White Privilege

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ice Dancer View Post
Afghanistan is a war he said must be won. Obama has done nothing but twiddle his thumbs while men and women risk their lives waiting for him to lead...instead it's off to Denmark, do all the Sunday morning shows and most fun of all Lat Night with Letterman...so presidential.
the Shrub took the MOST vacation time of ANY President in history. His Daddy's connections got him into the champaign unit of the Texas National Guard, and he takes off a month without permission to boot. Then he chickenhawks and unnecessary and illegal invasion/occupation of a country that had NOTHING to do with Al Qaeda or 9/11....NOT firing the incompetant Rummy who's inept plan cost more American lives after we "won" and "got 'em". Swaggering in a flight suit wasted time and expense for the military......shaking Brownie's hand during a crisis for a fucking photo op diverted national guards from rescuing people.

FACTS that you prefer not to deal with......you're pathetic!
__________________


Thats a cool rant...but has absolutely nothing to do with Ice Dancers post, .....thats a normal BrainLock response....which truly is pathetic....
make a comment about Obama and get "Bush, Bush, Bush", in return....:lol:

Really, if a response to the topic is beyond your capabilities.....just pass it by...no sense in making an ass of yourself every night....
 
Post 38. And let me add how some people excoriated the entire Muslim world over 9/11, yet the same thing doesn't happen over criminal or terrorist acts by white people.

wrong.....they do not judge them based on their ethnicity....it is their religion, same as many folks judge and demonize all christians....kind of hard to feel empathy with a religion that folks around the world call for your death

epic fail
 
Duh. The privileges were spelled out in the original post. Look back at reagan's hyperbole about "welfare queens". Look at your own party's claims about the Obamas and affirmative action. There's nothing in the article that isn't true, when it comes to righties defending their own while holding a double standard for others.

that is not a privilege....do you know what a privilege is? fact: a black man is president and not the white guy....

some privilege :pke:
 
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And this is what I'm dealing with, folks.....an intellectually impotent neocon who's is driven to distraction that I can easily deconstruct and debunk his blatherings and mantras.

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Thats a cool rant...but has absolutely nothing to do with Ice Dancers post, .....thats a normal BrainLock response....which truly is pathetic....
make a comment about Obama and get "Bush, Bush, Bush", in return....:lol:

It's called a COMPARISON, you dumb bunny. Trundle down to your local grade school and have one of the teachers explain it to you. I notice that you can't (or don't dare) comment on how Ice Dancer falls flat on his ass BS'ing about Obama 8 months into office while ignoring the history of the Shrub's joke of a tenure. Typical.

Really, if a response to the topic is beyond your capabilities.....just pass it by...no sense in making an ass of yourself every night....

Aww, poor widdle false bravado....all pissed off because the original subject of this thread cannot be faulted, and a comparison of the Shrub and Obama leaves the fragile hinges of his little mind dangerously weak.

No matter what avenue you neocon numbskulls duck down, the facts and truth will always spotlight your folly.

Laugh, clown, laugh!:cof1:
 
Obama has done nothing but twiddle his thumbs while men and women risk their lives waiting for him to lead...instead it's off to Denmark, do all the Sunday morning shows and most fun of all Lat Night with Letterman..

Bush has NOTHING to do with the above post........nothing at all....


Happening NOW.....

Coalition deaths in Afghanistan - 396 so far this year
(238 US dead)

The top military commander in Afghanistan warns in a confidential assessment of the war there that he needs additional troops within the next year or else the conflict “will likely result in failure.”

White House National Security Advisor James Jones said on Sunday that there is no rush to increase US troops in Afghanistan, brushing off a public bid by top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal to surge American troops on the ground.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/po...t_wh_anni.html
President plays....
 
that is not a privilege....do you know what a privilege is? fact: a black man is president and not the white guy....

some privilege :pke:

Obama is black? I dont think so. He's white. Or at least as white as he is black or as black as he is white.
He's one of us.... no matter who 'us' is! Oh no, of course there is no room in black or white for yellow or redneck!
 
Obama is black? I dont think so. He's white. Or at least as white as he is black or as black as he is white.
He's one of us.... no matter who 'us' is! Oh no, of course there is no room in black or white for yellow or redneck!

he thinks so....

