Like the other caliphates before them this one is doomed.
Bin Laden and Adnani claimed to have god on their side but he isn’t showing much support for their actions. They are being wiped out on all fronts, driven out of all the territory they took and utterly destroyed.
Good riddance. An appalling death cult that wanted to take people back to the Dark Ages, shackle women and enforce medieval conditions on everyone is being systematically taken apart. An intolerant set of religious extremists are being rightly exterminated. They sanction rape, slavery and the brutal, savage killing of innocent people. There is no place for such savages in a modern world. It is a superstitious sect that needs exterminating for good.
Their aim was to take over the world and impose their strict superstition on everyone. Their chances were nil. But like all fanatical religious nutcases they believed god was going to come through for them against all the odds. Well it is patently obvious that he isn’t. All the prayer and ritual in the world is not going to save them from annihilation. They dream of paradise but the reward for their monstrous actions should be to rot in hell. Any sane god would reward them with such.
I don’t happen to believe in any god but there are times when I really wish there was one. He’d give all the fanatics (Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist or Atheist) who believe in terror, threats or violence short shrift.
I would hope the world learns from this reign of terror and puts a stop to the pernicious indoctrination of children.
Great post except I don’t believe the groups and the violence have anything to do with any perceived deity. That savage behavior is there down deep in every single human being. Me. You. The guy walking down the street next to you. The one you sit by in the movies, in church, in the classroom or workplace… If they were honest — if we all were — we’d call that “god” NARCISSISM because it’s where the violence begins, I believe. What causes some of us to become so self-absorbed I have no clue. But there’s a trigger somewhere. Perhaps THAT’S what we need to be looking for. That’s a clumsy way to say what I’m thinking, but maybe it makes some kind of sense?
I agree with you Cheryl. All humans have that capacity for cruelty and violence. We also have the capacity to love and be altruistic and empathetic. The vast majority suppress the evil and give rein to the good. If we could find what tips someone into the dark path we could solve a lot of the world’s problems. My point is really that the fanatics use their religion as a focus to express their hatred, violence and intolerance. In my view religion is created by people and it’s our worst invention. It replaced spirituality with a dogmatic view of life. Instead of harmony with nature it creates disharmony and sectarianism. Moses, Jesus, Mohamed and the rest were no different to you or me. They were no more in communion with god than anyone else. Their words should only carry the weight of the wisdom contained in them.
I agree with you mostly, but I think there are a lot of other kinds of fanatics who use other things like greed and power and who knows what else as an excuse to single out and kill. Like the ones poaching the elephants and rhinos. Unfortunately the people you’re talking about are the ones who do the most damage.
Yes that’s true. Some of the evil ones use politics and some seek wealth. It seems that anything that gives status, power of wealth is a magnet for those who are unable to repress their savage sides.
The priests who used the church to get at young children, the traders in ivory who only see profit, the politicians who stand for their own self-glory, the soldiers who kill and rape out of hatred. There are a thousand wrong reasons for that minority to cause mayhem, destruction and misery.
The trouble is that they are so plausible that we vote them in. They rise to the top in organisations, gain credibility, get elected – time after time vthey pull the wool over our eyes. The psychopaths and sociopaths are not inhibited like the rest of us – they feel no guilt so nothing holds them back. They do not have doubt or worry about the consequences – like Trump and his silly wall.
God can’t be blamed for everything, and I don’t believe as Cheryl has stated “that savage behavior is there deep down in every single human being. Me, you…….”. As bad as times can be with some, very very few would turn to such behavior, I wouldn’t would you?
I don’t blame god. I don’t even believe in god. I blame the fanatics who dogmatically interpret the various scriptures in order to hate, be intolerant or kill. They use (you might say misuse) religion for power, greed, status and violence.
I believe religion is man-made and has masked the harmony of spirituality that underlies it. It’s not about god. The jihadists and fundamentalists interpret the books for their own ends.
But I do agree with Cheryl. I think there is the capacity in all of us. Miost of us suppress that evil to the point where we would not dream of doing horrendous things. But we still gawp at accidents and watch films with violence in. I think it is there deep down.
My inclination is to love and be kind. But I think if I came across some people doing that to elephants I’d want to kill them. I hate the jihadists who rape and are so sadistic. I could kill them too. It’s there in me.
“I believe religion is man-made and has masked the harmony of spirituality that underlies it.” I believe that, too.
You know that little piece about the Seeker being angry in the last bit I posted and how she wanted to hurt Dwennon… That was definitely me dealing with a past issue that surprised the hell out of me. It happened very recently at church. It was a man who had said somethings about my son. I was ready to kill that bugger. I’ve had anger issues from growing up with an angry mom, but I had NEVER felt that way until that day at church. I could easily have ripped his head off. We never know what we’re capable of given the right provocations.
The trouble with religion is when people believe every word and use it to indoctrinate.
