You should probably piss your pants.

I mean, that would help convey the shrieking (and I mean shrieking), blinkered, pointless horror you seem so eager to inspire.

All these blog posts... There must have been dozens by now, all of them very clipped and screechy and wake-up-sheeply. Maybe there have been hundreds. All the fear-mongering articles and links from concert promoters and comedians... It's a big topic for you.

But you've never mentioned even meeting a Muslim, and certainly not speaking with one.

That's kinda weird, right? There are 1.7 billion of them. There are a lot more Muslims in the world than homosexuals, with whose dearest intimacies you'd imagine yourself to be so casually conversant.

The King Fahad Mosque is at 10980 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. It's about 2.57 from your neighborhood. Google reviews rate it highly, with 4.6 out of 5 stars:

"Nice looking mosque and nice Iman. Friday kuttbah was good."


"So it's Salafi/Wahhabi style with Salafi/Wahhabi books."


"It was on time and the Salaat was quick - but the khutba was a little long.

Crid, what are you certifications to pontificate about Islam?

You've asked for others, but never give your own.

I don't care about Crid's "certifications" - because, as I have said before, ideas do not depend on their origin for validity.

What I note, instead, is that his protest has no value.

Our hostess isn't wrong about the reports of savagery near and far, or of the predations of religion upon the weak. The protest is simply that she posts about this.

When you can't change the channel, you shout over the show.

What I note, instead, is that his protest has no value.

Our hostess isn't wrong about the reports of savagery near and far, or of the predations of religion upon the weak. The protest is simply that she posts about this.

When you can't change the channel, you shout over the show.

Radwaste at June 25, 2016 10:24 AM

Incorrect. The protest is, that on numerous occasions Amy has claimed to know *all about Islam* and as proof of that knowledge she offers up; not actual experience with Muslims or a degree in Islamic studies, history or even extensive experience traveling in the Middle East.

Her proof is that she has read the troll bait writings of a group of third rate hysterical journalists, quoting the Koran.

> You've asked for others

When?

> The protest is simply that
> she posts about this.

No, it's that she posts vapidly, without context,
and answers questions with insults. Why not give her a hard time?

Crid, Isab, anyone;

How am I supposed to interpret that video? explain it? I am not interested in whether the blog poster meets your qualifications for blah blah blah or not.

Let's understand the ramifications of the explanations given by the calm speaker to the agreeable audience in the video.

Evidently the moderate "Islam is a peaceful religion." types are purposely misleading me.

Why is it not important to know if they are saying one thing to me in public and then another to each other in private.

It's not Amy we should be discussing unless you want to avoid the video.

"How am I supposed to interpret that video? explain it? I am not interested in whether the blog poster meets your qualifications for blah blah blah or not."

The world is never going to make sense to someone who wants all their answers in black and white.

Isn't the fact that people have been killing each other over religion, politics, land, weath, greed, petty jealousies and ideology for the last 20,000 plus years make a specific pre textual grievance of a particular religious sect and culture beside the point?

The outrage, and the grievances, and yes, the violence, are universal truths of the human condition.

There isn't anything *new* here, there isn't anything *unique* here, and nothing worth discussing or interpreting in an adult conversation.

What should we do? Keep up the good fight against bad ideas. Particularly against those sponsored by the state.
For example; Pakistan, a non-Arabic Islamic state of 190,000,000 people, and a nuclear power, relies on its Council for Islamic Ideology to help craft its laws.
In 2014 the CII blocked efforts to ban child marriages. In 2013 the CII ruled that DNA should not be used as primary evidence in a rape trial. Instead primary evidence should be given by the testimony of four male witnesses. (Sorry lady. Next time just lie back and think of England.)

Isab seems fatalistic about it all and would prefer to bomb ISIS types into incontinence and slaughter half the males, as is traditionally done. I'm more of an Enlightenment guy (not to say I'm particularly enlightened).

seems fatalistic about it all and would prefer to bomb ISIS types into incontinence and slaughter half the males, as is traditionally done. I'm more of an Enlightenment guy (not to say I'm particularly enlightened).

Canvasback at June 25, 2016 2:42 PM

When have I ever said that? Wars are won and territory is controlled by boots on the ground, not by drone strikes.

Holding your breath till you turn blue and wagging your finger at them, waiting for the culture to change in Pakistan, and saying mean things about Muslims is not only useless, it is provocative, and pisses off our allies in the Middle East.

Note for the record, that Israel is way too smart to make Islam and Islamic culture their enemy. They rightly focus on the Arab terrorists.

Minor exceptions (like the Ismaili community) not withstanding, there is no such thing as a moderate Muslim.

Broadly, there are only two kinds of Muslims:

(1) The ones that are exercising their political/cultural power to assert Islam, with the goal of complete domination.

(2) The ones that are laying low, smiling and carrying on, because they do not yet sufficient numbers to crush opposition and assert complete domination.

This dissembling is called "Taqiyya", and is a central tenet of Islam.

And yes, there are secular Muslims who don't appear to give a fig about any of that. Look for them to become rapidly un-secular when critical mass is achieved and it is in their interests to join the winning Islamist team.

