Sunday, July 3. 2016
In 2003, about 15% of the world’s one billion Muslims were Shia and 85% were orthodox Sunni. There are other factions within Islam. Sufis are found today in Turkey and Syria. The conservative Wahhabis are found in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Other sects or break-away groups include the Alawis found in Syria and Turkey, the Druze in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel, the Ibadhis (Kharjites) in Oman and Africa, the Ahmadiya of Pakistan, and the Zaydis of Yemen.
All of these groups are Muslim. Thus it is very misleading to speak and act as though Islam is monolithic and it is very inaccurate and misleading to group them all together as one Body, even if Islam is one Religion. They all claim to be followers of Allah and Islam. When someone says that Islam is about Love and is non-violent, it is essential too ask: which kind of Muslim? When Christians become excited with reports of Muslim conversions to Christ, again we must ask which kind of Muslim?
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS21432.pdf
For a very well researched and well-written extensive Essay explaining the History and agendas of various types of Muslims, this article is must reading if we are serious about the subject of Radical Islamism.
https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2016/june/1464703200/robert-manne/mind-islamic-state
Monday, May 9. 2016
It is very interesting to read contrary views about Donald Trump. Using the same data [mostly quotes from Mr Trump's speeches], here are two writers who come to opposite conclusions about him. A major reason for this is the matter of definition. One interprets remarks by Mr Trump as sexist, racist or bigoted and labels him as a dangerous, fear mongering demogogue. Mr Trump, he insists, spews hatred and incites violence. The other writer finds none of this in Mr Trump's remarks. How can this be? These writers define "sexist, racist or bigoted", et al, differently and interpret Mr Trump accordingly. They are both very good, persuasive writers. Reader beware.
Their articles illustrate how writers can be very selective, including and omitting material from the same original source that suits their own perspective or bias. Thus their articles reveal more about themselves than they do about Mr Trump.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/04/america-tyranny-donald-trump.html
http://www.city-journal.org/html/andrew-sullivans-blind-spot-14431.html
Wednesday, January 13. 2016
When Donald Trump in December called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States," I replied that changing just one word – "Islamists" instead of "Muslims" – would transform his outrageous and dead-end effusion into a politically feasible and operationally viable policy idea.
By Islamists (as opposed to moderates), I mean those approximately 10-15 percent of Muslims who seek to apply Islamic law (the Shari'a) in its entirety. Islamists, not all Muslims, are the modern barbarians; they, not all Muslims, must urgently be excluded from the United States and other Western countries.
Source: http://www.danielpipes.org/16438/identifying-islamists-interrogations
Wednesday, November 25. 2015
Two recent refugees from Syria, now living in Baltimore, were featured on the front page of yesterday's paper, the Sun. They wanted to assure citizens that they are not a treat in any way. "Syrians are very good people, we are nice people- loving, caring people". They did not qualify this description.
Is not President Assad a Syrian? Are not many of the soldiers fighting in the civil war in Syria, Syrians?
Tuesday, July 14. 2015
The agreement signed today ends the economic sanctions regime, permits the Iranians to hide much of their nuclear activities, lacks enforcement in case of Iranian deceit, and expires in slightly more than a decade. Two problems particularly stand out: The Iranian path to nuclear weapons has been eased and legitimated; Tehran will receive a "signing bonus" of some US$150 billion that greatly increases its abilities to aggress in the Middle East and beyond.
Of the administration's accumulated foreign-policy mistakes in the last six years, none have been catastrophic for the United States: Not the Chinese building islands, the Russians taking Crimea, or the collapse into civil wars of Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. But the Iran deal has the makings of a catastrophe.
Attention now shifts to the U.S. Congress to review today's accord, arguably the worst treaty not just in American history or modern history, but ever. Congress must reject this deal. Republican senators and representatives have shown themselves firm on this topic; will the Democrats rise to the occasion and provide the votes for a veto override?
Read the entire article here:
http://www.danielpipes.org/15973/obama-iran-deal-catastrophe
Friday, June 26. 2015
We lost this one. We and many others made the case to our culture that traditional marriage is God’s good design, that this institution, embodied by a man and a woman joining together, leads to social flourishing. But our culture is not convinced. Much to our disappointment, it is now the law of the land to permit other forms of “marriage.” The temptation is to go off and sulk in our holy corner. Or to dig in our heels and fight harder. Or to lash out in anger. Or to despair. We can do better. Like taking to heart especially the Beatitudes: read the rest of this good article
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/june-web-only/6-things-to-do-after-supreme-court-gay-marriage-decision.html?
Wednesday, April 1. 2015
"In case you needed more proof that the recent backlash against religious freedom laws is grounded in pure ignorance, look no further than Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy."
"Malloy, a Democrat, just announced on Twitter that he plans to sign an executive order banning state travel to Indiana due to the midwestern state’s recently enacted Religious Freedom Restoration Act."
"I don’t know how many staffers, lawyers, and advisers currently work for Malloy, but it’s a real shame that not a single one of them told the governor that Connecticut has had an expansive RFRA on the books for over two decades. That’s right: Connecticut passed its own RFRA law on June 29, 1993."
http://thefederalist.com/2015/03/30/connecticuts-governor-doesnt-understand-his-own-states-rfra/
Saturday, March 21. 2015
Saturday, March 21. 2015
If you are a supporter of Israel or care about what it is facing, here is an article that seem both fair and spot on about its situation
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/03/israeli-elections-israel-future-116266.html?hp=t3_r#.VQ2PcOGM7b6
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