C4
Guest
21st December 2012 wasn't such a good topic for the last C-4 story. But, Global Warming was a hot discussion now there is something that people find even hotter. Again thanks to the news channels and everything else related to the world wide media. Media exposure may be a primary goal of those carrying out terrorism, to expose issues that would otherwise be ignored by the media. Some consider this to be manipulation and exploitation of the media and others don't.
The topic for the C-4 Story #3 is Terrorism, Islam and the United States of America.
For those of you who don't know, the C-4 story is a discussion thread where you argue, discuss, make your voice heard and/or engage in heated debates or anything else. But what you do is, go behind the scene and reveal the real story... the C-4 Story!
The Middle East is part of the global warfare going on; popular names pop out when the word "Terrorism" is mentioned, Osama Bin Laden, USA, Saddam Hussien, George Bush, World Trade Center/ Afghanistan/ Pakistan/ 9/11 and the list goes on and on. And to most Americans the first thing they say when the word "Terrorism" is being talked of is "Islam" and/or "Muslims".
11th September 2001 perhaps the blackest day in history of New York City. It's the day when it all begun when every other kid in the neighborhood came to know about Terrorism and the essential components that build up Terrorism. The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11) were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the United States of America.
On that morning, nineteen terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda (as reported) hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. Each team of hijackers included a member who had undergone some pilot training. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners (American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175) into the World Trade Center in New York City, one plane into each tower (1 WTC and 2 WTC), resulting in the collapse of both buildings soon afterward and extensive damage to nearby buildings. The hijackers crashed a third airliner (American Airlines Flight 77) into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. Passengers and members of the flight crew on the fourth aircraft (United Airlines Flight 93) attempted to retake control of their plane from the hijackers; that plane crashed into a field near the town of Shanksville in rural Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Aside from the 19 hijackers, 2,974 people died as an immediate result of the attacks with another 24 missing and presumed dead; the number of immediate victims totaled 2,998, the overwhelming majority of whom were civilians. The dead included nationals from over 80 different countries. In addition, the death of at least one person from lung disease was ruled by a medical examiner to be a result of exposure to dust from the World Trade Center's collapse. We were heading towards World War III, George Bush announced his war with terrorism and then towards the start of 2003 and till today the war still goes on. Although the leader of Al-Qaeda is still not found. America continues to go towards other parts of the middle east in the recent war with Iraq for Oil. The Middle Eastern culture is so different than ours in the United States that we consistently misunderstand the rhetoric and actions emanating from that part of the world. Second, few have made the effort to understand Islam and its history. In our misguided efforts to be inclusive and tolerant, we have glossed over the basics of Islam, attempting (unwittingly) to see this religion through the glasses of a culture still steeped in Judeo-Christian assumptions. There is no question that many Arabs and Muslims decry terrorism and are loyal Americans; however, there are a significant number in the Middle East--probably a large majority--who genuinely hate the United States and rejoice in the success of the September 11 attacks.
To understand the source of this animosity it is first important to note that in Islam and the Middle East, there is no concept of the "separation of church and state." Social, political, economic, and religious systems are all subsumed under Islam. Indeed, Muslims boast that the Qur'an, the Hadith (the sayings of Muhammad), and the Sharia (the legal writings) deals with all aspects of life.
This worldview has two ramifications: first, I have observed a widespread embarrassment of American economic, political and military success. For example, Tony Horwitz, writing in the Wall Street Journal quoted several Saudis after the Gulf War who said, "If we had a real army, we wouldn't need the West to defend us." Another said, "It makes me feel more shame that pride," referring to the U.S. victory in the Gulf War.
If, as its adherents believe, Islam is true and Christianity is false, why are their nations relatively unsuccessfully in comparison to the infidel nations of the West? Many see this disparity as an attack on the veracity of their faith and a continual source of frustration. (Much of the above is chronicled in Robin Wright's book, Sacred Rage{3}.) Condemnation of virtually everything Western results. For example, Ayatolla Khomenini decrying the impact of foreign medicine in Iran, declared, "...Our leaders have forgotten our traditional medicine and encouraged a handful of inexperienced young men to study this cursed European medicine. Today we realize that illnesses such as typhus, typhoid fever, and the like are curable only by traditional remedies."{4} Another example is a quote from Food for Thought for Christians, Pamphlet 2 from Darut Tabligh-e-Isalmi, "All vices come from the West... and careful consideration of this problem will show that women and drinking are the root cause of all this vice."
