Tell me about your mother....
In the end, there really is no difference between "DEATH TO THE GREAT SATAN" and "DOWN WITH THE CAPITALIST PIGS", is there?
Both ideologies come down to "[Our Name Here] rules, America drools."
Well, to be fair, it's a lot more complicated.
The vast majority of the Islamic world has been under thumb for a thousand years. They are fighting more than one struggle.
Now, Siggy, that was a good post! Worlds above some of the flawed re-posts you have been putting up recently.
Even better than usual, and your usual is always superior.
Dingo!!! Me, flawed????? Are you one drugs???
Thank you, mamacita. In fact, I put a lot of work into this baby.
The Islamic world is suffering from false memory. They fantasize about a nonexistant golden age of the original Caliphate, when they ruled with iron cirtanty and all was right with the world. Of course Islam was fractured right from the beginning and the followers of Abu Bekr and Ali were at each other's throats before the Prophet was cold in his grave. The Arabs produced nothing of value, and the glories of Islamic splendor came from the Persians and other conquered peoples whose culture outshone and predated the Bedouan nomads in all ways. It was the early success of the first two or three generations after Muhammed, where they perfected the technique of convert, submit or die, that is what inspires Osama ad the Jihadis. They want to continue to conquer via the sword (or the suicide bomb.) But they will fail, and in that failure will continue to wallow in the sterile futility of a dead and failed civilization.
not you Siggy... the re-post of other authors.
Well, I'm glad we've cleared that up, Dingo...
They can create that same kind of society for themselves, with Islamic values, or they can keep looking backwards.
Or they can keep their values and culture intact and pure by destroying everything other than themselves. (Then comes the question: "What do predators eat after they've killed off all the prey?")
I suspect that the difference between the conservative traditionalists and the reformers is reinforced by class differences within the societies: educated city dwellers vs. "backwoods" farmers and laborers. The former resent being lumped with the latter by the west, and the latter resent their treatment by the former and turn to orthodoxy to gain status and power.
As you emphasize, it is a mistake to paint the islamic world with a broad brush.
It's a mistake to paint the Islamic world... period... full stop.
I've said it before, but I guess it needs to be said again: It is not possible to reform Islam into something good! That's right, it is not possible to reform Islam into something good! In order to meet the goals for successful Islamic reform, that actually has to mean de facto abolishment of Islam, as Islam does not have the potential to become a peaceful, good religion, given its inherent, non-removable evil.
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