









301. Why debate dogma?
Comment #92163 by Vinelectric on November 30, 2007 at 1:59 am
monkey2 wrote
Honesty is the best policy.
302. Why debate dogma?
Comment #92159 by Vinelectric on November 30, 2007 at 1:48 am
Religious extremism definitely prompts a tougher approach but the age of the enlightment did not come through open insult and vulgar rants. The "polite atheists" may have condescended on Pat but his response is to suggest we condescend on everyone else. Doesn't make sense.
You may argue that religion is unworthy of the authority it has but that's besides the point that it has the authority anyway whether we like it or not. Once you've dealt the extremists the verbal fingers they deserve how do you plan to enlighten the masses? By setting a good example maybe?
303. Banishing the Green-Eyed Monster
Comment #92140 by Vinelectric on November 30, 2007 at 12:02 am
And what's up with the "religious apologists will love this article because..?" Who cares?
304. Banishing the Green-Eyed Monster
Comment #92121 by Vinelectric on November 29, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Bonzai
I didn't quite understand your last entry. Women naturally contribute more to the procreative process from start to finish. You provide only half the genetic template. They provide the actual flesh and blood and endure the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth. Women breast feed, men don't...etc
Their role seems to me infinitely greater than the father's and I don't know that many fathers that forsake a career to stay behind and be full time husbands. On the other hand if you look around there are more single mothers than single fathers. I'm sure in the West the picture is different than to the rest of the world but of course we're talking about universal traits.
You don't have to phrase it the harsh way you did either and I can reassure you that that was not what I meant. Fidelity is not a payback for services as the payee for such services is the child and not the husband. Fidelity in a way shows gratitude for the naturally disproportionate role of the wife and putting the family first before seflish needs.
Vincent
305. Banishing the Green-Eyed Monster
Comment #92023 by Vinelectric on November 29, 2007 at 5:56 pm
home8896
That's sobering.
Women sacrifice the best years of their lives to make sure the children get the best care possible.
Infedility may be no "sin" but is definitely a crime.
306. Banishing the Green-Eyed Monster
Comment #92020 by Vinelectric on November 29, 2007 at 5:41 pm
You've definitely lost me on that one RD !!
Sex outside marriage is selfish and is disrespectful to the faithfull partner who's sworn committment to this contract. The presence or abscense of Darwinian explanations is irrelevant.
Raising a family is hard work. I don't want to raise other people's love children and I don't want to live a life of misery/infertility/AIDS because my partner is dishonest about her "personal life" and has caught some STD because of her irresponsible behaviour.
I'd definitely draw a contract of honour between the two of us. Either stick it together as long as possible (for the sake of children) or each is free to chase his/her lusts. You can't have it both ways.
Wait till the "you can't be moral without God" crowd hijack this article for our own undoing. RD is right public opinion universally rejects infidelity so this piece is most unwelcome and unnecessary.
307. Dutch lawmaker planning film criticizing the Quran
Comment #91694 by Vinelectric on November 29, 2007 at 1:49 am
Bonzai
The legitimacy is already bestowed on them by the British government and for a good reason too: they do tend to represent the average muslim.
My personal experience from living amongst this community for many years confirms what the British government has known all along.
308. Dutch lawmaker planning film criticizing the Quran
Comment #91689 by Vinelectric on November 29, 2007 at 1:35 am
In the past, Wilders has said that half the Quran should be torn up
Comment #91626 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 5:46 pm
An English mother, who had a child in one of the other classes in Unity, said: "I was just gobsmacked. And when I talked about it to colleagues who were Muslims, they felt the same. They were amazed.
310. Pupil defends teacher in Muhammad teddy furore
Comment #91624 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Fanusi Khiyal
This is why freedom is always something that must be fought for.
Comment #91620 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 5:18 pm
You impugn the honour of one of the bravest human beings in the world today, while not being fit to clean her shoes.
I have heard other Somalis call for Ayaan's death, so I care nothing for your protestations.
Vinelectric, what makes you think I will believe a word that comes out of your mouth?
