Onjab, you don't like the Americans.

If the US Constitution declared that Americans should "fight the non Americans that are near to you, lay ambushes for them, strike terror onto their hearts." And if the US Constitution declared that Americans should "slay the non Americans wherever you find them." And that non Americans were "the vilest of all creatures." You would not have any problem explaining how American violence is justified by their own culture and ideology.

But when Muslims are mentioned, a different standard applies. The indisputable fact that terrorism and murderous hostility to non Muslims is fully justified by Islam's religious teachings is something you are strangely unable to focus on. Instead we get these laughable proposals that ISIS is OK because the Japanese were once our enemies and now they are our friends.

The entire Muslim world is stuck in a time warp. It can never advance economically or socially like the Asians did because their stupid religion forbids it. The Muslims were once very prosperous when they sat in the middle the trade routes between India, South East Asia, China, Africa and Europe and monopolised them, but those days changed forever the minute Vasco de Gama sailed around the cape of Good Hope.

The fact that they have become so poor and backward completely confounds them. But unlike the Asians who realised that adopting western ways was the way to prosperity, the stupid Muslims thought that the reason why they are so miserably poor is because they are not religious enough. Allah has forsaken them because they have adopted a few western things like music and female education. THAT is why they are going backwards into the future. They think that the way forward is to do exactly what Mohammad commanded, and what he did himself. Jihad. Kill everyone who is not a Muslim, enslave them, take their property, terrorise them, make their women sex slaves.

If you think that ISIS is going to start manufacturing Ipods, motor cars, computer tablets, or satellites, you must be insane.

Yuyutsu tell us Muhammad is a saint. Where's the proof?

May 22, 2014 - "The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, principal leader of the Church of England, issued a statement Monday that was without precedent in Church history. The Archbishop announced that the Anglican Church’s general synod has voted to recognize the Prophet Muhammad as a saint. Saint Prophet Muhammad shall be honoured on his birthday, according to the Islamic calendar. Although this move is seen by many as an attempt at reconciliation with Islam, many Muslims are outraged. Some Muslims claim the Anglicans are attempting to marginalize the great Prophet Muhammad and distort his message.

Sadly efforts by the Church of England to be more inclusive have, inevitably, come under attack by those on the extreme and radical right. Some extremists and reactionary Christians claim that Muhammad is not and cannot be a Christian saint. Some claim that declaring the sainthood of Muhammad is even a form of apostasy or blasphemy."

con't

con't

So even when the Anglican Church declares Muhammad a saint, that's not good enough for the Muslims. Declaring Muhammad a saint was offensive.

So, then on the same day we get this, the height of political correctness gone mad - "The Anglican Archbishop, in a speech earlier today, observed that “Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Muhammad is now the most common name for new born male babies in England. If the Church of England hopes to remain relevant, we must find a way to reconcile our Anglican Christian beliefs with those of Islam. Great strides have already been made. We now have Sharia courts in the UK to assist Muslims, as advocated by my predecessor. In time, the Holy Qur’an ought to be placed alongside the Bible as a book of spiritual wisdom in our churches. We must make absolutely clear that Anglicanism in no way claims to be superior to Islam. We seek common ground with Islam, recognizing that Islam is the future of Britain.”

"Islam is the future of Britain", even though only 4.5% of the population is Muslim; if the Arch Bishop isn't going to stand up for Christianity then his prediction is probably right? Let's hope if the Christians are just going to roll over, that the secularist majority aren't so willing to sell out the country.

If the logic of any mythology or religion is that what is written, cannot ever be changed, not a word, since it is the exact copy of the One Book in the possession of their god, then its adherents are stuck with a fairly dire choice:

* the easy one, just keep their heads down, and stick with the Book;

* the far harder choice, to question bits of it, and ultimately much of it and abandon the religion - and risk losing their heads altogether.

One or the other, there may be no middle way for such believers. A billion and a half people have made, are making, and/or will have to make that choice.

It would be very painful, necessarily involving life-changing decisions, the abandonment of an entire way of seeing the world and adopting another, incredibly traumatic. I wish them well with all my heart.

Joe

Lego what is life like to be so serious, get a life and enjoy a take off occasionally, you may feel better, or take a laxettei instead, a good clean out may make life more bearable for you.

Hi Obbaj,

I think LEGO is on the button - why do simple-minded people try to make silly jokes about very serious issues ? What is going on in the Middle East isn't just a sort of lark, a few hot-heads sticking it up the system. ISIS now controls more territory - in Syria ! - than the Syrian regime. It controls the entire Euphrates in Iraq above Baghdad. It imposes a reign of terror directly on many millions of people, and has caused more than ten million people in Syria and Iraq to be displaced.

Hundreds of thousands are currently fleeing from Ramadi towards Baghdad. Expect the fifth column of ISIS in Baghdad to launch a wave of bombings, in market-places, mosques, pre-schools, old people's homes if they can find them, anyone will do when vile ends justify any means.

If ISIS advances into Baghdad, what will Iran do ? If Iran gets stuck in boots and all, what will the Saudis do ? Turkey ? Soon enough, Pakistan on the other side of Iran ?

Also expect waves of Iraqi refugees to be getting on boats, alongside Rohingya refugees, all genuinely refugees by any definition. I know Australia is a big country, we can take millions, although it might knock our budget deficits out of the park for a while.

And what country is missing from all of this ? Why, I do believe it's the Yanks. After all, in a multi-sided war, which side do you pick, without upsetting many other 'sides' ? Even if you choose to oppose whatever the obviously worst side is, that's not how other 'sides' see it.

Of course, the Yanks will have to get involved, and pretty quickly, if they are to save Baghdad, and to act as a buffer between Iran and the Saudis, between Shia and Sunni. If they don't, and if they can't hold ISIS back, then we certainly will be looking at a catastrophe, and for decades to come, the outcome of which is not given.

A catastrophe from which we will not be immune.

Joe