

Actually Tim McVeigh was another anti war whackjob like yourself with a twisted love of the people who want us dead.

[Skooz]

I think she ran way.

Too bad. I kind of liked her.

[cripplecreek]

I like loopy women too but loopy stupid ones give me a rash.

[bill1952]

I don't think that we were calling for him to be put to death.

Just that the taxpayers money shouldn't have funded his work. (it did)

[bill1952]

She took the time to email me and tell me how funny it was that "your" country was being overun by foreigners who will destroy our culture.

Now, if only I could email her back...

[BikerDaddy]

I will be stocking up on Kurans for camping at the Sturgis motorcycle rally this summer. I'm sure that their will be about 350,000 like minded biker brothers and sisters there who will appreciate some paper for the outhouses.

[Howlin]

Your edited title sure makes FR look good.

[Cornpone]

Honest dialogue and understanding can only take place in an atmosphere where all parties accept the essential equality of the other as a human being with an equal right to existence and freedom to live life within a common framework of universal human rights. When one party believes their ideology is beyond critical review and comment while denying others freedom to express their religious views the possibility of meaningful dialogue disappears. My purpose is to counter the mainstream media’s propagandist stance that erroneously portrays Islam as a religion of tolerance and peace. From a historical perspective Islam is anything but. That pattern continues today throughout the vast expanse of the Muslim umma. While most Muslims may wish to live in peace and tolerance of non-Muslims, or at least in peace, the vast majority have done nothing to restrain the evil and destructive influences of radicalism, Islamism and the global Jihadists among the minority that seeks to violently suppress non-believers and relegate them to a state of dhimmitude. My intent is to foster the necessary social tension that enables honest and truthful dialogue and leads to necessary reform in Islam, a modern re-interpretation of the Qur’an, the acceptance of fundamental human rights and religious tolerance by all Muslims and the elimination of violent Jihad from the Islamic lexicon. Until Muslims accept they must share their ideology peacefully in a world of many different views, which may in some cases require them to accept ridiculous behavior on the part of some, there is no hope for peace. They must become desensitized to the occasional assaults on the icons of their ideology as have others who have accepted the need to live peacefully with others. In our current world of mainstream media lies, it often takes extreme measures to gain the attention necessary to provide a moment of enlightenment.

[CarrotAndStick]

About the reply to Mr_Bovinity, it was wonderful. You, or for that matter, anyone, couldn't have gotten anymore accurate.

The Islamic mind is simple- "We'll hate you unless you become one of us"

With an attitude drilled into their minds like that, and with a stubborn intent to destroy everything that can challenge their wretched ideology, they are nothing but dangerous "smart" bombs- best to keep them at bay, banded together with their likes, and weak.

[Cornpone]

Mr_Bovinity,

It is obvious you have given this issue much thought and your response appears to be sincere; but unfortunately, ill-founded. While I would like to respond in detail my energy is limited by my present circumstances and I reserve what I have in my appeals to a broader audience. However, I will respond on three key points.

First, you imply historical equivalence to the actions of Christians (the Crusades) which occurred over 800 years ago to modern radical, Islamist Jihad which began in the 20th century and continues to this day. The wide historical gap between how today's actions of murderous Jihadists can be justified by actions that occurred over 800 years ago begs credulity.

Second, you imply moral equivalence between a religion that seeks to define the relationship between God and man, and between men, based on peace, love and forgiveness to that based on submission to an uncaring, unknowable God who demands the destruction or subjugation of all those that don't believe. One represents free will (Christianity) while the other offers forgiveness for faith in a fatalistic excuse for the inability to choose between good and evil since all is preordained and known (Islam). This moral relativity is a symptom of the disease that defines our present dilemma.

Finally, you allude to a supposed 'Golden Age' of Islam defined by tolerance. It is a myth. The mythical golden age, that of Granada, was defined by intermittent periods of relaxed dhimmitude punctuated by terror as exemplified by the one day massacre of over 5000 Jews and the expulsion of the rest from present day Spain by the Muslim occupiers. In fact, the Inquisition you mention was modeled on its Islamic predecessor.

Again, your arguments are appreciated, appear sincere and are hopefully based on some study of the issues. If you would like to pursue other sources of information on the topic I recommend you check out my profile for a growing list of bibliographical sources. I do not come to this debate unarmed and totally ignorant and I assume you do not either.