tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785362.post6641261670730826252..comments2008-03-27T03:03:42.366-07:00As'adnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785362.post-52803777861922645602008-03-27T03:03:00.000-07:002008-03-27T03:03:00.000-07:00Amy Chua is a very bright lady and far more capable of giving a nuanced analysis of social conflict than most so called scholars. Her book "world on fire" was a good example of her talents in this area. Unfortunately the Amy Chuas of the worls are in short supply and scholars with a more reductionistic world view are plentiful.giginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785362.post-74579290010229642352008-03-27T01:23:00.000-07:002008-03-27T01:23:00.000-07:00Muslim civilization is dead. What ehy have is a hybrid of low-level Western civilization plus a pack of Islamic reactionaries. IOW: another fucktard border culture that can neither come in, nor walk away.Midwestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785362.post-67345811590024547762008-03-26T14:09:00.000-07:002008-03-26T14:09:00.000-07:00Only a fool would say that any of the three faiths,Islam or Christianity or Judaism are not man made fiction.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785362.post-15678297881087730452008-03-26T12:30:00.000-07:002008-03-26T12:30:00.000-07:00Many attempts at gathering groups of Muslims,Christians,and Jews ,be they clerics or otherwise,have failed to produce the ever elusive goals of those who sponsor such events.Their success was limited to reciprocating compliments and pleasantries among those in attendance,coupled with some personal gains on the sidelines.Hence,the question as to why these attempts failed to produce more substantial and meaningful results is not only justified but also very essential if the relations between the followers of these faiths are to take on some form of truce if not total peace.Following is my take on the issue.<BR/><BR/>Only a fool would say that any of the three faiths,Islam or Christianity or Judaism,does hold a monopoly on tolerance or lack of it.True scholars admit that when it comes to tolerance,each and every one of these faiths is,to use a layman's term,"a mixed bag".<BR/>It contains as much of the "virtue" as it does of the "vice".This being the case,it is up to the followers to pick and choose.And followers at any one time in any one society will pick and choose what is best suited for their own needs,being tolerant at one time and being intolerant on another.It is very obvious then to all ,except those who are not blinded by bigotry and hatred and preconceived ideas,that what we are dealing with here is a very dynamic process which is constantly changing.This conclusion means that the matter being discussed becomes much more complicated for crackpots with "small minds" to deal with or understand,However,the same conclusion opens up a huge window for hope.This hope lay in the presumption that those who hold the power,on both sides of the divide,are solely interested in and actively seeking the fulfillment of their people's true and real needs,and that they are also interested in doing the right thing towards others in order to stem the roots for the present conflict with them.Sadly,none of these preconditions are anywhere to be found at this time.And until these conditions become a reality,meetings will be held and niceties will be exchanged,but the conflict will rage on and on.<BR/><BR/>As we all know,the most important of all needs for all societies at all times is the need to SURVIVE.Every other value dwarfs by comparison.Hence,to ask a society to be tolerant when its survival is at stake, just because tolerance is trendy and fashionable among those who face no existential dangers of any kind,is not only ridiculous but also will not be listened to,let alone be heeded.<BR/><BR/>In my respectful submission,I dare say that,with few exceptions,the whole Muslim World is trying to SURVIVE.Having been robbed of lands and resources in the past,it is facing the same threat yet again.However,this time the attcak is much more ferocious, because the final aim is not only to satisfy the attackers greed for Muslim lands and resources,but to satisfy their bigotry and hate for Muslim identity as well.And as if Muslims did not have enough to contend with,the attackers are being helped from the enemy within their midst too.Their own rulers,handpicked by the attackers and/or supported by them are doing all what they can to suppress and sabotage all the defense effort.No wonder then that Muslims are forced to use the only weapon in their arsenal to fend off the onslaught,namely their own faith.It is the sort of weapon that has been tested several times in the past and its reliability and effectiveness is assured.How far are Muslims prepared to go depends entirely on the attackers will to back off,reconsider,and make make amends that will ease Muslim fears and redress their grievances.<BR/><BR/>If history teaches us anything,it is clear that Muslims reached the zenith of tolerance when their survival and prosperity were assured.Anything less will draw from them not only a a less tolerant response but a hostile one too.Finally,I shall borrow Hannah Arendt's words and paraphrase by saying "using force against muslims,hoping that they will submit, is the least effective of all weapons",and that is a fact that attackers can chew on for as long or as short as they wish.<BR/>Muslims have all the time in the world.libnaninoreply@blogger.com