OPINION

The War Against Jihadism

Why can't we call the enemy by its name? We're going to have to in order to win.

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  • Posted By: Nurunnabi @ 04/16/2008 8:14:40 AM

    KM.Nurunabi
    Jihad means to strive.Its not same with Militancy. Actually it's highly deffer from Militance.

  • Posted By: observer101 @ 02/14/2008 3:47:53 PM

    Muhammad was apparently a mad man the ppl want to immortalize. Obviously his ideology hasnt worked for centuries. Its a washed out dried up religion that has no bases in todays civilization. The only enemy is themselves. Its apparent that the only real enemy is anyone that is rich or better of than the one who is offended. They make war and trouble for themselves and they deserve it. If the U.S. didnt exist than they would claim "jihad" against Spain or Mexico. So wiping this nasty, outdated, radical ideology of the map is a just cause and eventually they will be put back to where they belong...in the history books...or better yet wiped from history.

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/09/2008 1:19:01 AM

    Jihad (STRUGGLE AGAINST INFIDELS) PART 2
    By
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com
    E-mail: intermedusa@yahoo.com

    Jihad is an obligation from Allah on every Muslim and cannot be ignored nor evaded. Allah has ascribed great importance to jihad and has made the reward of the martyrs and the fighters in His way a splendid one. Only those who have acted similarly and who have modeled themselves upon the martyrs in their performance of jihad can join them in this reward. Furthermore, Allah has specifically honored the Mujahideen {those who wage jihad} with certain exceptional qualities, both spiritual and practical, to benefit them in this world and the next. Their pure blood is a symbol of victory in this world and the mark of success and felicity in the world to come.

    Those who can only find excuses, however, have been warned of extremely dreadful punishments and Allah has described them with the most unfortunate of names. He has reprimanded them for their cowardice and lack of spirit, and castigated them for their weakness and truancy. In this world, they will be surrounded by dishonour and in the next they will be surrounded by the fire from which they shall not escape though they may possess much wealth. The weaknesses of abstention and evasion of jihad are regarded by Allah as one of the major sins, and one of the seven sins that guarantee failure.

    Dar al-Islam and dar al-harb: the House of Islam and the House of War

    • Posted By: Emerson Twain @ 02/10/2008 12:59:01 AM

      I thought they were just gunmen, or militants or insurgents. Freedom fighters?

  • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/08/2008 4:18:58 PM

    As my last comment, i just hope that the war would come to an end soon.
    I don't believe that the outcome of this war would never no matter how great it is would never justify the lives that have been lost.

    PEACE

    • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/09/2008 10:22:29 AM

      Alas, ALB25, there will never the PEACE until either Islam is removed from the planet or all the planet is Muslim. You know perfectly well that jihad is an obligation for all Muslims until there is no more Dar al-Harb (House of War--that's us, kiddies).

  • Posted By: NstantReplay @ 02/08/2008 3:10:43 PM

    Maybe if we hadn't attacked Iraq, a Muslim country that had absolutely nothing to do with Jihadism, America could have been effective in winning over all those Muslim's trust who do not support militance and violence. It's hard to concentrate against Jihadism all over the world when we are pouring every dime and live body we have into Iraq fighting a civil war we created. Furthermore, when our own president panders to Evangelists it doesn't look good.



    • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/09/2008 10:19:52 AM

      NstantReplay, maybe you should read the responses before your own and educate yourself a bit. Oh, and by the way, Iraq under Hussein was indeed a jihadist state. Jihad can be advanced in multiple ways. And, if you actually had paid attention to what had already been said, you would know that Muslims will never trust us "infidels," as the Koran instructs Muslims not to take Christians and Jews for friends. Duh.

  • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/08/2008 10:06:28 AM

    SRK the text is not nasty, the interpretation is. Interpretation by people like Larry Houle on one side and radical terrorist far on the other side.

    • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/09/2008 10:12:37 AM

      ALB25, you have ignored the evidence that I have provided that the texts are indeed nasty and that this nastiness has actually been implemented in the House of Islam since Mohammed first established it. The actions and writings of the so-called "radical terrorists" are very, very similar to those of the Medinan Mohammed. This is not by chance: the "radical terrorists" are imitating the life of Mo, and they are doing so using the same texts that Houle now quotes from.

  • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/08/2008 10:01:52 AM

    srk052005: i don't have time to read all your blurbs but , do you hear yourself. They are "probably terrorist". I wanna see you go to prison somewhere at the other end of the world because you could be probably something or another, every one has only one life to live.

    • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/09/2008 10:06:43 AM

      ALB25, I did not offer "blurbs," but arguments based on evidence. I FOUND the time to take you seriously enough to answer you carefully. Your failure to respond (this time with the excuse that you lack the time for follow-up, though you had plenty of time for your initial posts) is telling.

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/09/2008 1:19:46 AM

    Jihad (STRUGGLE AGAINST INFIDELS) PART 1
    By
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com
    E-mail: intermedusa@yahoo.com

    What does "jihad" mean?

    Jihad literally translates as "struggle." Strictly speaking, jihad does not mean "holy war" as Muslim apologists often point out. However, the question remains as to what sort of "struggle" is meant: an inner, spiritual struggle against the passions, or an outward, physical struggle.

    As in any case of trying to determine Islamic teaching on a particular matter, one must look to the Quran and the Sunnah. From those sources it is evident that a Muslim is required to struggle against a variety of things: laziness in prayer, neglecting to give zakat (alms), etc. But is it also plain that a Muslim is commanded to struggle in physical combat against the infidel as well. Muhammad's impressive military career attests to the central role that military action plays in Islam.

    All Muslims Must Make Jihad

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/09/2008 1:18:18 AM

    Jihad (STRUGGLE AGAINST INFIDELS) PART 3
    By
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com
    E-mail: intermedusa@yahoo.com

    The violent injunctions of the Quran and the violent precedents set by Muhammad set the tone for the Islamic view of politics and of world history. Islamic scholarship divides the world into two spheres of influence, the House of Islam (dar al-Islam) and the House of War (dar al-harb). Islam means submission, and so the House of Islam includes those nations that have submitted to Islamic rule, which is to say those nations ruled by Sharia law. The rest of the world, which has not accepted Sharia law and so is not in a state of submission, exists in a state of rebellion or war with the will of Allah. It is incumbent on dar al-Islam to make war upon dar al-harb until such time that all nations submit to the will of Allah and accept Sharia law. Islam's message to the non-Muslim world is the same now as it was in the time of Muhammad and throughout history: submit or be conquered. The only times since Muhammad when dar al-Islam was not actively at war with dar al-harb were when the Muslim world was too weak or divided to make war effectively.

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/09/2008 1:17:47 AM

    Jihad (STRUGGLE AGAINST INFIDELS) PART 4
    By
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com
    E-mail: intermedusa@yahoo.com

    But the lulls in the ongoing war that the House of Islam has declared against the House of War do not indicate a forsaking of jihad as a principle but reflect a change in strategic factors. It is acceptable for Muslim nations to declare hudna, or truce, at times when the infidel nations are too powerful for open warfare to make sense. Jihad is not a collective suicide pact even while "killing and being killed" (Sura 9:111) is encouraged on an individual level. For the past few hundred years, the Muslim world has been too politically fragmented and technologically inferior to pose a major threat to the West. But that is changing.

  • Posted By: dopelgangerA @ 02/08/2008 1:09:45 PM

    Years ago (I think it may have been in the 1980's or 1970's), a "Christian" group with fanatical, openly racist beliefs called "the Christian Identity movement" was established. Of course, NO part of mainstream Christianity (whether Catholic, Protestant, or Easren Orthodox) accepted such abhorant belief. Nevertheless, the news media were not squeemish about calling those fanatics by name, "Christian Identity." NOBODY thought that the media were referring to Christianity per se, but only to fanatics. ...So, WHY should it be considered intolerant of moderate Muslims, to be similarly candid in describing MILITANT Islam just as palinly & clearly by name as the media did whenever they spoke plainly about "Christian Identity"?

