Inspired not so much by the thread topic, but from the discussion that arose from Daemaro's post here, I thought I'd share a video I came across a couple months ago. Looking at it, it's actually been two years since it was uploaded, so maybe it's old news and I'm just really behind the times.
I don't know how to embed the video, so if somebody else wants to, it's this one.
What are your thoughts on this?
Living in the US, the way I see it, in not too many years, we'll either be owned by China, or in not many more years, we will become a Muslim nation.
Now before people tear into me (I don't think anybody here would, but all the "discussions" on Kotaku and Gizmodo and such make me want to add a disclaimer), I want to point out that I have nothing against Muslims as individuals. I do believe that as a society, you are in it until you die...or else. I also think that as a nation they are nothing more than bullies. You might have to dig to find information, but there is a reason why Nike is the #1 supporter of Muslims internationally, and in my opinion, from what I've read/heard, it is mainly due to threats of the infamous "jihad"
Now, I have never made a formal study of any of this. I just find all the little tidbits of information quite interesting. I welcome any- and everybody to correct me on points that are incorrect. So...back on topic...what are your thoughts?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“One thing a computer can do that most humans can't is be sealed up in a cardboard box and sit in a warehouse”
--Jack Handy
Inspired not so much by the thread topic, but from the discussion that arose from Daemaro's post here, I thought I'd share a video I came across a couple months ago. Looking at it, it's actually been two years since it was uploaded, so maybe it's old news and I'm just really behind the times.
I don't know how to embed the video, so if somebody else wants to, it's this one.
What are your thoughts on this?
Living in the US, the way I see it, in not too many years, we'll either be owned by China, or in not many more years, we will become a Muslim nation.
Now before people tear into me (I don't think anybody here would, but all the "discussions" on Kotaku and Gizmodo and such make me want to add a disclaimer), I want to point out that I have nothing against Muslims as individuals. I do believe that as a society, you are in it until you die...or else. I also think that as a nation they are nothing more than bullies. You might have to dig to find information, but there is a reason why Nike is the #1 supporter of Muslims internationally, and in my opinion, from what I've read/heard, it is mainly due to threats of the infamous "jihad"
Now, I have never made a formal study of any of this. I just find all the little tidbits of information quite interesting. I welcome any- and everybody to correct me on points that are incorrect. So...back on topic...what are your thoughts?
Your errors and misguided ideas are quite numerous (esp. in regards to Islam). I myself am an agnostic atheist w/ no Muslim or Arabic ancestry, but I at least understand a few of these key facts:
Islam is not a society. It is a religion. You are not in it until you die anymore than you are w/ Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism. You can convert out of it just like any other religion. As with any other religion, you may or may not experience backlash based on the sorts of people you know.
Islam is also not a nation. Now, I'm pretty sure you knew this and weren't speaking literally - but then I must ask which nation you were speaking of. There are no nations that are 100% Muslim. There are countries with a majority, but to suggest that most of them are "bullies" anymore than most Western or Eastern powers is absolutely ridiculous. Look at America, Britain, North Korea, China. Those countries are dangerous bullies in their own rights.
What on earth does Nike have to do with anything? Where are you getting the idea that Nike is the #1 supporter of Muslims? That doesn't even make sense. Do you mean they donate the most money to mosques, that they personally fund Muslim people, or that they invest in Muslim-run countries/companies? You can't just throw such a vague and relatively meaningless fact into an argument for no good reason - so what's your reason?
A Jihad? Seriously? The Muslim world is going to hold a Jihad against Nike? Yeah - right. Not only does the Muslim world as a whole not condone any Jihads, Jihad doesn't even always refer to a "holy war" as most people in the West incorrectly assume. I believe it means "struggle" and there are many personal ways in which to experience Jihad.
At most one small group of Muslims might announce their hatred for Nike (who, btw, is a terrible organization that has and does abuse international child labour) - but how is this different than any other group announcing a hatred for any other organization? Should PETA or GreenPeace be denounced for hating companies that do animal testing? Should we assume that all Americans are associated with these groups and that they all believe the same way?
I'm glad you're at least open to listen to reason - but you've really got a long way to come. The American government and media has done an awful lot to skew your impression of foreign nations and exotic religions. The amount of xenophobia bred into Americans from birth is just shocking.
