^^^^^^^^^^ Bahahaha that sentence didn't sit right with me either.
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Jay Zeno has pretty well explained the two main branches of Islam.
But your statement concerning "the ones in Iraq" is a little disappointing. There are many "kinds" of Muslims in Iraq: Sunnis, Shia, fundamentalists, moderates. Honestly, our problems in Iraq have almost nothing to do with Islam the religion.
But the main point is, there are billions of Muslims around the world, they range from very bad people to very good people. Just like Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists etc.
IMO, you're better off not discussing the issue with you Mother. Odds are you won't change her mind, and you will just make yourself miserable. I have a brother like your Mom and there is no changing his mind.



OK, I made too much of a blanket statement, but hey these are my life experiences. I do think the muslim world is more fundamentalist, than most other places in the world. I don't know of any Christian country where it is a crime to switch from Christianity to another religion.
I do think the terrorism charges are overblown. I don't think every attack in Iraq is terrorism, and even in Israel I understand terrorist attacks against a military superior force occupying your home (would be nice if they were military targets).
That said Islam does seem to have more violent tendencies than say Hindus or Buddhists.
Yeah and arguing with adults about these types of things is probably useless.





Some very good friends of mine are muslim. I have also dated a muslim man.
As Jay pointed out there are varying degrees of faith just as there are with catholics or any other religion.
Many of my friends are lebanese. Some of them are more traditional than others. My hairdresser and friend's mother does not wear the berka and they don't really practice their faith as much. The same deal for my ex boyfriend who is turkish, his mother doesnt wear a berka either.
But some of my other friends mum's wear them.





Number of times Rickrolled on stage: 6
*******************************
Marasmus ... "Ladies don't fart. They butt-laugh."
Marasmus says, "Oh no, that wasn't gas, it was merely a rectal chuckle."
Marek says, "A friend of mine got punched in the face by a dominatrix stripper about two weeks ago and I thought of you."





Yes, indeed those hands are quite bloody. Crusades anyone? I am Christian, both by heritage and by personal belief, but I refuse to forget about the past... terrible things happened at the hands of Christians. Ever learn about the Spanish Inquisition? Absolutely horrifying.





Nobody ever expects the Spanish Inquisition!!!
...what?
Look like a woman
Think like a man
Act like a lady
Work like a dog
- My Great Grandmother Bessie's Recipe for Success
my sons little neighbor friends are twin boys.. muslims i think they are from turkey
i love these little boys so there tell her about them
one very interesting thing when we first moved here the boys went to my sons school so they were friends but werent allowed to come in my house.. the parents let them play outside but that was it.. one day they came in and their dad came to the door all upset and ordered them home..
about a week later they were at my house playing and i was like boys.. uh your daddy probably wont like this .. and one of them goes.. its ok now .. my mom saw that you really love your child and its ok.. and i was like what?? she saw me waiting for my son at the school bus and give him a hug and kiss and walk him home.. sounds simple enough but apparently ive learned at least this family viewed americans as people not into family .. most kids they see dont have parents at home blah blah and i guess me being out there instead of inside watching soaps and letting him walk home alone meant something to her..
so anyways you can tell her at least one muslim family in VA are not killer peoples but actually have incredibly high family standards





Number of times Rickrolled on stage: 6
*******************************
Marasmus ... "Ladies don't fart. They butt-laugh."
Marasmus says, "Oh no, that wasn't gas, it was merely a rectal chuckle."
Marek says, "A friend of mine got punched in the face by a dominatrix stripper about two weeks ago and I thought of you."
^^ good. It's always hard to make inferences over the internet.





My boyfriend is Muslim by birth. He is from Bosnia in Eastern Europe. His mother and--from what I understand--his grandparents 'practice' Islam, like go to mosque, etc. When he was a child, his country (what was Yugoslavia) was torn apart by war, Christians killing Muslims and Catholics. It was a genocide. To him, religion is just a means of separation and he thinks it tears people apart. But he's seen a lot of bloodshed as a result of his childhood.
To be honest, I don't think I knew any Muslims before him. We became friends about four years ago. But I've seen people be told his religion and draw back with horrified looks on their faces. It's hurtful. I'm not Muslim, in fact I really don't claim any religion. But he's no terrorist...
You need to realize that there are extreme Muslims, yes. There are extreme Christians as well. There are extreme white supremecists (sp.?) and extreme this and extreme that. Everywhere in this world there is someone causing trouble because they are so idealistic and one-minded. Something I absolutely hate about the U.S. is that the majority of this country can only see the world through one small window, and can't wrap their heads around other ideas.
The basis of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are all supposed to be the same. The word Islam actually means "peace"! These religions are all supposed to be about loving yourself, others, and God, and bettering yourself as a person. Pretty much all negative/restrictive concepts in them seemed to have stemmed from politics or corruption...







