Catching Up From Vacay...
Whew.
Not only was my family in town for my vacation, but when I got back I not only had to clear my desk, but get my boss ready for a manager’s off site. But since she, and all the managers, are all on their way, back to blogging.
First thing I need to address, of course, is the bombings in London.
This was a heinous act and my deepest sympathies go out to those harmed and those who lost in these attacks. Nothing I say next ameliorates or removes blame from the sociopathic jackasses that planed and triggered such an attack. Guerilla warfare I have much respect for, but never the harming of innocents. It is cowardly and unnecessarily cruel. Not to mention moronic. Of all the terrorist events that have happened in my lifetime, I can’t think of a one that produced the results the terrorists wanted and most only strengthened their enemies resolve. Terrorism is a simply act of pure irrational hatred and nothing more.
Now to quote someone on one of the international boards I visit
"London will carry on as it has done for centuries, smiling happily when the rubble is cleared and giving the terrorists responsible a big finger. That is how they did it when the IRA was bombing parts of England every month, and they will not act any differently in spite of the perps having changed a bit.” ~ Mental Critic (Australia)
And he’s right, England and most European nations are far more used to handling these tragedies of terrorism than the U.S. was when we were attacked on 9-11. We may tease the Limeys about their stiff upper lip, but it sure does come in handy sometimes.
"Theaters had not gone dark, and the pubs were full. The music on the playlists was upbeat. "We're just fine," said Graham Fallowes, 26, an Oxford-educated book dealer. "And that's how we'll show them that they can't win." Churchill might have said it more eloquently, but not more plainly or clearly.” ~ Newsweek
On a positive note, the Islamic Community is doing what they should have done ages ago: Not only condemning the terrorism outright, but also isolating the terrorists from wielding any religious power.
"Now things are changing. The day before the London bombs, a conference of 180 top Muslim sheiks and imams, brought together under the auspices of Jordan's King Abdullah, issued a statement forbidding that any Muslim be declared takfir—an apostate. This is a frontal attack on Al Qaeda's theological methods. Declaring someone takfir—and thus sanctioning his or her death—is a favorite tactic of bin Laden and his ally in Iraq, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi. The conference's statement was endorsed by 10 fatwas from such big conservative scholars as Tantawi; Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani; Egypt's mufti, Ali Jumaa, and the influential Al-Jazeera TV-sheik, Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Signed by adherents of all schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), it also allows only qualified Muslim scholars to issue edicts. The Islamic Conference's statement, the first of its kind, is a rare show of unity among the religious establishment against terrorists and their scholarly allies.”
An excellent article. Folks should read the entire thing.
Hate Breeding Hate
Unfortunately, as with all terrorist acts, the London bombings have brought out the best and unfortunatally, the worst in people. Many bigots are using this as an excuse to spread their messages of hate.
Someone signed onto one of the Dale Jr. boards and posted: “WWIII is now. You should be praying that a Charles Martel appears soon and saves Western civilization from its multiculturalistic suicide.”
You know who talks like that? White Spuremacists.
But, she’s wasn’t racist…oh no. How dare we make such an accusation.
(I would like to point out that it only totalled up as four jerks out of a population of three dozen or so. There are some in every barrel I guess, and salted a little heavier in the read states, but there were many more voices that spoke against such malignant attitudes.)
As my sister put it, if you ever have to preface a statement with “I’m not a racist, but…” yes you are.
Today it was the anti-Palestinian brigade, posting copies of artcles from the Jewish World Review:
“Islamists, as do most Muslims, deeply resent the ability of a despised minority like the Jews — in Islamic terminology, a dhimmi people — to establish a non-Islamic sovereign state in the Middle East. But what they really resent, and what their jihadist ideology is bent on reversing is the change in the balance of power between the Muslim world and the West, which dates back hundreds of years.
Isn't terror directed at Israeli targets — such as this week's bombing in Netanya — fundamentally different from those in New York, Madrid and London? The reluctance of many media outlets to include Arab attacks directed at Israel in lists of international terror incidents attempts to create a false dichotomy between the American and British or Spanish blood shed by terrorists and the Jewish blood spilled in Israel. To maintain such a distinction is to assert that Israelis are somehow guilty while others are innocent. But those murdered on Israeli buses are just as innocent as those slain in London.”
I’m sorry, I thought all those picture on the nightly news of bloody street corners in Jerusalem for the last decade or so were real. I guess I was watching a soap opera by mistake. *smacks forehead* Silly me.
(I don’t believe anyone is innocent in that conflict: Palestinian suicide bombers versus Israeli tanks rolling through refugee camps. The most Unholy Land of them all.)
Oh, it gets worse…"In steering America through September 11, President Bush famously drew courage and inspiration from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. One can only hope that Tony Blair will now show the same resolve. He can start by acknowledging the obvious: This attack was about bigger things than just Iraq.”
Basically, the article was trying to incite the U.K. to attack the entire Islamic Middle East. Y’know, like a Holocaust.
Personally, my favorite was the article were they accused Tony Blair of not only appeasing terrorists but harboring them. So...we'll be invading Great Britian then?