I sincerely hope you do some more research on Islam, the Middle East, and the world in general before you make any more such statements. I'm not going to go into anything further about Christianity or America or the idea that change is somehow evil, but I want to ask that you seriously consider your stance on all these points and really ask yourself where your beliefs come from and whether or not real facts validate them.
I believe most religions will be extinct in 200 years, if you compare it with today's standards it'll probably me as many religious people by then as there are native americans now.
Christians: From my experience mostly don't care about their religion(includes me and my friends) Islam: Muslim countries are starting revolutions against their government and I bet their women are tired of not being treated as equals. Judaism It seems to be embarassing for youths to admit your a jew today(or any religion) Hinduism: Hindu still discriminates poor(dirty) people, even though it's "illegal". Buddism: Well they'll all soon realise that sitting and meditating your entire life and not getting any booty is really lame, as Altaïr in AC said: "I long for the day when men turn away from invisible monsters and once more embrace a more rational view of the world. But these new religions are so convenient – and promise such terrible punishment should one reject them – I worry that fear shall keep us stuck to what is surely the greatest lie ever told". If you don't give up all your dreams in buddism you'll have to be reborn again, buhu!
About you worrying about the US becoming a muslim country: No, just won't happen.
Christians: From my experience mostly don't care about their religion(includes me and my friends) Islam: Muslim countries are starting revolutions against their government and I bet their women are tired of not being treated as equals. Judaism It seems to be embarassing for youths to admit your a jew today(or any religion) Hinduism: Hindu still discriminates poor(dirty) people, even though it's "illegal". Buddism: Well they'll all soon realise that sitting and meditating your entire life and not getting any booty is really lame, as Altaïr in AC said: "I long for the day when men turn away from invisible monsters and once more embrace a more rational view of the world. But these new religions are so convenient – and promise such terrible punishment should one reject them – I worry that fear shall keep us stuck to what is surely the greatest lie ever told". If you don't give up all your dreams in buddism you'll have to be reborn again, buhu!
Your minimalist and rather retrograde approach to what these different religions constitute is appalling.
You and your friends/people-you-know unfortunately do not constitute a normative sample from which you can generalize your observations. The not-getting-any-booty-is-lame must be the very pinnacle of your ignorance.
Inspired not so much by the thread topic, but from the discussion that arose from Daemaro's post here, I thought I'd share a video I came across a couple months ago. Looking at it, it's actually been two years since it was uploaded, so maybe it's old news and I'm just really behind the times.
I don't know how to embed the video, so if somebody else wants to, it's this one.
What are your thoughts on this?
Living in the US, the way I see it, in not too many years, we'll either be owned by China, or in not many more years, we will become a Muslim nation.
Now before people tear into me (I don't think anybody here would, but all the "discussions" on Kotaku and Gizmodo and such make me want to add a disclaimer), I want to point out that I have nothing against Muslims as individuals. I do believe that as a society, you are in it until you die...or else. I also think that as a nation they are nothing more than bullies. You might have to dig to find information, but there is a reason why Nike is the #1 supporter of Muslims internationally, and in my opinion, from what I've read/heard, it is mainly due to threats of the infamous "jihad"
Now, I have never made a formal study of any of this. I just find all the little tidbits of information quite interesting. I welcome any- and everybody to correct me on points that are incorrect. So...back on topic...what are your thoughts?
Your errors and misguided ideas are quite numerous (esp. in regards to Islam). I myself am an agnostic atheist w/ no Muslim or Arabic ancestry, but I at least understand a few of these key facts:
Islam is not a society. It is a religion. You are not in it until you die anymore than you are w/ Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism. You can convert out of it just like any other religion. As with any other religion, you may or may not experience backlash based on the sorts of people you know.
Islam is also not a nation. Now, I'm pretty sure you knew this and weren't speaking literally - but then I must ask which nation you were speaking of. There are no nations that are 100% Muslim. There are countries with a majority, but to suggest that most of them are "bullies" anymore than most Western or Eastern powers is absolutely ridiculous. Look at America, Britain, North Korea, China. Those countries are dangerous bullies in their own rights.
What on earth does Nike have to do with anything? Where are you getting the idea that Nike is the #1 supporter of Muslims? That doesn't even make sense. Do you mean they donate the most money to mosques, that they personally fund Muslim people, or that they invest in Muslim-run countries/companies? You can't just throw such a vague and relatively meaningless fact into an argument for no good reason - so what's your reason?
