Thanks for the video clips of Iran, Adam. Good stuff!
This is a reason why I've always believed we should avoid taking the bait that Ahmadinejad keeps putting out there. He's just a blowhard. Most Iranians still have a connection to the west, and just want to achieve like any other modern country. We're better off letting them get their own house in order.
Containing their mischief in Iraq is the only major issue.
"Muslims have never 'advanced', all Muslims have done is fight wars, Muslims have always hated Jews and Christians, no Muslim civilization has ever produced anything good"- and, to a lesser degree, the present- "all Muslims are terrorists
I think the fact is that, muslims them selves start to believe negative stereo types are true and then try to rationalize them when there is no need too.
Look at the mohammed cartoons, and other examples.
Muslims who go apeshit over depictions of Muhammad, "his" name, and wild rumors (a Quran being flushed down a toilet, love to have that water pressure) are basing their views on false views of the past- "No one ever depicted Muhammad" (Persian, Mogul miniatures, Turkish paintings, some early non-Arabic Islamic books, some of which included his face*), "All must follow sharia law" (many scholars say non-Muslims are exempt, ie alchohol is legal for Christians and Jews in Iran), "Everyone who insults Muhammad must die".
Historically, only one incident comes to mind, when a group of monks (might have been Franciscans) went to Northern Africa several centuries ago. Everyone was like, oh yeah, monks, and life went on. They were actually disappointed in the reaction. So they started preaching in public that Muhammad was a false god (sic) and the Antichrist. The people were, "um WTF?" Not good enough. So they kept doing it. The sultan had them brought in and basically said, "guys, can you please cut it out." They go, "no." He goes, "alright, well then you have x days to GTFO." They didn't, and stepped it up. He brings them in, says, "okay this has to stop", they say "no", and then they're killed. No 1st amendment, sad on several levels, but a ##### long cry from a lynch mob.
So we look at this issue, how do we apply it to the lashings?
Seems that friction between pastoral patriarchy that truly exist int he culture as well as misconceptions about their own culture and being challenged by modernization. And everything is tightening. They beliee all these lies, that they are in essence violent because they have to be, and apply it because it's "gods law". But is it really? Or are they just too freaking stupid?
I think the saudi's are now shaking, since their power is gaining a growing threat.
Think about it, no one hates saudi arabia more then these days.
They have always been very very very hard on their citizens.
My dad went to Haj long ago. Some arab guy though he was giving him a dirty look, so they guy suddenlty came at him with a razor and shaved his head out of spite.
He could not do anything because he was not a citezen, he was powerless, the government would do nothing.
