What religion Should America fear the most? (fanaticism, Muslims, God)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
hmm it's a pretty accurate assessment, ball peen's post that is..
Not really. Islam isn't a unified entity so it's a bit hard to say it's "at war against every nation that has freedom of religion, or freedom of thought." Particularly as Albania, Mali, Senegal, and maybe Turkey are Muslim nations generally listed as having freedom of religion.
Also the world has existed 14 centuries since Islam started so if it's the biggest threat in the world it's not very good at being a global threat. I mean okay some Muslims beat the Chinese at Talas River only a century or so after Muhammad, but did China become Muslim? No. Taken as a whole does the Muslim world of today have a bigger economy than the non-Muslim world? No. Does it have more nukes? Heck no.
The biggest threat is probably climate change or soil erosion or asteroids or something. In terms of ideology I don't know. Islamism might be the only major totalitarian movement right now, but if you've studied it it mostly just takes over screwed up countries and keeps them screwed up. Iran and Pakistan have some power, but nothing like Stalin or Hitler really. I'm not sure if they even end up at the level of Mussolini, but maybe. Saudi has power from oil, but the Arab world has already shown they can't even defeat Israel.
If Islam is the greatest threat than life is wonderful.
In my opinion we need not fear any religion. I believe that mainstream secular Americans are our worse enemy. We Americans have more to fear from Americans than any other group.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodrow LI
I agree any religion, ideology or even culture when carried to the extreme is something to be feared.
Which apparently is most of them?
"Secular Americans are our worse enemy."
The evidence indicates that Secularism is a threat to religion, but religion is a threat to the people.
When you look up the worst or most dangerous places in the world to live they are almost always predominately Muslim or Muslim + some other religion. Why would we want to bring that lifestyle here!
When you look at the safest most preferred places to live many are secular or moving that direction. I was in Ireland last year, it was wonderful. Initially I felt bad when I saw all of the empty churches, then I had a realization that with the decline of religion came peace amongst the people. How can you argue with that? Do you really think that it is fluke.
Woodrow LI, I believe that Islam is good on a small or individual level. It sounds like it works very well for you and even Muslims within my own family. But as a whole there is no evidence at least on a larger scale (country wide) that Islam or most other serious religions results in anything but destroying lives.
Fear is not the issue. Dealing with threats posed with religious impetus is the issue.
But focusing on one religion is a poor policy. Threats will emanate from all quarters. To focus in one direction is to let ones guard down.
Attacks on science (for example) should be repelled, regardless if those attacks come from Christians, Muslims, Scientologists, or secular sources with an agenda (for example, an economic agenda that compels them to attack climate science because they don't want to have to fund possible solutions).
The same is true for other attacks which come with a religious impetus, attacks which also may be joined by secular forces. Focus needs to be on threatening actions, not possibilities. Anyone and everyone is a conceivable threat. We must address the threats that manifest themselves, not blind ourselves by looking hardest in one direction for threats.
Fear is not the issue. Dealing with threats posed with religious impetus is the issue.
But focusing on one religion is a poor policy. Threats will emanate from all quarters. To focus in one direction is to let ones guard down.
Attacks on science (for example) should be repelled, regardless if those attacks come from Christians, Muslims, Scientologists, or secular sources with an agenda (for example, an economic agenda that compels them to attack climate science because they don't want to have to fund possible solutions).
The same is true for other attacks which come with a religious impetus, attacks which also may be joined by secular forces. Focus needs to be on threatening actions, not possibilities. Anyone and everyone is a conceivable threat. We must address the threats that manifest themselves, not blind ourselves by looking hardest in one direction for threats.
I agree with most of what you say. The current evidence in the world shows that "Some" people who identify themselves as Muslim are the current biggest issue as far a religious based threats go: Hijackings, bombings, Violent clashes in Europe trying to force Sharia law on non-believers, etc. The arguments posed by their supporters always say Our attack on Iraq/Afghanistan or the Nazi's or a Timothy McVey type are the Christian equivalent to the Muslim extremist. Considering are country and our military is secular that point is moot and there’s nothing Christian about the Nazis and McVey had an agenda based outside of religion. Most importantly none of the above screamed "Jesus loves you" as they blew themselves up or flew a plane into a building.
The threat from Christian extremist is real in the case of the Davidians and the Peoples Temple they have almost no sympathy from the rest of Christianity and they were not out there attacking Muslims or Buddhist either.
Unfortunately the threat from fanatical Islamist is both State supported and sympathetically supported by many more moderate Muslims around the world, namely because they have a shared religion!
