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Home » blogs » gimpel's blog » Ideological impairment

Ideological impairment

Posted by gimpel on September 17, 2006 - 11:30 AM

``Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence,'' Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan's parliament on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Pope Benedict XVI for making what it called ``derogatory'' comments about Islam, and seeking an apology from him for hurting the sentiments of Muslims.

The title of the Pope’s speech was
Faith, Reason and the University
Memories and Reflections

Was it faith, or reason, that hurt “the sentiments of Muslims”?

This is the offensive paragraph. The Pope is quoting Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus speaking to an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam, and the truth of both.

The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". According to the experts, this is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels", he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God", he says, "is not pleased by blood - and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death...".

A reasonable soul… how to know a reasonable soul?
Quite simply, a reasonable soul does not make bombs.
A reasonable soul does not kill cartoonists.
A reasonable soul does not cut off heads.
A reasonable soul does not fly planes into buildings.
And a reasonable soul protects itself from unreasonable souls.

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Submitted by mgroothand on September 17, 2006 - 12:24 PM.

Gimpel, what is wrong with you? You are thinking like a western person, an American at that!! Such thinking will never be accepted by people (and I use the term loosely) of that radical Islamic variety. So, tone down your blasphemous rhetoric, questioning the "true believers" of that "religion of peace", lest we may incite them again. A rumor of bacon and eggs for breakfast at Gitmo may cause the next worldwide rebellion.


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Submitted by gimpel on September 17, 2006 - 2:00 PM.

apologies for my imperialist insensitivity...
but, the most recent story also seems unreasonable, indicative of downright savagery and a severe idealogical impairment...
where do they get treatment for that?

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Two gunmen killed an Italian nun and her bodyguard at a hospital Sunday, and a security official for an Islamic militia controlling the capital speculated the attack was linked to worldwide Muslim anger over a speech by Pope Benedict XVI.

The nun, whose identify was not released, was shot in the back four times at the entrance to the Austrian-run S.O.S. Hospital in northern Mogadishu, said Dr. Mohamed Yusuf, a physician at the facility, which serves mothers and children.


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Submitted by mgroothand on September 17, 2006 - 3:22 PM.

They get treatment in the arms of 72 virgins assuming there are any left. My reply was, of course, tongue in cheek as is this reply. The fact is that these tragedies are playing out all over the world and no amount of appeasements or apologies will do what it is intended to do, not even the pope's. A slight change of subject, right now all of the America haters are gathered in Havana having an orgy about who can better hate us. That's a hell of an opportunity for us.....What are they gonna do to retaliate? Riot? Next week one of those countries will have a tsunami or an earthquake or some natural disaster, even an attack from within. Then who are they going to look for help? Uncle Sam, that's who, with an open checkbook and materials and like the damned fools we are, we'll give it to them. "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore".


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Submitted by weekapaug05 on September 18, 2006 - 3:21 PM.

Maybe these militant Muslims were just not loved enough as children. Maybe we should have a national "Hug a Muslim Terrorist Day" to let them know that someone loves and cares for them. Or better yet we can all wear ribbons to show our awareness.


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Submitted by FrozenOne on September 24, 2006 - 7:51 PM.

No!, it's not that they weren't hugged as a child, it was the fact that their mommies never breat fed them and this is what makes the Muslims so angry.


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Submitted by weekapaug05 on September 25, 2006 - 6:31 PM.

I only drink the finest breast milks!


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