"There isn't anything *new* here, there isn't anything *unique* here, and nothing worth discussing or interpreting in an adult conversation."

The problem with not openly sharing and discussing calmly in an "adult" manner what practices are considered normal for Islamic parties is that these practices gain a false "legitimacy" due to being invisible or not spoken.

Knowledge is knowledge. It's not racism or hatred. It's just knowledge.

I am not sure why people refuse to ask the question "Is this true?", but videos like the above offer an opportunity to ask again "Is this true?".

As to Crid's and Isab's point - "So what are you going to do about it?" (assuming that's their point).

Nothing. It's knowledge and separating truth from fiction/myths so that the true practices are known.

Sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests stopped only when non-victims asked "Is this true?".

Power was lost because the questioning was done by normal every-day folks and the power to openly hide/protect abusers was greatly reduced.

The truth about Islam is no different and this is why I disagree w/Isab about it being "nothing worth discussing or interpreting in an adult conversation.".

Isab: "The world is never going to make sense to someone who wants all their answers in black and white."

The world is black and white and it makes perfect sense from a "strength" or "power" standpoint.

Making something "invisible" or "not to be spoken of" gives that something power. It becomes hidden but factual. There is no grey about this.

In some neighborhoods the police are more dangerous to hispanic/blacks than the gangs. Perhaps not my neighborhood but it is true for some. There is no grey. There is only brute strength and bullying brutes. The "Blue Line" is real even it's out of sight.

Non-Muslim women go to Dubai and drink and carry on as if they are in Miami, Florida. It's black and white in Dubai concerning women's rights (snort) so why do these women do this? Their knowledge of what's black and what's white in Dubai is non-existent. Why? They do not question. ("Is this true?")

I do agree w/Isab's hidden point which I believe is that you can not weave your way through this world using a "things are black or white" attitude.

Try living in an area claimed by a MS13 gang. It's black/white about whatever they want unless there's a greater power telling them different.

You have to use your knowledge to sort through the "facts" and pick the least "wrong" path. (Yes it's true here in this part of the world at this point in time and I need to adjust.)

Why cut Islam any slack? Why hide or not speak of it? What makes them special here in the USA? Our laws stop them from doing things done in the ME so why not ask "Is this true?".

@ Iasb "When have I ever said that?"

I'm ready to kill people on modernity's behalf,. .
the number of people you have to kill is inversely proportional to the number of boots you are willing to put on the ground.
No boots on the ground, you have to kill millions.A lot of boots on the ground, then you can get away with just killing the ones who are actually shooting at you....    March 29, 2015.

. . . Shinto, which was practiced by a culture that literally killed millions, in its pursuit of a global empire, only to be stomped completely out in 20 years as a threat.... NOT by burning books, OR banning the religion, OR waving protest banners OR by encouraging non violent Shinto practioners to stand up to people who were willing and able to cut their heads off, OR by blaming the religion for the actions of evil and mentally ill individuals.
How did we do it?
By almost totally Americanizing and transforming a warrior culture. Into a quaint toothless relic of its former self. (And killing off more than half of the warrior caste and most of their leadership)
June 16, 2016

You have to kill enough of the adult males, and those in power, in order to wipe out the old guard, and impose change on the rest.
Do that, and Islam will *reform*.
March 29 2015

As naive and stupid as Obama's foreign policy has been, *hands off* would be even worse, in both the short run, and the long haul.  Sep. 11, 2014

You shouldnt want to know or care, where someone's belief system comes from.
What they *do* is what you go after them for. When you kill enough of them, the rest of them either get out of Dodge, or have a change of heart.
And sometimes, you have to kill most of them, as we did with the Nazi's and the Saumari.
Feb 8, 2015

> How am I supposed to interpret
> that video?

You should probably piss your pants. You're in San Antonio, right? Try 8638 Fairhaven St... 4.8 out of 5 stars:

"Very good center and mosque."

"Learn why Muslims are so adhered to their faith."

"Great atmosphere and khutba."

Sheeple-waking as a hobby! To make things "known." In a world of human being with whom you might actually engage, you prefer to sit quietly in private spaces with "knowledge" about "true practices"... Except for the ones in your own neighborhood.

Brainstorming, thinking out loud here... But because you guys carry this incredibly potent truth, maybe you could meet some actual Moozlims and get 'em put on watchlists and stuff!

That'd be great!... Because "moderate Islam is a myth"! Right? Right?

Or do you think it wouldn't be appropriate? Let's vote, just like the British do. Choose one:

☐ It would be appropriate

☐ It wouldn't be appropriate

☑ It wouldn't be appropriate

But I see where you guys are going with this. "Myths," right?

This is the thing I was talking about the other day (June 22, 2016 5:08 PM):

> Why cut Islam any slack?

Who's asking you to?

