ISIS on the offensive in Iraq

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Because when all parties live under a secular democracy that does not hand out political power based on religion, suddenly the Protestants and Catholics are no longer slaughtering each other.

Well, at least not in job lots. The Irish Troubles mean your principle has a few exceptions at least

[a completely inoffensive name]

Well, at least not in job lots. The Irish Troubles mean your principle has a few exceptions at least

The Troubles were not Protestants and Catholics killing each other. The Troubles were nationalists and unionists killing each other.

[Montmorency]

The term you're looking for is covariance, I think.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The Troubles were not Protestants and Catholics killing each other. The Troubles were nationalists and unionists killing each other.

Some truth to that, of course. However, there was an awful lot of conflation between the two labels, as you well know, and more than a few who defined it in religious terms rather than political.

[Brenus]

"The Troubles were not Protestants and Catholics killing each other. The Troubles were nationalists and unionists killing each other" Well, the troubles were that 2 nationalism (unionists being as much as nationalist than Republicans you qualify as nationalists) were killing each other, and the line of partition was on the Religion. Plus real discrimination towards Catholics and Orange Marches. So, lot of economical factors, humiliations and political mistakes...

[HopAlongBunny]

That Muslim terrorist Barrack Obama has asked Congress for Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF)
Republicans are aghast because they could end up supporting Obama; some Democrats are aghast because stopping the war was their talking point.
It looks like the Muslim King of the USA may have to continue the war through Executive Orders; have to wait and see if the hate for Obama is sufficient to have the hawks decline the president's request, with support from the doves.
Politics, it just makes your brain hurt sometimes :)

http://wonkette.com/576138/gop-rep-j...-about-to-bomb

[Greyblades]

Why is obama wanting to get back into the fight?

[Brenus]

To leave the country how he found it.

[TotalGamer]

Why is obama wanting to get back into the fight?

Because Obama is the world police...

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Why is obama wanting to get back into the fight?

Wanting to? Hardly that. For the most part, Obama has sought a domestic Presidency. His FoPo has been, at best, reactive for the entire time.


Tiring. All of it is just malfing tiring.

[Fragony]

Hi Denmark, love, people with culture. Happy valentines day

Thers is only one thing that has nothing to do with it, silly me. How could I think that it has everything to do with islam. RIP victims and good luck wounded. Gotta love enrichment of our values.

[Crandar]

After Derna, ISIS seized Sirte, the city where Gaddafi was executed.

http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/st...ast-2132528594

Meanwhile, in Syria, an officer of the Quds Force died, while bravely fighting for Syria's independence.

[Brenus]

Frag, Danish have to stop to be rude, you'd know... First you ask if you can, if you don't, you have to prepare to die. And no, it is nothing to do with a religion, it is just hundred of lone wolves...

[Kadagar_AV]

Is it just me, or does muslims seem to be extremely over-represented when it comes to terrorism?

Would it be so unthinkable to argue that there is something rotten in the religion itself?

[Husar]

I think family fathers are incredibly over-represented when it comes to hiding young girls as sex slaves in the basement, maybe something should be done against family fathers.
Denmark has a national tragedy because two people were shot and New York celebrates if noone gets murdered for eleven days. Then again, New York has more inhabitants than Denmark, maybe that has something to do with it.
I wouldn't say I'm in favor of terrorism, but if you think the number of muslims who kill someone in the west should make you scared of muslims, then the number of family members who kill or abuse someone in the west should make you terrified of your family members.

[Fragony]

Is it just me, or does muslims seem to be extremely over-represented when it comes to terrorism?

Would it be so unthinkable to argue that there is something rotten in the religion itself?

Of course not, gutmensch nows, for a fact, that it has absolutilly nothing to do with islam. How could you even suggest that it is a fatatalist ideoligy of people who are stuck in 1400. Culltures wouldn't be equal wtf.

[Husar]

Of course not, gutmensch nows, for a fact, that it has absolutilly nothing to do with islam. How could you even suggest that it is a fatatalist ideoligy of people who are stuck in 1400. Culltures wouldn't be equal wtf.

You're in the process of creating a new language I think, if this goes on, noone will be able to read your posts in a year or two.
I'm aware that language changes over time, but you're too fast for the rest of us.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

You're in the process of creating a new language I think, if this goes on, noone will be able to read your posts in a year or two.
I'm aware that language changes over time, but you're too fast for the rest of us.

Actually, I understood Frag perfectly - that's the most coherent sentence he's written in a while.

Anyway, to answer Kad, I have been saying for several years that Islam has a problem not being top dog. This is why the Pakistanis wanted their own Muslim-run country, why the president of Turkey tried to claim Muslims discovered America first and why gunmen assaulted the offices of Charlie Hebdo over some silly, and frankly unfunny, cartoons.

