Islam - Study Warns of Stagnation in Arab Societies

NewYorkTimes ^ | July 2, 2002 | BARBARA CROSSETTE

[Sonny M]

meinkamph is way to advanced for them, but I do know for a fact that the "protocols of the elders of zion" is an extremely popular book with their intellectual crowd, and is a big seller there.

[ProudEagle]

blunt new report by Arab intellectuals commissioned by the United Nations warns that Arab societies are being crippled by a lack of political freedom, the repression of women and an isolation from the world of ideas that stifles creativity.

NO....ya think? Glad to see the New York Times is on the cutting edge of societal evolution.

[jackliberty]

For the Palestinians in particular, the report says, human development is all but impossible under Israeli occupation.

I expect the authors had to put in this slam on Israel to avoid the fatwahs being issued against them. After all, the Palestinians were doing so well prior to 1967.

Even if this report is translated accurately into Arabic and every man, woman and suicide bomber reads it, it won't matter; the Holy Qur'an already has it covered. Surah 9:51 "Nothing will afflict us but what Allah has ordained for us."

Change is for Christians, Jews and polytheists; not Moslems.

[DBtoo]

The same is true with the Albanian muslims and the Algerian muslims in France. They have very high birthrates, tend to live in poverty, and at times end up outnumbering those they live among (as in the case of Kosovo). Those unemployed young men become very angry and resentful and are drawn to the islamics who want to kill the rest of us. And of course it's the same with the Palestinians. That high birthrate, along with cultural segregation creates huge problems that aren't likely to go away. They are the modern day barbarians.

[BossLady]

"The report does not directly criticize Islamic militancy and its effects on intellectual and economic growth..."

Could THIS possibly be part of the bigger problem????? If a society cannot govern itself...then there is literally nowhere else to go but down....especially if a large part of them are illiterate!

[weikel]

bump

[kissoldspot]

I agree totally. I believe we are seeing a culture in its "Throws of Death". (sp?) And like a fatally wounded animal it will be dangerous until it expires.

[denydenydeny]

Indexing.

[truth_seeker]

The report does not directly criticize Islamic militancy and its effects on intellectual and economic growth, although Ms. Khalaf Hunaidi said this was implicit in passages that refer to a less tolerant social environment.

A "less tolerant social environment?" Try fanatical international murderers. In order for a report like this to have meaning, it needs to first be "honest" in language.

Islam itself is the problem. Islamist militant extremism/fundamentalism and TERRORISM is just one result of the severe shortcomings of Islam.

All of the other problems mentioned are the other results.

I will be pleased if by whatever means necessary, that TERRORISM is defeated. As for all of their other problems, well, let them solve them by themselves. Free access to our universities, and vast oil revenues have been squandered and wasted. We need give nothing more to them.

[dk/coro]

I found Samuel Huntington's book "Clash of Civilizations" quite helpful in sorting out where our respective Civilizations are pegged in this critical period of strife and transformation.

In my view, time does not bode well for Western Civilization...for many of the reasons implicit in the previous discussion. Our national frame of reference and collective will may be far too self-serving and inept to successfully wage the type of sustained deadly, dirty, ideological (and bloody) conflict over the decades required to prevail.

I hope so very much I am wrong, but, in any event, will not live to see the outcome of this incredibly critical struggle. I wish us well, but have deep concern relative to our Nation's will and commitment!!!

But, I can sleep at night, for I consider I have paid my dues.

[gonzo]

"...I hope so very much I am wrong, but, in any event, I[sic] will not live to see the outcome of this incredibly critical struggle. I wish us well, but have deep concern relative to our Nation's will and commitment!!!

But, I can sleep at night, for I consider I have paid my dues...."

Having paid yer dues, and I think I paid mine, tell me what the secret of sleeping at night is? It still eludes me..........FRegards

[Drew68]

Islam is a religion of losers.

[Movemout]

Five will get you ten that the authors of this report will be the subjects of a fatwa in short order.

[DooDahhhh]

Fatwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Alouette]

In the 1,000 years since the reign of the Caliph Mamoun, it concludes, the Arabs have translated as many books as Spain translates in just one year.

And all of them are Mein Kampf!

[Fudd]

Islam peaked and hit its golden age about a thousand years ago, problem was, they kind of stayed there.

I don't suppose that part of the problem is that the daar-islam banned the printing press until the 18th century...

[Publius6961]

I'd rather have 'em by the short hairs!

Amen!
The universal language, seldom misunderstood by primitive societies.

We must bear in mind that in Islam, the secular and the religious are inseperable.
And when you have clerics daily reminding the unwashed that failure to even remotely approach the level of civilization in the rest of the world is failure to adhere to the fundamental tenets of Islam, i.e. conquest by the sword and fundamentalism in all things, who can possibly expect a positive change anytime soon?

A moderate (or rational) muslim not living in the west is an oxymoron.

[swarthyguy]

A point that eludes many. Unless we get rid of the jihadis, the "moderates" won't have the "space" to flower.

The give and take of democracies, the ability to criticise religious entities, and just a general appreciation of free and open speech eludes and is avoided by the "moderate" states, including "our friends, the saudis", who with their wealth could have generated a renaissance in modern islam.

Instead they created a monster, albeit with our help, to fight against the Soviets and did not slay it after the Soviets left Afghanistan.

[TADSLOS]

"Sadly, the Arab world is largely depriving itself of the creativity and productivity of half its citizens," the report concluded.

The other half are exercising their "creativity" through terrorism.

[timestax]

bttt