Why do I find myself defending Islam?....

[Bigmack]

I don't believe any of that Invisible Friend bullshit, and I actually think Islam is as whacky as the Mormons, and that's really saying something.

Then why am I writing all these posts on the newpaper blogs defending Islam?

That's a rhetorical question.

This morning, I got a RW email from a pet rightwingnut about Denmark and the problems the Danes are having with Moslems. It was written by a woman
who operates a virulent anti-Moslem site.

I started to write a response, and then figured... "Why... who gives a shit?"

Anybody have similar experience?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Well, hopefully you'd have an innate displeasure of bigotry.

[Warren Stupidity]

2. You are defending our first amendment rights

You rights are my rights and my rights are your rights.

Ask your rightwing nutjob friend if the right to keep and bear arms extends to muslim americans.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. I hear you.

Constantly defending the rights of religious people many of whom have little interest in my rights or priorities is tedious.

Nessecary... but tedious.

My defense of Islam is that it isn't so much more destructive than Christianity... not an exciting endorsement.

But I knew this civil liberties thing was thankless when I bought into it.

:hi:

[DailyGrind51]

4. I know Muslims personally and believe they are better citizens then I am!

[JudyInTheHeartland]

5. I think it's an "enemy of my enemy" thing.

Too bad, because radical Muslims are usually more dangerous than radical Christians. Better to look at each case on an individual basis, and accept strange bedfellows at times. For instance, I'm happy to be on the same side as Sarah Palin if we're agreeing that Iranian women ought not to be stoned to death. But I'm not with the whole "bomb everyone back to the stone age" mentality...

[RandomThoughts]

6. Invisible friends help many people.

Some hurt people.


Although if you think about it, unless you are worst off in the world, the help probably should go elsewhere anyways.


So invisible friends rarely help people that know them, unless they are from the opposite side, then they enslave and get people to do what they want done, not what helps many people.

One side wants a few on top, and many hurt. The other side wants many people helped. It is so easy to see. If your invisible friend is giving you lots of stuff to hurt people, it is probably the side that wants to hurt people, and because of that can give much to someone even if they don't need it. Obscene wealth for example.




Hence why I have not yet gotten the beer and travel financing correction. But I will find a way to do that, even if I don't do it.


Note: I believe I have achieved many of the other goals on list, so working on that one right now.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. Perhaps you have this in mind...

as you defend these attacks against Islam.

First they came...

“In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up.”

~ Friedrich Niemöller


This famous quote is what I've had playing in my mind nearly daily for the last eight years or so.

[lunatica]

8. I see it as defending the Constitution

I don't give much of a shit about religion. Any religion. But the Constitution is another thing.

[surrealAmerican]

9. While some forms of Islam are, as you say, ...

... "as whacky as the Mormons", others are only as whacky as Unitarians. It is a diverse collection of beliefs and practices, just like Christianity.

Freedom of religion is worth defending even for non-believers.

[Capitalocracy]

10. You are defending freedom, my friend.

:patriot: And by the way, us atheist/agnostic types would be the first ones on the chopping block if it wasn't for freedom of and from religion, so keep up the good work.

:yoiks:

[Warpy]

11. I find all religions equally wacky

because it's impossible to find anything wackier than the Irish Catholic crapola I was brought up with.

I'll defend the right of anyone to be as wacky as they want.

I just want to keep the truly wacky out of government.

I just find the virulent battles between the truly wacky over minor differences in flavors of wackiness to be hilarious.

Just keep them away from being able to start wars over it, thanks.

[Bigmack]

13. We are of one mind... and background! nt

[LatteLibertine]

12. Like another said

I dislike bigotry and it is wrong to equate all Muslims with Al-Qaeda. In addition in the US, this is just another tactic the GoP are using to divide people and promote xenophobia. They're desperate to cultivate votes because they don't have most; black folks, Hispanics, gay people, women, and white liberals. I'm sure you may add Muslims to that list.

[Cal33]

14. I write about the Muslims every now and then, when the

falsehoods deliberately spread about them by the right-wingers become too
much. The right-wingers sure are experts at bringing about and spreading trouble.
And there are so many of us who fall for it -- over and over again.

[el_bryanto]

15. It depends on whether or not you believe they have a right to the sme

respect that any religious practitioner would get. As a religious person myself, I feel an obligation to defend them, same as I hope they would defend me.

On the other hand if you believe that religion is generally evil, I"m not sure why you would defend them. Other than on general freedom of expression principles.

Bryant