A Jihad? Seriously? The Muslim world is going to hold a Jihad against Nike? Yeah - right. Not only does the Muslim world as a whole not condone any Jihads, Jihad doesn't even always refer to a "holy war" as most people in the West incorrectly assume. I believe it means "struggle" and there are many personal ways in which to experience Jihad.
At most one small group of Muslims might announce their hatred for Nike (who, btw, is a terrible organization that has and does abuse international child labour) - but how is this different than any other group announcing a hatred for any other organization? Should PETA or GreenPeace be denounced for hating companies that do animal testing? Should we assume that all Americans are associated with these groups and that they all believe the same way?
I'm glad you're at least open to listen to reason - but you've really got a long way to come. The American government and media has done an awful lot to skew your impression of foreign nations and exotic religions. The amount of xenophobia bred into Americans from birth is just shocking.
I sincerely hope you do some more research on Islam, the Middle East, and the world in general before you make any more such statements. I'm not going to go into anything further about Christianity or America or the idea that change is somehow evil, but I want to ask that you seriously consider your stance on all these points and really ask yourself where your beliefs come from and whether or not real facts validate them.
Thank you!
I appreciate the response...if not necessarily the tone of it. Please note that it is not my intention to offend anybody, but my remarks are not baseless.
I would argue that Christianity is a society. Society can be defined as "a large social grouping that shares the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations." So shouldn't a group of peoples, all sharing the same basic beliefs be considered societal? (Wikipedia definition) I would also argue that living in an area that has for the past I-don't-know how long been a pure theocracy, that being Islam was a given, and that violence and oppression severly limited a) the choice to no longer be a Muslim, or b ) the opportunity to learn anything that did not fall under Islamic doctrine (ie hearing about Christianity...or any other religion for that matter).
I certainly agree with your point that stated that America, Britain, N Korea and China all have been/are bullies. I certainly don't agree with everything we do in the US...and certainly don't agree with N Korea's and China's policies. But I do believe that Islam has a leadership akin to what a nation has...a ruling elite if you will.
The thing with Nike happened in the early 1990's. Nike came out with a design on the back of some of their shoes that the Islamic people were angered about. It vaguely resmembled the Arabic character for Allah. Here is what Nike's symbol looked like this
and here's what Allah looks like:
(if the picture doesn't show, simply go here
Now, when I was at school a few years ago, we had a speaker come and talk to our class. I don't rightfully recall his religious affiliations, but I do recal him being of Middle Eastern descent. I don't remember his name off the top of my head, but I feel reasonably confident I could get it without too much trouble. Anyway, he had done extensive research and had 3 or so books regarding the Islamic "Nation" and how they do what they do. According to him, there is what could be considered a ruling elite to Islam and after Nike made their shoes, they essentially told Nike that they were going to purge the company. Nike of course immediately appoligised and recalled the shoes and no longer sold anything bearing that particular logo to areas such as Saudi Arabia, and then started supporting Islam financially. This inclueded schools, playgrounds, and the like as well as helping fund spreading the word of Islam. Towhit, the point I was attempting to make was that Nike as a corperation was the number one entity supporting Islam.
Thank you again for the response as it really did make me think about what I had written and the wording I had used. I've actually spent a fair amount of time drafting this response (in part due to computer availability). On a side note, and don't take this as me slapping you in the face or anything, its something that I simply ask you to consider to consider and maybe even reflect on. I consider myself a Christian, and a rather conservative one at that, to the point that I sometimes disagree when people refer to themselves as "Christian." You refered to yourself as an agnostic athiest. In my opinion, and you can take it or leave it, that is a direct contradiction of tearms. I think it was Dr. Gregory House who refered to agnostics as "Lazy Athiests." Now, I don't necessarily agree with that either, but I do believe that the term "agnostic" means you don't know what to believe and you are looking to find what to believe in. Stating directly afterthat that you're an athiest says that you have already made up your mind. Just something to think about. Feel free to pm me if you're ever interested in discussing it.