"I think it's important to realize that I was actually black before the election."
~Obama on letterman
 
I said of the past 50 years....

That includes Ike, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton (and I also tagged lil Bush in that group though technically he was not a part of the last half of the century)

So out of that list... besides Ike, Reagan and Clinton... who would you put ahead of JFK?

Ford and Bush Sr. I'd be tempted to put Carter ahead of JFK as well, because his fuckups were never as disastrous as JFK's were (Failed Rescue Mission does not equte to the fallout from the Bay of Pigs, nor does his failure to negotiate with Iran equate to JFKs failure to negotiate with the Soviets over Berlin).

The only guy who JFK definitely beats out is LBJ, and that says absolutely nothing about the man, except that perhaps he died soon enough to prevent himself from falling to even lower depths.
 
Obama has done nothing but twiddle his thumbs while men and women risk their lives waiting for him to lead...instead it's off to Denmark, do all the Sunday morning shows and most fun of all Lat Night with Letterman..

You already stated this, hot shot...and it was addressed. Since individual creativity is obviously a problem for you, just wait by your radio with a towel to wipe the drool from your lips as Hannity or Beck or Limbaugh or Levin or Crowley or Drudge gives you the next scintillating mantra to parrot? I'd make you look less foolish.

Bush has NOTHING to do with the above post........nothing at all....

Happening NOW.....Where did you think the current economy came from, master mind? I mean, it's perfectly natural to think the Shrub was totally ineffective for 8 years, but the sad truth is that his reaganomics on steriods left a serious stain on America's economic underwear. If you think otherwise, then look at how I schooled that Ice Dancing dope on this subject....take some pointers.

Coalition deaths in Afghanistan - 396 so far this year
(238 US dead)

The top military commander in Afghanistan warns in a confidential assessment of the war there that he needs additional troops within the next year or else the conflict “will likely result in failure.”

Which we wouldn't have needed if troops, personnel and equipment weren't whisked away to invade and occupy a country that did NOT harbor or work with Al Qaeda or was involved in 9/11. Ooops, the past effecting the present...I forgot that disconnect of yours....just continue to ignore reality.

White House National Security Advisor James Jones said on Sunday that there is no rush to increase US troops in Afghanistan, brushing off a public bid by top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal to surge American troops on the ground.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/po...t_wh_anni.html
President plays....

Yeah, interesting how this guy goes to the press BEFORE following the chain of command and submitting his proposal formally to the President. He should be careful, because the last time a military general thought he could hustle a President, he got canned...and the country still survived (hint: his first name was Douglas). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/04/jones-v-mcchrystal-obama-_n_309066.html
 
Yeah, interesting how this guy goes to the press BEFORE following the chain of command and submitting his proposal formally to the President.


???.....you mean the President who finally got around to meeting with him in Denmark because the rest of the country found out he hadn't sat down and talked with him since he put him in charge?......Obama spent more time serving beer to professors and policemen than he did with the man in charge of the war we're in......
 
I didn't know strict suppression of speech and slavishly obeying the military chain of command was such a high priority for TaiChiLib. I guess the true colors of the lefties are coming out.
 
I didn't know strict suppression of speech and slavishly obeying the military chain of command was such a high priority for TaiChiLib. I guess the true colors of the lefties are coming out.

The chain of command is a high priority for the Defense Sec'y. and the Nat'l. Security Adviser, so why don't you take it up with them?

On Monday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said civilian and military advisers should keep their advice private.

"In this process it is imperative that all of us taking part in these deliberation – civilian and military alike – provide our best advice to the president, candidly but privately," Mr. Gates said at a speech before an Army convention in Washington.

On Sunday, National Security Adviser James Jones told CNN's "State of the Union" that "it's better" for military advice to come up through the chain of command.


http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1006/p02s07-usmi.html
 
The chain of command is a high priority for the Defense Sec'y. and the Nat'l. Security Adviser, so why don't you take it up with them?

On Monday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said civilian and military advisers should keep their advice private.

"In this process it is imperative that all of us taking part in these deliberation – civilian and military alike – provide our best advice to the president, candidly but privately," Mr. Gates said at a speech before an Army convention in Washington.

