Hi Ken and Robert ;
Not an expert by any means, and valid points about the
actions of the US government, but I think they hate
the entirety of the western culture. Sex before
marriage, divorce, adultery, navel rings (and more
extreme forms of body piercing), tatoos, Madonna,
Brittany, gay marriages, Baywatch, the Fashion
Channel, pornography, discos, atheism (or any God
other than Alah). I received a spam email titled
"Extreme female ejaculations". Like I should open it.
It is an outrage, but no one cares.
Indeed! The difference between the moderate western
perspective on this and that of any "fundamentalist" (I really hate
that word!) is one of what to DO about the perceived immorality. I
don't believe that convincing someone to be "moral" at the barrel of
a gun is an effective method of changing behavior. Islamists who
advocate violence are on no higher moral ground than the culture
they so fervently despise.
Are you sure this is what they advocate violence over? Some of them
(VERY close friends of the US) do so as a penalty in their own
countries, but that's not what you're talking of. Bin Laden has been
very clear about this, so have many others. I don't believe they're
motivated by what Westerners do in the West. Primarily they wanted US
troops out of Saudi Arabia, and they objected to US support for
Israel. Again, it's foreign policy, not domestic cultural issues.
This smacks rather too strongly of the "They hate us for our
freedoms" nonsense.
The finest hour I have ever witnessed in my life as an
American occurred shortly after the 11 September atrocities. I know
that I've written this before, but the sight of a Virginia State
Trooper parked outside a mosque to protect its worshippers
underscores the value of plurality in American society. The same
courtesy would not likely be extended to a Christian church in
Algeria, Libya, Syria and many other countries.
Are you quite sure about that Robert? What are you saying, that
they're all fundamentalists, that their governments and authorities
are fundamentalist? I don't think you're on very safe ground - that
might apply more to the US right now. And that finest hour in the US
hasn't had a very wonderful follow-up, has it? Ask Cat Stevens, for
one of far too many instances.
They view western culture as a modern equivalent of
Sodom and Gomorrah. And from where I'm standing, any
objective observer must admit they have a valid point.
That is God's problem, not yours, not mine, and certainly not
theirs! We will go as it has been written about us, without the
assistance of radical Islamists.
That might ring a little more true if you'd added: "... or Christian
fundamentalists."
Best wishes
Keith
robert luis rabello
"The Edge of Justice"
Adventure for Your Mind
http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=9782>
Ranger Supercharger Project Page
http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/
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