Absinthe
The Freeman
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2004
- Messages
- 14,037
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- 30
But see the problem is the way you related what happened in regards to that cartoon to the entire muslim community, not just the extrenme. Some muslims got pretty pissed off, but most didn't get bothered with it. So why use that incident to condemn all muslims. Christians blow up abortion clinics, kill gay people, Jews did their share of terrorism back in the day, etc. Each side has their extremes, so why do we pass judgement on muslims when a small percentage of their group does something stupid and look the other way when it happens in these other instances? You are going to tell me that if you print an offensive picture of Jesus in a newspaper christians and catholics won't flip the **** out and start bruning down buildings?
And the inevitable comparison to Christianity comes. You think I'm unaware of some of the moral travesties people commit in the name of Christ? You're barking up the wrong tree.
Would some Christians exhibit similar behavior if their idol was tarnished in the same way? I certainly believe so, but nowhere near the scope and size as what was committed by Muslims. The Christian stronghold that is the United States would not erupt in flames. As much as some may be loathe to admit, Christianity (despite its inherent volatility), has become quite tempered by secularism and civilization. If there was rioting, arson, and bloodshed, you could place a safe bet that most Christians would stand on their rooftops and decry those who engage in it. Although both Islam and Christianity are religions, one has had a good deal of its archaic brutality removed from common practice while the other has not. Even if it was just a small percentage of Muslims that took part in the acts, there was still scant condemnation of the behavior by the supposed moderates. They spent more time accusing the cartoons being offensive and distasteful, as if to say that even if they didn't agree with the course of violence that was taking place, their actions were kind of understandable and even sympathetic.
They were not.
Let's be honest. Furthermore, let's be relevant. Cases of violent Islamic extremism are far more common and widespread today than those of Christianity, and this is not the result of some massive Christian media conspiracy. Muslims who take up violence are in the minority, obviously. But a considerable amount of moderates agree with their ideals and methods regardless. More are simply unwilling to condemn or criticize the extremists in their midsts. The apologetics have to stop. The idea that Islamic terrorists are just products of poor upbringings and grievances against the Western world should have died along with the personable, middle-class martyrs of the London bombings, or with the countless wealthy Saudis that cross into Iraq every day to blow themselves up along with civilians. There is something very deformed in the Muslim faith and it is up to the moderates to cut it from their faith and start raising Hell over extremism instead of shrugging their hands in the air as their silence grows louder.