h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I offer no explanation for the simultaneity of the thought, hell.
~^M^~erdo

Simple equations always make me suspicious.

And I was reading Nietzsche these days.

Bye,

HELL

Well I agree about simple equations generally. I am aphilosophy graduate and have a deep interest in things complicated. But when a phenomenon occurs over and over again, in the same way, you get a bit suspicious.

For many in the West, Islam conjures up images of gun-toting militants, sinister mullahs and booby-trapped bombs.

Wherever they look, it seems Muslim radicals are rigging explosives, blowing up ancient statues, hijacking planes or kidnapping tourists. In some of the Western press, "Islam" seems to go hand-in-hand with "terrorism".

After 1,400 years, Islam remains a mystery to most non-Muslims, laced with connotations of evil.

Last week's airliner suicide attacks in the United States have again put Islam in the spotlight after Washington said a prime suspect is Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, the "guest" of Afghanistan's purist Islamic Taliban.

Muslim scholars say that in the court of public opinion, Islam has already been convicted. Few realise that a billion people around the globe, from Asia to America, are Muslim.

Analysts say ignorance and misconceptions about Islam are rampant, particularly concerning its teachings on violence. They say Islam is a peaceful religion based on tolerance and respect which has been demonised by centuries of misinformation.

The Arabic word "Islam" means submission to the will of God, and comes from the same root as the word for peace, "salaam".

Judging Islam by suicide bombers, hijackers or the Taliban is akin to basing an understanding of Christianity on the crusades, Spanish Inquisition, or sects like the Branch Davidians, they argue.

"There's a verse in the Koran that says anyone who kills another person is considered to have killed all of humanity. Anyone who saves one person, is considered to have saved mankind," said Mohamed Serag, professor of Islamic Studies at the American University in Cairo.

"The Koran says that if anyone shows any inclination towards peace, even if you fear they may not be sincere, then you must accept their offer," he said. "This shows that human life is very important in Islam."

MUSLIMS SAY ATTACKS CONTRADICT ISLAM

Muslim clerics throughout the world, including religious leaders of extremist groups, have condemned last week's attacks as horrific acts which contradict Islam.

Saudi Arabia's top judicial official, Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammed al-Luhaidan, spoke for many when he said: "Islam does not condone murder except (to punish) those who kill or who attack Muslims, and therefore, such crimes which do not differentiate between a baby, woman or elderly person...are considered one of the greatest crimes."

The head of the Islamic World League Rabite, Abdullah bin Abdul-Muhsin el-Turkia, said in Sarajevo on Monday: "Islam does not recognise terrorism and its history proves it...It also does not recognise injustice and aggression against other peoples."

Like the Old Testament call of "an eye for an eye", the Koran does condone some forms of retribution. But Muslim scholars emphasise Islam only allows violence in self-defence, and never permits innocent casualties. Suicide is prohibited.

"We are horrified by these attacks, which no religion, human logic or political justification can sanction," said Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, a top Shi'ite cleric and former spiritual mentor of the militant Hizbollah movement. He said no religious teaching could justify the attacks.

IN THE NAME OF ISLAM

Considering the official views, why do Muslim militants like kidnappers in the Philippines, suicide bombers in Israel, and the culprits behind bombings in the Gulf, Africa or United States believe they are following God's orders?

"There are fanatic people who feel they have been humiliated, who seek any justification for their wish to take revenge. The nearest thing to their mind, the only philosophy we have, is Islam. So they draw their justification from their misunderstanding of Islamic principles," one theologian said.

Analysts say certain concepts in Islam such as martyrdom, "Jihad" and defence of the faith lend themselves to misinterpretation, and many political and religious movements have hijacked these concepts to further their particular cause.

They say many of these ideas, particularly martyrdom, are not uniquely Islamic, and have, for example, led centuries of Christians to commit unspeakable crimes and support racism and anti-semitism in the name of Jesus Christ.

"The misuse of religion is not uncommon. People who have a base and contemptible motive try to give it some nobility and respectability by covering it with a religious colour. Such people just say they are Muslims. But they are not," said Zaki Badawi, principal of the Muslim College in London.

