This is why we give contributors free reign. If one post is deemed 'unfit' for the front page, there are always other writers who will step in to right the balance.
Tim, I'm confused by this post. Mainly I'm confused why you would presume to tell the billion or so Muslims out there how to act, how they should put their religious belief on display, and why you think you're in a position to do so.
Don't you realize by now that there is literally nothing that so-called moderate Muslims can do to pacify nativists in the US (and Europe) short of denying their faith and going on book tours warning of the dangers of radical Islam? Is that how Christians ought to live? Should they spend all their time denouncing radicals within their own flock?
I just find this whole piece really distasteful. You are effectively blaming Muslims in general as a population for your own inability to find tolerance within yourself. I think you have the damn thing backwards.
Jason - a noble effort. But you cannot argue with people who refuse to entertain facts, and whose prejudice blinds them so entirely. I'm not sure it's even worth acknowledging. If they have nothing better than this to offer, they have no reason to be taken seriously.
I have no real attachment to the democratic party at all except that I find it somewhat less noxious than he GOP. I think war is a bipartisan folly. Obviously liberals are just as likely to cheer it on under the right circumstances.
Thanks, Jason. I agree. I think the most important political coalition will be the anti-war coalition, comprised of libertarians, liberals, conservatives, and whoever else.
E.D., don’t we, as a society, have a responsibility to help people who cannot help themselves? When a dictator is slaughtering his own citizens, shouldn’t we try to stop him from doing so?
Jaybird - what else is society but a strength in numbers? And if it is a strength in numbers than yes, we do have a responsibility to one another to help those who cannot help themselves. There is absolutely no responsibility to help the citizenry of some other country half a world away, however. The two are not analogous. I have a responsibility to my family but not to yours; I have a different responsibility to my country but not to theirs; I have yet another responsibility to the 'global community' but not to the global community of some other planet. These are not the same responsibilities at every level.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “The Title of This Blog Post Is Only Slightly Inflammatory”
This is why we give contributors free reign. If one post is deemed 'unfit' for the front page, there are always other writers who will step in to right the balance.
On “Muslims and the need for reform or, at least, better PR”
My response would be identical. I won't abide gross generalization of any religious group.
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Bob, I'm this close to banning you. You're no longer amusing to me.
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Tim, I'm confused by this post. Mainly I'm confused why you would presume to tell the billion or so Muslims out there how to act, how they should put their religious belief on display, and why you think you're in a position to do so.
Don't you realize by now that there is literally nothing that so-called moderate Muslims can do to pacify nativists in the US (and Europe) short of denying their faith and going on book tours warning of the dangers of radical Islam? Is that how Christians ought to live? Should they spend all their time denouncing radicals within their own flock?
I just find this whole piece really distasteful. You are effectively blaming Muslims in general as a population for your own inability to find tolerance within yourself. I think you have the damn thing backwards.
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You mean anti-Islam bigots ignore facts so they can keep peddling their bullshit? Say it ain't so!
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Yes.
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Greg - personally I think that moderate Christians have not done enough to distinguish themselves doctrinally from their more fanatical counterparts.
On “High Hopes”
What happened to our ventriloquists?
On “I actually kind of like the notion of ‘folk Marxism’ but still…”
Very true, Pat.
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Thanks!
On “High Hopes”
I welcome dissent in the comments and guest posts. I have my own response up to this piece.
On “Blog, the Fourth”
Uhm...yeah....
On “Why I’ve Been Quiet”
You certainly have been missed. Slacker.
On “Blog, the Fourth”
What are you talking about? It's right there...
On “Birtherism”
Jason - a noble effort. But you cannot argue with people who refuse to entertain facts, and whose prejudice blinds them so entirely. I'm not sure it's even worth acknowledging. If they have nothing better than this to offer, they have no reason to be taken seriously.
On “Quote for the day”
I should add that I'm very happy about Andrew's change of heart. I also relate to his struggling through these things in public.
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It isn't as though I woke up one day and realized Obama was president. I guess I'm not following you here.
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I have no real attachment to the democratic party at all except that I find it somewhat less noxious than he GOP. I think war is a bipartisan folly. Obviously liberals are just as likely to cheer it on under the right circumstances.
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Dude, scroll down the blog.
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I pretty much do. Again, I have been writing post after post against the Libya intervention. Right?
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Full-on, that is. Stupid phone.
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I am simply surprised by this reversal. I was expecting him to go dull-on pro Libya intervention.
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Mike, please explain how my take on war or Obama has changed one bit.
On “A reed in the wind”
Thanks, Jason. I agree. I think the most important political coalition will be the anti-war coalition, comprised of libertarians, liberals, conservatives, and whoever else.
On “The bad logic of intervention in Libya”
Jaybird - what else is society but a strength in numbers? And if it is a strength in numbers than yes, we do have a responsibility to one another to help those who cannot help themselves. There is absolutely no responsibility to help the citizenry of some other country half a world away, however. The two are not analogous. I have a responsibility to my family but not to yours; I have a different responsibility to my country but not to theirs; I have yet another responsibility to the 'global community' but not to the global community of some other planet. These are not the same responsibilities at every level.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.