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Regarding the Muhammad Cartoon Controversy

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Posted on Feb 6, 2006

By Sam Harris

In recent days, crowds of thousands have gathered throughout the Muslim world—burning European embassies, issuing threats, and even taking hostages—in protest over twelve cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad that were published in a Danish newspaper.  The problem is not merely that the cartoons were mildly derogatory.  The furor primarily erupted over the fact that the Prophet had been depicted at all. Muslims consider any physical rendering of Muhammad to be an act of idolatry.  And idolatry is punishable by death. Criticism of Muhammad or his teaching—which was also implicit in the cartoons—is considered blasphemy.  As luck would have it, blasphemy is also punishable by death.  Pious Muslims, therefore, have two reasons to “not accept less than a severing of the heads of those responsible,” as was elucidated by a preacher at the Al Omari mosque in Gaza.

Let us take stock of the moral intuitions now on display in the House of Islam: on August 17, 2005, an Iraqi insurgent helped collect the injured survivors of a car-bombing, rushed them to a hospital, and then detonated his own bomb, murdering those who were already mortally wounded as well as the doctors and nurses struggling to save their lives.  Where were the cries of outrage from the Muslim world? Religious sociopaths murder innocents by the hundreds in the capitols of Europe, blow up the offices of the U.N. and the Red Cross, purposefully annihilate crowds of children gathered to collect candy from U.S. soldiers on the streets of Baghdad, kidnap journalists, behead them, and the videos of their butchery become the most popular form of pornography in the Muslim world, and no one utters a word of protest because these atrocities have been perpetrated “in defense of Islam.” But draw a picture of the Prophet, and pious mobs convulse with pious rage. One could hardly ask for a better demonstration of the manner in which religious dogmatism and its pseudo-morality eclipses basic, human goodness. This behavior would be impossible without religious belief. It is time we realized that the endgame for civilization is not political correctness.  It is not respect for the abject religious certainties of the mob.  It is reason.

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  • #70636 by Eandyil on 5/17 at 1:40 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    If Islam is such a great religion, why all the contradictions?

    Both Muslim holy books (Qur’an/Koran and Hadith) contain commands for Muslims to subjugate the world, militarily.  Muhammad commanded Muslims to spread Islam through Offensive Jihad; or conquest of non-Muslim lands.  Muslims are also commanded to take back any land that was formerly Muslim, such as Israel.
    Radical Muslims believe that they are Mujahideen, or “holy warriors of Allah”.  Their goal, like Islam’s goal is to establish the entire world as a pure Islamic state (a Khalifah), which conforms to Islamic laws.
    An example of what Muslim children are taught in Muslim schools is this statement, found in a Jordanian/Palestinian school book in 1998:
    This religion (Islam) will destroy all other religions through the Islamic Jihad fighters”
    “Sura 5:68 “O People of the Book! ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law (Torah), the Gospel (Injeel), and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord.”
    Sura 29:46 Muslims are told by Allah, not to question the authority of the scriptures of the Christians, saying, “And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, but say, “We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one;”
    If the bible is accurate and says to “love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Jesus as depicted in the bible goes on to say that basically every person in the world is your neighbor) and then the Qur’an tells you that the bible is also the word of God, then why exactly does it say to also kill those who don’t follow islam?