On Sunday, National Security Adviser James Jones told CNN's "State of the Union" that "it's better" for military advice to come up through the chain of command.




http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1006/p02s07-usmi.html

This is what totalitarians always say.:rolleyes:
 
wrong.....they do not judge them based on their ethnicity....it is their religion, same as many folks judge and demonize all christians....kind of hard to feel empathy with a religion that folks around the world call for your death

epic fail

Obviously you were living in another country at the beginning of this decade.

Your comment that Islam is a violent religion is absolutely false. If you read the Qu'ran, read some online information sites from Muslims, not Christians, and followed the views of mainstream Muslims, you would realize how wrong you really are. Every religion has its fanatics but it's incorrect to demonize the entire body of members based on the behaviour of the few. Surely you know this, since you must have learned the fallacies of sweeping and hasty generalization.

Furthermore, if Muslims are only demonized for their religion, why do the fringe members of the right insist that Obama is a Muslim, obviously intending "Muslim" to be an insult, when the evidence is clear that he is a Christian? There's a nasty connotation that fringies have attached to the religion and its members, and anybody who's followed politics over the years knows this.

Get educated. http://www.understanding-islam.com/
 
Obviously you were living in another country at the beginning of this decade.

Your comment that Islam is a violent religion is absolutely false. If you read the Qu'ran, read some online information sites from Muslims, not Christians, and followed the views of mainstream Muslims, you would realize how wrong you really are. Every religion has its fanatics but it's incorrect to demonize the entire body of members based on the behaviour of the few. Surely you know this, since you must have learned the fallacies of sweeping and hasty generalization.

Furthermore, if Muslims are only demonized for their religion, why do the fringe members of the right insist that Obama is a Muslim, obviously intending "Muslim" to be an insult, when the evidence is clear that he is a Christian? There's a nasty connotation that fringies have attached to the religion and its members, and anybody who's followed politics over the years knows this.

Get educated. http://www.understanding-islam.com/

Islam is definitely a violent religion.

That's not really disputable.
 
