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and while I don't care about the Koran or Bible or whatever I think that it is worthwhile to treat others with some respect and let them believe whatever they want (within limits--don't force your views on me and don't take away the rights of other people based on your superstitions.)
The other key point is that if you are trying to fight terrorism or whatever you want to call it, it is counterproductive to anger people needlessly. You want more of the people to support you or at least not see you as their enemy. Shooting up or otherwise defacing their religious books or other symbols is beyond stupid. I can understand how soldiers put in harm's way in the middle of another country's civil war can develop a bad attitude about the populace, but the answer is to bring them home and get out of other countries' business when it is not vital to our interests.
I'm not a Limousine Liberal; I am a Prius Progressive
by Zack from the SFV on Sun May 18, 2008 at 02:06:49 AM PDT
[ Parent ]
and your comment pretty much described my views on the subject perfectly. I may not believe the Koran is the word of God, but that doesn't mean that I can't respect the beliefs of those who do. Especially in the context of international diplomacy, when we need to stop so many people from hating us, we need to treat Islam with the utmost respect when it comes to things like this.
New Hampshire Voter: President Bush has talked about staying in Iraq for fifty years. John McCain: Maybe a hundred. That'd be fine with me.
by Replace Harry Reid on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:02:44 AM PDT
respect the belief that the Bible or Koran is the word of God. I respect however the people who believe such nonsense.
"The USA appears destined by fate to plague America with misery in the name of liberty." Simon Bolivar, Caracas, 1819
by Ritter on Sun May 18, 2008 at 04:11:12 AM PDT
what is there to respect.
I respect the FACT that desecrating their book of idiocy inflames them more and that it will cost us more lives and treasure to squash their fervor.
To that end I say don't shoot up Korans. But definitely lampoon them in cartoons and at every turn point out the idiocy of organized religion.
"I would like to see less people go to church on Sunday and more people volunteering among the poor and hopeless"
by comeinpbrstreetgang on Sun May 18, 2008 at 05:18:51 AM PDT
to the beliefs of others than rabid fundamentalist Christians like Mann Coulter would
wonder if those who shot up these Korans were indoctrinated in any theological way?
This is so against the Bible anyway.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
by DiAnne on Sun May 18, 2008 at 07:14:16 AM PDT
I believe in inclusivity. So, part of the punishment of these 'troops' should be to have them write on and shoot (wipe their butts with, burn, etc.) the books they find meaning in.
As for me, burning or shooting any book is stupid, recycle it if it's crap or don't read it if you don't want to.
AND, as an atheist, seeing books burned is sad symbolically to me, especially if they are books that argue for the values I hold dear such as those of John Stewart Mill, or Emma Goldman, or Bertrand Russell or Sartre or de Bouvioure(sp? I know) or Mary Wellstonecraft or Charlotte Perkins Gillman or WEB de Boise etc. ad nauseam.
Would I cry about it? No. I would roll my eyes and feel sorry for the people who to the time an effort to do something so ignorant.
-7.3,-7.5 If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution.
by Nebraska Outsider on Sun May 18, 2008 at 08:25:04 AM PDT
the "respect" doesn't get returned. The radical Muslims and Christians either want to kill or convert you. I don't see the Jews, Hindus, or Buddhists running around trying to kill or convert you if you don't believe as they do. Now can we ALL respect each other? Somehow I don't think that will ever happen.
"I'm not going to be your monkey", Jon Stewart
by gabie on Sun May 18, 2008 at 10:20:02 AM PDT
Music is 100% imagination.
Yes, literally, imaginary.
So, each human has his own idea of god or God. Mine is that God is all the good of the universe.
Supernatural ? Well, that's a ??????????.
Please, direct respect has little to do with who is right and who is wrong.
Dixie Chicks, Amy Winehouse, Imus, and Rev. Wright. Overcome our evil with good.
by vets74 on Sun May 18, 2008 at 05:40:16 AM PDT
I mean, I believe that the world would be a better place if no one believed in God.
Desecrating a Koran doesn't advance that aim in the slightest
Now up: What are you reading?
by plf515 on Sun May 18, 2008 at 04:55:07 AM PDT
they'd use another word.
Eh.
We need not think alike to love alike -- Ferenc Dávid
by ogre on Sun May 18, 2008 at 08:52:06 AM PDT
"The other key point is that if you are trying to fight terrorism"
The actions of the Bush Administration -- kidnap, imprison without legal representation, torture, kill; invade and destroy a country; create the conditions for civil war and arm and train the combatants; etc. etc. -- have demonstrably and measurably increased terrorism worldwide and provided some enemies of the United States an endless supply of their only effective weapon (suicide bombers).
The actions of the Bush Administration are not random. They control the flow of BILLIONS of dollars a week, and have hundreds of thousands of people working to carry out whatever orders they give.
Therefore one must conclude that the Bush Administration is not, in spite of its denials, fighting terrorism. They are actively creating terrorism -- and this seems to be a policy.
They are also engaged in terrorism. Every day.
terrorism |ˈterəˌrizəm| noun the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.
That pretty much sums up the core political operation of the Republican Party, the NeoConMen, and the Bush Administration.
Two war crimes make 'the right', not 'a right'. Defeat the liar John McCain.
by Yellow Canary on Sun May 18, 2008 at 07:03:02 AM PDT
us against. It's no skin off their back if more terrorist attacks happen, because most people will not blame their policies for it, and if you point out that they are encouraging terrorism you're a "moral relativist" or "unpatriotic."
For that reason I think we should be very aggressive in advancing our views about foreign policy and keep it front and center.
Whenever we dumb down the political debate, we lose. -Barack Obama
by klizard on Sun May 18, 2008 at 07:19:27 AM PDT
within limits--don't force your views on me and don't take away the rights of other people based on your superstitions.
This Koran story reminded me immediately of the cartoon fiasco and the millions of Muslims in the street who chanted for the death of the Danish cartoonist. While the actions of the soldiers are without a doubt ill-conceived given they are "guests" in another's country, they clearly do not rise to the level of torturing another human being.
Unfortunately, until death is conquered, I don't think I will see the end of superstition in my lifetime.
I do not like the decider twit, I do not like him one single bit
by worldbeggedyoutovoteKerry on Sun May 18, 2008 at 07:20:15 AM PDT
wide narrow
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