RE: The "not all Muslims are terrorists" fallacy
September 10, 2015 at 4:31 pm
(This post was last modified: September 10, 2015 at 4:35 pm by Catholic_Lady.)
(September 10, 2015 at 4:17 pm)TheRocketSurgeon Wrote: Napoleon-
Since most people are "born into" their faith-traditions, and they are culturally enforced by the social groups (the same reason good cops do not often speak out against the bad ones, even though there are more good ones than bad by far) to which the Muslims who might otherwise want to speak out belong, I think the race comparison is valid.
I am not a supporter of Islam, nor of theocracy in any form. However, I know American Muslims, and they are nothing like you describe, when you say "the only difference is that one will kill me and the other will not".
I am not a supporter of Christianity, either, and I attack both vociferously, as I have for the 22 years I have been a nonbeliever (17 as an outright and outspoken atheist, an "upgrade" from my previous "simply not a believer"/justdontgiveafuckist stance).
On the other hand, I'm not going to sit here and try to have a rational discussion with someone who's being an asshole. If you can't grasp that social pressure to conform to their family/social group is real, is overwhelmingly strong regardless of the overall liberty of the nation (say the US or UK), it's either because you don't understand sociology or won't empathize with people who are not of your (our!) belief structure. Therefore it is not worth my time to lower myself to your emotional "debate" level.
I find myself conflicted on this whole Islam thing.
Napo made some very valid points, but I see your side as well, Surgeon. I hate Isis. HATE them. And I feel bad about hating them because I'm not supposed to, but I just do. The amount of hate I feel for these people is something I've struggled with for the past couple of years, and it doesn't help that my husband is in the military. I hate radical Islamists, and I hate the underlying misogyny in even the Americanized Muslims, and I HATE that more of them aren't lobbying and marching down the streets, calling for their people in the Middle East to stop the violence. I hate that my Muslims friend complains more about Fox News making Islam look bad, than he does about freaking Isis making Islam look bad! But at the same time, he is one of my best friends, and I love him, and I know that he and his muslim friends and family are good people who shouldn't be looked down on or treated as anything other than good decent people. I don't want anyone to take out their anger for Isis on these good people.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
-walsh