312. This Friday: Debate between Dan Dennett and Dinesh D'Souza
Comment #91619 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Waste of time. D'Souza is neither a contributing scientist nor a trained theologian or a decent debater. I wish Dennett didn't bother at all.
Comment #91618 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Fanusi Khiyal
What does it take to qualify to clean the woman's shoes?
Did I not give you the links in English and Arabic you've always wanted?
You are happy with the one sided views that feed your pathological anger and claim to be a voice of reason? Sorry but I can't let you get away with that and I have no choice but to put up with your filthy rants.
Comment #91615 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Bonzai
she can pay for protection against the nice people she unfairly denmonize because they may slit her throat.
Comment #91610 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Fanusi Khiyal
Myself and Ayaan are both from the same background and of broadly similar persuasion. I'm giving you a first hand account of what a middle eastern, well acquainted with the culture, has to say about her claims and I don't hide the fact that I disagree with her.
What the hell are you and where do you come from? What are your first hand experiences with the cultures? You don't know the language and you get your education second hand.
Listen to my perspective and either shut up or engage in a polite way because your getting on my nerves now.
I'd rather you stopped talking like you knew the culture because you obviously don't and just parrot whatever you read on your Christian fundamentalist websites.
Comment #91583 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 3:49 pm
"Then I went back to the asylum-seekers' centre and almost everyone was from a Muslim country begging for the charity of these infidels. And I thought, 'If we're so superior, why are we begging from them?'"
317. Pupil defends teacher in Muhammad teddy furore
Comment #91560 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 2:46 pm
FK
All of the defence of this woman has been of the "She didn't know what she was doing! Please, please forgive her!"....Instead of saying "This is bullshit...
318. Turkey probes atheist's 'God' book
Comment #91555 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Karaaslan could face trial and up to one year in prison if the prosecutor concludes that the book "incites religious hatred" and insults religious values
319. Islam and the modern world don't mix
Comment #91439 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 10:01 am
Fanusi K:
It can be either. I keep harping on the fact that if we do not engage in a stiff fight for minds now, and that will require a certain amount of force brought to bear, we will find ourselves in total and absolute war.
320. Islam and the modern world don't mix
Comment #91437 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 9:53 am
OK now I've just heard that the poor woman was officially charged. What a let down. The Sudanese government is more fragile than ever and I don't know why no one clever enough to forsee the impending political backlash hasn't warned the idiots not to resolve this peacefully.
What a shame.
321. Islam and the modern world don't mix
Comment #91429 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 am
The stark fact is that the notion of "honour" and the violence linked to it cannot co-exist with the modern idea of universal human rights.
322. Islam and the modern world don't mix
Comment #91425 by Vinelectric on November 28, 2007 at 9:21 am
FK
He is uswa husana, al-insal al-kamil
Comment #91228 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Very interesting conversation.
The emergence of "reformist Ayaah" heralds the next logical step for the woman's efforts. Everyone's had a go at pointing out the shrotcomings of the Islamic belief so now it's time to come forward with practical and realistic soultions.
She's a brave woman but loses the points on insisting that Islamism is a pure form of Islam. You don't see the Wahabbi/Islamist men washing the clothes and help cleaning the house like Muhammad used to. You don't see their wives leading scholarly circles, running their own businesses and being at the forefront of the political scene as Muhammad's wives did but nevertheless it is this form of Islam that we now have to deal with.
In fact you'll find that women in countries with moderate Islamic leadership (e.g Jordan and Egypt) are actually quite comfortable with fighting against the Pharonic genital mutilation, sexual taboos, subversion...etc all whilst conforming to Islam as a faith. Reform isn't just possible it is actually happening and is refreshingly forthcoming. Unfortunately that is unheard of in the countries in which Ayaan grew up viz. Saudi Arabia and Somalia.
By the way that nine year old girl (Aisha) was already engaged at age six and was going to marry another middle aged man before her father offered her to Muhammad as a token of friendship (!!!!!). Crazy as it sounds but it was the norm then. Don't ask how, I can't explain it!!!
It's embarrasing even within the muslim community but Aisha's status as one of the most influential figures, not just among muslim women, but in Islam in general seem to overshadow her premature matrimony to Muhammad.
324. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #91129 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 10:27 am
Vinelectric, Are you telling me that in a Muslim country under Sharia Law a Christian can be in the government?
325. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #91127 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 10:19 am
Before FK or tieInterceptor or any of the army of half-informed, dodgy-website educated and arrogant rude boys accuse me of poor referrencing read this link and educate yourselves about the status of non believers in Islam.
http://www.gawaher.comindex.phps=1e37472418d0f894aef12903fbf5d3ba&showtopic=33947&pid=464895&st=340&#entry464895
Alternatively join a good comparative religions course like Sam Harris as the awful misinformation you keep spitting out is quite overwhelming!!
326. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #91122 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 9:45 am
Cartomancer
I honestly never heard of Julian the Apostate but looking at the encyclopaedia it seems that he was born royalty. He was not chosen to rule. His family ruled, so, the chair came naturally to him. Is this not right?
Anyways I should've thought of a better example. I still don't see why anyone seriously expects to find that those who ruled in the age of the empires would seek out and invite the minority to rule over them after they've attained the throne by force? I don't approve of that but again, a bit of common sense explains everything.
327. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #91120 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 9:42 am
Good chance to clear some of the nonsense I keep reading.
tieInterceptor digs out archaic texts that talk about events that took place centuries ago (Nawawi) and wants to trick the audience into thinking that these events apply now. For your own information people don't refer to Nawawi for history or jurisdicition. The man's only worthy contribution is the collection of useful hadiths in a reader friendly text.
By the way have you come across the Sirah? Muhammad died with his armour/shield in the possession of a Jewish merchant for monies that he failed to repay. Does that conform to the "humiliate the non-muslim" attitude?
Your point fails miserably as what you wrote is irrelevant to the world today. Talk about the other horrors in present day Saudi Arabia and I'll keep my mouth shut.
epeeist
Rubbish - the likelihood of you being elected might be small, but there is no law against you holding power.
328. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #91074 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 6:43 am
mrjonno and Rtambree
I suppose the sense of humour in the Middle East is vastly different to you guys in the West but what is so funny or tempting about masturbating over a holy book or "Muhammad bending Jesus over"?
Is it frustration?
I think it's silly and probably ineffective as well.
329. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #91073 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 6:38 am
tieInteceptor you need to get your facts right.
The dhimmi tax is historical and as far as I'm aware was the basic governmental tax that you'd be charged anyway. Muslims have to pay both zakah as well as the state tax.
If you're atheist you can't hold position of power in the US and I don't imagine Christian Rome appointing a pagan as head of state so I don't think why you'd expect medieval Islamic empires to be any different.
In countries with a considerable non muslim population you can definitely hold a substantial position of power e.g the Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq (remember Tariq Aziz?)..etc. Most other middle eastern countries don't have a large christian population so you wouldn't expect them to appoint any to office.
330. Monotheism was a con from the beginning
Comment #91066 by Vinelectric on November 27, 2007 at 6:21 am
If you're atheist you'd obviously be either moral or immoral. If you're a theist then you just have to be moral, don't you? So I don't think Hitchens is in trouble for his views on Mother Theresa.
331. Discover plagiarism at the Discovery Institute
Comment #90953 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Call to all Biologists!
This video reminded me of a visiting cell biologist who gave us a lecture on the role of cytokines as colony stimulating factors and the mechanism by which they induced cell division. I could not verify some of the things mentioned in that lecture.
He seemed to suggest that the molecules that signalled cell division interfere with the fluidity of the constant turn-over of the membrane components at the site of receptor coupling. It is as if the secondary intracellular changes that resulted in cell division came as a response to a mechanical block no more and no less. Splitting the membrane restores the molecular turnover.
If that were true then it would be a nice explanation of how seemingly complex processes are essentially a culmination of simple mechanisms. Is this true? I haven't come across anyone else to describe it that way (I'm not a biologist).
332. Monotheism was a con from the beginning
Comment #90948 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 6:56 pm
For those interested in the Satanic verses
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Polemics/sverses.html
333. Monotheism was a con from the beginning
Comment #90947 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Actually the Arabs were idolators more than polytheists. They have always worshipped a mono-deity with the idols acting as intercessors. Monotheism in the Arabian peninsula has its roots way before Muhammad. The Arabs think they've inherited monotheism from Abraham and the Israelites.