Ok. I'm done now.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“One thing a computer can do that most humans can't is be sealed up in a cardboard box and sit in a warehouse”
--Jack Handy
I continue to disagree with your idea of what constitutes a society. There are countless Muslim people who do not live in primarily Muslim countries or Arabic countries and live life by very different rules. There are different ways to take Islam, just as there are different ways to take Christianity, Judaism etc. Islam is only a part of someone's culture, and there are extraordinary differences between a Muslim living in Palestine versus a Muslim living in Canada (for example). To lump all people of one religion together as if they all had exactly the same culture is a bit ridiculous, in my opinion.
Again you're talking about "an area" that is "pure theocracy" etc, you're still not naming any particular place(s). The entire Middle East is not run by militant Islamist groups or Muslim dictators (especially in recent years as things have begun to change there). Three are some countries with a lot of freedom in terms of culture and religion - just as much as you might find in America. Just as an American might look down at someone for being a foreigner or for being non-christian or non-white (not all Americans, obviously, but some) so to might some of the people in these nations do the same for non-muslims or non-arabs, but that is true almost anywhere.
If you want to be more specific and say maybe Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, then I could agree with the notion of violent reprisal for non-Islamic beliefs, etc. When it comes to a 'ruling elite' - Hell, look at the Roman Catholic church and their papalcy!
I don't see how my personal religious beliefs enter into this discussion, but I will quickly address the matter so that people understand what I'm talking about: Agnostic Atheism is not an oxymoron. It means that while I believe in no deity or God, I am open to the possibility that one might exist. I find there to be little to no evidence that God, A God, or Gods exist - but my personal philosophy prevents me from speaking empirically on the matter. You can choose to think of me as a lazy atheist if you so choose, but it's not about being lazy. It's about deciding that there is not enough evidence on either side of the debate to make an intelligent decision.
I appreicate the discussion and thank you for the point's you've made. I'll certainly consider them in all future posts. I honestly hadn't really thought about how dated some of the points I'd made were.
As an aside about being an agnostic. And again, this is by no means an attack on you or anything. But if you are not looking for the truth (whatever you find to be your truth) then you will remain an agnostic forever. Just a thought.
Peace.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“One thing a computer can do that most humans can't is be sealed up in a cardboard box and sit in a warehouse”
--Jack Handy
I appreicate the discussion and thank you for the point's you've made. I'll certainly consider them in all future posts. I honestly hadn't really thought about how dated some of the points I'd made were.
As an aside about being an agnostic. And again, this is by no means an attack on you or anything. But if you are not looking for the truth (whatever you find to be your truth) then you will remain an agnostic forever. Just a thought.
Peace.
There's nothing wrong with being an agnostic. I have found my truth. My philosophy is such that I believe human beings are too flawed and our perceptions too limited to ever really know anything for sure - as such I cannot fully deny or accept any god.
Since when do we have a "ruling elite" ? lol. The very concept is laughable. It reminds me of these conspiracy movies some people put out saying that there are ruling elites in this country, the Jews are the ruling elite, the Bankers are the ruling elite. Just stop it, it's nonsensical and baseless.
The whole concept that states there is some "Muslim society" is absolutely ridiculous. There is no such thing. There's a society, the majority of which is Muslim, perhaps. I can't think of one country, the majority of which is Muslim, that has the entirety of its Muslim population support one certain doctrine unanimously and without hesitation. Countries don't simply become a Muslim nation. The work of the Muslims in Arabic countries is appalling at best. They are reckless, unorganized, selfish, power hungry, hypocritical wild animals that don't know how to do anything properly. Ask me, I fucking live in the middle of it all.
There is no "unified" Muslim nation, as there is, say, an American nation, if you understand what I mean. Every Islamic country has its different idea on things, and the majority bicker with each other. Almost always, the vast majority of people associate "Islam" with "Arab" while the vast majority of Muslims aren't Arab at all. In fact, there are more Christians in Africa than there are Muslims in Arab country, yet you don't see anyone associating Christianity with being African. That very ill-conceived concept is what I believe is driving your idea that there is an Islamic nation and that it's a bully. Let's assume there even is such a thing. How is it a bully? Do you want us to believe that because a few hundred, perhaps a few thousand, morons CLAIMING to be Muslims all the while slaughtering innocents and breaking every Islamic law known to mankind, are indeed representatives of this "Islamic Nation" ? Not one nation threatens another country with brute force if said country doesn't do what it wants, in the way, that say, America does. Not one majorly Muslim country has invaded another country, harmed another non-Muslim country, because of interests it wants to fulfill or resources it wants to gain, like say, America has done in more than one country. The very notion you suggest is absolutely and exclusively insulting, and you don't even know it (which in itself is even more insulting).
