Islam is the future? What future?

Submitted by Earlybird (United States), Mar 14, 2006 at 17:47

Harrak may think Muslims have all of advantages in demographics and natural resources and he may be right. Given their strategic location, their resources, their close-knit family and social groups, history of academia and so on, there's no reason they shouldn't be leading the world.

All but for that one reason called ideas. The biggest enemy the Arab Muslim world has at this moment - has had for a thousand years - is Arab Muslims. Not the Jew, not Israel, not the United States, Europe, not European colonialism, not the Crusades, but themselves.

Look at so much of Africa, another part of the world which has more natural resources than it knows what to do with. Why are they such screwups? Because they have even a more dysfunctional set of guiding ideas than the average Arab Muslim. The reason there is so much strife and poverty and disease is that there are BAD IDEAS. Same with Islam in general, in its radicalized state.

Harrak, when an entire civilization keeps 50% of its population, females, out of the work force, out of modern education, you will not compete with say, tiny, "under-resourced" Japan where kids of both sexes average 10 hours a day in hard science and math. When a mere 2% of new books each year are ALLOWED to be translated into Arabic by Arabs, you can't compete with the book consuming Finnish child, who's big natural resource is cod fish. When you devote a the majority of higher learning to learning Sharia' you can't compete with the American college student learning medicine and business. And on and on.

Muslims are Muslims own worst enemy.

There is a lot to like about Islam and to learn from. For instance, I think we need a big dose of reverence for things, for humility before God, for commitment to family and the like. Other than that, I don't see a lot to learn from Islam, not in 2006. I think it's become radicalized, ugly and a disease. It is so angry it is consuming itself. It is so full of thoughtless hatred it has become an agent of hate. I keep waiting for the good Muslims to stand up for their religion, to face the culprits who are ruining its image. It's not Bush or the West or some cabal which is ruining the image of Islam. It's not some cabal of Jews which have created an abusive, destitute, ignorant, furious, backwards, self-defeating Arab Muslim world; it's Islam which has done that.

I only wish the world had to fear Islam as a competitor. That would mean it was healthy and productive. Unfortunately, the world's current fear if Islam is a lot like fearing that crazy drug addict down the street who's always having the loud parties, is in and out of jail, gets in fights, and worrying that one day he'll really snap and start shooting up the neighborhood. Islam, when it becomes the dominant religion, ruins the society. I have to work very hard to have any respect for Islam right now.

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