Qur'an:9:88 "The Messenger and those who believe with him, strive hard and fight with their wealth and lives in Allah's Cause."
Qur'an:9:5 "Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war."
Qur'an:9:112 "The Believers fight in Allah's Cause, they slay and are slain, kill and are killed."
Qur'an:9:29 "Fight those who do not believe until they all surrender, paying the protective tax in submission."
Ishaq:325 "Muslims, fight in Allah's Cause. Stand firm and you will prosper. Help the Prophet, obey him, give him your allegiance, and your religion will be victorious."
Qur'an:8:39 "Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah."
Qur'an:8:39 "So fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief [non-Muslims]) and all submit to the religion of Allah alone (in the whole world)."
Ishaq:324 "He said, 'Fight them so that there is no more rebellion, and religion, all of it, is for Allah only. Allah must have no rivals.'"
Qur'an:9:14 "Fight them and Allah will punish them by your hands, lay them low, and cover them with shame. He will help you over them."
Ishaq:300 "I am fighting in Allah's service. This is piety and a good deed. In Allah's war I do not fear as others should. For this fighting is righteous, true, and good."
Ishaq:587 "Our onslaught will not be a weak faltering affair. We shall fight as long as we live. We will fight until you turn to Islam, humbly seeking refuge. We will fight not caring whom we meet. We will fight whether we destroy ancient holdings or newly gotten gains. We have mutilated every opponent. We have driven them violently before us at the command of Allah and Islam. We will fight until our religion is established. And we will plunder them, for they must suffer disgrace."
Qur'an:8:65 "O Prophet, urge the faithful to fight. If there are twenty among you with determination they will vanquish two hundred; if there are a hundred then they will slaughter a thousand unbelievers, for the infidels are a people devoid of understanding."
Ishaq:326 "Prophet exhort the believers to fight. If there are twenty good fighters they will defeat two hundred for they are a senseless people. They do not fight with good intentions nor for truth."
Bukhari:V4B52N63 "A man whose face was covered with an iron mask came to the Prophet and said, 'Allah's Apostle! Shall I fight or embrace Islam first?' The Prophet said, 'Embrace Islam first and then fight.' So he embraced Islam, and was martyred. Allah's Apostle said, 'A Little work, but a great reward.'"
Bukhari:V4B53N386 "Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, ordered us to fight you till you worship Allah alone or pay us the Jizyah tribute tax in submission. Our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says: 'Whoever amongst us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as he has never seen, and whoever survives shall become your master.'"
Muslim:C34B20N4668 "The Messenger said: 'Anybody who equips a warrior going to fight in the Way of Allah is like one who actually fights. And anybody who looks after his family in his absence is also like one who actually fights."
Qur'an:9:38 "Believers, what is the matter with you, that when you are asked to go forth and fight in Allah's Cause you cling to the earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? Unless you go forth, He will afflict and punish you with a painful doom, and put others in your place."
Qur'an:9:123 "Fight the unbelievers around you, and let them find harshness in you."
Qur'an:8:72 "Those who accepted Islam and left their homes to fight in Allah's Cause with their possessions and persons, and those who gave (them) asylum, aid, and shelter, those who harbored them - these are allies of one another. You are not responsible for protecting those who embraced Islam but did not leave their homes [to fight] until they do so." [Another translation reads:] "You are only called to protect Muslims who fight."
Muslim:C9B1N31 "I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify to the fact that there is no god but Allah, and believe in me (that) I am the Messenger and in all that I have brought."
Bukhari:V9B84N59 "Whoever says this will save his property and life from me.'"
Qur'an:8:73 "The unbelieving infidels are allies. Unless you (Muslims) aid each other (fighting as one united block to make Allah's religion victorious), there will be confusion and mischief. Those who accepted Islam, left their homes to fight in Allah's Cause (al-Jihad), as well as those who give them asylum, shelter, and aid - these are (all) Believers: for them is pardon and bountiful provision (in Paradise)."
Tabari IX:69 "Arabs are the most noble people in lineage, the most prominent, and the best in deeds. We were the first to respond to the call of the Prophet. We are Allah's helpers and the viziers of His Messenger. We fight people until they believe in Allah. He who believes in Allah and His Messenger has protected his life and possessions from us. As for one who disbelieves, we will fight him forever in the Cause of Allah. Killing him is a small matter to us."
Qur'an:48:16 "Say (Muhammad) to the wandering desert Arabs who lagged behind: 'You shall be invited to fight against a people given to war with mighty prowess. You shall fight them until they surrender and submit. If you obey, Allah will grant you a reward, but if you turn back, as you did before, He will punish you with a grievous torture."
Qur'an:48:22 "If the unbelieving infidels fight against you, they will retreat. (Such has been) the practice (approved) of Allah in the past: no change will you find in the ways of Allah."
Qur'an:47:4 "When you clash with the unbelieving Infidels in battle (fighting Jihad in Allah's Cause), smite their necks until you overpower them, killing and wounding many of them. At length, when you have thoroughly subdued them, bind them firmly, making (them) captives. Thereafter either generosity or ransom (them based upon what benefits Islam) until the war lays down its burdens. Thus are you commanded by Allah to continue carrying out Jihad against the unbelieving infidels until they submit to Islam."
Qur'an:47:31 "And We shall try you until We know those among you who are the fighters."
Tabari VI:138 "Those present at the oath of Aqabah had sworn an allegiance to Muhammad. It was a pledge of war against all men. Allah had permitted fighting."
