DescentBB

Ok I’ll start

They invented soap.

They have um. cool hats.


wait.. they invented soap?!? I thought the Romans did that.

Actually the Romans used to oil up and throw dirt on their bodies then wipe it off with a curved stick called something like a screed? Then they jumped into a bath of alternating hot and cold water.

Building on Hellenic, Persian, and Hindu sources, physicians within the Islamic Empire advanced medical knowledge enormously. Perhaps their most significant single achievement was the establishment of medicine as a science based on observation and experimentation, rather than on conjecture. Islamic scientists developed the rudiments of what would later be called the scientific method. (This was during the Islam \"Golden Age\" about the mid-9th century until the sack of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1256)

(yeah, it's a copy/paste ... but it impressed me)

The Islamic private school system in the USA has been able to take in some of the absolutely worst kids from the urban gangs, and turn them into scholars. The public schools couldn't educate these kids. Most private schools didn't want them. The Islamic schools took them in and proved they could teach them.

They gave us the word \"arch\". And incidentally, much of the architecture (theres that word again!)and math that went into building the arched ceilings in cathedrals came from the Arabs. Isn't that rather ironic!


oh and don't forget.... OIL!

They invented the Kalaam Cosmological Argument. That's good enough for me.

Kilarin wrote:....The Islamic schools took them in and proved they could teach them.

Must__resist__urge__

I'm not gonna bite.

What's the point of this thread?

They make good pilots.

There Will, I did it for you

Will Robinson wrote:

Kilarin wrote:....The Islamic schools took them in and proved they could teach them.

Must__resist__urge__

Not denying there are also PROBLEMS with Islamic schools. Just giving credit where credit is due. They do well on academics with kids who were flunking and drop outs

Foil wrote:What's the point of this thread?

I believe this is an attempt to point out that we don't all blindly hate Islam. To point out they they have positive aspects does not distract from the well documented problems. On the contrary, I think it actually means our complaints may be worth listening to since we are not blindly demonizing Islam due to propaganda, but rather offering valid criticism of a system with some serious flaws.

By acknowledging that there HAVE been good things come out of the Islamic culture, we separate ourselves from the monsters who LAUGHED when they saw the pictures come out of Abu Ghraib; the jerks who blindly hate anyone wearing a head scarf; the idiots who would happily nuke every Islamic country into a glassy hole; and the lamebrains who loudly proclaim that you can not be Muslim and be a US patriot.

We are not racists OR Islamophobes. We are realists who, without hating all Muslims, recognize that there are SERIOUS problems with modern Islam. Most specifically with the way it treats it's women, the uncontrolled violence, and the insistance upon entangling the church and the state (which results in all KINDS of nasty abuses). We do not wish for the death of all Muslims, but for the reform of a system that is currently dangerous to itself and others. When Islam is willing to live peacefully with it's own citizens and it's neighbors, we will be willing to live peacefully with them.

Will Robinson wrote:Must__resist__urge__

Trust your feelings, Will.......... Let go, Will.

Kilarin wrote:...we separate ourselves from the monsters who LAUGHED when they saw the pictures come out of Abu Ghraib; the jerks who blindly hate anyone wearing a head scarf; the idiots who would happily nuke every Islamic country into a glassy hole; and the lamebrains who loudly proclaim that you can not be Muslim and be a US patriot.

We are realists who, without hating all Muslims, recognize that there are SERIOUS problems with modern Islam...

If so, then good!

I sincerely hope it's the case that people here can talk about this stuff without blindly hating Muslims or blindly supporting some of the things Racical-Islam stands for.

However, seeing comments like "they make good pilots", it looks like this thread is going downhill fast.

Foil wrote:I sincerely hope it's the case that people here can talk about this stuff without blindly hating Muslims or blindly supporting some of the things Racical-Islam stands for.