Second, military campaigns carry religious significance. This, of course, includes the non-conventional terrorist warfare preferred by the radical Muslim movements like Osama bin Laden's al Queda. If another Muslim country were being attacked, most Muslims would see this as an assault on Islam. :verysad: Consequently, we may receive verbal assurances from Muslim governments supporting the fight against Islamic terrorists, but I believe the political support will not be there, especially over an extended period of time.
As much as the Arabs may distrust and harbor animosity toward one another, many of them will unite against non-Muslims over their hatred of the Jews. That is why Osama bin Laden effectively recruits Saudis, Egyptians and others from diverse countries.
We must realize that, within the Middle Eastern culture, saying what your listener wants to hear is more important than telling the truth. For a Middle Easterner, words are more important than ideas and ideas are more important than facts. It is this trait that caused many Americans to wonder how such outlandish statements can be made that are patently false. For example, when Sadam Hussein said that the battle of the Gulf War would be "the mother of all battles" and claimed victory before anything started, it was the words and ideas that were embraced by his followers. The facts were not important. Predominantly Muslim nations with controlled state-controlled media--virtually all of them--exhibit this mentality most powerfully.
Another example of the difference in cultures is the concept of success. In the United States, success might be embodied in a lower class woman that works her way through college doing menial jobs and achieves recognition in her profession through hard work, perhaps advancing to become CEO of a major corporation. By contrast, in the Middle East, most kinds of manual labor would be an embarrassment for a professional person, including college students. Agricultural work, for example, is considered beneath any educated person. The ideal success story in the Arab World is a person finding a treasure in the desert, immortalized in the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp. That is why Saudi Arabia, with its rich oil reserves, is so admired.
ISLAM
The religion of Islam condemns the killing or even the persecution of people merely because they embrace a different religion. The Quran mandates the absolute freedom of religion in a society. It does not allow Muslims to fight except for self defense and to enforce peace. It does not allow restrictions on those who disagree on religious matters. It urges the Muslims to treat such people kindly and equitably.
It is naïve to believe that we can eliminate Islamic terrorism and optimistic to think that we can contain it. When fanaticism is fueled by religious fervor, it breeds a disease with no military or political cure. For reasons that go beyond the desire to curb terrorism, Christians should redouble their efforts to introduce Muslims to the Prince of Peace. Like all the other religions of God, Islam (Submission in English) promotes peace, love and harmony among the people. Actually the word "Islam" in addition to meaning submission (to God), is also derived from the Arabic word Salam (peace). The Muslims (Submitters) greet other people by saying Salaam (Peace be upon you).
Regrettably, many terrorists groups have used the name Islam to promote their cause and this gave many non-Muslims a chance to asperse Islam and label the Muslims as terrorists. Deliberately ignored on the other hand, are terrorists who happen to be Christians or Jews.
With all the great laws established on earth by God or man, the evil among the human being, will find a way to abuse, distort or misinterpret them. This does not make these laws evil but rather proves the evil nature of these criminals.
Terrorism as an act of violence has been committed by people from all religious and political backgrounds. Terrorists who happened to be Christians ( e.g. in Bosnia, England, Ireland, Germany, Spain...etc.) and thsoe who happened to be Jewish (e.g. in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon) used their religious beliefs to claim legitimacy for the violence and terrorism they commit. Thousands of women, children and men, young and old have been killed in attempts to achieve or hold on to special interests whether political, social or "religious" :disgust1:
Those who do not comprehend Islam and those who have an interest in distorting the truth about the religion of Islam, have been trying to make the word terrorists and terrorism synonymous to the religion. A mistake that had been common in the media in the West.