Tabari VI:139 "Allah had given his Messenger permission to fight by revealing the verse 'And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah.'"
Qur'an:9:19 "Do you make the giving of drink to pilgrims, or the maintenance of the Mosque, equal to those who fight in the Cause of Allah? They are not comparable in the sight of Allah. Those who believe, and left their homes, striving with might, fighting in Allah's Cause with their goods and their lives, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah."
Ishaq:550 "The Muslims met them with their swords. They cut through many arms and skulls. Only confused cries and groans could be heard over our battle roars and snarling."
Qur'an:5:94 "Believers, Allah will make a test for you in the form of a little game in which you reach out for your lances. Any who fails this test will have a grievous punishment."
Ishaq:578 "Crushing the heads of the infidels and splitting their skulls with sharp swords, we continually thrust and cut at the enemy. Blood gushed from their deep wounds as the battle wore them down. We conquered bearing the Prophet's fluttering war banner. Our cavalry was submerged in rising dust, and our spears quivered, but by us the Prophet gained victory."
Tabari IX:22 "The Prophet continued to besiege the town, fighting them bitterly."
Tabari IX:25 "By Allah, I did not come to fight for nothing. I wanted a victory over Ta'if so that I might obtain a slave girl from them and make her pregnant."
Tabari IX:82 "The Messenger sent Khalid with an army of 400 to Harith [a South Arabian tribe] and ordered him to invite them to Islam for three days before he fought them. If they were to respond and submit, he was to teach them the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Prophet, and the requirements of Islam. If they should decline, then he was to fight them."
Tabari IX:88 "Abdallah Azdi came to the Messenger, embraced Islam, and became a good Muslim. Allah's Apostle invested Azdi with the authority over those who had surrendered and ordered him to fight the infidels from the tribes of Yemen. Azdi left with an army by the Messenger's command. The Muslims besieged them for a month. Then they withdrew, setting a trap. When the Yemenites went in pursuit, Azdi was able to inflict a heavy loss on them."
Ishaq:530 "Get out of his way, you infidel unbelievers. Every good thing goes with the Apostle. Lord, I believe in his word. We will fight you about its interpretations as we have fought you about its revelation with strokes that will remove heads from shoulders and make enemies of friends."
Muslim:C9B1N29 "Command For Fighting Against People So Long As They Do Not Profess That There Is No Ilah (God) But Allah And Muhammad Is His Messenger: When the Messenger breathed his last and Bakr was appointed Caliph, many Arabs chose to become apostates [rejected Islam]. Abu Bakr said: 'I will definitely fight against anyone who stops paying the Zakat tax, for it is an obligation. I will fight against them even to secure the cord used for hobbling the feet of a camel which they used to pay if they withhold it now.' Allah had justified fighting against those who refused to pay Zakat."
Muslim:C9B1N33 "The Prophet said: 'I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and they establish prostration prayer, and pay Zakat. If they do it, their blood and property are protected.'"
Muslim:C10B1N176 "Muhammad (may peace be upon him) sent us in a raiding party. We raided Huraqat in the morning. I caught hold of a man and he said: 'There is no god but Allah,' but I attacked him with a spear anyway. It once occurred to me that I should ask the Apostle about this. The Messenger said: 'Did he profess "There is no god but Allah," and even then you killed him?' I said: 'He made a profession out of the fear of the weapon I was threatening him with.' The Prophet said: 'Did you tear out his heart in order to find out whether it had professed truly or not?'"
Muslim:C20B1N4597 "The Prophet said at the conquest of Mecca: 'There is no migration now, but only Jihad, fighting for the Cause of Islam. When you are asked to set out on a Jihad expedition, you should readily do so.'"
Muslim:C28B20N4628 "Allah has undertaken to provide for one who leaves his home to fight for His Cause and to affirm the truth of His word; Allah will either admit him to Paradise or will bring him back home with his reward and booty."
Muslim:C28B20N4629 "The Messenger said: 'One who is wounded in the Way of Allah - and Allah knows best who is wounded in His Way - will appear on the Day of Judgment with his wound still bleeding. The color (of its discharge) will be blood, (but) its smell will be musk.'"
Muslim:C34B20N4652-3 "The Merit Of Jihad And Of Keeping Vigilance Over The Enemy: A man came to the Holy Prophet and said: 'Who is the best of men?' He replied: 'A man who fights staking his life and spending his wealth in Allah's Cause.'"
Muslim:C42B20N4684 "A desert Arab came to the Prophet and said: 'Messenger, one man fights for the spoils of war; another fights that he may be remembered, and one fights that he may see his (high) position (achieved as a result of his valor in fighting). Which of these is fighting in the Cause of Allah?' The Messenger of Allah said: 'Who fights so that the word of Allah is exalted is fighting in the Way of Allah.'"
Muslim:C53B20N4717 "The Prophet said: 'This religion will continue to exist, and a group of people from the Muslims will continue to fight for its protection until the Hour is established.'"
Bukhari:V5B59N288 "I witnessed a scene that was dearer to me than anything I had ever seen. Aswad came to the Prophet while Muhammad was urging the Muslims to fight the pagans. He said, 'We shall fight on your right and on your left and in front of you and behind you.' I saw the face of the Prophet getting bright with happiness, for that saying delighted him."
Bukhari:V5B59N290 "The believers who did not join the Ghazwa [Islamic raid or invasion] and those who fought are not equal in reward."
Qur'an:2:193 "Fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief) and religion is only for Allah. But if they cease/desist, let there be no hostility except against infidel disbelievers."