Anyway it's refreshing to see an attempt at historical analysis of the origin of monotheisms but I have to admit the story of the Satanic verses is a red herring.
There are two histoirans (Tabari and Ibn Saad) that mention the story but the chain of narration is almost non existent and no serious historian would lend the story much credit.
If you're going to selectively quote these historians on such stories you might as well quote the other stories that appear to be more consistent with the man's character and his book. Unfortunately there is a wave of under informed critics that seem to be barking under the wrong tree by following such nonesense.
I wish the more "authentic" hadiths and the Quran be subjected to the same level of serious and honest historical analysis as the bible and the torah. If the author follows the likes of the satanic verses stories then he's definitely wasting his effort. As if there is no abundance of more reliable literature to chew on. Believe me there is, waiting to be dissected.
334. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #90856 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Fanusi
For FK's sake control yourself. That's what Bin Laden is thinking.
335. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #90854 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 2:03 pm
The will not integrate - so why welcome them?
336. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90847 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Fausi you annoying little twat!!!! LOL
I gave you the text in the original Arabic with the referrence but you want me to spoon feed it to you so that you come back and annoy the hell out of me with yet more garbage.
Here comes the English verion...open your mouth...
http://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=93&translator=1&start=0&number=0
(Hadith 470 and ignore the brackets, the english translator has added his own flavour)
...mmm Good Boy. Now this is getting boring so go to bed and get ready for another exciting day of ..HATE THAT MUSLIM...
337. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested
Comment #90835 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I think Muslims worship Muhammad withouth actually realising it. This madness in Sudan is highly typical. They luurrvvve the man. You don't even have to insult him in any remote way. If you happen to utter his name when everyone is in the mood to "want to die for him" then you're stuffed.
The woman's only fault is that she is a Westerner and happened to be in a country recovering from a more serious incident that happened about a year ago. Last year one of the websites (that I bet Fanusi likes to visit) published a story by Ibn Warraq suggesting that Muhammad was an illegitimate child.
The media (which is enjoying a bit of freedom) was naive enough to publish, not the actual story, but a critcism of it by a well meaning but outspoken journalist (Muhammad Taha). The man was kidnapped and beheaded in an incident that was first of it's kind in the country. The journalist did make racist remarks to some other no-nonesense tribe so it is not clear who killed him but naturally no one has heard anything since.
As long as you're a Westerner doing a "Dante" and visiting the living hell (Sudan) then there's no gurantee that you won't get into trouble for no good reason.
338. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90778 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 10:16 am
I agree aquilacane but the problem with Islam specifically is that it is a cultural identity. You can't profess the creed and not know Arabic as you can't hold the prayers. Get me?
Daily speech, sense of humour, literature: all burrow from Quranic and Hadith texts. My Coptic christian teachers used to know several verses of the quran by heart and use them in discussions on literature and prose. The belief system is too well rooted for you to be optimistic that the middle east will ever wake up one day and say: oh we get it! out with Islam and in with..whatever.
Thus all the muslim community see is people trying to undermine them as people not just their beliefs because, as you know, Islam is a way of life not a mere philosophy. The defensive position is taken automatically and irrationality reaches a new height.
Obviously the religion has elements which don't belong in the modern world but the community choses to be selective about what's good for them and ignore the dark texts.
This is no excuse but that's the way it is anyway.
339. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90771 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 10:02 am
TieInterceptor
What on Earth were you suggesting? I am not in the army but even my common sense tells me that once you've made a decision to engage in war you don't announce your tactics to enemy and scream: I'm at GPS coordinates so and so come and get me!!!
340. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90770 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 9:59 am
FK now you're asking for too much. Yes it is in Arabic. But of course you want to wrestle with the context of a medieval text written in a language you don't understand. With your random quotations of taqiyya this and dar al harb that you fooled me into thinking you knew what you're talking about.
Fair enough. I'll fetch you the English. By the way the 7373 is the number in the Bukhari text not the 7373rd hadith in the Tawheed.