"They also use religion as a mobilising force. If you remember, even (Josef) Stalin, an ardent atheist, mobilised the (Russian) Orthodox Church to try to get the people to fight against the Nazis," Badawi said.

Detractors frequently cite the concept of "Jihad" as proof Islam is a violent faith. Often translated as "holy war", the word actually means "holy struggle", and can refer to internal as well as external efforts to be a good Muslim.

Scholars said anything striving to help the community or the restraint of personal sins would be regarded as Jihad.

Badawi, whose graduate school of theology seeks to dispel some of the misconceptions of Islam, said some people pushing militant ideas about jihad or martyrdom were trying to play God.

"Islam is a religion that accords every human being, regardless of their colour or creed, the dignity and respect and protection of their life, property, honour and freedom of thought and freedom of worship," Badawi said.

"Anyone denying any person in the world the right to life, or the right to practise their own religion in freedom, or to think freely, would be demeaning to Islam and acting against Islam itself."

Loony, this is what I've been trying to say. Muhammad and, for that matter, Jesus, never said go out and kill people who don't believe what you do. They both said go out into the world and be good people, and then you can make them come to your side. It is easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar. And it is easier to convert someone to your belief system if you are a good person.

Well, did she say yes or what A?! Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks, Loony! Excellent article... did you get this published in NZ?

I heard on the radio tonight that 98% of the American people favor a war with Afganistan even if it means innocent civilians dying. I could just weep.

A group of my friends have decided to take a stand against the hate crimes. Muslim women are being identified by their head wear. We are all getting Hijabs and we are going to wear them out in solidarity with our Muslim sisters.

We also went into the local Afgan community tonight and talked with many of them about our hope that there is no bombing. Talking with those people broke my heart. They are so afraid. They left their homeland to escape terror and it has followed them in more ways than one.

Have I said that I hate George W. Bush today? I hate George W. Bush.

Posting 404 is nice theory. It works for any civilized group: Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Anti-globalisation activists etc. But the world is in its majority much rougher, more animal and more primitive than that. As soon as you take groups like the Taliban and maybe the 'sinn fein' or the 'Aum sect' you get to see how primitive the world really is... Oh - And weak and unprepared (cf. Nietzsche for that matter). Apart from that, militant groups like the Taliban are not doing good for the image of the Islam, the terrorist suicide attacks are really not doing good for the image of Islam. (The American armed forces' bases in arab countries do the same for the image they have of the USA over there - and maybe that is even the root of the problem). Anyways... People were not surprised that the attacks are tied to the arab-muslim world. Why was that no surprise?

Any organized religion poses a big problem, whether it preaches peace or love - we all know that religion cannot tame the human spirit, it can only postpone or supress certain 'evil' traits we all have. Certain forms of the Islam are particularly problematic (as was the spanish inquisition or the things going on in Northern Ireland) since they do not tame these 'evil' trais but canalize them to achieve what they want.

The Coran (or Al-Quran I don't know which one's the correct PC spelling) can be - as can be any religious piece of writing - laid out in several often contradictory ways. It all depends on the motivation of the interpreter. We all probably know that from our religions.

No Religion (except for some indigenous prehaps) is free of sins, misinterpretations, abuses etc... That's the part I would call idealized in posting 404. The Islam per se is not any better than any other religion and it is not *particularly* peaceful - it's just as peaceful as any other religion. (On a side-note: There is also the standards-problem... I personally would not call a religion that allows and promotes gender-apartheid a good choice - by MY standards. Feel free to disagree.)

Anyways... There is no way to change the perception of the involved groups (including the american govt.). They will all remain stubborn and deaf to arguments. I am not sure whether showing military muscles will solve the 'terrorism' problem.

War is inevitable.

HELL

Hey guys, see my posting on another thread CNN EXPOSED! Lets thrush this out properly.

And Charlotte, you are a God-send! Keep that up. No wonder I went to Charlotte North Carolina! And Montana Red Head, this would not be the time to ask now would it? Am confident it will be a yes though, lets just get through the war first shall we?

Peace!

Two tragedies for America.
ONE: They elect Dubya
TWO: They elct Dubya!

Charlotte I dont hate him but......... but I understand why you do! You American?

