[F1gm3nt]

"...many Muslims say they're frustrated that groups who carry out such attacks tarnish the whole image of Islam in the West."

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wrvo/news/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=679310

Really the kind of article that more Americans need to be exposed to, IMHO. It was a pretty good and insightful read no matter where you stand in your opinnions about the people of Islam. (terrorist and otherwise)

[Flipside]

Well, it's not surprising, I think it is slowly dawning on the world that this isn't a war on Islam, but the the Terrorists are trying to make it into one.

[F1gm3nt]

It could just be where I go to college, or even just where I live but whenever I hear people talking about the war ing general, it's always "Muslims this and Muslims that...". Which is in a way bothe frightening and sickening, mostly because of the gross over generalization. I'm not Muslim, nor do I know anyone who is(to the best of my knolwedge.) I just hear people talking like I explained above and it smacks of the gross over generalizations that Hitler made prevalent about the Jewish people. *shrug* Just my Opinion.

[Flipside]

That is the danger, that the word 'Muslim' becomes synonymous to Terrorist. Part of the whole 'game plan' of the Terrorists is to create that image, note the heavily Islamic slant on all Terrorist videos. I know quite a few Muslims, and they are mostly just like Christians, many of them don't stop to pray every day, and only go to the Mosque for special occasions. Most of them observe Ramadan, but then, I observe Christmas

This whole 'enslaved to the word of God' thing is bandied about by radicals on both side of the argument, but you'll find the majority of most religions are just normal people who find comfort in their beliefs but have a real life to get on with

[an0n]

It'd be nice if people would think before making stupid statements.

They're not kidnapping people for the sake of Islam. They're kidnapping people because there's a hostile military force occupying their country that they want gone.

So it doesn't really matter what the Muslims think of them.

[Flipside]

There are elements on both sides that want this War for Oil to turn into a a religious war. Those people are trying to imply that it is the will of God/Allah that they commit these atrocities.

The onflow from that is a growing distrust between Muslim and Christian which can only serve to aid their cause.

[Gloriano]

Well we can only hope, that one day there is peace between Islam world and Christian world that hattered is not needed but peoples don't listen until it's too late

[vyper]

[q]peace between Islam world and Christian world[/q]

Someone give this guy a book he's not getting the point...

[Rictor]

I'm going to agree with anon on this one and say that people are generalizing it to be a conflict between the Muslim world and the Christian one, between civilization and barbarism, between those who love freedom and those....well, you get the idea.

The one thing this is sure to produce is ignorance. Even terrorists have reasons for doing what they do, and it is important to understand them. You may not agree, but it is important to understand.

[Gloriano]

Yeah, I get point, but one thing is odd why France did ban those  Islamic head scarves? they belong to Islam culture. and not every peoples who wear them are terrorist (or did world change that much after 9/11) and it's seem going worse

[Rictor]

no, France banned them to respect what they percieve to be secularism. But in reality, its as much a cultural thing as a religious one. A bad move on their part, considering France has a sizeable Muslim population.

[vyper]

[q]but one thing is odd why France did ban those Islamic head scarves? they belong to Islam culture.[/q]

They banned them because France has had seperation of Church and State ingrained in thier culture since before you were born. It's not just headscarves, the law bans crucifixes, skullcaps, et al.

[ionia23]

Originally posted by an0n
It'd be nice if people would think before making stupid statements.

They're not kidnapping people for the sake of Islam. They're kidnapping people because there's a hostile military force occupying their country that they want gone.

So it doesn't really matter what the Muslims think of them.

They're kidnapping people because one of the 'nice' things about war is it allows sadists the opportunity to act out their fantasies with a free pass.

[Flipside]

Well France can either be anti-Semitic or Anti-Muslim, the poor bastards can't win either way

Seems to me they are being made scapegoats somewhat for doing what they feel is in their own interests, something every other country does.

[Rictor]

yeah, but thats taking secularism too far. I mean, my family was never too orthodox, but there are some people who feel that a burqa or a crucifix is part of their culture, their identity. The seperation of Church and State was designed to make religious intolerance unacceptable, not to destroy religious or cultural identity.

[Flipside]

I'm not saying it is the right thing to do, but if they feel it is the best way to avoid inter-racial conflict, I say let them give it a go, the outcome may serve as an inspiration or a warning, time will tell

[Crazy_Ivan80]

the ban is hardly the thing that'll inspire interracial conflict. The inability of some people to integrate into the country where they are guests is.

[Gank]

Originally posted by vyper
They banned them because France has had seperation of Church and State ingrained in thier culture since before you were born. It's not just headscarves, the law bans crucifixes, skullcaps, et al.

But this isnt seperation of the church and state, its the opposite. If people want to wear crucifixs or headscarfs, its nothing got to do with the state.

[Flipside]

Well, not being funny, but everyones country defines the rules within it's own borders. Ivan is right when he says the inability to adjust to the basic structure of the country you are living in is a problem.

For example many British people retire to France or Spain and never bother to learn the local language, and then we wonder why they get the opinions of us that they do. Same with immigrants etc, I'm not suggesting that they totally abandon their own culture, but, were the situation reversed, they would at least epect us to respect their customs and ways.

Now, before anyone lights up, I'm not saying this is a universal occurence, but certainly in the UK, I have seen occasions of our our customs and ceremonies being altered to suit the strangely delicate dispositions of immigrants, whilst we try to bend over backwards to accomodate as many religious requirements as possible.

[vyper]

[q]If people want to wear crucifixs or headscarfs, its nothing got to do with the state.[/q]
By wearing them in Schools they're bringing religous symbolism into education - thus it's against the french culture.