    Report this comment

  • #70632 by Eandyil on 5/17 at 1:36 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    “but why are you upset? The fact I exposed fascist Whiteman?.”
    Look at that, another individual blaming the Caucasians. Now who is the racist? The number one murderer eh? Lump us all together into one? Man what a sheep you are. Just one of the herd. Kinda sad tirusew! You say all these sweet little things about Muhammed, but have you actually read about his later years in life? Oh but why bother, right? The Qur’an goes on and on about those who don’t follow that religion, claiming that “Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.  Those who follow him are merciful to one another, but ruthless to unbelievers”  Sura 48:29. “Kill the Mushrikun (unbelievers) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush…” Sura 9:5. Also see Sura 9:29. Wow, what happened to that peace and tranquility? Yeah, you follow a real peaceful religion. And people wonder why there are so many atheists and agnostics in the world.
    But hey, you have your ‘bad seeds’ out there taking the Qur’an literally right? As for all white men being fascist, I want to go on record saying that I’ve personally never owned a slave, hit a woman of any race, forced a woman to do anything, or even killed someone on a whim. If white men are the bad people here then why did 9/11 happen at all? There were many women in those towers, and there were quite a few people of different races with a wide variety of skin colors! So what, as long as one white man dies then all of the rest are just collateral damage? Wake up! Maybe if you pull the wool off of your eyes and take a LOOK at the world around you then maybe you’ll understand what most atheists learned about a week after they decided to see the truth. The world is a sick place filled with sick people! Many of us choose to live moral lives, and because of this we actually feel the need to tell others what we perceive as truth. Many can’t handle it. And what is with taking explosive, strapping them on to little CHILDREN and sending them to blow up any Americans they can see? I’ve read about a good deal of messed up stuff in my time, but as for crazy goes that’s as horrifying as I’m willing to go. I admit, it isn’t *quite* as bad as capturing white women, raping them, slowly skinning them alive yet cauterizing the wounds so they won’t die too fast… Slowly torturing them to death. Got to love “good, Allah fearing” muslims. DO YOUR RESEARCH! I don’t know all that much about Islam but even I know that Muhammed was no innocent.
    Jesus was called “the Messiah” by Allah in the Qur’an.  And Jesus was even born of a virgin (Sura 3:45-57)!  Yet Muhammad who had 12 wives, 2 concubines, and participated in many attacks on innocent caravans and villages, and insisted on 20% of all the booty from these raids—is supposed to be the greatest of the prophets.

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  • #68514 by Dan on 5/06 at 4:02 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Hush!

    Lissen, I’m gonna tell you all a big secret

    Religion is for the non thinker -
    religion is the easy way out

    Report this comment

  • #43987 by Number one on 12/27 at 12:20 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    I have been struggling with this question for a long time: Of course all religion is childish wishful thinking sustained only by selective perception.  It is the logically foreseeable result of an individual’s unwillingness to accept the most basic fact of the human condition: the fact of our mortality.  This life can be terribly cruel and terribly unfair, and when terrible things happen, many people feel that they need an outside source of strength to draw upon in order to carry on with their shattered lives.  It is their faith that sustaines them in these trials.  While I have always felt that this strength lies inate in all of us, many people feel they need something to lean on.  So the question becomes: If we take away their sense of the mystical power of God to heal them,  what are we going to give them as a replacement?  As freethinkers we stand ready to confront the various problems of the human condition directly.  We know that the human mind is the most formidable weapon in the universe, with more than enough power to solve whatever problem we may face.  Many, if not most people, however, do not share our love for knowledge and our desire to pursue the truth wherever it may lead.  Most people want simple answers to complex questions.  They want the security of sureity and a clear course of action to follow.  How will we give this to them?  I think part of the answer will be to gently and consistently point out that religion really does not give them any answers.  When the really difficult questions arise, (Why did God let my innocent child die from some senseless, preventable accident while he was being “looked after” in the daycare center?), even the most knowledgable and enlightened priest, rabbi, mullah, etc. will have to say: “We don’t know. We must have faith that God has a plan for us and that everything will be good in the end.”  How does this explanation comfort anyone?  Why are religious people content with this situation?  How it this different from saying that Life is filled with all things good and bad, and that we have no choice but to accept those things we cannot change?  Many people who reject traditional religious authority yet are not ready to dispense with the allure of the mystical simply substitute “the universe” for “God”...this is an end run that accomplishes nothing.  The problem is not what they name the “power greater than themselves”,  the problem it that they are still trying to find answers by means of mystic revelation rather than by means of unblinking, relentless logical analysis.  How will we disabuse them of the lies that form the basis of their beliefs without also stripping them of their strength and hope?  I believe that the answer will be found somewhere in our love for our fellow human beings.