If there is a god I don’t think he’d resemble anything in any of the holy books and likewise with heaven, hell and angels. They are so manifestly creations of human imagination. Some of the teaching in the bible and Koran are grotesque. They represent the primitive tribal, misogynistic cultures they were created by. It’s time they were discarded.
Spirituality is something else again – a mystical force? I don’t know.
That doesn’t sound at all like you Cheryl but then I think you are right. There are times when I see somebody doing something nasty to a helpless animal and I get so mad. When I stood on the side of a hill in Tasmania and saw all the rainforest that had been chopped down for Chines paper pulp, without regard to the wildlife that was destroyed, I was so furious I could easily have killed.
No, you’re right, Opher. It was very uncharacteristic for me. And it scared the hell out of me. I made quite a scene in Sunday School that day — but as you say, with restraint. Words instead of bludgeoning the man who is really not a good human being. When I was younger in my 20’s and early 30’s I had a very quick temper and could be really judgmental. Having kids changed that. And a lot of soul searching about how I felt when I was on the receiving end of it. (I’m glad you said it doesn’t sound like me. I’d have been brokenhearted to think I still come across as a hot head! 🙁 )
You certainly don’t Cheryl. You are so gentle and rational. It must have taken a lot to rile you like that.
It was mainly a mama bear’s response to protecting her cub at first. (Bran was sitting right next to me when I exploded. I can’t even begin to tell you the hell I caught when we got in the car to come home. It was totally inappropriate on my part but I had just become enraged. I felt horrid for embarrassing him like that) But Roger had started going on and on about this over-weight woman he knew, and if she’d lose 100 lbs. he’d marry her. The man is 90 and is obsessed with sex. He used to be so sweet when his wife was alive. But when Bonnie died I think the real him must have sneaked out. I took as much of listening to him as I could, then I exploded and told him that had NO place in the class — and a few other things. (blush) This is not your typical adult Sunday School class, Opher. We don’t pour over the Bible unless someone feels something is relevant. We discuss the mess of the world and how, if in any way at all, we can help fix things. I’m sure most folks would find it a very strange group of people who no longer see the world in black and white anymore. We have all pretty much woken up to the reality that “religion” is man made, but we don’t discount spirituality. You know what I mean.
I don’t think it does any harm for people to have a wake up call every now and again. If he was overstepping the mark he needs telling. You did right.
Sounds like an interesting group of people. We do that sort of thing with a bunch of friends and a bottle or two of wine.
Oh! These guys would be SO up to that. IF we were meeting somewhere other than church. Methodists do love their “socializing!” LOL The trouble is, after a few drinks the problems don’t seem so important any more. Well for me anyway. Two and I’m out like a light. 😀 A real light weight.
Works the other way for me. I argue too much!
you are right. but let me correct you a little, god had not created the fanatics. he had only created humans and he only believes in one religion i.e. humanity. only we are responsible for these fanatics becoz we had created these fanatics . think of a mother who is divided in parts and called by diff. names by her sons and daughters. how sad she is. and same with god . well this is my opinion. i can’t force anybody to accept it. but think over it………..
Well I don’t believe there is any god, leastways not some conscious being like described in religions. But I see where you’re coming from. If there was a god and all these religions were describing and worshipping that same god it would be pretty upsetting for god to see them all vehemently fighting with each other and doing horrendous things, each claiming that their view was the only correct one.
a mother nver gets upset by her childrens, either one or so many. same as for god.
well, for me god lives in my body near my heart. and also in you too. and as we all know that parents never support there children in there bad works so that happens with binladen. i used to read “RIGVEDA” this is not a religious book but is a hub of all the knowledge of the universe , it’s not easy to understand it but i tried a lot and found that there is a power which makes us move and that power is with us inside our body in our soul and we call this power as god. what do you mean by god ,makes you belive in god or not.and i am coming from India.
For me there is a difference between spirituality and religion. Religion is manmade. Spirituality is a sense of oneness and harmony with nature and the universe. God is a concept that I do not subscribe to. I have no need. If there is a creative force that runs through me and the universe then great. It doesn’t need me to worship it. I live for the wonder and awe in the world. The sunsets, trees, rocks and beauty. I acknowledge the wonder in living things and look to protect and appreciate them. I believe in love, tolerance and friendship and oppose anything that is destructive, violent, intolerant or detrimental to life.
Grin (playing devil’s advocate here…) Sometimes I wonder if it’s just the name God you get hung up on. I know TONS of “believers” who see “God” exactly as you just described. Most of them use the phrase “The Way” when referring to their spiritual beliefs. Maybe you follow a theology and just don’t know it! (:D ) (Luv ya, Opher! 😉 )
God and all the holy books, written by people but purporting to emanate from god. That’s what hangs me up. There are some nice things in the Bible. Koran and all the others, but there is a lot of obnoxious crap too. They do not come from any god. They are written by people. Likewise the idea of worship and prayer. I do not believe in any god that created us or takes an interest in us. The universe has a harmony to it. My spirit lies in that harmony, the sunset and the tree, not the book and the preacher.