|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Over the last 10 years I have seen a lot of first hand experience:Reader comment on item: [Theo van Gogh and] "Education By Murder" in Holland Submitted by Brian (Italy), Jun 7, 2008 at 01:50 Over the past 6 years, I have lived and worked in Israel, Italy, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, China, Thailand and even the United States. I have, arguably, a unique perspective having seen both sides of the fence. Before I go on a rampage stating that Islam is a cancer, let me just say that I recognize that Islam was not always this way. In the 11th-12th century, Islam was not the closed, archaic, barbaric religion that some of us may think of today. Islam was the new religion that brought about great advances in Science, medicine, architecture, art and philosophy. In fact, at this time, Roman Catholic "Franks" were the barbarians. The population of Europe was miniscule compared to what it is today mostly due to Agricultural limitations. For example, the population in Paris was roughly 40,000 people give or take. At some point over the last ~1000 years, things changed all around the world while Islam remained largly the same. Why is that? Why did Islam fail to grow with the rest of the world? Why are most Middle Eastern Countries a Theocracy? Haven't they heard of the separtion of "church" and "state"? Why does the Quran govern all aspects of Islamic life from government, wellfare, business and religion? I wish I understoon the reasons why and I wish the world understood. After all, the Crusaders recognized the superiority of several Islamic ideas for medicine and philosophy. Why can't the muslims recognize that they can become modern thinkers and still retain their faith? Answer-I do not think they can change or I think they are afraid of change. Over the last 10 years I have seen a lot of first hand experience: In Italy, the immigration is swelled with North Africans and Arab Muslims. In the UK, 600 year old churches are being torn down in favor of mosques. Tragedy. In Thailand, I have seen Islamic extremists murder Budhist monks and 5 year old temple boys! In Israel, I have met many Jews who do not hate muslims but they recognize that the only thing they want is for the Jews to die. In Dubai, UAE, I have seen myself detained for having visited Israel in the past despite having a new passport. In Saudi Arabia, I have heard many Saudi's state that the West and Democracy has failed and Islam is the answer. I have seen the Muktawa's harass my wife for not wearing an Abaya correctly while shopping. In Qatar and Saudi, I see that the muslims fear the cross and fear it so much, they have it removed from all hospitals, ambulance and first aid kits--replacing it with the crescent. In Qatar, I have seen the government rebuilding efforts to support Hizbollah in Southern Lebanon. Hundreds of millions of dollars invested back in Southern Lebanon to support these Hizbollah terrorists. During this time, I have seen myself change from apathetic to VERY polarized. I recognize that no matter how much money, technology and other modern day essentials we give to the Muslims, everything they do is for the future of Islam. In their eyes, the future of Islam is to destroy Israel and assimilate the world into Islam. If the world is assimilated, Christians and Jews need not worry. We will be free to worship as long as we pay a tax!!! Muslims have done this in the past and they will do it again. Can we co-exist? I do not think so. I have seen a vision of the future and it has plenty of blood! When the oil runs out, it could be a very good thing or a very bad thing. I would like to think it would be a good thing because it would force countries to develop other Power-Gen technologies such as Nuclear, Hydro and Wind which ALL emit 0% carbon. Sadly, I think it will be a very bad thing. I think we will have all-out war which will begin as an economic war but will quickly progress into another Holy War. Choose a side. No time to be a closet Christian. We have the guns and the numbers and if they (muslims) push us too far, we will eliminate them with such efficiency that it will make Hitler look like a joke. In closing, I wish all of this were not true. I wish there was eternal, world peace and Christian, muslim, Jew, Buddhist and even Hindu can all co-exist without fear of each other. May God prove me wrong! Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments". << Previous Comment Next Comment >> Reader comments (126) on this item
|
Latest Articles |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes (The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998. For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.) |