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  • #28561 by Tirusew on 10/12 at 9:54 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Muslims love Muhammad because he was a fine compassionate man and care about people. He wasn’t a terrorist nor was he instructed to kill or even bad mouthing who are not Muslims. Dane, no matter what you believe in as individual or as a Dane, it matters not to me, you could be abusive and torturer, whether thru the cartoon or the invasion of other Muslim countries; it would still be because you did it to free us from the dictator-ship or to show us your freedom of expression thru lies hatred and agitation of your people! I am fine with that. I don’t live in Europe which is riddled with fascist ideology, nor do i live in slave state of Saudi-Arabia; but I can tell you that all of you are living in stinking environment that is ready to explode from open hostility to open slaughter of innocent Muslims who happened to live among you. Go ahead and say anything you want about Muhammad or Muslims, I can careless. Say that we are terrorists and sinister people; heat-up the grill and toss every one of us in it! I think Europeans better do that now than latter; it is a good opportunity to eliminate us while we are weak and defenseless! Why stop occupying and torturing? Just continue to do what you are doing just like you did to Iraq, I have read today about the Iraqi death which reached more than half a million people! That is what you should do, you are civilized, and civilized people are always right so you are right. Whiteman has been a number one murderer on earth since the sixteenth century, this long standing behavior of savagery would not cease overnight.   
    “The rant from tirusew, second rate English skills and all,” said CrazySailr. But CrazySailr, the fact my point reached you and hit you on your gut tells me you have received my message clearly albeit thru my second rate English. Don’t try to pretend that you see all religions equally and the believers as individuals, your hatred of Islam blinded you to see that. Let me inform you that I don’t speak Arabic nor I am practicing Muslim! (I wish I do both) You just swung and missed. but why are you upset? The fact I exposed fascist Whiteman?. If i were you I would concentrated on substance rather than grammatical. You haven’t done anything to negate my major points but went to disparage my English which is not the topic why we were in this forum to begin with. I advise you to educate yourself Crazy…

    Report this comment

  • #27686 by A Dane on 10/08 at 9:42 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Tirusew…

    Speaking as a Dane who supports the journalistic right to satirise religion, I would like you to know that your “rant” and/or is exactly what make a person not sympathize with Islam.

    I am what you would consider a “non-practising Christian” so to me Muslims are free to mock Christianity all they like. Because to me religion never is too sacred to be satirised if the purpose is to “inform” or comment on a current state or view in society.

    And that was what the whole Cartoon publication was about… satirising a stereotype and commenting on what Islam was seemingly becoming in Danish society - not stating a fact about what Islam is or is not! The same thing is done (all the time) to any other religion… in all countries around the world… take the comedy series: South Park… this is the perfect example of religious and political satire. They make fun of typical and stereotypical behaviour… nothing more! And because people know that this is all it is… no one takes it serious… it’s just satire!

    Being religious is about faith - not fact! To me, there’s a difference in mocking the actual death of 3 million people due to genocide than depicting an satirised stereotypical image of a prophet - who may or may not have been the messenger of God.

    And that, Tirusew, is why it’s different (to me) making fun of the Holocaust and making of the prophet Muhammed. And that is why you are not victims… Danes are victims in that we are now (more or less) being forced to “respect” the fact that everyone is equal under law… except Muslims, because they are sensitive about their religion.

    I don’t buy it!

    Religion is not too sacred to be satirised - because it can be disputed and is based on assumption and faith, not fact.

    And just so you know… I was against the Danish participation in Iraq. But Iraq is better off without a dictator and Danes are getting killed trying to help you become a place without dictators - and (some of) you kill Danes for trying to help you. Nothing more nothing less…

    Muslims are not the victim here… people trying to bring some sense into society, are… 

    Tirusew… look into the case of why the Cartoons were published. Read about the incidents concerning Muslims assaulting people for trying to educate Danes about Islam…

    ... and then make your mind up about whether who is the victim, here.

    Thank you all for taking the time to read this!

    Cheers, from Denmark

    Report this comment

  • #20030 by Integrity - from a Muslim Perspective on 8/25 at 12:32 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Hi everyone

    Just a few lines from a Muslim !!!

    I can completely understand, believe me, why most of you hold a very bitter view towards Islam. Believe me, from the age of 12 - 20, I was anti the religion too, even though I am a Mulsim - supposedly.

    Why? because at the age of 12, for no rhyme or reason my father forbade me to wear skirts anymore.

    Why? why? screamed the 12 year old me, having been educated in UK, i dared question him.

    What changed in me I said, from yesterday to today that i cant wear skirts?

    Dont ask why, just do it.

    This put me off throughout my teens.

    My father was wrong.
    The prophet would have asked him to give me an explanation.

    The problem lies in this my friends.

