Issues with your account? Bug us in the Discord!
Madness.. have we learned nothing?
Talon Mistsong
Ranger
in Babylon 5
I just heard that Muslims and Arabs in the US and Canada are being harassed and intimidated. A friend and I were just in Blizzard's battle.net, but we were both turned off by Arab-bashing.
To those idiots and zealots participating in reprisals, I have this to say: it's that kind of unthinking blind hatred that likely motivated the WTC attack - all they've done is dishonour the memory of those who died. Oh by the way, it wasn't Arabs or Muslims responsible, it was FANATICS. I believe Morgan Freeman in [i]Shawshank Redemption[/i] put it best when describing a prison rape gang.
"They're not homosexual. In order to be that, you've gotta be human first."
------------------
There are 3 things in life I never forget: my friends, my enemies, and my access codes.
Never put gasoline in a fire extinguisher.
"No government, no dictator can hold an imprisioned population by force of arms forever. There is no power in the universe greater than the need for freedom. Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies [i]cannot stand[/i]." - G'Kar, [i]The Long Twighlight Struggle[/i]
[url="http://www.globalserve.net/~archons"]www.globalserve.net/~archons[/url]
To those idiots and zealots participating in reprisals, I have this to say: it's that kind of unthinking blind hatred that likely motivated the WTC attack - all they've done is dishonour the memory of those who died. Oh by the way, it wasn't Arabs or Muslims responsible, it was FANATICS. I believe Morgan Freeman in [i]Shawshank Redemption[/i] put it best when describing a prison rape gang.
"They're not homosexual. In order to be that, you've gotta be human first."
------------------
There are 3 things in life I never forget: my friends, my enemies, and my access codes.
Never put gasoline in a fire extinguisher.
"No government, no dictator can hold an imprisioned population by force of arms forever. There is no power in the universe greater than the need for freedom. Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies [i]cannot stand[/i]." - G'Kar, [i]The Long Twighlight Struggle[/i]
[url="http://www.globalserve.net/~archons"]www.globalserve.net/~archons[/url]
Comments
Just imagine for a moment that it was a group of Christian fanatics who blew up the WTC. Would people start harrassing normal Christian people? No they wouldn't!
The reason behind the fact that there are more Islamic terrorists around is because the Islamic faith is primarily practiced in developing countries with not as much money for education as some western countries. Therefore, people don't get educated in anything accept their religion, which can often result in the fanaticism which we have been seeing more of recently.
People should remember that several hundred years ago the situation was almost reversed: fanatical Christain communities were burning people at the stake for being eccentric, whereas the Islamic communities were teaching science and mathematics.
Arab bashing is pointless, pathetic and simply disgusting.
Cherio.
------------------
Catapvltam habeo. Nisi pecvniam omnem mihi dabis, ad capvt tvvm saxvm immane mittam.
Mater tva criceta fvit, et pater tvo redolvit bacarvm sambvcvs.
[This message has been edited by Shuup Nick (edited 09-15-2001).]
One of the reasons why Islam is so widespread now is the fact that it is so tolerant, the religion seems to "sum up" a lot of key factors in other religions, and makes a universal guidebook out of 'em. Not a bad idea at all, but the way things are going in the Middle-East, it seems that the religion is used there to support the ways nd goals of the powers-that-be, just like we did here in Europe back in the days of the Crusades. (Back-stabbing, blood-bathing, The Bible-or-the-axe method. Christianity... yeah, right.)
I just hope it doesn't go to that...
------------------
Life is full of surprises. The ones reserved for me usually come wearing brass knuckles.
what's humanism ?
believing we all have the beginnings of god/ess/hood...
us people are the invertabrate cousins of Buhda, Jesus, Jehovah, 'God', the Great Spirit, Mohammad, Shiva, Ra, Zeus, Odin, Lilith, Kali, Gaia, Vulcan, Bacchus, Isis and any others you care to name.
the only thing separating you from omnipotence is alot of work...and the really fun part is that your own asenscion is not the work of others. You tread the path to 'enlightenment' or whatever you want to label the ladder to Nirvarna, on your own. The forementioned beings being (pardon the pun) only a good example.
It's not that they truly want to, but it's how the mind is reacting to the situation. To get retribution on those who did this. Those who did this are dead, and we are still not sure exactly of who organized it. It's just how the mind works.