Several groups who called themselves Jews, Christians or Muslims, have used terrorism to force their agenda, issues or beliefs. None of these groups represent the true religion of the Jews or the Christians as much as these terrorists represent Islam.
Attacks on the civilians and the least expecting people around the world by these groups is the kind of strife that cannot be justified by any religion or under any cause and is strongly condemned in all religions including Islam as clarified by the words of God in the Quran, the Final Testament.
Some of the terrorist groups which massacre innocent people consider themselves martyrs. Those who kill the innocent people in the name of their religion or the name of God, who think of themselves as martyrs should think twice. Their act is actually strongly condemned by God in the the verses of the Quran. :yeahright: These people are disobeying God's commandments and the TRUTH in the Quran. Instead they blindly follow the opinion of their corrupted leaders (and scholars). It is not a surprise that God has not granted them victory. Quite the contrary they have been the most humiliated, defeated and oppressed people on earth. Worse, they are oppressed by their own rulers.
The Quran is very clear that the believers must defend themselves but never to aggress. It is true that Islam (Submission) calls for the followers to be strong. This call however is to use the strength to secure peace, provide freedom for the society and the country but never to agress unless agressed upon. Our Creator is one and the same. The God of the Muslims is the same God of the Jews and the Christians and all the other religions. God does not permit one group the killing of innocent people of the other religions.
The blame lies with the terrorists and not the religion they claim to adhere to. Not everyone who calls himself a Muslim is a Muslim as much as not every one who thinks of himself as a Jew or a Christian is one. The religion of Islam should not be confused by what these so called Muslims have done. They actually, by the definition of the Quran, are not Muslims or at least as much Muslims as the Ku Klux Klan are good Christians? :disgust1: We should not let our emotions overcome our logic and understanding. United we stand against all kinds of terrorism , as only through unity will we be able to eradicate them and bring them to justice. We will serve the terrorists cause by name calling and false accusations of everyone who happens to be a TRUE God fearing Muslim.
Things are not as they seem. Terrorism hurts radical Islam and helps its opponents, people are now associating the word Terrorism with Islam. The violence, the wars, the explosions? Ask yourself, is this humanity or what? The C-4 Story of Islam, Terrorism and America.
The topic for the C-4 Story #3 is Terrorism, Islam and the United States of America.
For those of you who don't know, the C-4 story is a discussion thread where you argue, discuss, make your voice heard and/or engage in heated debates or anything else. But what you do is, go behind the scene and reveal the real story... the C-4 Story!
The Middle East is part of the global warfare going on; popular names pop out when the word "Terrorism" is mentioned, Osama Bin Laden, USA, Saddam Hussien, George Bush, World Trade Center/ Afghanistan/ Pakistan/ 9/11 and the list goes on and on. And to most Americans the first thing they say when the word "Terrorism" is being talked of is "Islam" and/or "Muslims".
11th September 2001 perhaps the blackest day in history of New York City. It's the day when it all begun when every other kid in the neighborhood came to know about Terrorism and the essential components that build up Terrorism. The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11) were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the United States of America.
On that morning, nineteen terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda (as reported) hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. Each team of hijackers included a member who had undergone some pilot training. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners (American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175) into the World Trade Center in New York City, one plane into each tower (1 WTC and 2 WTC), resulting in the collapse of both buildings soon afterward and extensive damage to nearby buildings. The hijackers crashed a third airliner (American Airlines Flight 77) into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. Passengers and members of the flight crew on the fourth aircraft (United Airlines Flight 93) attempted to retake control of their plane from the hijackers; that plane crashed into a field near the town of Shanksville in rural Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Aside from the 19 hijackers, 2,974 people died as an immediate result of the attacks with another 24 missing and presumed dead; the number of immediate victims totaled 2,998, the overwhelming majority of whom were civilians. The dead included nationals from over 80 different countries. In addition, the death of at least one person from lung disease was ruled by a medical examiner to be a result of exposure to dust from the World Trade Center's collapse. We were heading towards World War III, George Bush announced his war with terrorism and then towards the start of 2003 and till today the war still goes on. Although the leader of Al-Qaeda is still not found. America continues to go towards other parts of the middle east in the recent war with Iraq for Oil. The Middle Eastern culture is so different than ours in the United States that we consistently misunderstand the rhetoric and actions emanating from that part of the world. Second, few have made the effort to understand Islam and its history. In our misguided efforts to be inclusive and tolerant, we have glossed over the basics of Islam, attempting (unwittingly) to see this religion through the glasses of a culture still steeped in Judeo-Christian assumptions. There is no question that many Arabs and Muslims decry terrorism and are loyal Americans; however, there are a significant number in the Middle East--probably a large majority--who genuinely hate the United States and rejoice in the success of the September 11 attacks.
