| Samus Aran said: Erm, I've been studying the Middle East and Islam extensively. I've always had great admiration for what Muslims achieved during the "middle ages". Spain used to be one of the wealthiest parts of Europe during the middle ages, thanks to the Islam. The same can be said of South Eastern Europe in the late middle ages and early modern time, thanks to the Ottomans. Arabian scholars saved a lot of ancient Greek and Roman knowledge. Without them we would know so little. They also brought a lot of new technology and wisdom to our continent (compass, better ships, Indian math: we even refer to our current number system as Arabian numerals even though they're Indian in origin, better irrigation, etc.). Salah ad-Din was/is a greatly admired Islamic leader, even during the middle ages in Europe! But then came the Great Divergence and Islam is still behind and stuck in time. During the 19th and 20th century once great powers like the Ottoman Empire and Iran/Persia were mere playballs of the Europeans. The whole world was our playball (and I'm not saying that was a good thing) and our might went uncontested until the Russians suffered a humiliating defeat against Japan in 1905. My cousin's girlfriend is having a fantastic time working/living in Ethiopia. In a heavily fortified urban society with servants tending her every move. Does that mean everyone in Ethiopia can enjoy such great living conditions? Of course not. Are you seriously calling the population of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Libia, Tunis, Somalia, Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, etc. a minority? Have you ever taken a look at the laws in those countries? Are you denying the Islamic influence there? What about the poverty? Inequality (between rich and poor, but also gender and sexuality)? It's not like Indonesia is such a great place to live in to begin with. It has a terrible HDI for a reason. Although as an old colony of the Netherlands there's as much Western influence as there is Islamic influence. It's not even a religious state (it's a democratic republic), so it's not the target of my criticism. I'm against Islam as a political institution. And the Islam is definitely the biggest political power in the Middle-East. Oh and aren't the Muslims in China being treated like crap by Chinese officials? How many Germans think Jews are inferior nowadays? I don't have the numbers, but it won't be many. How many Muslims think females are inferior to males? Many millions... I have the same opinion of Islam as Christianity. The difference being that the West is a lot more secular than the Islamic World and thus Christianity doesn't have as much influence on the lives of people anymore as the Islam has. And FYI, I'm attacking Islam as a (political) institution, not individual muslims. One of my best friends has a Muslim father (Morrocan) and is a very kind man and didn't even force his son to become muslim (because he ain't). |
I am not defending islam as a religion or ideology, nor do i agree with much of what it denotes, I am simply saying people trying to attribute being muslim or islamic with "being a terrorist" is wrong.
You say many millions of muslims think females are inferior to males? guess what, many men of ANY religious background believe that, it isnt unique to muslim or islamic teaching and influence.
Look at some of the rediculous comments in this thread and you will see why demonizing a religion rather than demonizing an individual is a fucking terrible approach, and that is exactly what this article does with NO evidence.
All we have is his name and age, no motives, no proof, just that a young boy shot and killed someone then was himself shot and killed.
How about we threat it as exactly that and decide his motives after we have actual evidence, believe it or not, having a muslim name and wearing muslim clothing does not instantly make your actions religious.
the Aus prime minister labelling it an act of terrorism without any fucking proof to support it is jumping the gun in the most disgusting and misleading way possible.