I wonder at people who are members of a group that have faced one of the most heinous persecutions in living memory would have the chutzpah to walk lockstep in Hitler’s methodology for spreading hatred without blushing for shame.
Anyway, that’s the crap that’s running around the net. Before people go off on how Islam is an inherently violent religion teaching it’s adherents to kill unbelievers, I think they need to read through some things.
Numbers 21: "21:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon."
21:35 "So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land."
Numbers 31:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying," 31:2 "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people." 31:3 "And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian." 31:4 "Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war." 31:5 "So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war." 31:6 "And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand." 31:7 "And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males."
Deuteronomy “So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining."
Deuteronomy 3:6 "And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city."
Deuteronomy 7:16 "And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them : neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee."
Deuteronomy 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. 13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; thou shalt surely kill him, thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death. 13:7 "Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;" 13:8 "Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:" 13:9 "But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people." 13:10 "And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage."
Yeah, really a religion of peace.
Oh, and for those Christians who suddenly remember Christ rather than dwelling in the Old Testament all the time:
Luke 19:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 19:24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 19:25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 19:26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Matthew 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
John 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned
Acts 3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Romans 1:32 (Referring to Homosexuals) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 1010:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
As much violence as is contained within the Qu’ran as is contained with the Torah and the Bible, and as much understanding and tolerance.
"God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them. God loves those who are just." (Qur'an, 60:8)
"Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way - except in the case of those of them who do wrong - saying, "We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him." (Qur'an, 29:46)
"Among the People of the Book there are some who believe in God and in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and who are humble before God. They do not sell God's signs for a paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And God is swift at reckoning." (Qur'an, 3:199)
"... There is a community among the People of the Book who are upright. They recite God's signs throughout the night, and they prostrate. They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good. They are among the righteous. You will not be denied the reward for any good thing you do. God knows those who guard against evil."(Qur'an, 3:113-115)
"Those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabaeans and the Christians, all who believe in God and the Last Day and act rightly will feel no fear and will know no sorrow."(Qur'an, 5:69)
"We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light, and the prophets who had submitted themselves gave judgment by it for the Jews - as did their scholars and their rabbis - by what they had been allowed to preserve of God's Book to which they were witnesses..." (Qur'an, 5:44)
Anyone can take any holy text, pull scripture out of context and make it fit whatever their personal or political purposes are. Islam’s only fault is in not acting sooner to pinch off the buds of terrorism within their own community. However, it took the West 250 years to stop the Crusades, and even longer to stop burning heretics. Should we really be the ones to judge them?
Keep human law, but have faith in God that he can do his own job of dealing out judgment.
Not only was my family in town for my vacation, but when I got back I not only had to clear my desk, but get my boss ready for a manager’s off site. But since she, and all the managers, are all on their way, back to blogging.
First thing I need to address, of course, is the bombings in London.
This was a heinous act and my deepest sympathies go out to those harmed and those who lost in these attacks. Nothing I say next ameliorates or removes blame from the sociopathic jackasses that planed and triggered such an attack. Guerilla warfare I have much respect for, but never the harming of innocents. It is cowardly and unnecessarily cruel. Not to mention moronic. Of all the terrorist events that have happened in my lifetime, I can’t think of a one that produced the results the terrorists wanted and most only strengthened their enemies resolve. Terrorism is a simply act of pure irrational hatred and nothing more.
Now to quote someone on one of the international boards I visit
"London will carry on as it has done for centuries, smiling happily when the rubble is cleared and giving the terrorists responsible a big finger. That is how they did it when the IRA was bombing parts of England every month, and they will not act any differently in spite of the perps having changed a bit.” ~ Mental Critic (Australia)
And he’s right, England and most European nations are far more used to handling these tragedies of terrorism than the U.S. was when we were attacked on 9-11. We may tease the Limeys about their stiff upper lip, but it sure does come in handy sometimes.
"Theaters had not gone dark, and the pubs were full. The music on the playlists was upbeat. "We're just fine," said Graham Fallowes, 26, an Oxford-educated book dealer. "And that's how we'll show them that they can't win." Churchill might have said it more eloquently, but not more plainly or clearly.” ~ Newsweek
On a positive note, the Islamic Community is doing what they should have done ages ago: Not only condemning the terrorism outright, but also isolating the terrorists from wielding any religious power.
"Now things are changing. The day before the London bombs, a conference of 180 top Muslim sheiks and imams, brought together under the auspices of Jordan's King Abdullah, issued a statement forbidding that any Muslim be declared takfir—an apostate. This is a frontal attack on Al Qaeda's theological methods. Declaring someone takfir—and thus sanctioning his or her death—is a favorite tactic of bin Laden and his ally in Iraq, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi. The conference's statement was endorsed by 10 fatwas from such big conservative scholars as Tantawi; Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani; Egypt's mufti, Ali Jumaa, and the influential Al-Jazeera TV-sheik, Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Signed by adherents of all schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), it also allows only qualified Muslim scholars to issue edicts. The Islamic Conference's statement, the first of its kind, is a rare show of unity among the religious establishment against terrorists and their scholarly allies.”
An excellent article. Folks should read the entire thing.
