World Islamifacation

[The Grand Nudger]

You're right, of course, regarding the adherents of a religion having a tendency to have personal interpretations that are benign (by and large, people are decent). It's not that I wish to prevent them from doing what they might do, rather that I wish to prevent them from continuing what they as a whole (though perhaps not individually) have continually been doing. Sabotaging our very quality of life, preventing academic and social progress by skewing law and government in their favor, and demonizing any group which does not toe the party line, directly or indirectly. This is without even tallying up any amount of mortality involved in wars or persecution, I don't feel that I need any of that to make my point valid. I understand that individually the religious may not be actively participating in the combined effect or activities of the whole, but even if they do not participate, they do support the whole enterprise. It's authority derives from the supposed view of the masses. The religious are those masses.

To use a different example. There is a common line of disagreement, regarding the U.S. effect on third world countries. One of the many points of contention is that of the exploitation of minor children. One side of this issue contends that:

Many american products are produced by cheap offshore labor, sometimes child labor. I probably buy some of these products without knowing it, others I do understand are produced with child labor and I buy them anyway (for whatever reason). I may not be in support of this practice personally, but, as an american consumer, there is some level of culpability. Individually our levels of culpability may be low, but as a whole it is impossible to absolve ourselves on this issue.

I agree with that line of reasoning to a certain extent. It is difficult for me to understand how one could hold this position on something like child labor and responsibility, and yet opt out of it's application with regards to religion and responsibility. I also feel the need to mention that for many people, their ability to tolerate, or respect another's religion seems to depend heavily on the individual being "less religious about their religion". This is a strange sort of line for believers to need to toe, isn't it? Religious organizations ability and willingness to do the things I mentioned above, past and present, has been built one building at a time. I don't expect everyone to take the line I take on this, it's just my opinion on the matter.

(I chose child labor here because it's not black and white. The conditions are terrible, but these people do need incomes. Avoiding references to Nazis is crucial..lol)

In the end we'd probably agree to disagree, it's a good thing, I just can't give the innocent supporter a pass for the actions carried out by the devout fanatic using any authority, or funding, which has been provided by the innocent supporter. Keep in mind that the Martyr is bidding on real estate in heaven, which he has reason to believe exists, in no small part due to the support structure of his social group and their common belief in that piece of land at the very least.