Our religious nuts versus their religious nuts.

I am not an openly religious person, I believe religion is a deeply quiet journey that is the foundation of a moral and ethical system of thought. Nevertheless, I take it as a personal affront when I see "morons" paint people who dare step into a church, regardless of denomination, as some sort of right-wing religious zealot, bent on bombing abortion clinics and garbing everyone in early Quaker fashion. All the while daring to compare these same people to the evil that is Islamic extremism.

For me the statement concerning religious zealotry, "They are all nuts," doesn't fit anymore. One is crazy, while the other is dangerous.

From the OC Reigster,

Police: Ohio man held woman captive, read Bible

OC Reigster-A man held a woman captive in handcuffs and an adult diaper for three days while he read Bible passages to her, police said.

Troy Brisport, 34, was charged with kidnapping and felonious assault. Bail was set Tuesday at $400,000.

He picked up the woman Wednesday night in Detroit after she told him she had nowhere to stay, and brought her to his home in Toledo, about 55 miles away, police said.

The woman told police that after she fell asleep Brisport handcuffed her wrists and ankles, gagged her, undressed her and put her in an adult diaper, then read Bible passages, said police Capt. Ray Carroll. read more...


Glad she is alright, hope he goes to jail for a long time, and gets the full frontal lobotomy he deserves. I know 3 days of Bible versus, while handcuffed, is enough to be considered inhumane.

From the Middle East Quarterly,

Are Honor Killings Simply Domestic Violence?

MEQ-On February 12, 2009, Muzzammil Hassan informed police that he had beheaded his wife. Hassan had emigrated to the United States 30 years ago and, after a successful banking career, had founded Bridges TV, a Muslim-interest network which aims, according to its website, "to foster a greater understanding among many cultures and diverse populations." Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III told The Buffalo News that "this is the worst form of domestic violence possible," and Khalid Qazi, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council of Western New York, told the New York Post that Islam forbids such domestic violence. While Muslim advocacy organizations argue that honor killings are a misnomer stigmatizing Muslims for what is simply domestic violence, a problem that has nothing to do with religion, Phyllis Chesler, who just completed a study of more than 50 instances of North American honor killings, says the evidence suggest otherwise. read more...


I am really not sure how to frame this anymore succinctly. If this comparison is lost on people who obviously don't have the cognitive ability to discern where the malevolence draped in the veil of religion is, I cannot help them. Inevitably, they will be a victim of their own folly.

Here is a prime example of that myopia. All in the name of feeling intellectually superior, while treading in waters with predators who don't give a damn about the intellect of their prey.

From UPI,

Report: War on terror eroded liberties

UPI-An international human rights legal group says harsh anti-terrorism measures have undermined the "cherished values" of Britain and other nations.

The International Commission of Jurists, a 60-nation group of lawyers based in Geneva, Switzerland, says its 3-year study of the war on terror waged by the United States, Britain and other Western countries has caused a "shocking" amount of damage to their civil liberties, The Washington Post (NYSE:WPO) reported Tuesday.

"Many governments, ignoring the lessons of history, have allowed themselves to be rushed into hasty responses to terrorism that have undermined cherished values and violated human rights," said Arthur Chaskalson, a former chief justice of South Africa.

The report criticized the administration pf former U.S. President George W. Bush for allegedly equating acts of terror with acts of war -- a "legally and conceptually flawed" stance -- which the jurists said resulted in "immense damage" to the standing of international law, the Post reported. read more...


Before any left leaning pundit or anti-war aficionado jumps on the "blood for oil campaign," or "Bush was a war-monger" diatribe, this is about reality. Not skewed partisan politics which people use to shape their outlooks. Judge when you have been there, tell me when you know, until then admit your opinions are just that, opinions.

Finally, this is not saying that Christianity is better than Islam, it is observing that Islam suffers from a cultural disease that is becoming almost pandemic, and it is a sickness that has been around a lot longer than us. Christianity has its problems, but characterizing or leveling it with extreme Islam is insidious and imbecilic. The only accomplishment garnered is an empowerment of extremist Jihadist movements and a weakening of Western culture. All for what? Because "Right Wing Evangelicals" have been a formidable voting bloc since Nixon? Yeah, that makes it right.


5 comments :

Phaed0 said...

"I am not an openly religious person, I believe religion is a deeply quiet journey that is the foundation of a moral and ethical system of thought."

So you practice covert (or underground) religions. Which cult in particular? Oops sorry I forgot that is a secret.

"Finally, this is not saying that Christianity is better than Islam"

Of course it is better than Islam. Perhaps that is the reason this Country was founded on Christian principles. There are a few that were founded on Islamic principles, and with some petition you may be able to gain citezenship there.

As far as extremist go, most of them use whatever excuse they can, be it religion, politics, or some other means to justify their violence.

Like the beheading of the New York woman yesterday. Religion has become man's excuse to justify violence, and religions that promote violence should not be accepted in todays society. And before everyone starts telling me that Islam is a peace loving religion they should read the Koran. Because I have read it and violence IS condoned.

Phaed0 said...

I will accept your lack of response as silent assent and assume that your fear of revealing your underground secular beliefs are impacting your ability to respond.

J/K - We have to have some sense of humor to get us through all this.

But in all seriousness I think that Christianity was the right choice for this nation and that freedom of religion should not be misconstrued as freedom from religion. On the other hand we do need protection from crimes commited that are seemingly justified under the guise of religious teachings such as the Koran endorses.

As Anon pointed out earlier, Blogs like this one that try to keep an open communication and strive to present things in a fashion that the general public can understand are an important part of our democratic system. Thanks for the informative articles.

Unknown said...

"I will accept your lack of response as silent assent and assume that your fear of revealing your underground secular beliefs are impacting your ability to respond."

My apologies, I was in the middle of Zenning up my Hog. Not really a secular thing, more like philosophical one.

I wholeheartedly agree, religion has its place as a moral code. Not the rule which enforces judgment or punishment (i.e separation of Church and State). But let's not forget separation of State and Church, also.

And yes it Christendom, IMHO, was the best choice for this country, it has worked so far and I hope we stick with it.

Phaed0 said...

Out of laziness I will jump on the Bandwagon and copy/paste quotes:

"I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, disciplines or exercises." Jefferson's Letter to Rev. Mr. Millar, Jan. 23,1808 (Words of Thomas Jefferson, Vol 5, pg 236.)

"Our reliance is in the love of liberty which God has planted in us. Our defense is in the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you whave planted the seeds of despotism at your own doors. Familiarize yourself with the chains of bondage, and you prepare your own limbs to wear them. Accustomed to trample on the rights of others, you have lost the genious of your own independence and become the fit subjects of the first cunning tryant who rises among you." Abraham Lincoln, Speech at Edwardsville, IL, 1858.

My favorite is:
"Let us labor for the security of free thought, free speech, pure morals, unfettered religious sentiments, and equal rights and privileges for all men, irrespective of nationality, color, or religion;.... leave the matter of religious teaching to the family altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contribution. Keep church and state forever separate." Ulysses S. Grant's Speech to G. A. R. Veterans, at Des Moines, IA 1875.

AND

"The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded upon the Christian Religion." 1797 the treaty of Tripoli, signed by President Washington, and approved by the Senate of the United States

(Note: while it was not founded on the christian "religion" per say it did conform to christian principles. Just not Christinity as a RELIGION.) - This of course is a point for debate.

Phaedrus said...

As you know Robert Pirsig wrote a prety good book on how to get that bike in shape!

 

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