    Most muslims are like myself, they are moderate, they are caring and they will be the first to offer you a helping hand, help carry the heavy bags of an old lady, get up to give you their seat on the bus.

    However, the small minority, are the brainwashed puppets of some evil, power driven mullahs.

    I beseech you all to read into the faith, written about by moderate muslims and find all the nuggets of gold therein. You will feel you are reading about Buddism in some places, about Christianity in others.

    The truth rings out loud and clear, and it is contained in all the faiths.  Anything arrogant, or unfair or cruel, is the invention of man.

    The faith itself, Islam is beautiful and peaceful.

    It was the one which gave the world Mathematics and plethora of art and culture. Initially it was the religion of the artistic and the educated.

    The people were living in the height of “culture”.

    Unfortunately now, the peasants are ruling Islam.
    Not in a derogatory sence towards poor people.
    what i mean is, that in Islamic countries, the child whom is not good at school, or is stubborn, gets sent off to the mosque, to mend his ways, and to become a Mullah.

    What happens to a faith when its teachers are of this calibre?

    It will go down hill of course.

    Now Islam represents backwardness and inhumanity.

    It is not that.

    We all know that in the name of religion the Hitlers of this world, and many crusaders slaughtered and Massacred many innocent people.

    It is no overstatement to say that “innocent blood ran through the streets”. so called muslims have been at times equally guilty.

    Just like Bush sends off the sons of Americans to fight unjust wars, Mullas brainwash little children whom are hungry for a higher wisdom and come seeking it from these older ‘wise’ men with beards.

    They lull them in with pious words and deeds and them teach them to dance the dance of death.

    I am anti mullahs and anti priests, both Christ and Muhammed and probably Moses asked us to find god ourselves. No where is it written to blindly believe in Islam.

    In fact it teaches you to question and find the truth yourself. Would you know this from the rantings of the so called Muslims on the news.

    Believe me, no terrorist is a Muslim.

    All terrorists are ONLY terrorists.

    Anyone preaching hate, fear, war is a terrorist and is going against everything that they say God is.

    Putting moderate muslim views on the news does not make good news.

    Would you watch a program which was telling you about the good things about Islam?

    NO. You will more likely tune in when the Crazy Bearded ones, who are half insane are ranting.

    Please. That is not us.

    That is not Islam.

    I am a humanitarian first. Then a Muslim.

    In that order.

    I feel a good Christian = a Good Muslim = a Good Human being.

    Religion - It is just a label, and a set of rules to live by.  Not a supernatural order of superiority.

    Report this comment

  • #17969 by kit on 8/12 at 5:12 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    I discovered these pages by pure accident tonight and have spent quite some time reading through everything. Most refreshing.
    I am British and married to a Filipina, a Born Again Christian, who has brain-washed her daughter of 23 yrs into the same futile existence - as is the common cause of the continuance of this confidence trick.
    I do not allow religion in the house. I deliver the girls to their ‘place of worship’ and collect them afterwards. I have tried talking to them both regarding the error of their ways but, as you might expect, to no avail. Their beliefs are unshakeable.
    The Philippines is a perfect example of the stated fact that third-world countries are by far the most religious. The Philippines has an unenviable record of high crime, extreme poverty, corruption at all levels, human slavery (abduction of girls into prostitution both at home and in other countries), major natural disasters (earthquakes, volvanioc eruptions, landslides, floods, etc), murder rate and any other dysfunctions that one can dream up and yet the population, forced into Catholicism by the occupying Spanish over a period in excess of 300 years, are primarily ‘God-fearing’. Where are their brains? Left at the church door, I fear.
    I discovered what I then and now call ‘realism’ at the age of about 12 while in the UK but was forced by tradition to pretend to be a believer by the Armed Forces, with compulsory Church Parades. Some readers may well have ‘been there, done that’.
    By choice, I now find myself recently moved to the Philippines from the United Arab Emirates, where I experienced the commitment of friends there to their faith, where, as one Arab friend told me, “My life is totally - totally - governed by religion”. Yet, these people do not question anything but take the word of the bible and the qoran as ‘gospel truth’. As sheep to the slaughter ... No questions asked.
    Religion has a LOT to answer for but seems to be needed by humanity, thousands of years ago and even now. I, however, can only feel free and yet behave in a civilised manner towards my fellow man, without the promise of eternal paradise or the other option. I do not need that ‘crutch’ to be able to cope with life’s realities.
    I find religion to be extremely dangerous, based upon false promises and, lets’ face it, bare-faced lies. Of all the religions, Islam is proving daily that it is the most dangerous of all. Muslims can defend their faith all they like but, ultimately, they should (but never will) realise the error of their ways and ‘see the light’. Very stupid people. Unforgiveable.
    John Lennon got it right ... Imagine.