To understand the source of this animosity it is first important to note that in Islam and the Middle East, there is no concept of the "separation of church and state." Social, political, economic, and religious systems are all subsumed under Islam. Indeed, Muslims boast that the Qur'an, the Hadith (the sayings of Muhammad), and the Sharia (the legal writings) deals with all aspects of life.
This worldview has two ramifications: first, I have observed a widespread embarrassment of American economic, political and military success. For example, Tony Horwitz, writing in the Wall Street Journal quoted several Saudis after the Gulf War who said, "If we had a real army, we wouldn't need the West to defend us." Another said, "It makes me feel more shame that pride," referring to the U.S. victory in the Gulf War.
If, as its adherents believe, Islam is true and Christianity is false, why are their nations relatively unsuccessfully in comparison to the infidel nations of the West? Many see this disparity as an attack on the veracity of their faith and a continual source of frustration. (Much of the above is chronicled in Robin Wright's book, Sacred Rage{3}.) Condemnation of virtually everything Western results. For example, Ayatolla Khomenini decrying the impact of foreign medicine in Iran, declared, "...Our leaders have forgotten our traditional medicine and encouraged a handful of inexperienced young men to study this cursed European medicine. Today we realize that illnesses such as typhus, typhoid fever, and the like are curable only by traditional remedies."{4} Another example is a quote from Food for Thought for Christians, Pamphlet 2 from Darut Tabligh-e-Isalmi, "All vices come from the West... and careful consideration of this problem will show that women and drinking are the root cause of all this vice."
Second, military campaigns carry religious significance. This, of course, includes the non-conventional terrorist warfare preferred by the radical Muslim movements like Osama bin Laden's al Queda. If another Muslim country were being attacked, most Muslims would see this as an assault on Islam. :verysad: Consequently, we may receive verbal assurances from Muslim governments supporting the fight against Islamic terrorists, but I believe the political support will not be there, especially over an extended period of time.
As much as the Arabs may distrust and harbor animosity toward one another, many of them will unite against non-Muslims over their hatred of the Jews. That is why Osama bin Laden effectively recruits Saudis, Egyptians and others from diverse countries.
We must realize that, within the Middle Eastern culture, saying what your listener wants to hear is more important than telling the truth. For a Middle Easterner, words are more important than ideas and ideas are more important than facts. It is this trait that caused many Americans to wonder how such outlandish statements can be made that are patently false. For example, when Sadam Hussein said that the battle of the Gulf War would be "the mother of all battles" and claimed victory before anything started, it was the words and ideas that were embraced by his followers. The facts were not important. Predominantly Muslim nations with controlled state-controlled media--virtually all of them--exhibit this mentality most powerfully.
Another example of the difference in cultures is the concept of success. In the United States, success might be embodied in a lower class woman that works her way through college doing menial jobs and achieves recognition in her profession through hard work, perhaps advancing to become CEO of a major corporation. By contrast, in the Middle East, most kinds of manual labor would be an embarrassment for a professional person, including college students. Agricultural work, for example, is considered beneath any educated person. The ideal success story in the Arab World is a person finding a treasure in the desert, immortalized in the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp. That is why Saudi Arabia, with its rich oil reserves, is so admired.