Hate Breeding Hate
Unfortunately, as with all terrorist acts, the London bombings have brought out the best and unfortunatally, the worst in people. Many bigots are using this as an excuse to spread their messages of hate.
Someone signed onto one of the Dale Jr. boards and posted: “WWIII is now. You should be praying that a Charles Martel appears soon and saves Western civilization from its multiculturalistic suicide.”
You know who talks like that? White Spuremacists.
But, she’s wasn’t racist…oh no. How dare we make such an accusation.
(I would like to point out that it only totalled up as four jerks out of a population of three dozen or so. There are some in every barrel I guess, and salted a little heavier in the read states, but there were many more voices that spoke against such malignant attitudes.)
As my sister put it, if you ever have to preface a statement with “I’m not a racist, but…” yes you are.
Today it was the anti-Palestinian brigade, posting copies of artcles from the Jewish World Review:
“Islamists, as do most Muslims, deeply resent the ability of a despised minority like the Jews — in Islamic terminology, a dhimmi people — to establish a non-Islamic sovereign state in the Middle East. But what they really resent, and what their jihadist ideology is bent on reversing is the change in the balance of power between the Muslim world and the West, which dates back hundreds of years.
Isn't terror directed at Israeli targets — such as this week's bombing in Netanya — fundamentally different from those in New York, Madrid and London? The reluctance of many media outlets to include Arab attacks directed at Israel in lists of international terror incidents attempts to create a false dichotomy between the American and British or Spanish blood shed by terrorists and the Jewish blood spilled in Israel. To maintain such a distinction is to assert that Israelis are somehow guilty while others are innocent. But those murdered on Israeli buses are just as innocent as those slain in London.”
I’m sorry, I thought all those picture on the nightly news of bloody street corners in Jerusalem for the last decade or so were real. I guess I was watching a soap opera by mistake. *smacks forehead* Silly me.
(I don’t believe anyone is innocent in that conflict: Palestinian suicide bombers versus Israeli tanks rolling through refugee camps. The most Unholy Land of them all.)
Oh, it gets worse…"In steering America through September 11, President Bush famously drew courage and inspiration from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. One can only hope that Tony Blair will now show the same resolve. He can start by acknowledging the obvious: This attack was about bigger things than just Iraq.”
Basically, the article was trying to incite the U.K. to attack the entire Islamic Middle East. Y’know, like a Holocaust.
Personally, my favorite was the article were they accused Tony Blair of not only appeasing terrorists but harboring them. So...we'll be invading Great Britian then?
I wonder at people who are members of a group that have faced one of the most heinous persecutions in living memory would have the chutzpah to walk lockstep in Hitler’s methodology for spreading hatred without blushing for shame.
Anyway, that’s the crap that’s running around the net. Before people go off on how Islam is an inherently violent religion teaching it’s adherents to kill unbelievers, I think they need to read through some things.
Numbers 21: "21:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon."
21:35 "So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land."
Numbers 31:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying," 31:2 "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people." 31:3 "And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian." 31:4 "Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war." 31:5 "So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war." 31:6 "And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand." 31:7 "And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males."
Deuteronomy “So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining."
Deuteronomy 3:6 "And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city."
Deuteronomy 7:16 "And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them : neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee."
Deuteronomy 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. 13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; thou shalt surely kill him, thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death. 13:7 "Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;" 13:8 "Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:" 13:9 "But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people." 13:10 "And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage."
Yeah, really a religion of peace.
Oh, and for those Christians who suddenly remember Christ rather than dwelling in the Old Testament all the time:
Luke 19:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 19:24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 19:25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 19:26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Matthew 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
John 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned
Acts 3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Romans 1:32 (Referring to Homosexuals) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 1010:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
As much violence as is contained within the Qu’ran as is contained with the Torah and the Bible, and as much understanding and tolerance.
"God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them. God loves those who are just." (Qur'an, 60:8)
"Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way - except in the case of those of them who do wrong - saying, "We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him." (Qur'an, 29:46)
"Among the People of the Book there are some who believe in God and in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and who are humble before God. They do not sell God's signs for a paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And God is swift at reckoning." (Qur'an, 3:199)
"... There is a community among the People of the Book who are upright. They recite God's signs throughout the night, and they prostrate. They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good. They are among the righteous. You will not be denied the reward for any good thing you do. God knows those who guard against evil."(Qur'an, 3:113-115)
"Those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabaeans and the Christians, all who believe in God and the Last Day and act rightly will feel no fear and will know no sorrow."(Qur'an, 5:69)
"We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light, and the prophets who had submitted themselves gave judgment by it for the Jews - as did their scholars and their rabbis - by what they had been allowed to preserve of God's Book to which they were witnesses..." (Qur'an, 5:44)
Anyone can take any holy text, pull scripture out of context and make it fit whatever their personal or political purposes are. Islam’s only fault is in not acting sooner to pinch off the buds of terrorism within their own community. However, it took the West 250 years to stop the Crusades, and even longer to stop burning heretics. Should we really be the ones to judge them?
Keep human law, but have faith in God that he can do his own job of dealing out judgment.
posted by KiplingKat | 6:50 PM
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