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  • #14927 by pete on 7/23 at 6:14 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    I am deeply disturbed at the resurgence of religion in the world and feel considerable sympathy for Sam Harris’ viewpoint.

    Why? For several reasons:

    - While part of me would like to believe the idea that there is a God looking after me and the rest of humanity (and I am certainly tempted to believe this when something good happens or seek solice in the idea when something bad occurs), there is just plain too much evidence that it aint so.

    - The silliness in the (Christian and Jewsish) Bibles is just so obviously the work of an iron age mind with the world view and understanding of a primitive non technological and pre scientific society that I wonder how anyone can take it any more seriously than say we might regard say,  the Australian aboriginal belief in the rainbow serpent. Admittedly thats a bit older - stone age but reflective of a no less outdated system of beliefs.

    - God botherers universally seem to give up being people of reason when they become “people of faith.” Theirs is not just belief in the absence of evidence it is belief in the face of voluminous evidence that stacks up against their beliefs. In fact many seem just to take a kind of perverse pleasure in their ability to put aside the evidence ( and, yes, their doubts) and believe anyway. Too often they attack with vehemence anyone who raises doubts - a sure sign that they don’t want to think about it and prefer to bury thier doubts.

    - Religious types are getting more polarised. I used to think (perhaps part of me still does) who cares what other peoples’ personal beliefs are. As I am wont to say, ” Your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose.” But there is no stopping these folk and no denying that my nose is taking ahell of a beating. They demand that their values be imposed on society (and hence me and everyone else who do not in fact share them.) In good old USA we have the religious right demanding that evolution (a scientific theory built the way scientific theories are built - on facts and then tested, tested tested) be put aside as “just a theory” and creation be taught as “a fact”. In Australia we even have had a small minority of Muslims saying they want sharia law introduced into this country which at its roots is Anglo Saxon and more recently is multi cultural. Some are even saying that Australia as a whole should be Muslim. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I sense a great disaster looming.

    - Religion as the man says has been the source of great brutality over the ages. How many millions have died in the name of God? In a world of atomic bombs is it going to get better? I will leave you to ponder that one.

    - But my fundamental concerns are twofold. The first is the silliness of peoples beliefs - in the literal truth of the “holy books” and more importantly the hatred (or condescention) this engenders for those who hold different views or no views at all.

    Look I do not really know if there is a God. This is essentially unknowable. All I can say is that if there is a God then one thing I am sure of is this - the story is far, far more perplexing, challenging and yes, interesting than all of the arrant silliness and pious nonsense taught from all of the world’s pulpits.

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  • #8527 by Ruben Rodriguez on 5/03 at 10:39 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Once again, Sam Harris hit the nail on the head as far as the whole relgious aspect of this. But what really pissed me off was all the newspapers that pulled the cartoon from being printed and the media not showing the cartoon while they were talking about it. It sends the wrong message. Now these Islamic terrorists have won. Same thing when South Park had a 2-parter about a Mohammed cartoon and Comedy Central censored it. But they did show the part with Jesus defecating on george bush and the Christians were on in a tizzy over it. If we in the United States and other western societies are to have freedom of speech then we cannot censor cartoons about the profet Mohamed just becuase some muslims are gonna throw a hissy fit.

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  • #7711 by Jim Alderson on 4/23 at 12:38 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Islamic lasw is totalitarian and is intended to control every aspect of life from birth to death.

