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Bigger Things to Protest(One Muslim questions the outrage)
The Australian ^ | 5/21/2005 | Irshad Manji

Posted on 05/21/2005 6:08:29 AM PDT by kellynla

So Newsweek has retracted its report about the defiling of Islam's holy book, the Koran, by interrogators at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. But it's too late. Muslims everywhere are questioning America's respect for all religions. Journalists are wondering what standards allowed the charge to be printed without proof. Foreign policy analysts are asking how the riots incited by the charge will affect the war on terrorism.

Still, at least one more question needs to be asked: Even if the Koran was mistreated, are violent riots justified? "What do you expect?" my critics will declare. "Abusing the Koran is like abusing basic human rights. If you're a good Muslim, your identity and dignity are bound up in revering the Koran. It's the literal word of God. Unsullied. Untouched. Unedited. Unlike the other holy books."

Sorry. That argument just doesn't wash. One can appreciate the Koran's inherent worth, as I do, while recognising that it contains ambiguities, inconsistencies, outright contradictions and the possibility of human editing. This is not simply a reform-minded Muslim speaking. This is Islamic tradition talking.

For centuries, philosophers of Islam have been telling the story of the "Satanic Verses". The prophet Mohammed accepted them as authentic entries into the Koran. Later he realised they deified heathen idols rather than God. So he belatedly rejected the verses, blaming them on a trick played by Satan. Which implies that the prophet edited the Koran

(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: islam; koran; muslim
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This along with the editorial piece by Ali al-Ahmed which appeared in the Wall St. Journal yesterday pretty much exposes the hypocrisy of many Muslims. The faux outrage by Muslims is laughable when nearly a million people have disappeared since Saddam Hussein took power in Iraq in 1968; and Christians and Jews are refused to practice their faith freely in the Middleast.
1 posted on 05/21/2005 6:08:29 AM PDT by kellynla
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To: kellynla

Add this one to your list:

Outrageous behaviour hurts all Muslims
Toronto Sun ^ | 2005-05-21 | Salim Mansur

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1407573/posts


2 posted on 05/21/2005 6:15:22 AM PDT by Eurotwit (WI)
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To: Eurotwit

I hope he does not lose his head over this.


3 posted on 05/21/2005 6:20:25 AM PDT by Piquaboy (22 year veteran of the Army, Air Force and Navy, Pray for all our military .)
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To: kellynla

Do muslims have any awareness that these actions makes them look like unmitigated morons?


4 posted on 05/21/2005 6:22:32 AM PDT by tkathy (Tyranny breeds terrorism. Freedom breeds peace.)
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To: kellynla

There is no excuse for the behavior of rioting Muslims. They believed in a lie, nothing new for many Muslims. At the start of the War on Terror I believed in helping them but the more we do the worse they get. To tell the truth, I am not sure how I feel about them now.


5 posted on 05/21/2005 6:35:23 AM PDT by TGOGary (I would blow my brains out before ever wearing a blue beret.)
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To: kellynla
"Journalists are wondering what standards allowed the charge to be printed without proof."

Standards?
We're jounralists - we don't need no steenking standards!

6 posted on 05/21/2005 6:42:27 AM PDT by Redbob
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To: kellynla
Most miss the point entirely. The Muslim religion, the Catholic religion and most major religions rely on keeping their adherents in the lower levels of the economic ladder, this is the only means of control these religions have over their followers. There is no middle class in the Muslim dominated countries, There is no Middle class in Mexico, I could go on but this is why the Muslims are doing everything to prevent Economic success in Iraq and why the Catholic Bishops in the United States Embrace Illegal aliens, mostly from Mexico. Economic success does not lead to increased religious beliefs.

Keep em poor. Religion is the opiate of the poor.

Religion and Morality are not Synonymous words. Something the Liberals do not understand.

7 posted on 05/21/2005 6:58:09 AM PDT by BIGZ
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To: TGOGary

"I am not sure how I feel about them now"

well until we see a dramatic change in the way Muslims deal with terrorists in their own mosques, I will continue to be verrrrry skeptical.
Islam needs to "take out it's own trash" and change it's teachings and beliefs about those who are not Muslims before I will ever consider "letting my guard down."

We've had two attacks on the WTC.
The next 9/11 type attack and "all bets are off!"