EDIT: Changed my referances to fundamentalist religions, fixing some misused wording.
[This message has been edited by rhett (edited 09-15-2001).]
------------------
Born from silence, silence full of it
A perfekt concert my best friend
So much to live for, so much to die for
If only my heart had a home
-Nightwish [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]ead boy's Poem-
[This message has been edited by C_Mon (edited 09-15-2001).]
[b]RIght now, I *can* understand the problem with this. People are looking for a place to release their anger.[/b][/quote]
How much you want to bet that those people are of the same ilk who advocate against violent video games because they desensitize children to violence?
Neither me nor my battle.net buddy were especially broken up over the news, but we didn't go around beating up innocent people, nor did we advocate it. So I wonder if being desensitized is a bad thing? But alas, I digress.
I just hope this reactionary garbage doesn't last much longer or escalate, or else those terrorist yahoos have already won, and the dead might as well be murdered all over again [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/frown.gif[/img]
------------------
There are 3 things in life I never forget: my friends, my enemies, and my access codes.
Never put gasoline in a fire extinguisher.
"No government, no dictator can hold an imprisioned population by force of arms forever. There is no power in the universe greater than the need for freedom. Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies [i]cannot stand[/i]." - G'Kar, [i]The Long Twighlight Struggle[/i]
[url="http://www.globalserve.net/~archons"]www.globalserve.net/~archons[/url]
[b]We lead off this war with a prayer, how ironic is that[/b][/quote]
It's been done before. There is even a B5 episode about it. The episode is titled "The War Prayer" after a parable by Mark Twain, I believe.
And yes, there are Christian terrorists too. Look at the fighting in Northern Ireland, or the anti-abortion fanatics in the USA that have bombed clinics and killed doctors.
I partially agree with Sanfam. This sort of behavior[i]is[/i] to be expected after an atrocity such as we have just experienced. Since it is to be expected, all the more reason to keep a close watch on our own emotions, because we may all have these feelings of rage or fear directed at those who outwardly resemble the perpetrators of this crime. We should remind ourselves that the muslims and arab-americans that we see in our daily lives are [i]not[/i] the terrorists we condemn.
And while we are reminding ourselves of this, we should remind others of the same thing. Gently, but firmly. With understanding of their rage and fear, but with knowledge that the source of that rage is elsewhere.
------------------
--milo
[url="http://www.starshatter.com"]http://www.starshatter.com[/url]
Let's just make it simple, right here, right now...
It's easy to say you are Muslim, Christian, whatever... Does that instantly make you one?
I'm a Christian fundamentalist. I make no apologies for it, I don't feel the need to defend myself for it, and I will gladly share why with you *IF* you are interested in hearing it.
I don't go out and bang people over the head with a Bible, I don't steal your money by guilt tripping or brow beating you for pledges and donations, I can't even save your soul or spirit. I don't claim to heal you, and I don't point your faults out, because you know what? I probably have bigger faults than even you have. Do you even think I want to share with you what they are?
[img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
What is a fundamentalist? Certainly not the definition of the term the media so prolifically tosses out.
fundamentalist (!=) fanatic
I cannot speak for Muslim or other religions, but in Christian Faith, fundamentalist is defined as those core beliefs that every Christian fundamentalist member shares in common. Their belief in Jesus's divinity, authority, etc.
This says nothing about imposing your will on another, judging another, building bombs and killing others because they don't believe like you, etc.
I suspect that the fundamentalist Muslim faith is the same...
...and in Christian faith, a real Christian can tell another by the results of their acts. Do you build people up when they are down, do you risk your life to save theirs, do you feed them when they are hungry, do you give them a drink when they are thirsty, do you do any of these things when they are your enemy?
I suspect that a real Muslim measures their so called brothers in faith the same way.
I originally aksed the question:
"It's easy to say you are Muslim, Christian, whatever... Does that instantly make you one?"
While only God really knows your heart... If I really wanted to judge, I could certainly point out the ones who aren't...
[img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
[img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]
All the "you" references in my message were actually generalized to everyone who cares to read my opinion...
I do thank you for the corrections you made though. I think they make your post more accurate.
[img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
Cheers!
------------------
We Live as one, We die as one, We will face the darkness as one.
"Understanding is a Three Edged Sword- Your side, Their side, And the Truth...."