That thing about Nike is even more laughable and insulting. Have you considered the possibility of them supporting Islam by building playgrounds and all that as a maneuver to save face because their design does in fact look like the symbol for Allah? I'm the most open-minded and critical Muslim you will probably ever meet, because I know how idiotic and childish some Muslims can be (like the response to the Mohammed caricature that Danish dude did), but having a symbol that resembles the symbol for Allah SO MUCH being on the back of a frikkin shoe will no doubt piss off plenty of people, much like how Madonna pissed off plenty of Christians when she rolled into stage pinned to a crucifix. I took the time to point out how the symbol that Nike used may resemble the traditional symbol of Allah used in Islam. The similarities are too much to not notice. Even if by any chance they didn't mean it, they're going to do all those things and offer all those things to Muslims as a way to save face in Muslim countries.
Believe what you want to believe, but if you value advice, then I advise you to read more, get acquainted with the things you're saying more, then form a more coherent, logical, and sensible opinion about all the things you touched upon in this topic. Cheers.
Your minimalist and rather retrograde approach to what these different religions constitute is appalling.
You and your friends/people-you-know unfortunately do not constitute a normative sample from which you can generalize your observations. The not-getting-any-booty-is-lame must be the very pinnacle of your ignorance.
Not getting any booty is lame.
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You can trust me, I'm a doctor.
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I don't know how to embed the video, so if somebody else wants to, it's this one.
What are your thoughts on this?
Living in the US, the way I see it, in not too many years, we'll either be owned by China, or in not many more years, we will become a Muslim nation.
Now before people tear into me (I don't think anybody here would, but all the "discussions" on Kotaku and Gizmodo and such make me want to add a disclaimer), I want to point out that I have nothing against Muslims as individuals. I do believe that as a society, you are in it until you die...or else. I also think that as a nation they are nothing more than bullies. You might have to dig to find information, but there is a reason why Nike is the #1 supporter of Muslims internationally, and in my opinion, from what I've read/heard, it is mainly due to threats of the infamous "jihad"
Now, I have never made a formal study of any of this. I just find all the little tidbits of information quite interesting. I welcome any- and everybody to correct me on points that are incorrect. So...back on topic...what are your thoughts?
--Jack Handy
Your errors and misguided ideas are quite numerous (esp. in regards to Islam). I myself am an agnostic atheist w/ no Muslim or Arabic ancestry, but I at least understand a few of these key facts:
Islam is not a society. It is a religion. You are not in it until you die anymore than you are w/ Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism. You can convert out of it just like any other religion. As with any other religion, you may or may not experience backlash based on the sorts of people you know.
Islam is also not a nation. Now, I'm pretty sure you knew this and weren't speaking literally - but then I must ask which nation you were speaking of. There are no nations that are 100% Muslim. There are countries with a majority, but to suggest that most of them are "bullies" anymore than most Western or Eastern powers is absolutely ridiculous. Look at America, Britain, North Korea, China. Those countries are dangerous bullies in their own rights.
What on earth does Nike have to do with anything? Where are you getting the idea that Nike is the #1 supporter of Muslims? That doesn't even make sense. Do you mean they donate the most money to mosques, that they personally fund Muslim people, or that they invest in Muslim-run countries/companies? You can't just throw such a vague and relatively meaningless fact into an argument for no good reason - so what's your reason?
A Jihad? Seriously? The Muslim world is going to hold a Jihad against Nike? Yeah - right. Not only does the Muslim world as a whole not condone any Jihads, Jihad doesn't even always refer to a "holy war" as most people in the West incorrectly assume. I believe it means "struggle" and there are many personal ways in which to experience Jihad.
At most one small group of Muslims might announce their hatred for Nike (who, btw, is a terrible organization that has and does abuse international child labour) - but how is this different than any other group announcing a hatred for any other organization? Should PETA or GreenPeace be denounced for hating companies that do animal testing? Should we assume that all Americans are associated with these groups and that they all believe the same way?
I'm glad you're at least open to listen to reason - but you've really got a long way to come. The American government and media has done an awful lot to skew your impression of foreign nations and exotic religions. The amount of xenophobia bred into Americans from birth is just shocking.
