Originally Posted by RACooper (Post 1628414)

What your shocked that a fanatic only sees the reality they want to see?

People believe lots of messed up crap based on ideology, so why should one of the clowns that spreads his twisted ideology be any different than any of others?

Originally Posted by jon1856 (Post 1628415)

Not at all shocked at this. Just that very few people counter it.

Originally Posted by RACooper (Post 1628428)

I'm a little confused here - what do you mean that very few people counter it? Or do you mean that very few people counter it in the sources you look at/access? Does the entire "Muslim" world have to spontaneously all repudiate the rantings of a evil religious and ideological fanatic? Because God knows that we Christians as a whole don't seem to really do that for the evil bastards calling themselves "Christians" lurking our midst now do we?

Originally Posted by RACooper (Post 1628428)

I'm a little confused here - what do you mean that very few people counter it? Or do you mean that very few people counter it in the sources you look at/access? Does the entire "Muslim" world have to spontaneously all repudiate the rantings of a evil religious and ideological fanatic? Because God knows that we Christians as a whole don't seem to really do that for the evil bastards calling themselves "Christians" lurking our midst now do we?

Originally Posted by UGAalum94 (Post 1628434)

Oh, but I think Christian do. Think about how many people openly condemn the Westboro Baptist Church craziness.

And I guess I'm looking for active, open public condemnation, not merely a willingness to say when your among non-Muslim friends or other moderate Muslims that the extremists are a problem.

I think the number of Muslims who are willing to publicly condemn Muslim extremist is much smaller, mainly because Muslim extremist might kill you for doing so which again is the threat that no one wants to openly admit that they are bowing to.

Originally Posted by UGAalum94 (Post 1628434)

Oh, but I think Christian do. Think about how many people openly condemn the Westboro Baptist Church craziness.

Originally Posted by RACooper (Post 1628908)

Ah but do they really - at least in a way different to what happens in the "Muslim World"? (in quotations for a reason).

Because we are familiar with Christianity and "Western" culture we understand the nuances and differences of both the ideologies and the rejections of said ideologies - what's more is that we are also 'immersed' or connected into our society so we are more apt to hear/see even the "half-assed" rejections. We aren't connected into or apart of the "Muslim World" so we aren't as likely to either hear or see anything unless we either make an effort to look outside of our world or that the media choses to report on (admitedly with the state of American media: self-focused "mediatainment" it's a little more difficult for you).



Same can be said for Christianity - it is much easier to condemn those outside of one's denomination or faith than it is to deal harshly with the cancer within... and even then there is a strong inclination to handle things "in house".

So for example how many "Christians" condemned or rejected the hateful and ignorant comments of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, or Franklin Graham when they spouted of about Islam? We in the West are just as guilty when it comes to not rejecting, or hell even accepting, the rantings and ravings of ideological assholes - the only difference is that our assholes are on top so they haven't radicalized "too much" (although some have on the fringes - Christian Identity, Christian Patriots, FLDS, KKK, etc.)

Originally Posted by Kevin (Post 1628920)

A big difference between Muslim and Western culture is that their Pat Robertsons, etc. are in important governmental and judicial positions.

Originally Posted by UGAalum94 (Post 1628930)

I know a lot of people who condemn Jerry Falwell et al just on basic principle, and that might be why we don't hear specific condemnation of what they say about Islam. If they advocated Christians to use suicide missions to kill Muslims in terrorist attacks so that they could become Christian martyrs and win eternal reward, I suspect we'd hear some specific renunciations though, so I'm not sure the issue for Muslims is simply that they find the extremist already pathetic enough.

Originally Posted by RACooper (Post 1629034)

What makes you think that many Muslims don't condemn Al Queda on basic principle as well, and that there really isn't a point repeatedly condemning the extremists every time one of these assholes issues a statement or commits some new atrocity? Something like "Extremist Fatigue"...



True - but there is also cultural as well as religious context is there not? Consider Falwell's reactions to some "art" depicting Jesus in homosexual acts... or homosexuality in general - each culture and specific "religious" ideology has their triggers and soft spots; and their own specific blind spots in which they can commit open hypocrisies "for the greater good" (SBC + BJU financial and theological support for the UVF for example).

Originally Posted by shinerbock (Post 1629118)

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't recall Falwell issuing any fatwas over these things.