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/08/2008 10:38:14 AM

    MURDER AND EXTERMINATION OF THE INFIDELS

    By
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com
    E-mail: intermedusa@yahoo.com

    The ten commandments teach: ???Thou Shalt Not Kill.??? In Islam - it is a holy religious duty to murder infidels. The Qur???an is written in the language of terrorism. It is filled with numerous verses urging the Muslims to terrorize the non Muslims, kill them, and take possession of their lands and properties. The important points to remember is that whatever Muhammad did to terrorize the infidels was actually the actions of God. Among the many verses which exhort Islamist terrorism, the following verses stand out as naked aggression of Allah/Muhammad on the unbelievers: 2:63, 3:151, 8:12, 8:60, 8:59, 9:29, 9:50 9:55, 11:102, and 17:59 These are the Eternal Laws of Allah authorizating murder and extermination as a holy duty.


  • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/07/2008 2:36:52 PM

    I am not even going to waist my time with you because you interpret every Surah with your shrewd evil mind.
    I told you that you should look at the real interpretation of a verse, with the real interpretation i mean the interpretation given by scholars, who have studies religion and history together.
    You should be ashame to yourself to talk about how war slaves were treated 1400 years ago and what happened to their belongings (which is certainly less important than how the war slave was treated, DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU SHOULD BE ASHAME, BECAUSE NOW 15 CENTURIES LATER, YOU HAVE GUANTANAMO PRISON. WHICH TORTURES AND SEXUALLY ABUSES THE PRISONERS WORSE THAN ANY OTHER PRISONER/SLAVE WAS EVER TREATED IN THE HISTORY OF THE HUMANITY. (don't forget now we are in the third millennium)

    Here you have it.

    • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 11:12:57 PM

      ALB25, as my series of responses have shown, you are a twit. Now, you blather about Guantanamo and actually claim that the prisoners (who are probable terrorists caught in the field, without proper armed services uniforms, itself a breach of international law) are being treated worse than any others in the history of humanity? How ridiculous! The typical prison in Iran makes Guantanamo a summer camp. Oh, and by the way, slavery continues into the third millennium in several Muslim countries, including Sudan and Arabia. YOU should be ashamed at yourself and your religion.

  • Posted By: observer101 @ 02/07/2008 10:15:49 AM

    First and foremost one must understand that its really NOT religion thats at the heart of this. Its the thugs that use the religion for its purpose. They recruit the poor little boys and girls outthere with promises of a better life or money for there problems and use the Koran or other powerful source that would be believable, so these weak minded fools fall for it and join. Since the new recruits are at a weak minded state then they can be molded into whatever the thugs want, from prostitution, to drug runners, bombers whatever they need. Religion is just being used as a tool for the molding artist. No different than brain washing. Strip someone of there dignity, morals and common sense and put in your own ideology and you have a basic slave or drone to do with what you want. No religion caused any of this.

    • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 11:06:44 PM

      Why don't you read the others here, observer101. Or maybe that will happen when you reach the level of 201? Clearly, all religions do not have the same effect, and some religions are much easier to use for nasty purposes. Islam is a breeze to use for this because the central texts really are nasty.

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/07/2008 3:14:55 AM

    KORAN IS THE ETERNAL WORD/TEACHINGS OF GOD. THIS MEANS FOREVER AND EVER; PART 2
    By
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com

    This means exactly what it says. ALL MUSLIMS BELIEVE that the Koran is the ETERNAL word/teachings of God to be followed without question. If a Muslim challenges or questions the Koran, HE IS NO LONGER A MUSLIM BUT AN APOSTATE OF ISLAM and can be killed.

    The Koran can never be changed not even one word. When you are reading teachings of the Koran, you are reading the word of God himself and you must OBEY. THERE IS NO CHOICE. There is no exercising free will, no employing logic, reason, rationality, morality. These teachings are for all time - FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER.

    This is the most important insanity that ALL Muslims believe ??? THAT MEANS ALL MUSLIMS. This belief in the KORNIC ETERNAL LAWS OF GOD is a disaster that has the potential to destroy humanity and civilization as we know it.

    2. The second most important concept concerning Islam is the Doctrine of Abrogation. You cannot comprehend Islam without a total and complete understanding of Abrogation.

    2:106 Whatever ayas We abrogate We bring better ones.

    16:101And when We change (one) communication for (another) communication, and Allah knows best what He reveals.