I sincerely hope you do some more research on Islam, the Middle East, and the world in general before you make any more such statements. I'm not going to go into anything further about Christianity or America or the idea that change is somehow evil, but I want to ask that you seriously consider your stance on all these points and really ask yourself where your beliefs come from and whether or not real facts validate them.
Thank you!
Christians: From my experience mostly don't care about their religion(includes me and my friends)
Islam: Muslim countries are starting revolutions against their government and I bet their women are tired of not being treated as equals.
Judaism It seems to be embarassing for youths to admit your a jew today(or any religion)
Hinduism: Hindu still discriminates poor(dirty) people, even though it's "illegal".
Buddism: Well they'll all soon realise that sitting and meditating your entire life and not getting any booty is really lame, as Altaïr in AC said: "I long for the day when men turn away from invisible monsters and once more embrace a more rational view of the world. But these new religions are so convenient – and promise such terrible punishment should one reject them – I worry that fear shall keep us stuck to what is surely the greatest lie ever told". If you don't give up all your dreams in buddism you'll have to be reborn again, buhu!
About you worrying about the US becoming a muslim country: No, just won't happen.
Your minimalist and rather retrograde approach to what these different religions constitute is appalling.
You and your friends/people-you-know unfortunately do not constitute a normative sample from which you can generalize your observations. The not-getting-any-booty-is-lame must be the very pinnacle of your ignorance.
I appreciate the response...if not necessarily the tone of it. Please note that it is not my intention to offend anybody, but my remarks are not baseless.
I would argue that Christianity is a society. Society can be defined as "a large social grouping that shares the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations." So shouldn't a group of peoples, all sharing the same basic beliefs be considered societal? (Wikipedia definition) I would also argue that living in an area that has for the past I-don't-know how long been a pure theocracy, that being Islam was a given, and that violence and oppression severly limited a) the choice to no longer be a Muslim, or b ) the opportunity to learn anything that did not fall under Islamic doctrine (ie hearing about Christianity...or any other religion for that matter).
I certainly agree with your point that stated that America, Britain, N Korea and China all have been/are bullies. I certainly don't agree with everything we do in the US...and certainly don't agree with N Korea's and China's policies. But I do believe that Islam has a leadership akin to what a nation has...a ruling elite if you will.
The thing with Nike happened in the early 1990's. Nike came out with a design on the back of some of their shoes that the Islamic people were angered about. It vaguely resmembled the Arabic character for Allah. Here is what Nike's symbol looked like this
and here's what Allah looks like:
(if the picture doesn't show, simply go here
Now, when I was at school a few years ago, we had a speaker come and talk to our class. I don't rightfully recall his religious affiliations, but I do recal him being of Middle Eastern descent. I don't remember his name off the top of my head, but I feel reasonably confident I could get it without too much trouble. Anyway, he had done extensive research and had 3 or so books regarding the Islamic "Nation" and how they do what they do. According to him, there is what could be considered a ruling elite to Islam and after Nike made their shoes, they essentially told Nike that they were going to purge the company. Nike of course immediately appoligised and recalled the shoes and no longer sold anything bearing that particular logo to areas such as Saudi Arabia, and then started supporting Islam financially. This inclueded schools, playgrounds, and the like as well as helping fund spreading the word of Islam. Towhit, the point I was attempting to make was that Nike as a corperation was the number one entity supporting Islam.
Thank you again for the response as it really did make me think about what I had written and the wording I had used. I've actually spent a fair amount of time drafting this response (in part due to computer availability). On a side note, and don't take this as me slapping you in the face or anything, its something that I simply ask you to consider to consider and maybe even reflect on. I consider myself a Christian, and a rather conservative one at that, to the point that I sometimes disagree when people refer to themselves as "Christian." You refered to yourself as an agnostic athiest. In my opinion, and you can take it or leave it, that is a direct contradiction of tearms. I think it was Dr. Gregory House who refered to agnostics as "Lazy Athiests." Now, I don't necessarily agree with that either, but I do believe that the term "agnostic" means you don't know what to believe and you are looking to find what to believe in. Stating directly afterthat that you're an athiest says that you have already made up your mind. Just something to think about. Feel free to pm me if you're ever interested in discussing it.
Ok. I'm done now.