That would be a tough nut to crack. I think what your mom needs to understand is Muslims or Islam is not the true driving force behind terrorism. It's extremists and ultra conservative violent Muslims who over the years been taught that the west was evil. There are plenty of faithful Muslims who don't have a problem with America or the west. I don't know how this would sway your mom, but President Bush just visited Albania which is a largely muslim country and he was very warmly welcomed.
If she really believes that all muslims are bad though, it's gonna be a uphill battle all the way and she probably still wouldn't change her mind. I think you'd really need to get into the pyschology of why she claims to hate them all. Maybe all she would need to is meet someone and gain respect for them and then learn they are muslim. maybe then a lightbulb would go off.
I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it.
- Jack Handey
If you're in a war, instead of throwing a hand grenade at the enemy, throw one of those small pumpkins. Maybe it'll make everyone think how stupid war is, and while they are thinking, you can throw a real grenade at them.
- Jack Handey
Unfortunately, I think Hidendragon is probably correct. If your mom is thinking in black and white/absolutist terms, then impressing upon her the shades of gray will prove difficult. Religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, culture, devotion, politics are rarely, if ever, absolute.
"Seeing the landscape at this superficial level only captures its boring uniformity, not allowing you to immerse yourself in the spirit of the place; for that you must stop at least several days."
~Che Guevara, "The Motorcycle Diaries"
England. Argentina. Monaco. Vatican City. Greece. Denmark. Costa Rica. Finland. (there are more, just do a little research. Most countries on the planet do not offer freedom of religion.)
Of course anyone can practice any religion they want, but not publicly (Just like in the middle east). Religious holidays of other disciplines are not recognized like it is here in the US. That is why integration is next to impossible in many European and South American nations. The practice of state mandated religion is driving a wedge between native peoples and immigrants in those countries.
When one military group attacks another military group, it is NOT terrorism. When a group or individual attacks another group or individual with the intention of causing mayhem (like the Virginia Tech shooter), that is terrorism.
Please do a little reading about world and religious history. Hindus do attack people. Not all Hindus are Ghandi. He merely promoted a peaceful philosophy that spread among the Hindus of India. Please read up on the philosophies and how they apply to world history. Then you will be armed with information that shows you that all religious wars are actually about money and power, not "My god is better than your god."
Promote yourself and earn more money! This is a business that is owned by strippers for strippers. Let's make that money!
^^ very much agree with you
Also, violent religions (if you can call them that) are religions based on recruiting as many others into that belief system. Hinduism, Judaism, and Buddhism do not have that philosophy, so they kind of don't fall into the same category as Christianity and Islam.
Agreed. When insurgents set off an IED by a Humvee, that's military action aganst an occupying force. When they set off a car bomb in a marketplace, that's terrorism.
Case in point:Hindus do attack people. Not all Hindus are Ghandi.
Buddhism and Shinto don't do much about inflaming religious wars. When the religious goal is personal enlightenment that can well include other religions if that's where your enlightenment leads (Buddhism), it's difficult to get worked up to a war frenzy against other religions. Or when your religion is largely indigenous and ceremonial among a populace with little interest and no wish to export it (Shinto), you don't get into big religious debates.
Like I was writing though earlier, the real problem comes when you actually starting reading their respective holy texts and, and much of it in modern day comes across as scientifically inaccurate, petty, encourages violence/abuse of women, requires killing non-believers, and much more. It really is there in the texts a reflection of how earlier societies believed and behaved.
Like I wrote, I really enjoyed Sam Harris' book because it focuses on this matter of faith, and the real problem that humans face trying to reconcile texts written long ago with our modern scientific knowledge, and sense of what is socially good and bad behavior. The problem is, often the extremists are following those old texts more closely then moderates, and the moderates are left sitting on a wall, trying to have their cake and eat it too. Moderates that are afraid to speak up against the extremists in their group because a part of them worships them like heroes for sticking to the letter of the holy texts more closely then themselves.
xdamage, I completely agree. I take the texts with a grain of salt and respect they are time period pieces. I think it would be best if everyone would do that, but some people take everything so literally and can't think objectively in the abstract sense, especially when a book mentions "defending" their faith. Word wars are the modern way to do this, but it's easier to physically hurt someone, and I think they take the easy way out rather than have an intellectual battle.
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