Qur'an:2:217 "They question you concerning fighting in the sacred month. Say: 'Fighting therein is a grave (matter); but to prevent access to Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, to expel its members, and polytheism are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they make you renegades from your religion. If any of you turn back and die in unbelief, your works will be lost and you will go to Hell. Surely those who believe and leave their homes to fight in Allah's Cause have the hope of Allah's mercy."
Qur'an:2:244 "Fight in Allah's Cause, and know that Allah hears and knows all."
Qur'an:2:246 "He said: 'Would you refrain from fighting if fighting were prescribed for you?' They said: 'How could we refuse to fight in Allah's Cause?'"
Ishaq:280 "The Apostle prepared for war in pursuance of Allah's command to fight his enemies and to fight the infidels who Allah commanded him to fight."
Qur'an:61:2 "O Muslims, why say one thing and do another? Grievously odious and hateful is it in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not. Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in a battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure."
Bukhari:V4B52N61 "Allah's Apostle! We were absent from the first battle you fought against the pagans. If Allah gives us a chance to do battle, no doubt, He will see how bravely we fight."
Ishaq:398 "Ask them for their help. Thereby make the religion of Islam agreeable to them. And when you are resolved in the matter of religion concerning fighting your enemy you will have the advantage."
Qur'an:3:146 "How many prophets fought in Allah's Cause? With them (fought) myriads of godly men who were slain. They never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah's Cause, nor did they weaken nor give in. Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast [warriors]."
Ishaq:393 "How many prophets has death in battle befallen and how many multitudes with him? They did not show weakness toward their enemies and were not humiliated when they suffered in the fight for Allah and their religion. That is steadfastness. Allah loves the steadfast."
Qur'an:3:153 "Behold! You ran off precipitately, climbing up the high hill without even casting a side glance at anyone, while the Messenger in your rear is calling you from your rear, urging you to fight. Allah gave you one distress after another by way of requital, to teach you not to grieve for the booty that had escaped you and for (the ill) that had befallen you."
Qur'an:3:154 "Say: 'Even if you had remained in your houses, those ordained to be slaughtered would have gone forth to the places where they were to slain."
Ishaq:440 "Helped by the Holy Spirit we smited Muhammad's foes. The Apostle sent a message to them with a sharp cutting sword."
Ishaq:470 "We attacked them fully armed, swords in hand, cutting through heads and skulls."
Qur'an:61:4 "Surely Allah loves those who fight in His Cause."
Qur'an:61:11 "Believers, shall I lead you to a bargain or trade that will save you from a painful torment? That you believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and that you strive and fight in Allah's Cause with your property and your lives: That will be best for you!" Qur'an 61:12 "He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to Gardens under which rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Eden: that is indeed the Supreme Achievement. And another (favor) which you love: help from Allah for a speedy victory over your enemies."
Qur'an:8:5 "Your Lord ordered you out of your homes to fight for the true cause, even though some Muslims disliked it, and were averse (to fighting)."
Qur'an:24:53 "They swear their strongest oaths saying that if only you would command them. They would leave their homes (and go forth fighting in Allah's Cause). Say: 'Swear not; Obedience is (more) reasonable.'"
Qur'an:4:74 "Let those who fight in Allah's Cause sell this world's life for the hereafter. To him who fights in Allah's Cause, whether he is slain or victorious, We shall give him a reward."
Qur'an:4:75 "What reason have you that you should not fight in Allah's Cause?" [Another translation says:] "What is wrong with you that you do not fight for Allah?"
Qur'an:4:76 "Those who believe fight in the Cause of Allah."
Qur'an:4:77 "Have you not seen those to whom it was said: Withhold from fighting, perform the prayer and pay the zakat. But when orders for fighting were issued, a party of them feared men as they ought to have feared Allah. They say: 'Our Lord, why have You ordained fighting for us, why have You made war compulsory?'"
Qur'an:4:78 "Wherever you are, death will find you, even if you are in towers strong and high! So what is wrong with these people, that they fail to understand these simple words?"
Qur'an:4:84 "Then fight (Muhammad) in Allah's Cause. Incite the believers to fight with you."
Qur'an:4:94 "Believers, when you go abroad to fight wars in Allah's Cause, investigate carefully, and say not to anyone who greets you: 'You are not a believer!' Coveting the chance profits of this life (so that you may despoil him). With Allah are plenteous spoils and booty."
Qur'an:4:95 "Not equal are believers who sit home and receive no hurt and those who fight in Allah's Cause with their wealth and lives. Allah has granted a grade higher to those who fight with their possessions and bodies to those who sit home. Those who fight He has distinguished with a special reward."
Qur'an:4:100 "He who leaves his home in Allah's Cause finds abundant resources and many a refuge. Should he die as a refugee for Allah and His Messenger His reward becomes due and sure with Allah. When you travel through the earth there is no blame on you if you curtail your worship for fear unbelievers may attack you. In truth the disbelievers are your enemy."
Qur'an:4:102 "When you (Prophet) lead them in prayer, let some stand with you, taking their arms with them. When they finish their prostrations, let them take positions in the rear. And let others who have not yet prayed come - taking all precaution, and bearing arms. The Infidels wish, if you were negligent of your arms, to assault you in a rush. But there is no blame on you if you put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill; but take precaution. For the Unbelieving Infidels Allah hath prepared a humiliating punishment."
Qur'an:4:104 "And do not relent in pursuing the enemy."
 