    Report this comment

  • #4292 by Derek on 2/24 at 9:07 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    I enjoy your article on atheism very much. According to my niece’s husband a Luthern minister I am the spawn of the devil for not believing in his fairy tale,and he will no longer comunicate with me nor allow me to speak to members of his family. I am Satan’s own. So many people are afraid to question that I find it pathetic. Who created god? Why do they worship a person who found it necessary to impregnate a illiterate 16 old girl,not marry her, but palmed her off on a carpenter. Call the offspring his son and then torture him before allowing him to die. Heck, we jail older men for messing with sixteen year old girls, but they worship him. I may have to become a Muslim their Allah runs a whorehouse and bar in Paradise. Sounds better than singing the praises of God all day or sitting around watching the sinners suffer in Hell. Keep up the good work. Education is the key.

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  • #4184 by DiAne White on 2/22 at 4:56 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Religion may light the fuse but testosterone is the fuel.  When was the last time women started a jihad, a war, or a rumble in the inner city?

    Report this comment

  • #3460 by sailor52 on 2/10 at 7:11 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    On most points I agree with Mr. Harris.  On his statement, “One could hardly ask for a better demonstration of the manner in which religious dogmatism and its pseudo-morality eclipses basic, human goodness.” there is an implication that there is such a thing as basic human goodness. I have to disagree.
    We humans are by and large, xenophobic, unreasonable, irrational and with not a lot of prodding capable of the most horrendous acts.  It is the nature of our psychological makeup that allows us to rationalize the acts themselves.
    While Mr. Harris indicates that reason should prevail and I of course agree, reason is not always readily available to us.
    It takes special effort to realize we are controlled by our emotions rather than the other way around and, in turn, to understand our motivations in response to ‘evil’ visited upon ourselves.
    I would like to believe that we could exist in a reasonable world.  But unless our mental makeup changes significantly it will never occur.
    The belief in God, or Mohammed, Jesus, Buddha or any of the others is to give a focus to our pathetic inability to accept people outside our own clan.  10,000 years ago that behavior had a use.  It doesn’t anymore, yet we still treat the world as if it does (and not just the US - any country, state, county, city, neighborhood with power (financial or political) will justify its actions against another because their way is ‘better’ as indicated by their success ).
    The best any one of us can do is be kind to those we can be kind to, and to resist hurting those we can’t be kind to.  There is no reward for this behavior (although there are studies that indicate we do feel better when we’re altruistic, but the scope of the altruism is to our local clan). There is no heavenly reward.  There is only the hope that the other clan will feel similarly.
    Currently, humanity is on the cusp of self-destruction with religion playing the role. But you know what?  The universe existed before us and it will continue to do so after. If we as a race can’t take the initiative for our own survival, no one will.

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  • #3451 by CrazySailr on 2/09 at 9:47 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    If it weren’t so sad, it would be funny. The rant from tirusew, second rate English skills and all, (but hey, how many of us could do half as well in Arabic I wonder?) simply reinforces how completely broken the world is as a result of faith in God, Muhammad, Christ, Judaism, etc. Let’s not forget what I consider to be Sam Harris’ main point - It is blind faith that is a primary cause of most of the human evil in our world. It does not matter on which side of the coin fate has tossed you, Islam or Judeo-Christianity. Both are equally unsupportable positions. Open your eyes, all you religious zealots and moderates alike, on both sides! Why in the world won’t you just open your eyes?!

    Imagine a world where churches, mosques and temples were admired for their beautiful architecture and stained glass, etc, but were remembered for the dark days when humanity used to believe in the quaint concept of a “god” and instead now believes in the concept of peaceful human interaction. Imagine a world where people did not spend their time, money and blood hating each other because of a god that never existed in the first place, and instead spent more time doing the “work of people” rather than “the work of god”. How much more we could accomplish in such a world! This world is a dangerous enough place without us killing each other off in our petty little religious squabbles.

    I stopped believing in god around the age most Amercan kids stop believing in Santa Claus. Somehow I managed to figure out the cruel joke on my own.  A real pity it is that we humans are such a frightened, superstitious and dangerous lot that we can’t simply start teaching all of our children that while we don’t know all the answers, we at least know that hatred based upon any ideology is just plain wrong-headed and stupid.

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  • #3418 by Is Lamb Socks on 2/09 at 11:15 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Tirusew’s note looks like it was put together by a software program that randomly selects phrases from the Islamic Jihad’s instruction manual.

    I thank him for so strongly confirming the thesis that blind faith promotes complete irrationality. He also displays the depths of rationalization driven by unfathomable hatred and the conviction that everyone must live by his beliefs or die.

