[thechat] Why?

Chris Marsh chris at ecleanuk.com
Tue Jun 3 22:10:35 CDT 2003


[..]

> I'm not sure why Islam got dragged into the discussion.

Syed very often represents himself as a devout muslim. He also
represents views that I consider to be against the muslim ethic. I
suggested that the prophet Mohammed would not approve of some of the
views that Syed puts forward. He then failed to respond to any specific
question or contention I offered. He didn't even manage to attempt any
kind of rational argument as to why I was wrong, instead indulging in
the kind of tosh that I would not usually expect from the denizens of
this list. Thus showing a long streak of hypocrisy. If his problem was
with hypocrisy in general, perhaps it would have been more valid to
choose an example that didn't involve large-scale death and destruction
being the result of NOT being hypocritical.

> Almost seems 
> like since Syed holds it up so visually as his religion, someone 
> chose to grab it and beat him with it, as if it were a bludgeon.

Anyone who tells me that I will shake with fear upon reading a religious
tract or anyone that assumes that I am ignorant of religions simply
because I choose not to follow them is grabbing their religion and
beating me with it, as if it is a bludgeon. This is not TheReligion, it
is TheChat. Occasional religious discussions are stimulating. Syed is
very quick to take offense at perceived slights on him or his religion,
but perfectly prepared to spout rubbish along the lines of "Happy
Deaths" in the name of his religion.

> >If you're going to continue with such black and white thinking, you 
> >will find yourself ignored by everyone on this list.
> 
> except me.

And herein lies the freedom of TheChat. Anyone who wishes to plonk Syed
can do so. I have not yet done so because I haven't plonked anyone on
TheChat, and it would take more than a couple of threads such as this to
make me do it.

> I think there were some accusations of "immature" flying about.  Hey, 
> since we've brought religion in, remember how Jesus said "let the 
> children come to me"?

Childish and child-like are not one and the same. Immature !=
child-like. It implies no purity whatsoever.

> Children (who are by nature immature) often have a purer view on 
> things than adults jaded by rationalizations and other complexities. 
> Children often recognize and question hypocrisy while adults grow so 
> accustomed to it, they forget how offensive it can be.

Syed is an adult. He has lived in this world long enough to become jaded
by rationalizations and other complexities. This means that the purity
of a child-like outlook on life would necessarily be corrupted beyond
redemption, even if it existed in the first place.

> >Can you see that some followers of Islam can be evil and 
> some Americans 
> >can be good?
> 
> Syed has said many nice things about me, and I think he's well aware 
> I'm an American with a lot of views that differ from his.

In my mind Syed is a very nice guy, but tainted with hatred for the
West. If only he could maintain his religious views and a worldly
objectivity side by side perhaps his views would become less extreme. My
personal belief is that this would make him a happier person.

> Hypocrisy offends me too.  Calling attention to hypocrisy... not so 
> much.  And sometimes some of us just need to vent... personally I 
> think the question asked (why don't the USA practice what it 
> preaches) is completely valid, and should be asked, and asked, and 
> asked again.

Granted. But asking why the USA is not advocating MORE death and
destruction is a particularly silly way to do this.

Respectfully

Chris Marsh



More information about the thechat mailing list