Semper Fi,
Kelly


8 posted on 05/21/2005 7:05:40 AM PDT by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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To: tkathy

For the leaders it's all about keeping power, and the best way to do that is to keep the outside world at bay.. For those doing the rioting it has a great deal to do with shame. The shame they feel over the fact they are poor and oppressed, and lets face it if they rioted against their own goverment what would happen...nothing good I suspect, (in Afghanistan) the shame that they need America to kick out the Tailiban.


Just one mans thought, freely given..and worth almost that much.


9 posted on 05/21/2005 7:10:00 AM PDT by Valin (The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.)
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To: BIGZ
"Keep em poor. Religion is the opiate of the poor."

Jewish, Catholic Irish, Italians and Germans just to name a few ethnic groups might find your assessment LAUGHABLE! I know I do...

Maybe you should look at American taxpayer rolls before you make any more ridiculous claims...
10 posted on 05/21/2005 7:10:53 AM PDT by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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To: Piquaboy

A rational Muslim is a lonely Muslim.


11 posted on 05/21/2005 7:13:35 AM PDT by CaptainK
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To: BIGZ

"Catholic Bishops in the United States Embrace Illegal aliens, mostly from Mexico"

Catholic bishops embrace all people especially Mexicans who just so happen to be Catholic.

This Bill Maher liberal tripe you are posting that people of religion are poor and ignorant is not worth distinguishing with any further response.


12 posted on 05/21/2005 7:18:49 AM PDT by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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To: kellynla

Saddam in underwear...Is he doing a fruit of the loom commercial?


13 posted on 05/21/2005 7:45:52 AM PDT by Route101
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To: Route101

"Is he doing a fruit of the loom commercial?

more like a "fruit of the loon"

I'm surprised he's lived this long...
I've been expecting to read any time that Saddam was mysteriously found dead in his cell...


14 posted on 05/21/2005 7:50:41 AM PDT by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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To: Piquaboy

He's a she.


15 posted on 05/21/2005 8:04:25 AM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: kellynla
"That argument just doesn't wash. One can appreciate the Koran's inherent worth, as I do, while recognising that it contains ambiguities, inconsistencies, outright contradictions and the possibility of human editing."

Like admonitions to kill all non-moslems? (Sura 9:5)

Doesn't sound too ambiguous to me.

16 posted on 05/21/2005 8:04:32 AM PDT by nightdriver
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To: nightdriver

Yep, these people have a lot of explaining to do...
In the mean time, I will continue to sleep with one eye open. LOL


17 posted on 05/21/2005 8:10:31 AM PDT by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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To: BIGZ

If you find one or more exceptions to your "rule" that religion is the opiate of the poor, then your "rule" is invalid. There are many exceptions to your "rule," and therefore it is invalid.

Try to find another explanation -- your denigration of "religion" itself is not supported by the explanation you've given.


18 posted on 05/21/2005 8:40:13 AM PDT by Theo
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To: kellynla
"Abusing the Koran is like abusing basic human rights. If you're a good Muslim, your identity and dignity are bound up in revering the Koran. It's the literal word of God. Unsullied. Untouched. Unedited. Unlike the other holy books."

Any individual or group that believes this has no place in my universe.

It boils down to kill or be killed.
It's like trying to reason with termites.

19 posted on 05/21/2005 8:56:30 AM PDT by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen, ignorance and stupidity.)
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To: tkathy
Do muslims have any awareness that these actions makes them look like unmitigated morons?

Don't feel bad. Westerners, as a group, and Americans, particularly, have a stubborn and inate mindset that compels us to judge the culture and actions of others by our standards of reality, morality and laws. Only by real things that we can wrap our minds around, and we are totally incapable, literally, of understanding that they are not "faking it", they are unaware that 2+2 is always 4 in human behavior as well as in mathematics.

Imagine trying to negotiate behavior between two beings that do not speak the same language, or treasure the same human virtues. One of whom believes, absolutely and permanently, that what is spoken (or written) is more important than actual behavior? That lies or fantasy are as valuable and important as reality?

How much tolerance is enough?
How much patience is enough?
How many lives are worth the price of political correctness?

In my universe those are simple questions. When dealing with uncompromising, sweet-talking remorseless killers, eliminating them is the only rational solution, whether there are six of them or six million.

Don't know about you, but I have not even the briefest desire to sacrifice my children at the altar of "understanding" or the mantra of "winning hearts and minds". Those are individual choices that the terminally virtuous or the terminally clueless can pursue.

20 posted on 05/21/2005 9:16:50 AM PDT by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen, ignorance and stupidity.)
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