    The Verse of The Sword 9:50 abolished 124 initial peace teachings of Koran including the famous verse: there is no compulsion in religion (Surah 2:256).

    • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/07/2008 12:15:34 PM

      HEY listen here for one last time.
      Islam is the religion that has promoted science since the beginning of it, unlike the Roman Church.
      Mohamed himself has asked to translate many books in science from Greek to Arabic for people to learn. Mohamed has also said 1 hour of studying is better than a whole night of praying. You have just no idea how much studying is admired in Islam. Please read before Lying to the to the public about "Islam has potentials to destroy the humanity". Arabic countries were more developed in science, medicine etc than the western world ever was. Western world was ignorant until 200 hundred years ago. Far east, China and then Arabs were the ones with all the inventions in science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy etc.
      You just have no idea.

      • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 11:01:36 PM

        Good God, ALB25, your "response" was completely irrelevant (a habit for you). While far more references would be needed to support the whole of Houle's claims, he has made a good start. I do not know where you get your "one hour of studying" biz. A web search locates at claim that this is from sura 39, verse 9, but this is from the same quack (I think) who gave us the "authoritative" Koran. In fact, your "quotation" is fabricated.

        But reality test time. Islam has NOT been known for advances in any secular area (such as math or science). It is true that when it conquered areas that were more advanced (e.g. Persia and much later, Spain) it absorbed some of the knowledge that others had created. Much of the work that continued in those areas was NOT done by Muslims at all, but by dhimmis. But really, the history of the House of Islam has been very poor regarding science as a whole. And, when others could no longer be conquered, all pretenses regarding science were over. If science were central to Islam, then surely Arabia would be a hotbed of science. Yet this is the place where science was notably absent.

        As Islam does not recognize that God is bound by the laws he creates (unlike both Christianity and Judaism), science would hardly be promoted, as there is nothing objective to find, outside the Koran and the Sunna. The idea, by the way, that the West was ignorant until 200 years ago is utterly preposterous. What do you call the Renaissance, you idiot? It is true that when parts of the West were subjugated by Islam, their "ignorance" increased radically, but that is hardly the fault of the West! Anyway, the West (including ancient Greece) invented science and math well before Mo was born.

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/06/2008 5:14:29 PM


    PUTTING A HAPPY FACE ON EVIL: RAPE OF INFIDELS IS ISLAM
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com

    Rape as Warfare

    Muhammad encouraged the rape of female captives after battles. In Islam, rape is not just a sexual weapon ??? it is a weapon of war. Having murdered the woman???s man, Muslims can now - sanctioned by the Laws of Allah complete their final humiliation and domination of her body. This is reported in the Sira and Hadith and approved in the Koran. In the ethics of jihad, it is not considered rape to have forced sex with a woman as long as she is a non-Muslim captive or slave. This is true even if she is married. In the Muslim world, the act is rape when committed against a Muslim. There is one rule for Muslims and another for the Infidels.

    Quran 4:24 All married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. You can't have sex with married women, unless they are slaves obtained in war (with whom you may rape or do whatever you like).

    Mohammed and the Koran advocate rape of the kafirs. After their battles the jihadists partook in the pleasure of raping the wives and daughters of the conquered men. Islam separates the kafirs from a real humanity and demands total submission - submission means that the cruelest treatment is given to them so they will submit.

    It is only just.

    • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/07/2008 12:05:26 PM

      You are such an evil interpreter.

      This is the scholar interpretation of Surah 4:24 in Quran.

      [4:24] Also prohibited are the women who are already married, unless they flee their disbelieving husbands who are at war with you. These are GOD's commandments to you. All other categories are permitted for you in marriage, so long as you pay them their due dowries. You shall maintain your morality, by not committing adultery. Thus, whoever you like among them, you shall pay them the dowry decreed for them. You commit no error by mutually agreeing to any adjustments to the dowry. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.

      From an authorized translation: Here is the site: http://www.submission.org/suras/sura4.htm

      You should never ever comment or interpret any of Quran Surah.

      • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 10:24:27 PM

        ALB25, you have become evil yourself, and extremely dishonest. Do you even have an authoritative Koran? The version you linked to is a joke. I mean, it even uses the word "genetically"! What kind of "translation" is this? Not only does sura 4 (the exact verse depends on the translation) exempt "captives" or "those whom your right hand possesses" (the more correct translation is "slaves") as Houle indicates, but there are numerous ahadith that support the practice of rape with married (or unmarried) slaves. Specifically, Bukhari vol 3, book 34, numbers 431, 432; Bukhari vol 9, book 93, number 506; Bukhari vol 5, book 59, number 459. There are others as well. Or do you want to quote some rabbis in support of your position?

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/06/2008 5:13:07 PM

    PUTTING A HAPPY FACE ON EVIL: SLAVERY IS ISLAM
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com
    Islam ethics make rape a virtue. Islam has one ethical code for Muslims and another one for kafirs. The kafir woman is not real human. Allah hates kafirs and sanctioned rape. So when a Muslim rapes a kafir, he is partaking in sacred behavior, sanctioned by his ethics. Rape of the kafir is Sunna (following the ideal behavior of Mohammed).

    What could be more unethical than owning slaves and raping slave girls? ALLAH graciously allowed Muslims to own and rape slave girls. Prophet Muhammad himself and his disciples routinely raped their slave girls.

    Slavery is one of the most evil, vile institutions ever devised by man. To allow one human being to be the property of another human being stands against everything that mankind stands for. Human beings been bred as property to be bought and sold, people being reduced to the status of cattle, beasts of burden to work the fields, toil underground in mines, clean the master???s home, cater to the master???s wife and children is the very essence of inhumanity.

    Now to take man???s creation of slavery and turn it into an institution sanctioned by ETERNAL LAWS OF GOD ??? is so outrageous as to defy reason. God allowing the enslavement of infidels is the total essence of immorality. For God to share 20% from the proceeds from the sale of women and children into slavery as an ETERNAL LAW OF GOD IS SO OUTSIDE THE REALM OF RATIONALITY THAT ANYONE WHO CAN BELIEVE IN SUCH EVIL ARE EVIL THEM SELVES.





    • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/07/2008 11:44:33 AM

      This is the answer about muslim raping slaves blasphemy.
      War slaves were treated better than anywhere, just like a normal person. It was just the terminology used as slave because really it was not slaves. READ BELOW.

      1. Stressed the importance and respect of learning. For example, the first word revealed to the Moslems' prophet Mohammed was "Read". In Mohammed's era, a captured enemy was freed if he paid a ransom or taught ten Moslems writing and reading. In their holy book, the Qur'an, the importance of knowledge has been repeatedly stressed as it says "Those who know and those who do not are not equal." The prophet Mohammed stressed learning by saying. "One hour of teaching is better than a night of praying."

      This is the site: http://www.islam-usa.com/im3.html

      • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 9:51:05 PM

        Oh please, ALB25. Stop quoting blather from apologists for Islam. It is a flat-out lie that slaves from war were "treated better than anywhere, just like a normal person." While it is true that Mo considered himself (and other Muslims) slaves of Allah, the slaves being referred to were slaves of Muslims, of human beings. It is utterly preposterous to suggest that Infidels were treated equal to Muslims, and it is beyond preposterous to suggest that Infidels who didn't have the "luxury" of dhimmitude but were slaves were treated even as well as dhimmis, let alone "a normal person [read: Muslim]". Your (minimal) credibility is now at precisely zero.

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/06/2008 5:09:46 PM

    PUTTING A HAPPY FACE ON EVIL: LOOTING AND PILLAGING
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com


    LOOTING ETERNAL LAWS OF ALLAH
    It???s all about the BOOTY!

    Quran-8:41??? And know that out of all the booty that ye may acquire (in war), a fifth share is assigned to Allah,- and to the Messenger, and to near relatives, orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer,- if ye do believe in Allah and in the revelation We sent down to Our servant on the Day of Testing,- the Day of the meeting of the two forces. For Allah hath power over all things.