Qur'an:9:88 "The Messenger and those who believe with him, strive hard and fight with their wealth and lives in Allah's Cause."
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Qur'an:4:104 "And do not relent in pursuing the enemy."

1. What is the Islamic concept of "jihad," and how has it been variously interpreted?

Jihad means "striving or struggling in the way of God." It is a central concept in Islam. Muslims should strive to know and do the will of God. Historically, the "greater" jihad refers to the struggle each person has within him or herself to do what is right. Because of human pride, selfishness and sinfulness, people of faith must constantly wrestle with themselves and strive to do what is right and good. The "lesser" jihad involves the outward defense of Islam. Muslims should be prepared to defend Islam, including military defense, when the community of faith is under attack. While the vast majority of Muslims clearly reject the violent extremism manifest on Sept. 11, some religiously inspired and politically motivated individuals and groups attempt to justify their behavior in the context of a holy war or struggle in defense of Islam.

2. What sect of Islam does the Taliban adhere to, and do its tenets differ from more mainline denominations of Sunni Islam?

The Taliban advocate a strict and extreme version of Sunni Islam. Policies about education, restrictions on women, and the destruction of the large Buddha figures have received a good deal of attention in the past few years. Prior to September 11, only three nations had diplomatic relations with the Taliban: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan. Today, only Pakistan recognizes the Taliban officially. Clearly, most predominantly Muslim countries view the Taliban with suspicion. Like all religious traditions, Islamic history includes various schools of thought and legal structures. It is very difficult to quantify particular groups and movements or sharply define adherents within particular traditions among Muslims worldwide. To the extent the leaders of the Taliban embrace the teaching and worldview of the network connected with Osama bin Laden, they should be viewed as very much on the fringe of what the large majority of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims (2nd largest, growing rapidly) understand to be central tenets of their faith.

3. Can you give us an explanation of the differences between the tenets of "fundamentalist" Islam and "extremist" (or violent) Islam?

Religious studies scholars approach the term "fundamentalist" in different ways. Some argue the term is so rooted in a particular form of Protestant Christianity that it cannot easily be used in relation to Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, etc. Martin Marty, a renowned scholar who co-edited a five-volume study on fundamentalism, argues that fundamentalisms are certainly very different. However, there are also striking similarities. Fundamentalists in various traditions teach that there was a perfect moment and they endeavor to recover that moment. This often involves reacting to that which is seen as a threat to realizing the ideal-even if the ideal never actually existed. In the case of selected Islamist groups (e.g. Hizbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad), the realization of their vision of an Islamic state is being thwarted by corrupt leaders in predominantly Muslim countries. The pervasive dominance of external powers, most notably the US, is also seen as both polluting Islamic culture and as a mechanism for exploitation. In recent decades, some groups have sought to work within particular political systems; some have resorted to violent extremism. To understand particular groups, it is important to do careful contextual analysis.

