What about the plight of Christians in the Occupied Territories

I'd like to hear what you think the plight of Christians is in the Occupied Territories. I'm assuming you think that they face another plight than the Muslims they share their blockaded, under-siege and oppressed towns and villages with. Or do you think that there is some plight more dangerous to Christians in the occupied territories than Israel?

Or did you just write the word "Christians" and list all of the Arab countries you could remember?

The Islamic world is embroiled in violence with a vast array of non-Muslim groups in a host of socio-political situations. You simply want to ignore that inconvenient truth and search for excuses in the tired blame-the-West political rhetoric.

But they are mostly not over here; we are very much over there. (Do I have to say I mean that in a military sense?) Do you think that might have something to do with it?

By being a Muslim you are responsible on some level for the violent consequences of your faith's domineering supremacist ethos.

That's so stupid on so many levels. I really don't think I've actually heard anyone really articulate that to me before. Really, the dumbest thing I've read here in a while.

Don't be part of an ideology if you don't want to be associated with the actions of your fellow believers.

We're sorry, but we already have a winner for today's Amity Award. Please try again tomorrow.

Funny how these conversations always end up on that topic. If the kilogram is the accepted world-wide standard for the measure of mass, the Jew is now the accepted world-wide standard for the measure of a people's persecution. The propaganda has been successful.

I would submit that Israel is relevant to this event, only in the fact that a) the Uighers are Muslim, and b) Xinjiang defines the Eastern-most border comprising the Central Asian region in which most of our oil is going to come from for the next several hundred years. On the chessboard of Earth, Israel is our Knight in the Middle East, willing and able to take out any Muslim, or Persian, or any other non-Judeo-Christian opponent.

Turkey seems more like a ninja for hire.

For those who are so upset about Christian Zionism, there was a post today in a wonderful blog called "DesertPeace" (see sig), but upon further inspection the news is three years old. However, it was news to me, and heartwarmingly so. To wit:

"Religious Leaders' Statement on Christian Zionism"
http://www.zenit.org/article-16848?l=english

JERUSALEM, AUG. 30, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is "The Jerusalem Declaration on Christian Zionism" released Aug. 22. The statement was written by Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem and other local heads of Churches in Jerusalem.

* * *

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Christian Zionism is a modern theological and political movement that embraces the most extreme ideological positions of Zionism, thereby becoming detrimental to a just peace within Palestine and Israel.

The Christian Zionist program provides a worldview where the Gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism. In its extreme form, it laces an emphasis on apocalyptic events leading to the end of history rather than living Christ's love and justice today.

We categorically reject Christian Zionist doctrines as false teaching that corrupts the biblical message of love, justice and reconciliation.

We further reject the contemporary alliance of Christian Zionist leaders and organizations with elements in the governments of Israel and the United States that are presently imposing their unilateral preemptive borders and domination over Palestine.

This inevitably leads to unending cycles of violence that undermine the security of all peoples of the Middle East and the rest of the world.

... (see more at url)

Of course you are entitled to an opinion, even though it is wrong. :-)

I'm not going to waste my time reading anything you post until you can explain to me how the mass murder and slaughter of nearly 1,400 Gazans by the Israeli military under the ridiculous claim that isolated unguided missiles forced them to do it, is anything other than racist oppression that is even worse than other terrorist acts because it is being perpetrated by a so called democratic government. And to this day the terror continues because Israel will not let a true recovery take place. I hate to compare which terrorism is worse, but you seem bent on doing that.

Although the underlying issues are essentially the same.

Within China, Uighurs long dominated certain trading networks perhaps going back to the days of the Silk Road. In the 1980s they were the people you went to if you wanted to change money. It was said they needed hard currency to make a pulgrimage to Mecca. But I think in fact most of it went for consumer goods that they bought in coastal China and resold in Urumqi.

The Han Chinese look at them as tough people you don't want to cross. There have been little Urumqi's in Beijing, which typically have a short life owing to the relentless pace of urban renewal. Uighur cuisine is very tasty, but for the Chinese venturing into a Uighur eating establishment was akin to a Manhattanite venturing across the bridge into black Brooklyn for soul food.

Shoot! I just spent 15 minutes crafting this post! Our friend NP NP has left the building, and taken his last two posts with him. I'll post this anyway.

In memorium, NP NP.

----------

A satire taken from the movie the Matrix, re "NP NP"'s comments, wherein Neo (NP NP) has just been shown the Truth...

NP NP begins to panic.

NP NP : No....I don't believe it!! It's not possible.

Morpheus : I didn't say it would be easy, NP NP, I just said it would be the truth.

NP NP : Noooo!! Stop!! Let me out!! I want out!!

His eyes snap open and he thrashes against the chair, trying to rip the cable from the back of his neck. Trinity tries to calm him down.

Trinity : Easy, NP NP. Easy...

NP NP : Take this thing off me!! Take this thing..

Morpheus : Listen to me...

NP NP : Don't touch me! Stay away from me! I don't want it, I don't believe it!!

Cypher rolls his eyes at NP NP as he tries to get up out the chair.

Cypher : He's gonna pop.

NP NP gets up out the chair, and as he is dizzy, staggers about the room a bit, eventually falling onto the ground.

Morpheus : Breathe, NP NP. Just breathe...

NP NP throws up on the floor and passes out. He wakes up later, in his room. Morpheus is sitting beside him. NP NP sits up slowly and looks at him.

NP NP : I can't go back, can I?

Morpheus : No, but if you could, would you really want to?

NP NP isn't sure, so decides not to say anything.

Morpheus : I feel I owe you an apology. We have a rule...we never free a mind once it reaches a certain age. It's dangerous, and the mind has trouble letting go. I've seen it before, and I'm sorry. I did what I did, because...I had to.

NP NP listens

Morpheus : When the Matrix was first built, there was a man born inside who had the ability to change whatever he wanted, to remake the Matrix as he saw fit. It was he who freed the first of us, taught us the truth : 'As long as the Matrix exists, the human race will never be free.' After he died, the Oracle prophesied his return, and that his coming would hail the destruction of the Matrix, end the war, bring freedom to our people. That is why there are those of us who have spent our entire lives searching the Matrix, looking for him. I did what I did because...I believe that search is over.

Morpheus stands up

Morpheus : Get some rest..you're going to need it.

NP NP : For what?

Morpheus : Your training.