










251. Muslim countries win concession regarding religious debates
Comment #196527 by al-rawandi on June 20, 2008 at 5:46 am
decius,
Operation "Just Cause" in Panama was only a bombing campaign. I didn't know there was an invasion as well. Granted the bombing campaign caused tens of thousands of deaths, all because Noriega was no longer the loyal servant and George Bush needed to show he was tough on "dictators".
252. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196270 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Tera Bat, Advocatus, etc...
I have to go. More tomorrow.
253. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196263 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 2:44 pm
TeraBat,
Deir Yassin:
Elements of the Stern Gang entered this village and massacred about 250 people. I will spare the bloody particulars about dismboweled women (which I have read in detail).
Elements of the Haganah participated in the operation as well. Approval was given by Ben Gurion, one of his aides said "When the Old Man wanted something done, he didn't have to say it, he gave us a look". This was referring to doing something that was illegal or immoral.
Deir Yassin was witnessed by a number of people, including a French Red Cross worker who gave detailed testimony of what he saw in the aftermath. It is also fair to say that the massacre was actually stopped by Jewish villagers from the neighboring village who had lived next to these Arabs for many years, peacefully.
You do know that in the 1950's the Shin Bet was used to do a number of shady operations. For instance they were used to effectively close down Uri Avneri's dissident paper in the 1950's while promoting a the publication of the party paper (Ben Gurion's party of course). Isser Harel himself ordered a number of actions against "collaborators" and the like, to be carried out by the security services... after the creation of the state.
None of the wars that have occured there would have happened if they weren't so obsessed with "pushing the infidils into the sea"
254. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196259 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Steve,
What I meant is that our thinking about it means it affects us differently as we interact with our environment with "evolution" in mind. We make choices that determine our evolution, and we do so knowing evolution is a mechanism of change.
Does this makes sense, because I am only 50% sure it does?
255. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196257 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 2:26 pm
TeraBat,
As for the UN declaring that there was no massacre in Jenin, you can laugh, but it's true. And the fact that they hate us so much makes their decision all that more conclusive.
BTW I'm a woman.
256. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196255 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 2:20 pm
TeraBat,
First of all you are a massive hypocrite citing the UN. The UN has passed over 70 resolutions condemning Israel, Israeli politicians regularly call it "useless", "Anti-Israel", and "Anti-Semitic". Now to defend Israel, you cite the UN. Do you see the problem here?
I am going to ignore the fact that you think murdering civilians is a deterrent to violence, because you seem like a pretty bright person and you know better.
What happened during the British Mandate was a totally different story. There were rogue terrorist groups but they acted indepentanly of the Yishuv and the Palmach. Most of the Yishuv was against it
257. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196244 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 1:55 pm
advocatus,
The issue about Sharon (which differentiates him from Shamir, and Begin) is that he was found 'responsible' for the massacres by an Israeli court. It wasn't some Shaykh in Gaza saying this, it was the Israeli High Court. So he cannot claim innocence.
However he didn't actually perpetrate the massacre, he was found responsible for not forseeing the actions of the Phalangee militia under his control... and it is likely he purposefully let them massacre the Palestinians in those camps.
Even worse and less noted, is that Sharon led the force that perpetrated the massacre at Qibya in 1956. This raid was in response to a series of terrorists attacks carried out by Arab fedayeen (specifically one on a bus killing 12 civilians). They detonated explosives with people in their homes, and if they tried to run out before the explosives went off, they were shot. This to me is far more damning, as he personally led the operation.
258. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196239 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 1:45 pm
advocatus,
He is right. The funerals were staged, and the "body" fell and got up.
Also Rabin was not responsible for the King David Hotel, Menachim Begin was. But to that point, Begin was also prime minister, and even worse, so was Yitzhak Shamir (Stern Gang, an awful terrorist group).
259. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196235 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 1:42 pm
TeraBat,
One more thing. The UN investigated the claims of massacre and decreed that they were a lie. There was no massacre in Jenin.
260. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196233 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 1:40 pm
TeraBat,
A couple of points.
1) The IDF bulldozed a house on top of a handicapped boy.
2) I have posted numerous videos of the IDF and border guards firing on innocent people, including peace activists and journalists. They even shot a nobel peace prize winner from Ireland.
3) You are right, the Palestinian resistance organizations have mingled with the innocent to a point where it is impossible to fight them, while the IDF has worn uniforms and stood IN FRONT of their civilians. A noteworthy difference, and a credit to Israel.
4) I heard about the fake funerals. The guy fell off the stretcher and got back on. Quite impressive. But if you will remember an explosion in Gaza last week... it was blamed on an Israeli air strike and Hamaas launched rocket attacks in response. And only later was it learned that it was actually a Hamas bomb factory that exploded and not and IAF strike. Propaganda is an art form in the Arab world.
261. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196218 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Steve,
You are no doubt right... but we certainly haven't transcended biology. We haven't transcended anything, we have reached a point in our evolution where our interaction with our environment has changed our situation and the rationalizing portions of our brain have come to different conclusions.
Evolution is a different game when we talk about its effect on entities that can contemplate it as an idea. A force pressing on our species, which we can identify and discuss, and by doing this very thing, we change the way we evolve. So cyclical, is it not?
262. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196213 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Sciros,
Why? Because TeraBat is trying to sell some racial nonsense, and I can't stand that bull shit. Besides I don't really care about making these threads train wrecks.
263. It Doesn't Take an Einstein
Comment #196211 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 1:12 pm
esuther,
Remember this photo (at top of the page):
http://www.intifada.com/childhood.html
The young boy throwing rocks at the tank was shot by an Israeli sniper. I heard rumors the sniper got a medal, but this might just be Arab propaganda which is never in short supply.
It is getting difficult to reconcile Jewish claims to victimhood with an increasing military might, which surpasses its remaining enemies.
264. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196198 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Podaar,
I am waiting on a research report from Nasdaq, can't do much til it gets here..... b-b-b-b-oring.
MPhil,
I understand that, I was using "biology" as a metaphor for the smallest reducible physical object or property. It was meant to be obviously reducible. I was more worried about conveying the point that one cannot "transcend" one's biology (or any of its subsidiary objects). This may be a matter of wildly differing definitions of transcend, which I think may be the case because I was using the dictionary definition, while fizhburn was talking about ending xenophobia and making long term plans.
So maybe I missed this philosophical boat.
265. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196183 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Galactor,
Isn't it "Bejeebus"?
Now that is fucking pedantic... I am ashamed.
266. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196182 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 12:13 pm
fizhburn,
Ok, we can leave Kant alone, that would be a little off topic, even for myself.
But let me clarify my slight hyperbole. You said:
ought we to transcend our biology?
267. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196164 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 11:42 am
fizhburn,
Now in humans, we can identify similarly miswired individuals. One extreme example is the sociopath. Sociopaths engage in behaviors that are likely to get them sanctioned by the society they live in, if they are caught
I'm not advocating the sort of objective items that certain Kantians want to hold exist, as for all "rational" agents, because of "constituitive features of rational action." Nor do I think there is a sans phrase Form of the Good.
I don't think this prejudices a further question, which is, ought we to transcend our biology?
268. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196156 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 11:20 am
Someone send this in for a submission, Josh doesn't like me and never posts my submissions (who can blame him with the 10 pornographic links I sent in).
This kid is the cousin of the toddler who died from going untreated. What a bunch of loons.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/19/faith.healer.deaths.ap/index.html
269. The Mother, The Child, The School Board And The Psychic
Comment #196116 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 10:15 am
MPhil,
Kenny G. is pretty talented as well.... but he is the reason I hate elevators.
270. The Mother, The Child, The School Board And The Psychic
Comment #196104 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 9:56 am
mordacious1,
I just read that severed foot story today.
Maybe they can get a psychic to track down the killer. And wasn't there some killer out in the country feeding his victims to pigs???
271. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196092 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 9:35 am
irate,
irate_atheist is now having a glass of water before spreading 'the word'.
272. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #196074 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 9:15 am
Wow.... b-b-b-boring today.
Someone post a controversial article.... fast!
273. Charles Darwin: 'Is man an ape or an angel?'
Comment #196004 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 7:10 am
Laurie Fraser,
You know that history is inadmissable as evidence.
:-)
274. The Mother, The Child, The School Board And The Psychic
Comment #195976 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 6:28 am
I sense..... a presence.... a presence of.... bull shit.
275. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #195955 by al-rawandi on June 19, 2008 at 5:53 am
RTG,
I have a request... The Dow Jones finished below 12,000 yesterday... not good. Could I ask you to pray for a 150 point bump today... we could really use it, otherwise the bear's will have the market.
Thanks.
276. We Urgently Need Your Help Now!!
Comment #195562 by al-rawandi on June 18, 2008 at 1:16 pm
cerad,
Hurricane Darwin is bearing down on LA
277. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #195561 by al-rawandi on June 18, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Enlightenme...,
As for Jewish demotion to jobs of usury... What about Arabs? They are often business owners and the like and many people think it "difficult" to do business with them. Maybe it is semitic people? They lived in an area that was the nexus of several continents, and a lot of trade came their way.... Maybe this has something to do with it.
278. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #195547 by al-rawandi on June 18, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Enlightenme...,
You are not going to have a hard time convincing rational people that there are race issues, including differences in the races. You are going to have a hard time convincing the die hard liberals that they will have to abandon there "Everyone is the same and the sun is shining" dogmatism. It is canonical in leftist politics, these dogmas, so beware.
279. Oystein Elgaroy - the Christian defender who became an Atheist
Comment #195490 by al-rawandi on June 18, 2008 at 10:23 am
Carto,
Way to insult the new guy. Geeze, we can't take you anywhere.... You always have to make a scene.
280. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #195483 by al-rawandi on June 18, 2008 at 10:07 am
mesomodel,
Name this speaker:
"The nose is clearly designed for spectacles, so we wear spectacles, and the foot is clearly designed to be booted, so we wear boots."
281. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #195402 by al-rawandi on June 18, 2008 at 7:04 am
Enlightenme...,
Well read "Guns, Germs, and Steel". Many a native population conquered through disease (Cortez and Atahualpa for example).
Anyhow, the presence of mega-flora and mega-fauna were instrumental in the development of peoples. I really don't like to suggest that people are fundamentally different, but they do often come from fundamentally different environments. In terms of race, there is no scientific data to suggest any biological difference between peoples. In fact genetic variegation can be as great within one race as it could be between races.
It is no coincidence that the Abrahamic faiths have so much in common and all come from roughly the same region. My trouble is that I really love Arabic, the Middle East and Arab culture, there is so much about it I like and enjoy, yet the nasty bits are so flagrant as to stand out beyond the niceties (more often than not).
RamziD,
You are right, I am growing weary of the things that come out of the Middle East. I think we need to get unhooked from oil and then let them sort themselves out. Any reformation will have to be because they want it and initiate it.
Fanusi,
PM for you.
282. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #195377 by al-rawandi on June 18, 2008 at 6:16 am
epeeist,
You do not resemble George Galloway at all. I can't detect even a hint of a Scottish accent in your posts, so don't worry.
283. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #195029 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 3:09 pm
RamziD,
When you have thousands of years of cultural history to sort through, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what the problem is.
I know you're waiting for me to spout off about something like oppression from the west, exploitation, the US is to blame
but you are also pretty absolutist by saying that Arab muslims can't be enlightened
284. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #195019 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 2:34 pm
RamziD,
How do you know I am not an Arab? How do you know my parents aren't Lebanese?
But to answer your question, Arab tribal ethos was a nasty bit of business in pre-Islamic times. Islam codified this into a religion. So when other countries shed their tribalistic ethos, Arabs didn't because it was now codified in their religion.