Alternatively see what your dodgy Christian fundamentalists friends have to say about it. It is too famous hadith to escape your attention.
341. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90735 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 8:28 am
FK, Here is the link
http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=10944
By the way most people hear of the dark texts you refer to from the critics. That Bukhari is a large book that is written in a language almost impenetrable to the modern arabic speaker.
Anyways I can fetch you all kind of mushy ahadiths as well like the one where Muhammad cuts the end of his robe so as not to disturb a cat sleeping on it. The hadiths are hopelessly contradictory but one thing that strikes you is that this man started very millitant (fresh from persecution) then softened up.
I don't know about the poets who were killed but I know that when he sent 70 of the Quran reciters to peacefully invite a neighbouring tribe to Islam all were beheaded but Muhammad didn't retaliate. He wisened up as he grew older (and more powerful).
The reason why most muslims aren't bin Ladens is that the source texts become more mature and less vitriolic generally speaking as one follows the historical timeline.
Sorry , have to go, get back to you later
342. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90684 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 5:52 am
Goatboy
Can never outdo you and your strange friends.
343. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90679 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 5:41 am
Sorry the text was in Arabic. I will fetch the English translation.
Anyway it's number 7373 in the Bukhari text (Book of Tawheed)
344. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90678 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 5:40 am
Fanusi
Why have you not heard of the entry-level well-known hadith on Muadh Ibn Jabal:
- ????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???: ??? ????? -??? ???? ???? ????-: ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ???: ???? ?????? ????. ???: ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ???: ???? ?????? ????. ???: ?? ?? ?????? .
Towards the end of his life Muhammad said that Allah has an obligation not to torture people. Now that doesnt' make sense after all those scary Meccan chapters. You'll find that the scholars will confuse you with things like: the hadith concerns only those who are good muslims. Well the wording is ambiguous and as I said this is what drove me nuts.
I don't have the other texts but if you haven't heard about them then you need to do some serious research on the religion before you start quoting things randomly. Have you not come across the passage where a mother starts looking for her baby among the dead in a battle and upon seeing her embrace her child Muhammad says to his companions:
Do you think this woman would throw her child into the fire? The men say no and Muahmmad says that Alalh is more merciful than that.
By the way how could it escape your logic that the hadith on War is deception rfers to open war when the thing has been procalimed publicly. Of course you'd need tactics to win the bloody war. You were referring to the situation where suposedly muslims are encourage to deceive people that they are at peace with.
Fanusi, if you're quite serious about criticizing Islam why not tackle the serious connundrums as opposed to making things up. There are plenty: divine hiddenness, the pathetic excuse for why god made people, contradiction between Quran and hadith on the issue of freedom of religion/expression...etc
345. Rock of Ages, Ages of Rock
Comment #90654 by Vinelectric on November 26, 2007 at 3:32 am
How can Intelligent Design lose out at a court of law only to let creationists through the backdoor? Is there nothing to regulate educational institutions (e.g public museums) ?
346. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90503 by Vinelectric on November 25, 2007 at 11:05 am
Goatboy
Amen to the "streaming pile of shit"?
Yeah, that prayer was answered when we were honoured with the company of yourself, Fanusia and.. can't remember who else it was.
347. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90499 by Vinelectric on November 25, 2007 at 11:01 am
Seems like you need a billion pages of justification to explain every single phrase out of Mohammed's mouth.
348. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90496 by Vinelectric on November 25, 2007 at 10:56 am
Fanusi, look up those historical texts again. Early muslims were quite blunt about their proposition: accept Islam or else..! That taqiyya of yours was a conspiracy theory dreamt up by childish sunni historians who thought that the Shiites were all over the place in disguise.. too rubbish to even comment on.
There is no text in Islam to promote deception. I bet you didn't know that.
349. The absurd world of Martin Amis
Comment #90494 by Vinelectric on November 25, 2007 at 10:41 am
Strong words Summer Seale. You sound very brave indeed. We should all destroy the enemy.
350. How condescension benefits terrorism
Comment #90477 by Vinelectric on November 25, 2007 at 9:08 am
Fanusi for once you've cheered me up.
Yeah, a bleeding special pleading liberal.. my friends will like that!!!!