tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post114087696593248760..comments2024-03-28T14:32:19.334+00:00Comments on Who Would Have Believed The Singularity Would Be So Stupid?: Some Very Enlightening Thoughts From Ali SinaPastoriushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1141394517878994132006-03-03T14:01:00.000+00:002006-03-03T14:01:00.000+00:00Interesting. As a member of a Muslim family, as on...Interesting. As a member of a Muslim family, as one who was born and raised in the US, let me try to weigh in on this. The idea of a sore spot rings true. Weakness has been exposed, and said weakness is being exploited. On the other hand, real strength need not demonstrate itself, which is why Muslims such as myself who are confidant and sure of themselves, who feel whole with or without the Koran, are in fact the silent majority who are embarrassed about the violent and extreme acts of a few. What anyone says or thinks about Mohamed is irrelevant. Don't expect to see a mass exodus of Muslims from Islam. Instead, you are going to see the fundamentalists become more extreme and the moderates become more liberal.<BR/> <BR/>As to the cartoons, what's incompatible here is free speech and respect. At our workplace we don't walk around telling our co-workers how full of contempt we are towards them, do we? The truth is thusly concealed. Is this a violation of free speech? Is the risk of losing your job over telling off a co-worker un-constitutional, even if it harms said co-worker's mental health?<BR/><BR/>Sometimes the truth, or the expression of a truthful interpretation, is hard to swallow, it's painful and it hurts. Beneath all anger is hurt...<BR/><BR/>As I've said in my last post: "There used to be virtues such as manners. Look into it! Better yet: Do Unto Others..."<BR/><BR/>For these reasons, I believe that those who practice and endorse "ridicule" as a peaceful weapon, intended to shrink the numbers of Islam's followers, are very badly mis-informed.<BR/><BR/>Many thanks.IMAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09948155577806026379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140985100803136622006-02-26T20:18:00.000+00:002006-02-26T20:18:00.000+00:00Jason--fortunately I didn't even have to hunt for ...Jason--fortunately I didn't even have to hunt for some of the better books. My mom bought just about every one and then a copy for me in just the 1st year after 9/11 I think! The only ones I'm missing at the moment are the ones I lost in a bad flood in my old house, such as my Ibn Warraq books. <BR/><BR/>And the fact that they consider many actions on our part to be weakness needs to be covered much more extensively and shouted from the rooftops!Kiddohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05626502212185158978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140973416644372172006-02-26T17:03:00.000+00:002006-02-26T17:03:00.000+00:00Hi,Fascinating post. We were having a debate about...Hi,<BR/>Fascinating post. We were having a debate about the afterlife of buddhists and was quite lively. Not there are not that many extremist buddhist, and the few that there are are more worried about the sin of breathing in and killing germs. The muslim perspective of heaven was brought up, do women get 72 virgin boys? What about gay muslims. Why in Old Testerment based religions is there a BRIBE element to heaven and is orientated at control. Where as with buddhist 'heaven' you are out of there is less than 49days (why 49 and not 50?), so if a buddhist went to muslim heaven he would have to be very busy with those virgins, but they would make good mediation buddies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140935991594520452006-02-26T06:39:00.000+00:002006-02-26T06:39:00.000+00:00You're a twit.You're a twit.damnslehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09537717113756453316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140931617481897482006-02-26T05:26:00.000+00:002006-02-26T05:26:00.000+00:00Being burdened with Islamic philosophy from birth ...Being burdened with Islamic philosophy from birth is the best way to cause arrested development in an otherwise normal human being.<BR/><BR/>If anyone who is unfamiliar with it is curious about the value of Patai's "The Arab Mind," trot over to http://thetruthproject.blogspot.comand see the review. There's a whole list of great books, many with substantial reviews. The list is always growing; most are non-fiction, like Patai's, but there is a new section with fiction in it (three titles so far) and a new section on real-life personal stories will soon be added.<BR/><BR/>There's a whole bunch of other fun stuff there, too!Cubed ©https://www.blogger.com/profile/12969845555454328971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140908330238265292006-02-25T22:58:00.000+00:002006-02-25T22:58:00.000+00:00I came across Patai's book by accident in the New ...I came across Patai's book by accident in the New York Public library. I didn't know it was a classic. It explained so much including personal interactions that I've had here in NYC.<BR/><BR/>Now, PG, what's this about being a spy? I don't remember this ... <BR/><BR/>Aisha has the right attitude and spirit! Most people have it all reversed: "be respectful and they'll come around." And, of course, that is seen as a sign of weakness--it emboldens them.Jason Pappashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18233796281520274898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140905264836016662006-02-25T22:07:00.000+00:002006-02-25T22:07:00.000+00:00Thank you, and I love your idea Aisha. I am mailin...Thank you, and I love your idea Aisha. I am mailing this article to everyone that I can as it is. And by the way Aisha, I even titled a previous article I wrote Cartoonifada 2006 : The Emperor's New Clothes.<BR/><BR/>Jason, isn't Patai's book great? It was a great help to me when I was still a spy.Kiddohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05626502212185158978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140904449499681812006-02-25T21:54:00.000+00:002006-02-25T21:54:00.000+00:00This post should be required reading for all anti-...This post should be required reading for all anti-jihadists. Everyone please propagate it, and Ali Sina's ideas, as widely as possible. The post brilliantly describes both the threat and the opportunity. <BR/><BR/>Now we know why the bombheads are so desperately keen to stiffle freedom of speech. This is THE number one threat. <BR/><BR/>We also know how to defeat them. Ridicule, ridicule amd yet more ridicule.<BR/><BR/>Defend free speech everwhere. Satirise Islam and all its works. Eventually the Muslims will have an Emperor's New Clothes mass-awakening and the whole festering medievil mess will be just a bad dream.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19209018.post-1140885175826051372006-02-25T16:32:00.000+00:002006-02-25T16:32:00.000+00:00This is one of the most important posts I’ve read ...This is one of the most important posts I’ve read in weeks. While most talk about how the “cartoons” need to be tolerated, I’ve <A HREF="http://libertyandculture.blogspot.com/2006/02/dying-by-post-modern-sword.html" REL="nofollow">argued</A> they need to be “embraced.” They are true! We should be proud of the truth, not apologetic. <BR/><BR/>If we proudly assert the truth and vilify Islam, they will be on the defensive, not us. Shame and humiliation are powerful forces in Islamic cultures. To omit these tools in our battle (regardless if we have to supplement them with military means) is to remove a potent weapon. I’ve quoted Ali Sina <A HREF="http://libertyandculture.blogspot.com/2005/11/moral-posture.html" REL="nofollow">before</A> on this matter. He’s giving us vital insight. By the way, Rafael Patai’s “The Arab Mind” is a good book on Arab psychology.Jason Pappashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18233796281520274898noreply@blogger.com