| Submit your comments on this article |
| Olde Tyme Religion |
| The Arab World Versus Islam |
| 2014-09-30 |
| [Ynet] Islam has helped to destroy Arabic civilization, argue two Arab intellectuals in emotive essays in separate Western publications, and only intensive introspection by the followers of the faith can lead out of the century-long abyss. It is perfectly feasible that this time it will really happen. It is perfectly feasible that this time, in light of the black fanaticism and the rivers of blood and death, the Arab intelligentsia will embark on some genuine introspection. It is this soul-searching that Fouad Ajami demanded in his book "The Dream Palace of the Arabs" after the 1967 Six-Day War. It is this soul-searching that seemed to be inevitable in the wake of the attacks of September 11, but immediately turned into a long list of gripes against America and the West. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #13 In that bit of wisdom by JFM of, namely " Later when their sons began to fall, their ships to sink and their skies filled with Allied bombers then and only then did they grow unhappy about the regime." most likely lies the key to resolving the current conflict(s). However, it can't be done on the cheap and requires leadership and will. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2014-09-30 16:18 |
| #12 Ah, these Good Germans. What JFM said. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-09-30 15:53 |
| #11 I'd read that much of what we dislike in Islam is more or less Arab Imperialism/culture that was brought along with Islam in the early days. Most cultures retained some sense of themselves within islam until recently when Wahabbi oil money started radicallizing everyone again in the power vacuum left behind after the Cold War. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2014-09-30 14:25 |
| #10 Estimates are that about 10-30% of the Muslims support jihad/radical Islam. I think this number is highly variable, depending on what government they live under & what pressures have been applied. What %-age of Muslims in occupied Mosul support the Jihad? |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2014-09-30 13:41 |
| #9 Yes, g(r)omgoru - Arab Civilization. Arab Intellectuals. 1/3 of the world is filled with oxymorons and paradoxical statements - Islamic Kindness, Islamic Civility, Islamic Peace, well you get the gist. |
| Posted by: Clem McGurque2888 2014-09-30 12:10 |
| #8 Good Germans were silent onlookers who went along to get along in a country of extremism? Say that thse Good Germans(Tm) were quite happy as long as easy victories brought them higher living standards through the plundering of defeated countries. Later when their sons began to fall, their ships to sink and their skies filled with Allied bombers then and only then did they grow unhappy about the regime. |
| Posted by: JFM 2014-09-30 11:39 |
| #7 The article focuses only on the "dark Arab" regimes. There is also the "dark Persian" regime (which is most of theocratic dominated Iran). The population of the planet is ~ 7B. Muslims constitute about 2B. Christians about 2B. The rest are spread among Hindus, Buddhists, Jews and other. Estimates are that about 10-30% of the Muslims support jihad/radical Islam. That is a huge number and a huge world problem. It is not the Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, or the Jews who are lopping heads and have notions of world-wide supremacy. IMO many Muslims tend to go for the strong-horse, i.e. the "moderates" would tend to go towards radical Islam should they become the strong horse. This might alter the 10-30& percentages to higher numbers. When 911 occurred, many Muslims across the world danced in the streets and were sympathetic towards the 911 hijackers. Much like the good German/bad German paradigm during WWII. Good Germans were silent onlookers who went along to get along in a country of extremism? Unknowing residents of a country with very dark notions? Doubtful. There was more to it than that. There are other modern day examples of the strong horse phenomena such as the rise of Putin. The ideology which spawns such notions of world-supremacy and domination is the problem. Anjem Choudary, the radical Muslim cleric who was arrested in the UK (also appeared on Hannity last night) articulated the threat clearly--he thinks the world should live under Sharia law. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2014-09-30 10:20 |
| #6 steve, etc. Like the man said, the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but it's a good way to bet the underlined part is approximate quote from Damon Runyon also a favorite quote of mine |
| Posted by: lord garth 2014-09-30 08:00 |
| #5 Um, I keep missing this great Arab Civilization that they talk about. They going back to Babylon or the Hittites? Once Mo took over, it's my understanding that the great civilization was consturcted by dhimmis under the threat of the sword and by the appropriation of knowledge from the conquered. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2014-09-30 07:55 |
| #4 |
| Posted by: Big Thromoth3646 2014-09-30 07:38 |
| #3 You can argue about "Islam versus the Arab world" ie Islam destroying civilization in Syria, Egypt, the valley of the Euphrates, Tunisia (in Arabia there was not that much of civilization to be destroyed) but not "the Arab world against Islam" since the Arab worlld is not fighting it. It keeps supporting it. |
| Posted by: JFM 2014-09-30 05:36 |
| #2 Arab Civilization. Arab Intellectuals. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-09-30 05:17 |
| #1 It is perfectly feasible that this time it will really happen. Maybe. Maybe not. How many divisions do the Arab intelligentsia have? Like the man said, the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but it's a good way to bet. My money is on tribalism and violence. As for Arab civilization (pfft) having reached a nadir, that won't happen as long as the oil money holds out. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2014-09-30 00:40 |