Letters to the Editor
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Are you joking?
Bunting says of the Pope's speech: "It was a gratuitous reawakening of the most entrenched and self-serving of Western prejudices--that Muslims have a unique proclivity to violence, a claim that has no basis in history or in current world events (a fact that still eludes too many Westerners)."
Who is she trying to fool?
I am a very liberal, ex-Catholic. I can talk to you for hours about why I no longer consider myself a Catholic, but you've all heard it before. I know the history of the Catholic Church; I'm aware of the atrocities it has committed directly or indirectly throughout history. Being female, I know personally that the Catholic Church hasn't done much for women's rights (understatement of the year). So, basically, I know that the Catholic Church is a very flawed institution.
That being said, I find Bunting's above quote insufferable. Though she is correct when she asserts that the "proclivity to violence" is not unique to Muslims by any means, history and a glimpse at today's headlines prove that they do not abstain from violence. When fundamentalist Christians stop torching abortion clinics, quit trying to pass off mythology as science in our public schools, and stop telling us who we can marry and what we can do in our bedrooms, I'll be able to see Christianity in a new light. When (supposedly) fundamentalist Muslims stop their outright repression of women and cease their rioting and murdering anytime someone of importance practices their right to free speech, I will also view Islam in a new light. Perhaps then, and only then, will Bunting's outrageous claim have any merit.
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Sigh
Anybody else feel like that? My dog this is just so tedious. Tiresome, tragic, boring, nauseating and silly.
Anybody care to join me in creating a country without religion? Is it even possible? I have this fantasy that there is some decent piece of land somewhere on this planet where we atheists can go and live in peace, where the religious are not allowed.
At this point it's clear that peace does not happen as a result of religion. I'm so sick of having my world fucked up to some degree, on a regular basis, because of nonsense that nobody can even fucking prove. Kinda reminds me of the way Bush & Co want to convict people on "evidence" nobody ever gets to see. Think about it. The world is turned upside down on a regular basis over things that don't even exist, let alone make any sense.
Atheist Country Somewhere. No believers allowed. Anyone with me?
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Gosh, Sgt. Steve...
You're right. The execution of apostates and (by stoning) of adulters under Sharia law in Iran, the bombing and slaughter of innocents in Baghdad by their fellow countrymen, the use of (Muslim) bystanders as human shields in Palestine by placing weapons in apartment buildings and residential neighborhoods (recounted - and excused - here in Salon), the continued subjugation off women in such enlightened states as Saudi Arabia,is mere talk, which we should not take at face value. I'm sure they're just joking.
By the way, is Sgt. Steve the name on your driver's license? If you are so certain of your opinion, then there really is no need to hide behind an alias on the Web. No one is coming after you.
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Radical Muslim: "How dare you say that my religion is based on violence and hate?"
Why I'll show you! I'll go kill one of your helpless nuns! That will show you that you're wrong!
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Why'd the Pope do it?
Because he's an asshole.
Seriously. NPR's Sylvia Pajoli reported yesterday that Vatican scholars agree that he can't just play innocent-stupid now, that he knew what he was doing, and he was at least somewhat aware that his comments could and would provoke outrage. He's not a nice guy, people. He's conniving, he's strategic, what he's trying to do is appeal to non-Muslim europeans who feel assaulted by their Muslim populations, and bring them back to the church. And that's an asshole thing to do for a pope - to appeal to people's prejudices, fears and ignorance to bring them to the church. But, for most organized religions, it's nothing new, right? :)
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Dear No Name Given, who wants a country where religion isn't "allowed"
The glorious state of North Korea is currently accepting visa applications. We welcome you into the flock!
But seriously, where will you get the precious "diversity" that is so needed to create a wonderful society? You won't find many non-white, non-college educated folks to come along on your glorious utopia. You know how those blacks and Hispanics love their God. Can you live with the guilt of creating an all-white society? And, who will sweep the floors at the Whole Foods Market in your new country?
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Pete
You could add to this list the murder of a Dutch filmmaker who dared criticize Islam, the riots all over the world when people were bold enough to depict the prophet in cartoons, and the protests taking place at Catholic churches in London.
To my way of thinking, Europe is the canary in the mine, a warning of what happens when Muslims form a critical mass or (in the case of England) sense the weakness of the society that welcomed them. In fact, isn't this very article, written by a British woman for a British newspaper, representative of the Muslim appeasement that is going on over there?
It's not just terrorism, Sgt Steve. Muslim terrorists are the extreme edge of Muslim antipathy towards the West, but Islam represents a continuum of violent compulsion - the terrorists do not represent a break with Islam one bit. It is the weight of an entire religion built on a single rule in dealing with outsiders - death or submission. Don't you know, Sgt Steve, that you live in the House of War? It isn't just terrorists who say so....
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Almost forgot...
Whether Adolf Hitler was seen as the face of the West or not, the fact is that his "ravings" did result in the slaughter of six million innocents because of their religon - not to mention some forty million or so soldiers and non-combatants in the ETO, but not counting the seven million or so German dead who followed him blindly down the path of attempted world domination.
Not bad for mere words, eh?