ISLAM
The religion of Islam condemns the killing or even the persecution of people merely because they embrace a different religion. The Quran mandates the absolute freedom of religion in a society. It does not allow Muslims to fight except for self defense and to enforce peace. It does not allow restrictions on those who disagree on religious matters. It urges the Muslims to treat such people kindly and equitably.
It is naïve to believe that we can eliminate Islamic terrorism and optimistic to think that we can contain it. When fanaticism is fueled by religious fervor, it breeds a disease with no military or political cure. For reasons that go beyond the desire to curb terrorism, Christians should redouble their efforts to introduce Muslims to the Prince of Peace. Like all the other religions of God, Islam (Submission in English) promotes peace, love and harmony among the people. Actually the word "Islam" in addition to meaning submission (to God), is also derived from the Arabic word Salam (peace). The Muslims (Submitters) greet other people by saying Salaam (Peace be upon you).
Regrettably, many terrorists groups have used the name Islam to promote their cause and this gave many non-Muslims a chance to asperse Islam and label the Muslims as terrorists. Deliberately ignored on the other hand, are terrorists who happen to be Christians or Jews.
With all the great laws established on earth by God or man, the evil among the human being, will find a way to abuse, distort or misinterpret them. This does not make these laws evil but rather proves the evil nature of these criminals.
Terrorism as an act of violence has been committed by people from all religious and political backgrounds. Terrorists who happened to be Christians ( e.g. in Bosnia, England, Ireland, Germany, Spain...etc.) and thsoe who happened to be Jewish (e.g. in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon) used their religious beliefs to claim legitimacy for the violence and terrorism they commit. Thousands of women, children and men, young and old have been killed in attempts to achieve or hold on to special interests whether political, social or "religious" :disgust1:
Those who do not comprehend Islam and those who have an interest in distorting the truth about the religion of Islam, have been trying to make the word terrorists and terrorism synonymous to the religion. A mistake that had been common in the media in the West.
Several groups who called themselves Jews, Christians or Muslims, have used terrorism to force their agenda, issues or beliefs. None of these groups represent the true religion of the Jews or the Christians as much as these terrorists represent Islam.
Attacks on the civilians and the least expecting people around the world by these groups is the kind of strife that cannot be justified by any religion or under any cause and is strongly condemned in all religions including Islam as clarified by the words of God in the Quran, the Final Testament.
Some of the terrorist groups which massacre innocent people consider themselves martyrs. Those who kill the innocent people in the name of their religion or the name of God, who think of themselves as martyrs should think twice. Their act is actually strongly condemned by God in the the verses of the Quran. :yeahright: These people are disobeying God's commandments and the TRUTH in the Quran. Instead they blindly follow the opinion of their corrupted leaders (and scholars). It is not a surprise that God has not granted them victory. Quite the contrary they have been the most humiliated, defeated and oppressed people on earth. Worse, they are oppressed by their own rulers.
The Quran is very clear that the believers must defend themselves but never to aggress. It is true that Islam (Submission) calls for the followers to be strong. This call however is to use the strength to secure peace, provide freedom for the society and the country but never to agress unless agressed upon. Our Creator is one and the same. The God of the Muslims is the same God of the Jews and the Christians and all the other religions. God does not permit one group the killing of innocent people of the other religions.
The blame lies with the terrorists and not the religion they claim to adhere to. Not everyone who calls himself a Muslim is a Muslim as much as not every one who thinks of himself as a Jew or a Christian is one. The religion of Islam should not be confused by what these so called Muslims have done. They actually, by the definition of the Quran, are not Muslims or at least as much Muslims as the Ku Klux Klan are good Christians? :disgust1: We should not let our emotions overcome our logic and understanding. United we stand against all kinds of terrorism , as only through unity will we be able to eradicate them and bring them to justice. We will serve the terrorists cause by name calling and false accusations of everyone who happens to be a TRUE God fearing Muslim.
Things are not as they seem. Terrorism hurts radical Islam and helps its opponents, people are now associating the word Terrorism with Islam. The violence, the wars, the explosions? Ask yourself, is this humanity or what? The C-4 Story of Islam, Terrorism and America.
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