Since there is no god, as you admit, then Islam is a product of the Arabs, is it not? Specifically Muhammad, and since there was not a system of forced conversion, Arabs chose this faith (for any number of reasons). So I fail to see how Islam is NOT a reflection of Arab tribal ethos. How then do you account for the more passive nature of Bosnian and Chinese Muslims?
or if people like me are just exceptions to your rule
What, inherent in them, makes them unable to achieve modernization?
285. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #194882 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 11:05 am
Steve,
I have noticed something. Evolution by natural selection is clearly explained, in well worded papers with copious evidence. While creationism is actually an ever changing amorphous pile of ad hominem, which isn't ever delineated in detail because anytime it has been, it was destroyed by scientists.
From a simply aesthetic perspective, evolution and natural selection are an organized blue print, while creationism is a heap of crayon sketched dinosaur saddles.
Striking differences.
286. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #194869 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 10:48 am
Karda,
In this new religion "Dudeism" there would not be "Altar Boys" only "Little Lebowski Urban Achievers".
Comment #194777 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 9:03 am
epeeist,
Throwing a little logic at these people is quite a humorous adventure.
I always take the miracle approach. They love Jesus miracles, but not the ones in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc... Those are fake miracles and only looney toons would believe in them. It seems too strange to be true.
Comment #194764 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 8:45 am
ketch22,
I have actually read the Koran, and there are no miracles performed by Muhammad there. I actually read right to left as this was how the book was represented when I obtained it. All miracles come from Islamic tradition from so-called Hadith. This Islamic traditions comes hundreds of years after Muhammad's life and therefore isn't comparable to the gospels, which were written down within the first generation when the eyewitnesses were still alive.
Comment #194718 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 7:56 am
ketch22,
And as far as miracles go, if you believe God exists, then you have no problem with believing He can perform miracles, either as a man or as God in heaven.
290. Unlike Others, U.S. Defends Freedom to Offend in Speech
Comment #194660 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 6:29 am
Dr. Benway,
I like the Newspeak you throw in. Winston Smith would be proud.
291. Report: Troubling texts at Va. Islamic school
Comment #194659 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 6:28 am
Naked Celt,
Excellent point on WWI Arab resistance. The Hashemites worked quite hard at their insurgency. All one has to do is read T.E. Lawrence, or hell, just watch the movie "Lawrence of Arabia".
I must also concur, the Crusades were a genocidal offensive "jihad" and the massacres perpetrated by the Crusaders belie their actually intent. It was not to do with "defense".
292. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #194654 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 6:21 am
Fanusi,
This is a point I made earlier, about Israelis. And of course lastgreekstanding objected, but that makes me feel a little better (When the idiots start complaining.... push on).
Look at Israel and look at the history of Jews. Jews in the OT are mean sons of bitches, slaughtering, killing, stoning, hating. They spend a few centuries in Europe, undergo all the influences of an enlightenment and come back a secular group of civilized people (although far from perfect). Now, how many Jews do you see stoning people for cutting their hair to short? Or working on Saturday? None, zero.
And look at how social dynamics work in Israel. Ashkenazi Jews are the successful ones, they are from Europe. Mizrachi Jews (Oriental) are suffering and are largely the lower rungs of society, they never spent time in Europe, they remained in the Middle East... and what is their political party???? Shas, a party of religious whackery that does more harm than good to the ISraeli cause.
It is no coincidence that Bosnians, Huis, Uzbeks, and others don't stone adulterers or behead apostates... because they are removed from the Arab center. The problem emenates from the Peninsula.
Muslim society can undergo an enlightenment, just not an Arab Muslim society.
293. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #194650 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 6:13 am
elephant,
Since religion isn't uniform, it is specific to the person. Most Muslims I know practice the faith in a way that reflects their personality, and since I only consider good people my friends, the Muslims I know all practice Islam in a way tolerable to me.
The people who get "radicalized" are often converts who have serious identity crises. Not all converts do so out of identity crisis, but those who do tend to become radical. They feel they need to staunchly defend their new faith and identity against the society which made a social outcast of them.
