Funny, but I imagine there's no benefit to being in the first row. It isn't like being in Church where you want to be close to the pulpit to hear better. My problem is that I pray best with my shoes on.
Really, your comment invites some rather disrespectful comments. Thinly veiled, I would say. With your "aroma" comment, you are implying they are unwashed? I expect more from you. Do not be part of the problem, be part of the solution.
You made an interesting comment..."Do not be part of the problem, be part of the solution." By problem, I suppose you mean the "strained" relations between Muslims and, well, just about everyone else, including among themselves. So what IS the solution? The most viable solution I've heard is for all non-Muslims to just leave them alone to do their thing, which seems to include their majors sects killing each other. Even the mainstream, non-violent Muslims seem to have a problem with freedom of speech, one of the West's bedrock rights. At times it seems to almost be a case of irresistible force vs immoveable object. There have been a lot of very smart people trying for years to figure out a solution with no success. How many more options do we have left? Any ideas?
I don't have any ideas that haven't been kicked around. I agree with you that part of the problem is that the Muslim community doesn't do enough to come out against their extremist "brethren" (perhaps they are afraid to???). However, your remarks as I said are "thinly veiled" with regard to the contempt you appear (perhaps my own interpretation) to have. I don't know. I was mainly reacting to your comment that seems insensitive to the manner in which they pray/worship. Can you imagine the comments if a Muslim suggested that it was a waste for a Christian to dress up on Sunday for church since we are all doomed to spend eternity in hell?
It seems to me that most Christians are pretty ambivalent about what other religions think about them. Many religions make no qualms about believing theirs is the only way to "heaven", whatever they may call it. Christians seem to just believe what they believe, and are willing to let you go down the road if you don't agree. (Admittedly that hasn't always been the case.) Christians don't seem to be overly pushy about trying to convert others. Sure, Christians have their missionaries, but they don't physically threaten those who choose NOT to convert. Same with Buddhists, and Hindus. Muslims, at least the extreme ones, are not so "understanding".
And your example of how Christians might react if a Muslim suggested it was a waste for them to dress up on Sunday....do you realize how many Christians DON'T dress up to go to church on Sunday? Instead of being upset by the idea of "dressing down", they seem to embrace it!
And I go back to my statement about Muslims seeming to have no respect for freedom of speech. Atheists say to a Christian's face that God is a "joke", and Christians just let it slide off. Tell a Muslim Allah is a "joke", and they'll put a contract hit out on you. Remember Salman Rushdie? Remember Charlie Hebdo? Remember the burning of the Danish newspaper? Freedom of speech, and for that matter even freedom of THOUGHT, seems to be anathema to Islam.
Is my pointing all this out an "insensitivity" towards Islam, or just a recitation of facts?
Ok. I see. I insulted you and now you have to keep hammering your point. I get it. We are each entitled to our own opinions. All I had wanted to do was point out that your "aroma" comment was insensitive, and implies that Muslims are unwashed and smelly. End of story. This is your blog, and you can write whatever floats your boat. I will, in the future, keep my comments to myself.
Quite the contrary. I just posted something new and commented about our interesting exchange. I'm not trying to stifle you, just make my views known, too. :)
Funny, but I imagine there's no benefit to being in the first row. It isn't like being in Church where you want to be close to the pulpit to hear better. My problem is that I pray best with my shoes on.
ReplyDeleteI was just imagining the view, not to mention the aroma, would be better up there.
DeleteReally, your comment invites some rather disrespectful comments. Thinly veiled, I would say. With your "aroma" comment, you are implying they are unwashed? I expect more from you. Do not be part of the problem, be part of the solution.
ReplyDeleteNot too many bare feet smell good, I'm sure mine included. Fact.
DeleteYou made an interesting comment..."Do not be part of the problem, be part of the solution." By problem, I suppose you mean the "strained" relations between Muslims and, well, just about everyone else, including among themselves. So what IS the solution? The most viable solution I've heard is for all non-Muslims to just leave them alone to do their thing, which seems to include their majors sects killing each other. Even the mainstream, non-violent Muslims seem to have a problem with freedom of speech, one of the West's bedrock rights. At times it seems to almost be a case of irresistible force vs immoveable object. There have been a lot of very smart people trying for years to figure out a solution with no success. How many more options do we have left? Any ideas?
DeleteI don't have any ideas that haven't been kicked around. I agree with you that part of the problem is that the Muslim community doesn't do enough to come out against their extremist "brethren" (perhaps they are afraid to???). However, your remarks as I said are "thinly veiled" with regard to the contempt you appear (perhaps my own interpretation) to have. I don't know. I was mainly reacting to your comment that seems insensitive to the manner in which they pray/worship. Can you imagine the comments if a Muslim suggested that it was a waste for a Christian to dress up on Sunday for church since we are all doomed to spend eternity in hell?
DeleteIt seems to me that most Christians are pretty ambivalent about what other religions think about them. Many religions make no qualms about believing theirs is the only way to "heaven", whatever they may call it. Christians seem to just believe what they believe, and are willing to let you go down the road if you don't agree. (Admittedly that hasn't always been the case.) Christians don't seem to be overly pushy about trying to convert others. Sure, Christians have their missionaries, but they don't physically threaten those who choose NOT to convert. Same with Buddhists, and Hindus. Muslims, at least the extreme ones, are not so "understanding".
DeleteAnd your example of how Christians might react if a Muslim suggested it was a waste for them to dress up on Sunday....do you realize how many Christians DON'T dress up to go to church on Sunday? Instead of being upset by the idea of "dressing down", they seem to embrace it!
And I go back to my statement about Muslims seeming to have no respect for freedom of speech. Atheists say to a Christian's face that God is a "joke", and Christians just let it slide off. Tell a Muslim Allah is a "joke", and they'll put a contract hit out on you. Remember Salman Rushdie? Remember Charlie Hebdo? Remember the burning of the Danish newspaper? Freedom of speech, and for that matter even freedom of THOUGHT, seems to be anathema to Islam.
Is my pointing all this out an "insensitivity" towards Islam, or just a recitation of facts?
Ok. I see. I insulted you and now you have to keep hammering your point. I get it. We are each entitled to our own opinions. All I had wanted to do was point out that your "aroma" comment was insensitive, and implies that Muslims are unwashed and smelly. End of story. This is your blog, and you can write whatever floats your boat. I will, in the future, keep my comments to myself.
DeleteQuite the contrary. I just posted something new and commented about our interesting exchange. I'm not trying to stifle you, just make my views known, too. :)
Delete