    100 % OF BOOTY WAS MUHAMMAD???S IF NO VIOLENCE WAS INVOLVED

    Qur'an 59:6 What Allah gave as booty to His Messenger He has taken away from them [the Jews]. For this you made no raid. Allah gives His Messenger Lordship over whomsoever He wills. Whatever booty Allah has given to His Messenger and taken away from the [Jewish] people of the townships, belongs to Allah and to His Messenger.... So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you.

    • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/07/2008 11:16:36 AM

      Let me add something to this comment. Mohamed never kept anything for himself because he did not need anything materialistic. The moral of those two verses are : The prophet will give them away fairly. Always one has to be in charge, you can't just have a ton of people just get what they want because the poor, handicaps, orphans would have gotten only what whats left if anything. So this was just a way divide all what was left from the war in a fair way. Who would have been fairer than the messenger of God.

      • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 9:38:41 PM

        I might have been unclear on one point. Yes, Mo gave charity, but TO OTHER MUSLIMS. This dualistic system of ethics (Muslims vs. Infidels) is central to Islam.

      • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 9:24:13 PM

        ALB25, you are bringing up an irrelevancy, as no one has said that Mo was amassing a personal fortune. There is not much doubt that he was concerned about the welfare of Muslims, as this facilitated jihad. In fact, Mo is on record of giving extra loot to new converts to build their motivation. Please do not practice taqqia.

  • Posted By: defenderoftruth @ 02/03/2008 3:43:52 PM

    Comment: (This replace the typo infested reply below) One might expect George Weigel to be Jewish as well as an ardent supporter of the fire breathing, chest thumping, feet kicking zionist lobby in Washington that holds our Congress in a chokehold and has transformed our nation's capitol in another Israeli Occupied Territiory. They may as well lower the American flag and hoist the Israeli flag in its place. That lobby, zionist Jews and their zionist Christian supporters have declared an open season on Islam and Muslims in the USA and there is no limit to the vilification and demonization of Muslims in the ink 'n' air media, the Oval Office, or the departments of state and defense. It reminds me of the way that Christians vilified and demeaned Jews (kikes, cheapos, jewboys, hebes) when I was a lad, and no one else escaped their inborn sense of hatred for blacks (the 'n' word, spearchuckers, jungle bunnies), Chinese (chinks), Polish (pollocks), Italians (guineas, dagos, wops, winos), Irish (micks, drunkards), Puerto Ricans (spics), Vietnamese (slopes), Koreans (slants), Russians (reds, rooskies, commies), Germans (jerries, krauts), Mexicans (wetbacks, beaners), Native Americans (redskins, injuns), and now the new designated enemy of the so-called enlightened Americans are the Arabs (ayrabs, ragheads, towel heads, diaper heads, desert rats, sand ((the 'n' word)) ). My father, who left Lebanon as a young man with my mother, came to America seeking a better way of life. Not long after his arrival he used to say that "These poor Americans! They just love to hate." Muslims, whether Arabs or non-Arabs, and Arabs, whether Muslims or Christians, contributed significantly to the growth and security of this country. We are the lowest on the welfare and crime rolls, we are among the best educated, the least by a light year involved in drugs, alcoholism, gambling, porno, divorce, and all the other social diseases that inflict this land. Regardless, our whale of a government that has been swallowed by the israeli minnow (thanks for that one, Lenni Brenner) needs to declare a designated enemy to strike fear into the hearts of its citizenry so it can get away with supporting israeli war crimes against the Palestinians and Lebanese. John Sheehan stated it best when he said everytime he hears anyone say that israel is the best friend we have in the Middle East (actually, it is a part of Asia) he remembers when before there was an israel we had no enemies in the Middle East. So that you are all clear on the meaning of "Jihad", it is the equivalent of the same drum that we hear our (mis)leaders thump in Washington: "We need to preserve our freedom, rights, and way of life." Well, folks, that is exactly the meaning of Jihad in this context. My thought is that Americans know enough about Islam to fit into a peanut shell - and still have room for the peanut.
    defenderof truth 02-03-08

    • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/03/2008 6:06:45 PM

      Defenderoftruth (more truthfully: defenderoflies) is engaging in taqiyaa (religiously sanctioned lying). Here, he interleaves his blatant Jew-hatred with endless ethnic and racial slurs so that the Jew-hatred is tougher to focus on. If we remove all the trash that fills defenderoflies's comment, we find, I think, little more than the claim that those crafty Joooos are up to their old tricks and have either taken over, or are about to take over, the US government. Poor defenderoflies is such a victim! Boo hoo! While he finds it inconvenient that Weigel is not a Jooo, that's ok, because the zionist Christians are being fooled by the Jooos. Anyway, those Christians are SO mean to the Muslims. After all, Mohammed swept into the Middle East killing and subjugated Jews, Christians, and "polytheists," and that was right because Allah ordered it! Allah was not happy that these people wanted to defend themselves, and thus told Mo via the Angel Gabriel that those who resist Islam's depredations are "attacking Islam." It's a nice rhetorical strategy: if I defend myself against someone who wants to kill or rob me, I become the attacker!

      But there are other nice lies here too. For example, defenderoflies talks about the good economic position of Arabs in the US. What he does not tell you is that this statistic is based mostly on CHRISTIAN Arabs (often from Lebanon) who did well enough in the old country to run for their lives against Islamic attacks and the Lebanese civil war. You see, most Americans do not understand that, in this country, Arab does not mean Muslim, and Muslim certainly does not mean Arab.

      How about the lie that before Israel, the US had no enemies in the Middle East? First, the Arabs of the Middle East (most of whom are Muslim) allied themselves with the Axis in WW2; i.e., they were indeed enemies of the US. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was a great favorite of the Nazis. Second, however much Muslims hated the West, for most of the past 100 years they did not have resources for modern-day jihad. They were militarily insignificant and poor, and troublemakers were kept controlled either from within by the Ottoman Empire or by France and Britain. Islam per se has always opposed all other religions and cultures. The fact is, though, that the post-WW2 years saw greater independence and resources for the Muslims, and it is THIS which has allowed them to become the main source of war and terror in the world. The US is a natural target, but any superpower would be an especially tempting target now.

      Defenderoflies, I do not need lessons about love from the House of Islam. The problem is your religion, a religion of violence and of ugliness. Any of us who know what is happening in Europe (where Muslims are the disproportionate perpetrators of crimes of all kinds) is not reassured that Islam is a great asset to this country.

      • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/06/2008 11:59:41 AM


        TO: srk052004, a response to your second half of your first paragraph. I am just going to enlight you through some history and reasonable arguments why Mohamed would have never had fought if he would not been attacked by atheists or polytheists.
        Mohamed (Peace Upon Him) was a regular man, he was not rich, he had no army, he had no more influence in the society before becoming a Prophet than any average citizen. Remember he was illiterate, purposely chosen so, he did not have the men power or any other resource to spread the Islamic faith through wars. His initial teaching about Islam were completely peaceful. When people in mass started to believe in him and he became an influential person, leaders from other tribes, states and regions which were atheist started to hate, fear and see him and the religion as a threat so they opened war to Mohamed, they wanted to kill him because they feared that their own people would join Mohamed; and this is why there were wars between people who had join Islam and atheists at that time.
        History has shown us many times that dictatorship leaders all around the world have stopped and try to destroy new ideas and enlightenment of the group of people they were ruling. Christian Church in the dark ages has killed and burned every scientist and scholar who were teaching the truth about science and what else.
        I hope i have been clear in this short message to why Mohamed was not violent. He was only defending himself and the religion by atheists and polytheists.

        • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/06/2008 10:10:20 PM

          Sorry, ALB25, but Larry Houle (and to a far lesser extent I) have provided all the textual support from the Koran, Hadith, and Sira that is needed to show the nature of Mo the man and of Islam. As I have granted, the Meccan suras said many nice things, but Mo had few followers after 10 years of trying, and he was in no position to be threatening the Meccan polytheists or Christians (and the relatively few Jews there). He tried to convince the Meccan Jews that he was the Messiah, but this claim was rejected. He then claimed that the Jews had deliberately changed the Torah so that Mo was not mentioned. It is preposterous to suggest that someone who proselytizes for 10 years could have been in imminent danger from those who wanted to kill him. Indeed, the most reasonable interpretation was that Mecca was an extremely tolerant sort of place. The fact is that he gained very, very few converts in Mecca until he returned there after gathering forces via bloody jihad in Medina.