4. What is the Koran's stance on suicide? Are suicide bombers who cite a heavenly afterlife as a reward for their deeds following a misinterpretation of the scripture?

There is only one verse in the Koran that contains a phrase related to suicide: "O you who believe! Do not consume your wealth in the wrong way-rather through trade mutually agreed to, and do not kill yourselves. Surely God is Merciful toward you." (4:29) Some commentators believe that this phrase is better translated "do not kill each other." The prophetic tradition, however, clearly prohibits suicide. The hadith materials, which are the authoritative sayings and actions of the prophet, Muhammad, includes many unambiguous statements about suicide: one who "throws himself off a mountain" or "drinks poison" or "kills himself with a sharp instrument" will be in the fire of Hell. Suicide is not allowed even to those in extreme conditions such as painful illness or a serious wound. Ultimately, it is God, not humans, who has authority over the span of every person's life. There are some Muslims, most notably during the last several decades, who have engaged in suicidal military missions such as the truck bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington. The extremists cite passages in the Koran that promise paradise to those who die "struggling in the way of God." (2:154) They see what they are doing as active armed struggle in defense of Islam. Their death is thus viewed as martyrdom not as suicide. The overwhelming majority of Muslims view this as a misinterpretation of the Koran and Islamic tradition. Many also point out that the taking of innocent life – even in war – is strictly forbidden in Islam. This, too, makes the actions of Sept. 11 incompatible with Islamic teachings.

5. What are the various clerical positions within Islam, and is there one who has ultimate authority over the others? Is there a clergy member with influence over Osama bin Laden?

There is no central, authoritative religious structure for Muslims. There are a variety of recognized religious leaders and legal authorities in particular settings. A mufti, for instance, is a recognized Muslim jurist who is able to give an opinion (known as a fatwa) on a point of Islamic law. There is a mufti of Jerusalem, a Grand Mufti of Syria and so on. Throughout Islamic history, the collective wisdom of the scholars (ulama') has been a primary source of authority for religious matters. A reflection of the diffuse patterns of leadership and decision-making among Sunni Muslims was seen in the days after the attacks on New York and Washington. Muslim leaders from various parts of Afghanistan were assembled ostensibly to render a decision on the request to turn over Osama bin Laden. At a personal level, there is no religious authority with definitive influence over Osama bin Laden. There is nothing parallel to the papacy in the Catholic tradition. There is no parallel to excommunication even if one grievously departs from widely held, orthodox views. There are all kinds of laws and punishments pertaining to one's behavior in a given setting. There is a moreclearly defined hierarchical structure within the Shi'ite tradition. The highest authority among Shi'ites is an Ayatollah. This is an honorific title bestowed by popular usage on recognized religious scholars within Shi'ite Islam.

6. What should non-Muslims know about key similarities and differences between Islamic and Judeo-Christian traditions?

It is, of course, difficult to summarize the main teachings of the religious traditions embraced by nearly one-half the world's population. Muslims understand Islam to be the same religion that God revealed to Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. They believe that those who came after various prophets confused or distorted portions of the revelation God had given. Central teachings in the Bible are also central in the Koran. There is only one God (Allah in Arabic). Humans are created and imbued with freedom and responsibility. There are similar passages about moral and ethical imperatives, the existence of angels and demons, the immortality of the soul, the coming day of judgment, the abodes of heaven and hell, etc. The Koran addresses Jews and Christians as "People of the Book" who may also share a heavenly home: "those who have faith, those who are Jews and Christians...shall have their reward." (2:62 and 5:69) At the same time, the Koran clearly rejects the divinity of Jesus and warns of the dangers of a trinitarian theology. Christians are in danger of the most heinous sin, shirk, which is "associating something human with God." The best answer to this question is for non-Muslims to engage in a thoughtful study of Islam. Study programs, books, and personal engagement with Muslim neighbors are helpful ways to explore the similarities and differences among the descendants of Abraham.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1004/p25s1-wosc.html
 
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