--Jack Handy
Again you're talking about "an area" that is "pure theocracy" etc, you're still not naming any particular place(s). The entire Middle East is not run by militant Islamist groups or Muslim dictators (especially in recent years as things have begun to change there). Three are some countries with a lot of freedom in terms of culture and religion - just as much as you might find in America. Just as an American might look down at someone for being a foreigner or for being non-christian or non-white (not all Americans, obviously, but some) so to might some of the people in these nations do the same for non-muslims or non-arabs, but that is true almost anywhere.
If you want to be more specific and say maybe Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, then I could agree with the notion of violent reprisal for non-Islamic beliefs, etc. When it comes to a 'ruling elite' - Hell, look at the Roman Catholic church and their papalcy!
I don't see how my personal religious beliefs enter into this discussion, but I will quickly address the matter so that people understand what I'm talking about: Agnostic Atheism is not an oxymoron. It means that while I believe in no deity or God, I am open to the possibility that one might exist. I find there to be little to no evidence that God, A God, or Gods exist - but my personal philosophy prevents me from speaking empirically on the matter. You can choose to think of me as a lazy atheist if you so choose, but it's not about being lazy. It's about deciding that there is not enough evidence on either side of the debate to make an intelligent decision.
As an aside about being an agnostic. And again, this is by no means an attack on you or anything. But if you are not looking for the truth (whatever you find to be your truth) then you will remain an agnostic forever. Just a thought.
Peace.
--Jack Handy
There's nothing wrong with being an agnostic. I have found my truth. My philosophy is such that I believe human beings are too flawed and our perceptions too limited to ever really know anything for sure - as such I cannot fully deny or accept any god.
The whole concept that states there is some "Muslim society" is absolutely ridiculous. There is no such thing. There's a society, the majority of which is Muslim, perhaps. I can't think of one country, the majority of which is Muslim, that has the entirety of its Muslim population support one certain doctrine unanimously and without hesitation. Countries don't simply become a Muslim nation. The work of the Muslims in Arabic countries is appalling at best. They are reckless, unorganized, selfish, power hungry, hypocritical wild animals that don't know how to do anything properly. Ask me, I fucking live in the middle of it all.
There is no "unified" Muslim nation, as there is, say, an American nation, if you understand what I mean. Every Islamic country has its different idea on things, and the majority bicker with each other. Almost always, the vast majority of people associate "Islam" with "Arab" while the vast majority of Muslims aren't Arab at all. In fact, there are more Christians in Africa than there are Muslims in Arab country, yet you don't see anyone associating Christianity with being African. That very ill-conceived concept is what I believe is driving your idea that there is an Islamic nation and that it's a bully. Let's assume there even is such a thing. How is it a bully? Do you want us to believe that because a few hundred, perhaps a few thousand, morons CLAIMING to be Muslims all the while slaughtering innocents and breaking every Islamic law known to mankind, are indeed representatives of this "Islamic Nation" ? Not one nation threatens another country with brute force if said country doesn't do what it wants, in the way, that say, America does. Not one majorly Muslim country has invaded another country, harmed another non-Muslim country, because of interests it wants to fulfill or resources it wants to gain, like say, America has done in more than one country. The very notion you suggest is absolutely and exclusively insulting, and you don't even know it (which in itself is even more insulting).
That thing about Nike is even more laughable and insulting. Have you considered the possibility of them supporting Islam by building playgrounds and all that as a maneuver to save face because their design does in fact look like the symbol for Allah? I'm the most open-minded and critical Muslim you will probably ever meet, because I know how idiotic and childish some Muslims can be (like the response to the Mohammed caricature that Danish dude did), but having a symbol that resembles the symbol for Allah SO MUCH being on the back of a frikkin shoe will no doubt piss off plenty of people, much like how Madonna pissed off plenty of Christians when she rolled into stage pinned to a crucifix. I took the time to point out how the symbol that Nike used may resemble the traditional symbol of Allah used in Islam. The similarities are too much to not notice. Even if by any chance they didn't mean it, they're going to do all those things and offer all those things to Muslims as a way to save face in Muslim countries.
Believe what you want to believe, but if you value advice, then I advise you to read more, get acquainted with the things you're saying more, then form a more coherent, logical, and sensible opinion about all the things you touched upon in this topic. Cheers.
Rise and rise again, until lambs become lions
Not getting any booty is lame.