          Regardless of all this, one cannot explain away the abrogation of the (relatively peaceful) Meccan suras. Nor can one pretend that Islam as it is now constituted does not contain the Medinan suras.

          Jesus really was endangered, by contrast. He, however, did not leave us texts and traditions that horrify anyone with a conscience.

          Mo was also probably not illiterate, as he was a fairly well to do merchant before becoming your prophet.

          Finally, those Medinan suras, the example of Mo's life waging jihad, and the traditions as recorded in Bukhari and Abu Muslim are much, much more in line with my take than with your own. The actual actions of Muslim leaders fully complies with these texts.

          • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 9:35:32 PM

            Notice that when ALB25 now has gone silent. Hm.

  • Posted By: intermedusa @ 02/06/2008 4:55:53 PM

    PUTTING A HAPPY FACE ON EVIL: PART 2
    ANSWER MY CRITICS OF MY PREVIOUS E- MAIL
    Larry Houle
    www.godofreason.com


    EXTERMINATION OF ALL JEWS AND CHRISTIANS AS AN ETERNAL LAW OF GOD
    Verse 9:29 forms the basis of the system of dhimmitude prevalent in the Islamic empire, which institutionalised the second-class status of non-Muslims (specifically Christians and Jews) and forced them to pay tribute for ???protection???:

    ???Fight those who believe not in God nor the last day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of truth, (even if they are) of the people of the Book [Christians and Jews], until they pay the jizya [poll tax] with willing submission, feel themselves subdued.???
    EXERMINATION OF ALL INFIDELS
    When the sacred months have passed away, THEN SLAY THE IDOLATERS WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM, AND TAKE THEM CAPTIVES AND BESIEGE THEM AND LIE IN WAIT FOR THEM IN EVERY AMBUSH, then if they repent and keep up prayer [become believers] and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them (9:5)
    PARADISE FILLED WITH FULL BREASTED VIRGINS FOR MUSLIM MEN WHO SLAY AND WERE SLAIN FULFILLING VERSES 9:29, 9:50 etc
    Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods for theirs in return is the garden of Paradise they fight in his cause and slay and are slain a promise binding on him as truth 9.:111


    • Posted By: ALB25 @ 02/07/2008 11:39:49 AM

      this is what was really happening in the Islam world. You have a rabbi speaking:

      5. Tolerated other religions.
      The Islamic religion recognizes Christianity and Judaism and considers their followers to be people with holy books like Moslems.
      Moreover, they candidly treated the Jews at an era when the latter were persecuted in Europe. Dr. Jacob Minkin, a reputable Rabbi and scholar says "It was Mohammadan Spain, the only land of freedom the Jews knew in nearly a thousand years of their dispersion...
      While during the Crusades, the armored Knights of the Cross spread death and devastation in the Jewish communities of the countries through which they passed, Jews were safe under the sign of the Crescent.
      They were not only safe in life and possessions, but were given the opportunity to live their own lives and develop a culture so unique and striking that it went down in history as the 'Golden Ages'.

      Find it here: http://www.gambiatouristsupport.com/IslamArtC.htm

      • Posted By: srk052004 @ 02/07/2008 9:34:27 PM

        Oh please, ALB25. If you want to use a rabbi, why don't you also bring up that rabbis consider Islam one big fraud. At least on the latter question, a rabbi could speak with some authority. Rabbis are not historians.

        Anyway, this is silly. If Muslims really treated Jews so well, these Muslims would be acting contrary to Islam. Houle is providing appropriate quotations and references indicating what Islam requires. I challenge you to find suras THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ABROGATED that dispute Houle's passages.

        Finally, the subject of dhimmitude has now been well studied. Please see the work of Bat Ye'or for hundreds of pages of information on this subject. Historical Islam has in fact implemented what Houle has cited here. There is variation in different areas in the extend of second class status of dhimmis. Sometimes their situations were better than at other times. But the basic concept has always been implemented. The Rambam--a REALLY reputable rabbi--complained in his private letters about how badly he and Jews were treated in Muslim Spain. And HE was the doctor to a Grand Vizier (or something like that--I forgot the title).

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