The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[garbon]

are all intended to resonate amongst Western publics, as they are on today's front pages, reinforcing that uncertainty, and breaking our will to take on a distant threat.

See the bit about this to me is that I was initially on the fence, as far as recognizing that it was the right thing for us to go in again but always leery of us making military moves in the Middle East. This most recent act has turned me solidly into supporting necessary measures to kill the shit out of ISIS.

[grumbler]

The Caliphate did little to nothing to prevent Islamic extremism.  How many of the first 12 Caliphs died in their sleep?  How many were the only Caliphs in the world during their reign?

I don't see " abolishing the Caliphate" as anything other than a historical footnote.  Certainly, by the time of the Fatamids, it had become a largely ceremonial title.

[Grallon]

Let these maggots firmly establish their so called caliphate - complete with new borders, a capital, institutions etc.  Let the rats congregate in one place  -  then incinerate it with nukes!

Oh btw, and considering Sheilbh's latest cited article, is there anyone that still feels it's a good idea to have *more* Muslim immigrants?



G.

[Admiral Yi]

Actually I think it would be no unreasonable to conclude that the OT God does so command, albeit only within the territorial limits of lands of Canaan.

Perhaps something got lost in the translation.  I'm familiar with a number of stories in which God promises to smite the shit out of enemies of the Jews, but I've never read one in which God commands his followers to go and smite some people they have no beef with.  In comparison Islam puts the moral imperative of fighting to bring the whole world into the House of Submission right there in the executive summary.

And I certainly hope that you will agree that there is nothing remotely similar in the Christian texts, and that LaCroix was wrong.

[Admiral Yi]

On another note CNN reported that US Special Forces were sent into Syria (!) to rescue Foley but after fighting their way in (one American wounded) they found their tip had led to a dry hole.

[Razgovory]

some people will go to extreme lengths in order to whitewash islam. They're propbably still hoping for the paper with "peace in our time" on it.

i don't see much difference between christianity and islam, or atheism for that matter.

You, sir, are an idiot. Christianity is a Religion of Morals, Islam is a Religion of Law, Atheism is a lack of belief in a God. Most people know this. is how we know we are smarter then other people on the internet.

Here I fixed Vikings statement to better reflect reality   This should clear some stuff up.

[garbon]

On another note CNN reported that US Special Forces were sent into Syria (!) to rescue Foley but after fighting their way in (one American wounded) they found their tip had led to a dry hole.

[Razgovory]

It's for the best.  If the mission was successful we would have found out that Foley was actually a traitor.

[derspiess]

Oh btw, and considering Sheilbh's latest cited article, is there anyone that still feels it's a good idea to have *more* Muslim immigrants?

G.

Yes, leftists who want to piss off the right no matter what the cost.

[Razgovory]

Oh btw, and considering Sheilbh's latest cited article, is there anyone that still feels it's a good idea to have *more* Muslim immigrants?

G.

Yes, leftists who want to piss off the right no matter what the cost.

What pisses the right off about Muslims?

[CountDeMoney]

Man, I'm gone for one day, and you guys get Viking started up.

No kidding.  A little late to get into Quranic Warfare Theory, dhimmitude, hudna and whatnot.  Just wait for another thread.

[The Minsky Moment]

Perhaps something got lost in the translation.  I'm familiar with a number of stories in which God promises to smite the shit out of enemies of the Jews, but I've never read one in which God commands his followers to go and smite some people they have no beef with.  In comparison Islam puts the moral imperative of fighting to bring the whole world into the House of Submission right there in the executive summary.

Much of the OT presumes the Israelites have a beef with anyone else residing in the land of Canaan.  The Book of Joshua describes the systematic genocide of dozens of city-states with whom the Israelites knew nothing about and had no contact with.  Their only offense was literally to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

So one could say that Islam borrowed from the territorial covenant of the OT and just expanded its potential reach . . .

And I certainly hope that you will agree that there is nothing remotely similar in the Christian texts, and that LaCroix was wrong.

I wouldn't agree with that.  The NT does not include passages directly commanding the faithful to exterminate unbelievers.  But it often makes it clear that Christians are to have nothing to do with such people (unless they can be converted) and uses very brutal language to describe what God is going to do to them: fire and torment and ruin and utter destruction.

Unlike the other two religions, the NT books were all written at a time when Christianity was a minority faith operating inside a highly organized political community that was at best indifferent and more often hostile.  So it isn't surprising we don't see specific language urging forcible conversions or extermination of unbelievers - that would have gotten more sustained imperial attention.

But once there are organized majority Christian political communities, it isn't a huge step to say -- if certain people reject the Christ and are thereby damned to torment, then why not force them to accept on pain of death or torture.  And of course, there are many historical moments where that incremental step was taken.

[Martinus]

Oh btw, and considering Sheilbh's latest cited article, is there anyone that still feels it's a good idea to have *more* Muslim immigrants?

G.

Yes, leftists who want to piss off the right no matter what the cost.

Speaking of which, can you guys drop the anti-gay and the anti-woman thing already? If you just hated muslims and Russia, you would become much more electable.

[Martinus]

Oh btw, and considering Sheilbh's latest cited article, is there anyone that still feels it's a good idea to have *more* Muslim immigrants?

G.

Yes, leftists who want to piss off the right no matter what the cost.

What pisses the right off about Muslims?

The Muslims are stealing the religious right's shtick of hating on gays and independent women.

[Viking]

Actually the 6.000 were imprisoned but then let go.

Yes, their wives and daughters made chattel slaves and the remaining men force converted to islam. This was your example of respect for non-believers. It was only when the stopped being non-beleivers and submitted to islam and the prophet did they get let go. They certainly were not let go as pagans and their wives and daughters were made slaves.

Do you even comprehend the enormity of this? Or are you so intent on finding some decency that you have to interpret this brutality as your paragon example of kindness and tolerance of non-believers?