[Brenus]

"I think family fathers are incredibly over-represented when it comes to hiding young girls as sex slaves in the basement, maybe something should be done against family fathers." Sure, however there nothing in a book about family fathers saying that it is fair to have sex slaves. In fact, I am am quite sure that it is said you shouldn't have sex slaves. I know it because last week we had one grand-father who raped his grand-daughter sentenced for 18 years imprisonment at the Crown Court.
It is too easy to make parallel like this (60 % of violence against women are by their partners, mostly males. Most of pedophiles attacks are by relatives and close family friends). These are smoke screens, diversions of a real problem.
Acknowledgment of the Muslim Religion having trouble with it commands (some of them) is the first step to overcome the problem. Not by few scholars, but by the majority of the followers. Not that the vast majority of the followers would be terrorists, but they think that the terrorists have some grounds. And even some none Muslims agree on this. We shouldn't be rude, we shouldn't hurt their feelings, we shouldn't criticised or mocked their beliefs. Why?
Until these "exceptions" or "lone wolves" will not be recognised as exceptions but as products of the religions, the pure applications of religious laws coming from the book (holly one), so the recognition that the Holly Book has to be amended, the Muslims Scholars won't be able to do just that.

"and frankly unfunny, cartoons" Not relevant, as they were not made to be funny. They were against superstitions and religious claims to be exempt of criticism and untouchable to reason. I want to keep the right to say, to be able to say, that the idea of Mohamed getting on a winged horse to go to Paradise is absurd, or Jesus walking on waters, or graves opening and thousands of dead raising from them.

[Papewaio]

In Australia our PM is trying to distract as much as possible from domestic policy by bringing up the threat of terrorism.

However most of us are in more danger from sugar and pastries then machetes and bombs.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

In other news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-31481797

Christians dyeing en masse

[Husar]

Actually, I understood Frag perfectly - that's the most coherent sentence he's written in a while.

It was less the sentence structure and more the letters he added to random words along the way.

And Brenus, most people don't like it when their beliefs are attacked, the problem is that some react to it in a violent way.
Proper Christians also won't like it when you mock Jesus, when I first saw the Life of Brian, I didn't want to laught about it at all.
The difference is mostly in the response. Christianity has mostly rooted out the interpretations that used to allow a violent response but Islam isn't quite there yet and the countries where most of the terrorists come from are quite a bit behind in terms of society development as they still have strong tribal structures etc. That's where I would look for the reason, not in whether people have become masochistic enough that they enjoy it when you insult and mock their core beliefs. Some atheists think the best way to proceed is to always be a butthole, but I quite frankly don't like those types a lot either. If someone says the right things to me, I'll also punch him in the face, and I never read the quran.

[Brenus]

"If someone says the right things to me, I'll also punch him in the face, and I never read the quran." And you will be rightly put in front of a Court for Assault by Beating. I don't suppose you will claim immunity for it, nor your right to do so. Or expect your victim to keep still during the attack, and to agree with it.
As your second statement, I agree. So the problem is within the Muslim Religion as it would be very difficult to point one action of IS to be against the Quran.
"Some atheists think the best way to proceed is to always be a butthole" Yeah, because the acceptation of unacceptable behavior lead to what? More demands, more "hurt in feelings" demands. I was once told you can't demand respect, you earn it. And until the Muslim Religion earn the right to be respected for other reason than fear, I won't take it any more. The followers of Islam will have to accept criticism and to have their beliefs ridiculed as all others religions, values systems and superstitions did, including mine.
Some "values" in the Quran, as inequality in gender, racism (in a broad sense) and aggression can't be accepted by modern societies. Period.

[Kadagar_AV]

Brenus basically wrote what I intended (only better), so yeah... What he said...

What is being buttholeish for you, Husar?

I think it's butholish to, say, throw menstrual blood at people who have religious beliefs making it an incredible shame and insult... Like in Guantanamo...


However, to laugh someone in the face when he says something ludicrous, or to totally disrespect an ill funded argument... Well, that is just working for the betterment of mankind.

I suspect Husar wants people to thread carefully around religious questions, because the believers somehow earn some kind of "respect", just because they are believers...

[Fragony]

Most are homegrown, islam isn't just not there yet, it's just not there where it wants to be. Islamapoligists are sure to lay down a red carpet because they are also deeply religious, the multiculteralist. Nothing is ever going to change their mind, es must sein. I wish I was Jewish, at least there is somewhere to go.

[Husar]

"If someone says the right things to me, I'll also punch him in the face, and I never read the quran." And you will be rightly put in front of a Court for Assault by Beating. I don't suppose you will claim immunity for it, nor your right to do so. Or expect your victim to keep still during the attack, and to agree with it.
As your second statement, I agree. So the problem is within the Muslim Religion as it would be very difficult to point one action of IS to be against the Quran.

It's very hard to get me to the point where I will punch someone. And for that reason, every time I punch someone it is a justified reaction to extreme mental torture, basically self defense.

If you have no clue what's in the quran, maybe that would be hard, but why do other muslims who actually read the book tell us about all the parts of the Quran that the IS violates? If you close your ears every time a a muslim speaks, you may have missed that though.
The ones who keep saying all their actions are by the book are the IS guys themselves, do you always take the propaganda of your enemy at face value?