You shouldnt want to know or care, where someone's belief system comes from.
What they *do* is what you go after them for. When you kill enough of them, the rest of them either get out of Dodge, or have a change of heart.
And sometimes, you have to kill most of them, as we did with the Nazi's and the Saumari.
Feb 8, 2015

Canvasback at June 25, 2016 6:13 PM

Correct. You either go to war with the terrorists, and recruit allies among Muslims whose goals might be slightly less destabilizing or you sit there stroking your chin musing about how civilized you are while half the world descends into chaos.

That is exactly what we did in Iraq. Our counter battery fire was targeting terrorists launching mortars into the green zone at such a rate that they pretty much ran out of volunteers.

But pissing our pants as Crid says, about a billion Muslims who have primitive values, and a harsh moral code, but aren't attacking you, and never will, is just stupid.

You don't attack people based on their beliefs. What part of The Israeli strategy do you not understand?

We have family friends who are Muslim, from India. They seem to be nice people, and they've always been kind to my wife and children. I'm not sure whether the right thing is for me to tell them that they are practicing Islam incorrectly, or if I should simply shun them going forward. Can someone tell me what is the right direction to take when you have seemingly nice Muslim friends, but you know they're obliged to kill you?

"but you know they're obliged to kill you?"

You should probably piss your pants.

Isab,
I think that you are saying that strategically Muslims are not a threat. Countries following their practices are not a threat unless we allow them to be. I'm in total agreement w/that.

My "conflict" is with those that refuse to acknowledge that Islam is not a "peaceful" religion adopting a "live and let live" policy like other modern religions. (See the early history of the Catholic Church.)

Crid, I'm West of San Antonio but family roots are from the Hatfield-McCoy area generally so your "hillbilly" comment a few days ago is appropriate in many ways.

As far as engaging Muslims in conversation? Obviously Muslims should be asked "Is it true?" if anyone has any doubt. Why engage anyone else? I take their teachings at their word so I'm not in doubt about their "peacefulness" based on my definition of peaceful.

As far as pissing in our pants, that's a laughable position for a country as violent as ours.

We fought a powerful foe an ocean away (w/only 1/3 of the populace actually in agreement). We fought our own unions both in the coal country and in major Eastern cities. We fought each other over slaves/States rights (take your pick). We shoot our own "race" via black on black crime. We are so violent that we are under attack by 1/2 our countrymen for wanting to walk around "armed" when statistically it is unlikely to need those arms.

As long as we are not stirred up we are "peaceful" but I think that in general we don't piss our pants much, or that if we do we get down to business once we change them. (See United Airlines Flight 93.)

"You should probably piss your pants."

On it, thx

> As far as pissing in our pants,
> that's a laughable position for
> a country as violent as ours.

Yes! It's not just that we're violent... We're better attuned to the nature of the social, economic and political boundaries which our Creator built into our mortal coil. We have the Second Amendment, and we use the First to argue about it. You really don't want to fuck with an American.

...Which makes Amy's screeching all the more ludicrous. Americans aren't in the habit of cowering timidly in lonely spaces, cranking each other up with ghost stories about the insoluble threats from other people's faith.

Well, she was doing it a few years ago for Christians, too... But you see what I'm getting at: Americans are into reality testing, scholarship and fast assembly into useful alliances.* If sheeple are your best imaginable audience, you got nuthin' to say.

Dood, Texas.




* There's a great book about this. If you give me your USPS addy, I'll send it to you gratis: I keep spare copies around the house.

> On it, thx

Breathe deeply, release the tension in your thighs, spell you words out whole, and feel the horror of subterranean motives in the hearts of those around you... You'll be sitting in warm, pleasantly moistened trunks in no time.

I'm surrounded by decent people, who might be misguided at times I'm sure. Life's too short to indulge the nihilism of posts like this.

I can't tell how serious you were about any of it.

I mean, I'm not saying you were wrong....

I don't care about Crid's "certifications" - because, as I have said before, ideas do not depend on their origin for validity.

I dont either in theory, but in practice as he has asked for other peoples I'm asking for his

When crid?

This is the part where Amy says "Bob, you don't know anything about Islam...."

Did you know that she was a comparative religion scholar at University of Chicago?

I totally made that up. She's read some articles.

You're right.

Crid at June 4, 2016 9:32 AM

You denigrated her for not having credential, saying that as she did not have the proper credentials her opinion was meaningless.

So, again crid, what are YOUR credentails

I'm smarter than you.

More seriously--

> You denigrated her for not
> having credential,

I "denigrate" her for feigning learnedness. It still pisses me off. Remember the "rigor" thing? It's like that.

"I can't tell how serious you were about any of it."

Deeply serious. HOW SHOULD I TREAT THESE PEOPLE?

You should treat them as you'd want to be treated.

You should, specifically, not presume that their faith condemns them to the most violent and murderous behaviors exhibited by its varied practitioners in the most primitive, detached and impoverished corners of the world.

Amy says "Moderate Islam is a myth": She's goofy.

"You should treat them as you'd want to be treated.

You should, specifically, not presume that their faith condemns them to the most violent and murderous behaviors exhibited by its varied practitioners in the most primitive, detached and impoverished corners of the world."

Super, thanks. That's was the point of my post.