    His note drips with so much venom that few will attempt to answer and clean it up.

    I bemoan the loss of so much potential intelligence and critical reason to the pits of unquestioning belief.

    Report this comment

  • #3396 by U.S. CITIZEN and AMERICAN RULES on 2/09 at 6:17 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    First of all, 9/11 isn’t conspiracy theory. Most suicide bombers and terrorist are really construction workers. They hijack the religion and used mafia purpose.

    Explain:

    Why they know about concrete?

    Why OBL owns NYC apartment building, other muslims own construction, crane construction,
    and other internation construction companies?

    Why they built mexican tunnel to U.S?

    Why FOX prison break help terrorist escape from prison?

    Why they want to kill innocent people during 9/11?

    Why they want to kill jewish people?

    Why waste our money to rebuild world trade center?

    Why destory the world and people’s interst?

    Because it’s all about construction concrete, extortion, oil, and money.

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  • #3346 by Mr.Facts on 2/08 at 2:14 pm
    (Unregistered commenter)

    “invasion of Iraq for cheap oil”

    While I agree mostly with what you’ve said, this is incorrect. This is someone’s “conspiracy theory” on why bush went to war. America did not go to war for oil. Do not take this as a fact.

    Thanks.

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  • #3143 by tirusew on 2/07 at 8:26 am
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Depicting Muhammad and his followers in cartoon as terrorists; punishing Muslims for what Osama did throughout white man’s domain; invasion of Iraq for cheap oil; killings of hundreds of thousands of innocent followers of Muhammad (in Iraq) by Muslim haters (white man); the condemnation of Muslims for standing up to the criminal leaders of Zionist racist Israel (for keeping Palestinian’s dream alive to live in their own country independently); white man’s support of Muslim dictators and despots for its own selfish reason’s; not accepting elections that produce Islamic leaning parties; double speaks and hypocrisies; harassment of Muslims where white man is dominant are all related. Your assault on Muslims will not make Muslims to crawl under the bed nor make them accept you as a master of the world, for Muslims there is only one master in heavens and earth: God. You talk about suicide bombings? Who is doing that? Suicide bombing is a new phenomenon in Islamic world; it is created by white man’s invasion of Iraq and by the Zionist occupation of Palestine! Muslims opposed to killings of any type, by any groups or countries except to defend one’s country and livelihood, there is no different between suicide bombings that takes tens of lives and five hundred pound bomb that take tens of lives. Both methods take away lives and are both deployed to terrorize, kill and maim! Muslims condemned all those things including rape, sodomy, torture, razing of cities to the ground, the use of chemical weapon all in Iraq! Denmark participated in this rape and pillage as partner in crime where white man started. Tell me how you jump on the Iranian leader when he questions the holocaust? Even though he was wrong I am convinced your leaders did worst than that. Didn’t they? Look around, Muslims are one’s that are the victims, yet we are the bad guys? Are journalists ok to insult Islam and Muslims but not the Zionist racist? Why would that be anti Semitic when criticizing or depicting their leaders but not Islamophobic when the whole religion the messenger and the followers insulted? What is next? Another white man’s killing spree to wipeout Muslims? That is why you are worming-up in Iraq? Is it a tip of the iceberg? You talk about civilization? Are you forgetting a white man civilization caused the death of hundreds of millions people in the pat century alone? Are you forgetting you are the greatest murderer on earth? Talking about civilization? Are you talking about pornography that your kids are watching on TV? Or play it on video games? That you are lying to you kids that Osama is a Muslim leader and he is like Muhammad? You keep yourself in a dark but Muslims know your treachery. The bad guys in Islamic world are people like Osama and Zarqawi and their opportunistic and their ignorant followers (hundreds or a few thousands), but in white man’s world your leaders are spending billions for killing machines in ever more sophisticated weapons destroying livelihood wherever you set your feet on. Cutting education budget and taking away from healthcare to killing machines that couldn’t defeat al-Anbar fighters in Iraq shows white man’s failure and utter defeat of your hypocritical analysis of how things are. You can draw cartoons all you want to, you can agitate your population, get them ready for killings, but at the end you will fail. Hatred will be defeated even if it is wrapped up and disguised in freedom of speech.

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