Unfortunately the threat from fanatical Islamist is both State supported and sympathetically supported by many more moderate Muslims around the world, namely because they have a shared religion!
Here I find just the opposite to be true. I can not think of a single Muslim dominant nation that has not condemned terrorism. Every Muslim I personally know sees Terrorism and fanaticism as being enemies of Islam. Every prominent scholar has presented fatwas declaring terrorism and fanaticism to be against the teachings of Islam.
I do not see the support that most non-Muslims believe the radicals get.
Here I find just the opposite to be true. I can not think of a single Muslim dominant nation that has not condemned terrorism. Every Muslim I personally know sees Terrorism and fanaticism as being enemies of Islam. Every prominent scholar has presented fatwas declaring terrorism and fanaticism to be against the teachings of Islam.
I do not see the support that most non-Muslims believe the radicals get.
...what YOU find to be true is errelevent....iran comes to mind, for starters..and what about these radical imans who spew their hatred in mosques all over the world......you remind me of the manhatten socialite that, when bush was elected, exclaimed in awe, "How on earth did he get elected, I don't know a soul that voted for him!"....get out of your self imposed bubble...glad that your religion works for you but don't try to b.s. me...
...what YOU find to be true is errelevent....iran comes to mind, for starters..and what about these radical imans who spew their hatred in mosques all over the world......you remind me of the manhatten socialite that, when bush was elected, exclaimed in awe, "How on earth did he get elected, I don't know a soul that voted for him!"....get out of your self imposed bubble...glad that your religion works for you but don't try to b.s. me...
You may not realize it but Iran is a Shi'i nation and only represents the shi'a. 85% of us are Sunni and do not follow the ayatollah, that is shi'i ideology.
I have had lived in the Mideast for quite a few years as a Christian openly Evangelizing Christianity and never met any Hostilities.
The hard part non Muslims have understanding is Islam has no ordained clergy and no Central Leadership. There no Muslim Vatican or the like. Yes there are radical Imams, but any Muslim can be an Imam, many Imams have no formal training and know little more than how to lead the prayers. In most Mosques it is usually either the oldest person present or the one with the most knowledge on leading prayers. I was often selected to be the Imam during prayers at the Mosques I attended in Austin. As Muslims we are not to follow any human unless we have verified what they say and find it to be true.
Here in the USA I have only attended the sunni Mosques and Just those in Louisiana, Texas and the only one in Fargo, ND. Currently there are about 6,000 Mosques in the USA. There have been Muslims in the USA since 1492. The first identified Mosque was a converted house in Maryland established as a Mosque in 1731. America has a long Islamic History and The current US Muslim population as a percentage is lower than it has ever been. Out of all the Mosques and Imams known to have been in existence in the USA It seems only 65 to 70 have ever had any connections with terrorism. Those being mostly since 9/11. Historically 161 American Muslims have been found involved in Terrorist plots and nearly all of those occurred outside the USA
Right now American Imams are fairly well trained with the majority having earned a BS in Islamic studies with a major in Qur'anic Studies at the University Of Texas Austin.
For the Most part Muslims in the USA are unnoticed. Only the big mouthed ones like me are easily recognized as being Muslim. Up here in ND there are about 8,000 Muslims yet most ND residents do not believe there are any of us here. We almost always get mistaken as being Amish, the woman are usually thought to be Native American as the sunnah clothing is similar to the traditional Lakotah clothing. My beard tends to keep me from being mistaken for Native American, but I still have people come up to me and say I am the first Indian they ever saw with a beard.
The online Mosque that I have has visitors from every Islamic nation. My views and what I teach are very much out in the open. I average about 3000 visitors per week. I only have counters on 2 pages. But I use Google analytics and can see the daily visits and the location they are from on every page. So far I have not received as much as one comment that I am not giving proper Sunni teachings.
Here I find just the opposite to be true. I can not think of a single Muslim dominant nation that has not condemned terrorism. Every Muslim I personally know sees Terrorism and fanaticism as being enemies of Islam. Every prominent scholar has presented fatwas declaring terrorism and fanaticism to be against the teachings of Islam.
I do not see the support that most non-Muslims believe the radicals get.
How do you explain Muslim-dominant nations that harbor known terrorists?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
...you remind me of the manhatten socialite that, when bush was elected, exclaimed in awe, "How on earth did he get elected, I don't know a soul that voted for him!"....get out of your self imposed bubble...glad that your religion works for you but don't try to b.s. me...
