I dont feel like I've abandoned anything at all. I dont know why you would think that. Yes there was a point in my life where I had abandoned my religion, but today, I feel like I'm a more educated and stronger Muslim than I ever was.
Nono, wait, i don't mean abandoning your religion's core values. As an atheist/agnostic I'll immediately admit that most religions' core values are excellent moral values. What I meant was that you have seem to transcended above the strict black and white idea that characterizes too many muslims, and religious people in general, these days.
And no I wont lose sleep over some guy on the internet saying anything at all to be honest. I dont even think 'asshole' and move on. I dont give it much thought at all. We all are our own individuals. We all make our own choices. We're all responsible for our own actions whether it be in this life.. or the next (if u believe in that kinda thing). If you dont believe in life after death, or karma.. then atleast u make urself look bad.. either ways ur statements affect you more than they affect anybody else.
And not caring makes you, imo, a good person on that extent. Now, the same point I brought against Preach applies here: I cannot expect anyone to react as well as you do. But, you admitting it doesn't phase you also proves my earlier point, in that properly educated and adapted people will learn to balance their own specific ideas with those of other cultures. It's openmindedness.
And referring to what u said that in real life, you'll encounter people that dont give a fuck about u stand for and make it known. I really honestly feel thats a very raarree case. I think people are more willing to say these kinda things online than they are in person.
I've never in my entire life come across a single human being that has slandered my religion to my face. Not cuz I'm some big bad ass muslim guy that walks around looking for heads to cut off.. it's just cuz thats how human beings are (most of em).
I would happily slander your religion in real life, depending how you look at your religion. Funny thing is, I'd do it more or less respectfully too.
It's like stereotypes and prejudice.. If something got stolen at a workplace.. nobody is gonna stand up and point at the black guy and say IT WAS HIM! LOOK AT HIM! I KNOW IT!.. but when they're amongst themselves some people that hold those beliefs might talk amongst eachother like.. 'omg i think the black guy stole it'.
Sorry, too drunk to understand where this came from.
But referring to ur original post.. I was just kinda thrown off to be honest. I'm thinking, here's this guy that usually posts up pretty well thought out posts from his perspective, and then he just deicdes to flip the script.
Yeah well, like I said, it was a bait thing. I meant to provocate. I can be a jerk like that. Also, the fact that I was drunk because FC Twente, the football club I care very much about, won the Dutch championship for the first time ever, that didn't help at all.
But no, honestly. What I really wanted is you to give the reply you gave (which basically amounts to "ok...why was this?") and Jurhum going apeshit (because, sorry Jurry, you just come across as a fundamentalist). Of course a statement like the one I made can piss you guys off, by all means. But that's the thing. Being able to be pissed off without wishing death upon someone.
And furthermore, I honestly, hand on my heart, don't hate Islam in principle more than I hate any other religion. Sometimes I phrase my ideas a bit crudely on this forum, it's also part of my character, but I'm definitely not an Islamophobe. Any of you who think I am, you should listen to some of the real hardliners in my country. You'd be appalled. Even I would wanna catapult them into the North Sea.
It's also a stance I make against the overt political correctness. Especially SOFI and Preach advocate that side in this thread. But if the topic would be any other than Islam/Muhammad, I honestly doubt they would've taken that stance (sorry, guys. I just get the feeling you're being very advocate-of-the-devil in this (not actually implying this is a right/wrong thing) instead of your own actual sentiments. Especially you SOFI, lol.
It's a phenomenon that's all too common in the West these days. There are problems integrating muslim immigrants. This is not to be denied. The problems are there. Governments try to alleviate these problems by being lenient. A small but very critical part don't comply. The rest doesn't speak out against it. are afraid of condemning their "own".
Now, I know that integration comes from both sides, and most are good people, but all around the west, some of the problems are getting serious. And there's not the impression that the majority of the muslim communities are doing their best to curtail the disruptive behaviour of their members in the west.
Very briefly stated: A lot of western governments have gone out of their way to make things easier for muslims, to adapt ourselves to your way of life in certain things. A minority "repays" us by being totally disruptive and disrespectful to OUR way of life. "Your" majority doesnt really speak out against it, while many of your number are quick to cry wolf when something is being done against your community/way of life.
Now, no matter what anyone's stance is on this, one cannot help but acknowledge that this situation breeds anger in the common man. This is fact. Islam-hate and Islamophobia is increasing in the West. At alarming levels.
I don't like it. Even as a religion-hater I don't like it. It breeds unnecessary contempt and hate. But at the same time I cannot deny that it's beginning to take me as well. I find myself increasingly resentful specifically towards muslims and Islam. I don't want to be. I really don't.
But at the end of the day it's the muslims that create their own image. And while every sane westerner will acknowledgde that it's only a minority that ruins it for for the most of the normal, proper muslims that won't take a machete to the street when some Danish newspaper prints a cartoon, the painful reality for many westerners is this:
And this really wraps it up for "us":
There is so, so painfully little self-criticism from the muslim communities. When specifically asked they might mumble "yeah, its not right", but the voices that speak of liberating your religion from ancient doctrine and oppression are so scarce, it makes "us westerners" fear there is so little hope.
And I really think I hit the core of the subject here. If "we" would hear every third muslim proclaiming loud and clear "hey, those assholes don't carry out MY religion", there would be no not as much hate. There would be no distrust or paranoia on a large scale such as we see now.
It's the lack of openly self-criticism and compromise in the immigrant muslim communities that makes "us westerners" backlash against them.
Extreme example: French-French girl walks through a North-African Paris suburb and gets raped because "she dressed like a slut and was asking for it". (And seriously, if any of you muslims try to debate THIS with me, you can fuck off and go to hell straight up. You KNOW this happens, don't pretend otherwise.) In such a case there is just so little outcry from the community itself.
And that scares us. I'm sorry to say so but it does. There seems to be a lack of self-control.
Funny thing, in some larger Dutch cities the government has been experiencing with "street coaches". A "street coach" is basically an immigrant (for us Dutchies that means Turk, Moroccan, Antillian, Surinamese, Indonesian, Moluccan) that's a bit older, been in "the position" and came out on top. These guys try to learn the younger members of their group how to live in a western society (crudely said). Mostly through words and respect, sometimes by actual violence if they have to defend themselves (pretty much all "street coaches" are pretty big fucking guys. Might have done time even.)
Now, to my point: I've read an interview once with a guy from moroccan heritage that was a street coach. Said some very insightful thing, but the one that stuck out for me was this one:
btw: "Schilderswijk" is a part of The Hague with a lot of immigrants. About 90%.
He said: "In an area like the Schilderswijk, man, they should just let actual Moroccan police patrol that shit for three weeks. None of those guys will cause problems anymore".
It's funny for me, because as an idealistic republican democrat, I loathe the idea of police just wailing away at civilians whenever they fancy. But at the same time, in this current situation, it's a realistic solution even.
Anyway, I've feel I've been ranting. I probably have. I might've even started this post an hour before now.
Feel free to reply to any part
Twente champions yaaaay.