"Some atheists think the best way to proceed is to always be a butthole" Yeah, because the acceptation of unacceptable behavior lead to what? More demands, more "hurt in feelings" demands. I was once told you can't demand respect, you earn it. And until the Muslim Religion earn the right to be respected for other reason than fear, I won't take it any more. The followers of Islam will have to accept criticism and to have their beliefs ridiculed as all others religions, values systems and superstitions did, including mine.
Some "values" in the Quran, as inequality in gender, racism (in a broad sense) and aggression can't be accepted by modern societies. Period.

But that goes both ways, how can you demand respect from muslims when your magazines call them idiots every day?
I didn't say anywhere that we have to reinstate slavery to make muslims comfortable, did I? Can you show me how many muslims demand official gender inequality? What about most if not all christian pastors being men? The bible says women shouldn't preach. I also know a christian church where all the women wear headscarves when they go to the sunday service because there is a passage in the bible that says women should cover their heads during religious tasks or so. (I don't remember the exact quote) Do you think they are fascist pigs and should be called idiots in magazines or thrown out of the country if they do not cease doing that? Or maybe the bible is just as much a fascist book about inequalities we cannot tolerate? It also says that the wife should be subservient to her husband by the way.
http://biblehub.com/colossians/3-18.htm

It seems that just because catholics allow the pope and modern atheist society to dictate their rules further and further away from what the bible actually teaches, many now believe that this would be the norm for christianity or what christianity is actually about. There are also women who wear the hijab without being forced to do so. It may be hard to believe but when people actually do believe in their religion, they do not mind some self-imposed inequalities. If they are forced upon people, I'm always against it.

If you want to do away with freedom of religion and force everyone to live the atheist life, just say so.

Brenus basically wrote what I intended (only better), so yeah... What he said...

What is being buttholeish for you, Husar?

I think it's butholish to, say, throw menstrual blood at people who have religious beliefs making it an incredible shame and insult... Like in Guantanamo...


However, to laugh someone in the face when he says something ludicrous, or to totally disrespect an ill funded argument... Well, that is just working for the betterment of mankind.

I suspect Husar wants people to thread carefully around religious questions, because the believers somehow earn some kind of "respect", just because they are believers...

If I posted a cartoon here where the basic message was "Kadagar is a mouth-breathing idiot." would you laugh about it?
It's a cartoon and "it has to be pointed out after all" and all your arguments are ill-funded anyway. So it would be fine for me to do that and you wouldn't be angry, right?
Or maybe, just maybe, in your opinion my basic premise for that cartoon wouldn't be correct and you'd be offended by it.
And now who would tell us whose opinion on whether you're a complete idiot or not is the one that has a right to be paraded around the world? Would we just go with the local majority? So we make a poll and if most people vote that you're an idiot, I can make the cartoon? Would that be fair and not buttholish of me?
Because when you heavily mock a religion, you basically say all of its followers are idiots for following it in the first place.
And it's not like you have to be offensive to disagree with something or tell someone that you think he or she is wrong about this or that. In my opinion and experience, calling someone an idiot is usually not a good way to make them consider your argument.

[Kadagar_AV]

If I posted a cartoon here where the basic message was "Kadagar is a mouth-breathing idiot." would you laugh about it?
It's a cartoon and "it has to be pointed out after all" and all your arguments are ill-funded anyway. So it would be fine for me to do that and you wouldn't be angry, right?
Or maybe, just maybe, in your opinion my basic premise for that cartoon wouldn't be correct and you'd be offended by it.
And now who would tell us whose opinion on whether you're a complete idiot or not is the one that has a right to be paraded around the world? Would we just go with the local majority? So we make a poll and if most people vote that you're an idiot, I can make the cartoon? Would that be fair and not buttholish of me?
Because when you heavily mock a religion, you basically say all of its followers are idiots for following it in the first place.
And it's not like you have to be offensive to disagree with something or tell someone that you think he or she is wrong about this or that. In my opinion and experience, calling someone an idiot is usually not a good way to make them consider your argument.

That's just gibberish.

That a person calls another person an idiot is = a person laughing at another persons ludicrous fantasy? In what reality?


I would take offense if you said I was being an idiot, yes. I would not take offense if you said my argument was idiotic, and went through as to why.

Regardless, in neither of the occasions would I shoot you and anyone around you, and then some Jews, for good measure (like we just saw in Denmark).

Why? Because idiotic as I may be, I am no muslim.

[Husar]

That a person calls another person an idiot is = a person laughing at another persons ludicrous fantasy? In what reality?

For you it is a silly fantasy, for them it is the essence and guideline of their lives. You may call it a different reality but that won't make it disappear.
A religion is not a hobby for people who actually believe in it.

[Fragony]

For you it is a silly fantasy, for them it is the essence and guideline of their lives. You may call it a different reality but that won't make it disappear.
A religion is not a hobby for people who actually believe in it.

And I believe they are idiots, idiots with ideas that I can completily disregard.

Respect, forget it, wrong number

[Husar]

And I believe they are idiots, idiots with ideas that I can completily disregard.

Respect, forget it, wrong number

So, what exactly do you want then? A religion-cleansed atheist Netherlands enforced by the government?