Yes you are American. Visited your home page! Welcome to the world my dear!

I'll just quietly slip this lot in here, and tippy toe out.

Politics and religion - always a volatile mix.

The dispute in the Islamic world is a long standing one, stemming back to the 1980's. Senior Islamist scholars have become increasingly concerned about the activities of the terrorist groups. One of their main concerns appears to be the issuing of fatwas by individuals who have no formal religious education or standing in the Islamic community. But do have a following among the people.

The Saudi fatwa against suicide bombing in May of this year was not signed, but a formal statement was issued by Shaykh Abd al-Aziz which should have effectively stopped this type of terrorism but obviously did not.

Injecting the added complication of state sovereignty, we currently have Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates recognizing the Taliban. They are all members of the U.N. The U.N. only recognizes Mr. Rabbani's government, and not that of the Taliban. Without the intention of aiming too much criticism at the U.N. surely this is the time for them to find their backbone and use the leverage of this situation to its full advantage.

It is time that countries found out for themselves who they ally to. I amean though India is a neighbour to Pakistan and Pakistan is in a situation where it cannot decide whether it should support Taliban or America (Gen Pervaiz Musharraf is on America's side and his people on Taliban's side). Where does this leave India? It is clear that India is on America's side but what happens if America decides to strike both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Will they use India's forces?

I say no religious dogma is perfect. There are religious texts, and they can be interpreted in various ways ... so long as we recognise our interpretations may be imperfect, and perhaps even recognise that those texts themselves may also not be totally flawless. I am religious ... neither a Christian nor a Muslim, but there are forms of Christianity I would support, and forms of Islam I would support; there are forms of Christianity I would condemn, and forms of Islam I would condemn.

I think people in general recognise what is 'good'. It is good to value your own life and those of others, to wish for happiness and peace for yourself as well as others, to strive to lead a worthy, productive, honourable life, and to consider that your deeds in this life may have consequences for a life beyond - responsibility for the future in other words. Religion can help us with these aspirations, but it can also hinder us. Whichever way, it is a very powerful thing.

Well put GTTD, and very true. No faith has a shortage of fanatics.

Ahmed, you flirt, when are you going to propose to that girl of yours!

And yes, I'm American. Alternately proud and depressed by it. With every moment Bush gets closer to that first bomb. My fingers can't fly fast enough on the keyboard for all of the letters I want to send protesting such acts.

Ahmed, we need a good thing to celebrate lately. As much as this has devastated people, and I count myself among those devastated, having lost two people, we have to go forward from here. I was really wallowing in it, until the father of one of my missing friends said, and I will quote it in full:
"Ya know kiddo, the last thing Bryan would want you to do is sit on your a** and b**ch and moan about his death. he would want you to get off your butt and live life while you still have it to live."

A good way to look at life. Will we forget? NO!!!!!!!! But must we move on from here, so that we let our children know that we will not be broken by this tragedy? Absolutely. Otherwise, what would be the point of having this conversation at all? There has to be hope and life and all that sentimental stuff that we don't like to say, but desperately need.

Posting 414: Only applies to people educated well and freely enough to discern between good and bad for themselves. Beautiful if everyone were like that... But that is not reality. That is the reason why religion is a dangerous thing.

What I originally thought and maybe didn't express myself correctly was also - arrgn - sometimes my english is just too bad. It's not religion in the sense of creed or values... It's religion in the sense of church and hierarchy I was seeing as problematic.

Plus: The civilized (differentiated, free and tolerant) forms of religions tend to thrive in well-off comunities, where the extreme (misinterpreted etc.) forms tend to thrive in poor places...

Bye,

HELL

Hi everybody!

I've just dropped from another passing Vogon's ship. Curious at the developments on your mostly harmless planet, I started (with the help of my still imperfect translation device) a thread "Why should people love Americans?"

Perhaps, you'll drop into it to help me get a clue?

tjapljap

tjapljap
Perhaps you will begin by tellung us why one shouldn't like Americans?

Surely the point at the moment is that we should all stand united against terrorism.

tjapljap
Perhaps you will begin by tellung us why one shouldn't like Americans?

Surely the point at the moment is that we should all stand united against terrorism.