theHypocrisy "Islam is just voices in your head", isn't all religions just that?
Poison plotter, Jehover, "lingering at the table of Satan" for extramarital sex, banned from congregation, if you believe what the voices in your head are telling you then you will kill because the voices "religion" are telling you just that, so how on earth are you going to stop the killings when this drivel has been indoctrinated into your brain as voices that it is ok to kill for all sorts of reasons, ban the brainwashing in the first place.
These people think they are right in what they are doing, others think they are wrong because their brainwashing "voices" have told them the opposite, we all have these voices but thankfully one can see beyond the religious voice of killing.

CM: Also important is that we have a social model that is increasingly restrictive and conformative,

I disagree, the Social Model to day is far less restrictive & conformative than it was when I was growing up. Back in the 50/60 young people didn't have a voice at all. The late 60/70 revolution changed that & young people have enjoyed less & less restrictions ever since. The type of behaviour that "Schoolies" brings would have brought out the riot police in the early 60's.

CCCM: so that behaviours that would once have been acceptable hijinks among young men are now subject to rigorous enforcement action and constant social disapprobation, with the best of intentions.

Are you referring to the drunken Drug fuelled mob fighting that goes on outside of night clubs? Do you see drunken, Drug fuelled,fighting louts subject being to rigorous enforcement as being a bad thing? Do you think the Ambulance & Emergency Services would agree?

Do you think that the Islamic inspired moslem youth should be allowed to run rampant because they feel disenfranchised by Australians that refuse to convert to Islam, in our own Country?

So many questions & I never receive an answer, So sad.

Jayb, I suggest to you that you have not watched the bullying and "shaming" that drives conformism within the youth. It is obvious on social media, but it is just as prevalent within groups in more conventional settings.

In addition there is enormously stringent enforcement, both from police and from the "Mrs Grundy" types who make it their business to keep their beady eye on anything young people do. The number of these types is expanding rapidly as the population ages and silly old buggers with time on their hands become ever more prevalent.

When I was a young man the measure of whether something was socially permissible was largely whether it hurt someone else. Sure, there were some things, like the unofficial "drags" at Fisherman's Island that were pretty stupid, but mostly harmless nonetheless, but mostly we could get away with almost anything short of murder. We got it out of our systems and we had fun doing it. O-week at uni in the early 80s was a great excuse for pranks and there were some absolute classics that everyone under 50 (including the cops) got a great laugh out of.

Today, it's an organised careers fair and a bunch of children's fairground rides put on by the uni.

And yes, it was going out and getting drunk and sometimes ending up the wporse for wear. A "king-hit" was some gutless wonder sneaking in a cheap shot from behind, not a lucky punch that got through the other bloke's guard.

There is no doubt that as a result of all these social changes our cities and towns have become safer places, but there is also no doubt that there will be a price to pay, sooner or later, for making young people bottle up their impulses to act stupidly and learn from the consequences.

Hypocrite, heal thyself.

NC, Simple question: Can what ISIS is doing be justified by reference to the Koran ? Yes ? No ?

Obfuscation will be, quite reasonably, taken to mean 'Yes".

IF the Koran is the literal word of god, and ISIS IS acting in accordance with the Koran, then we have this ghastly scenario that god approves of all the evils that ISIS is doing, and surely that is not possible ?

But IF so, then how can we talk about a just and good god ? Is burning someone in a cage an act that god would approve of ? Raping and enslaving women and young girls ? Throwing people off tall buildings ? Stoning people for their own private behaviour ? In 2015 ?

I can't believe that anybody would agree with that: there must be 'moderate' Muslims who don't agree with all that, who are as disgusted as I am that such things could be committed in their name.

So either the Koran has to be questioned, cleaned up, purged of its vicious and vile sections, or its believers will be forever stuck with a flawed book which counsels, even demands, such vile acts.

I sympathise, as an atheist, with the dilemmas that ISIS has inflicted on good Muslims through their reliance on the teachings of 1400 years ago. As an atheist, I could never approve of such actions, and I'm sure that most Muslims don't either.

Joe

Hell yes we need to save democracy from the extremists. The extremists like Junaid who wants to give our democracy to any dropkick who comes along & wants it for them selves, to change it more to their liking.

Will we ever get sensible enough to kick out these destroyers?

CM: but there is also no doubt that there will be a price to pay, sooner or later, for making young people bottle up their impulses to act stupidly and learn from the consequences.

Ah ha! but just who is going to pay for those consequences. The young people themselves, or will they or their parents blame the Government/Police, etc. The latter of course, Then they'll want to sue & be looked after for the rest of their lives at great expense to the Tax payer. Previously young people took responsibility for their actions. They knew how far to go. Not the young ones today. They "have rights" but accept no responsibility for their actions. Any guiding hand is seen as a disenfranchisement by them & an affront to their Democratic Rights.

To my mind if people get drunk & kill someone they should spend the rest of their life in prison. If the person is cripples then the punch drunk should have to pay Maintenance to that person for the rest of their life. If they do drugs & need medical attention then they would be liable for all Medical expenses, Ambulance Services, etc & no rebates. That is accepting responsibility. These people should have to pay out of their own pocket. I think that's Democratic, don't you.

CM: Jayb, I suggest to you that you have not watched the bullying and "shaming" that drives conformism within the youth. It is obvious on social media.

What makes you think that Bullying is a new trend. Whatever happened to, "Sticks & stones my break my bones but words will never hurt me." or, "If someone jumps into the fire would you jump after them". or "Pi$$O##." I guess we were a lot stronger in the mind then the youth of today. We all got bullied too, but we didn't cry or commit suicide or conform to the ratbags because we knew the consequences & our Responsibilities.