Christianity isn't the answer. There is no answer to radical Islam.
The issue with Nazism was that there was one man at the head, we could kill him and show everyone that Nazism is a bankrupt and failed ideology. Islam, as a social system, is a failed ideology already. We cannot show these whackos that their ideology is failed because it is in plain sight, they live in squalor and they see this as confirmation of their beliefs. The only option is to kill them, or allow them a state in which they can busy themselves stoning adulterers and beheading people.
The options don't look good.
294. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #194646 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 6:07 am
Frankus,
Jesus said:
"This is some bush league psych out stuff!"
"You try any of that shit with me, pull a piece out on the lane... I will take it away from you, shove it up your ass and pull the trigger until it goes.... click."
And thus spaketh Walter Sobchak:
"No he's a peterass Dude, he did 6 months in Chino for exposing himself to an 8 year old. Had to go door to door telling everyone he was a peterass."
295. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #194636 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 5:50 am
Fanusi,
No thanks. There is a reason Bosnian Islam is mild compared to some of the stuff in Yemen. There is a reason why Uzbeks had long been moderates until Arabs showed up. There is a reason Hui Mulsims in Xianjiang were largely passive. The lack of Arab influence.
There have been Arab Christian suicide bombers, terrorists and other whackos. George Habash was head of the PFLP (responsible for hijackings)... he was a Christian.
I would want austere ass holes practicing any religion. Such radical dichotomists can easily turn Christianity into a nasty (*EDIT* even nastier) doctrine. So I must agree with Irate Atheist on this one.
296. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #194633 by al-rawandi on June 17, 2008 at 5:47 am
Karda,
Hey! Dudeism? I am in soooo in for that:
"Jackie Treehorn treats objects like women man"
We can drink the sacramental "white russian", and then go bowling.... And if anyone questions the doctrines????
"You are entering a world of pain Smokey.... Mark it fucking zero!"
297. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Comment #194437 by al-rawandi on June 16, 2008 at 7:26 pm
LGS,
You are correct, government housing encourages migration to settlements, but who would migrate to the settlements? If you watch "Palestine is Still the Issue" you can see plenty of interviews with settlers and see their fanatacism at work.
How do explain the difference between European Jews and the Jews of the OT? What accounts for that? No Jews are stoned for anything, yet Muslims still stone people. I am afraid a European vacation of many centuries can have a positive effect, don't you?
298. Unlike Others, U.S. Defends Freedom to Offend in Speech
Comment #194428 by al-rawandi on June 16, 2008 at 7:11 pm
alvorin,
I should only have to repost your post #136 to make my point. Fucktard.
I didn't say free markets are utopian, I said they are better than the alternative. This is merely another example of your habit of spouting lies about other people and what they say. But I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are simply incapable of reading.
I never said our foreign policy was good. In fact I am one of the biggest and most persistent critics of US foreign policy, and have routinely suggested alternatives.
The problem is you are a simpleton. In your double digit IQ world, everyone who detests socialism is a believer in free makret utopias. And every American who believes liberty is better than Islamic totalitarianism supports an "idiotic foreign" policy.
You are just a simpleton that is all. Flailing away at strawmen, and lying to put other people in the scare crow outfit.
My suggestion, stop lying and people might start to take some of your stupidity seriously. Until then I am marking you with the "fucktard" button. You have certainly earned it, wear it with pride.
Liars disgust me.
299. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #194419 by al-rawandi on June 16, 2008 at 6:49 pm
RTG,
I am an American, you are a disgrace to our great country. You can take your rude posts about the British and shove them. The British are some of the bravest people on earth, and their new secular direction is a credit to their intellectual advancement. As an American I have nothing but respect for the British, you can thank much of their political thought for producing the Founding Fathers of our nation, who also thought religion was a pernicious cancer to be marginalized at all costs.
You are truly pathetic.
Comment #194415 by al-rawandi on June 16, 2008 at 6:33 pm
ketch22
I simply came here wondering why it is so difficult to believe in evolution and a creator.