From what I've read, no one on here blindly hates Muslims, and the whole argument is that Islam itself--it's writings--support the things that radical Islam stands for. Even the term "Radical Islam" implies that.

I'm not interested in participating, personally. I know there is some good in Islamic society, and I've said as much, but the fact that there are a few pepperonis on there doesn't make it a pizza. When you guys are done hugging, we can resume a useful discussion. I think the good ought to be discussed together with the bad, and if it can't outweigh it, then so be it. We'd have to have Islamic-style propaganda to think that there's nothing good about Islamic society (ironic?).

Maybe it's a shame that some of these anti-Islam videos don't discuss the whole picture, but they aren't documentaries, they're meant to challenge the "Islam is peace" rhetoric.

I hate muslims because they invented Algebra, because of them my GPA is low

They kept many Roman and Greek arts and writings safe from the middle age kingdoms because all they cared about was, well, God.

Thats a few things...

I can't say anything good about Islam...'cause all religions are inherently bad...but I do have a rather large list of good things that the Arabic countries have done/invented/etc...but the list starts about 700BC ends about 1500AD.

Nowadays not so much. Seems like those countries/cultures's progress has been running on a J curve, which topped off and crashed about 500 years ago, and they have been flatline since. Must look like our stock market

My reason for this post is 3 fold:

1. What Kilarin said.
2. For Roid to put up or shut up.
3. An ulterior motive I will disclose when it runs its course.

Spidey wrote:An ulterior motive I will disclose when it runs its course.

That's what I thought.

Yea so?

Sticking to the tread, they do have really nice and beautiful architecture to their Mosques.

Saying something nice about Islam is what it has taught me.


-Showing me the differences between civilized and uncivilized.
-Teaching me why the world needs Sharia Law and Jihad.
-Explaining in detail, the reason for \"Burkas\" and stripping human rights for six million females in just one country alone.
-Teaching me what a beheading and stoning looks like.
-Teaching me what happens when you name a pet Mohammed.
-Giving civilized countries a reason for their soldiers to die.
-Telling me that their best is yet to come.
-Letting me know what hate feels like.

Bee

I myself can't find anything good to say about Islam(to submit) and I have nothing bad to say about muslims(submitted ones). I am a Christian. Therefore it is my belief that Jesus is who he claimed to be.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, \"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If that is true, and I leave it up to you to come to that conclusion, then all other religions are misguiding others to their destruction.

Heh, I've heard it all,and since these are not my words but those of Jesus, bring it on. You can't offend me and all responses are welcome.

Islam offers comfort and support to millions that live in difficult, poverty ridden circumstances. There is release in submitting to the will of Allah. Five times a day you prostrate yourself in front of your lord and acknowledge him as the Creator and the Ruler of your world. Five times a day you are reminded that his justice and love will raise you to heaven and relieve you of your burdens when you die. Your life is in the hands of Allah and he will do with it as he sees fit. Your reward is not in this life. Millions of people are Muslim by choice because it offers them peace of mind.

Islam reminds you of your duty to support those who live in circumstances worse than yours. If you have the means it is your duty to give to the poor and relieve their suffering. You are not to despise them but to love and support them.

In places where there is no government, there can be law. Clearly defined, with means of enforcement the rule of law can be established anywhere there are the Faithful.

Ford Prefect's comments distilled my sentiments for me.

Ford Prefect wrote:...In places where there is no government, there can be law. Clearly defined, with means of enforcement the rule of law can be established anywhere there are the Faithful.

And wherever there are faithful there are radicals who will use them to do harm to outsiders. I find the teachings of Islam to be the best foundation for breeding hatred in the name of God. Submission is a very bad choice for an individual and a necessary tool for oppressors. I much prefer people who seek a rule of law because they find it to be a sensible path to peaceful existence not because they were told to by someone in a robe and funny hat who assumed the position of a supreme beings spokesman!

Submission my ass!

The more I ponder religion the more I reject its mechanisms.

Bet51987 wrote:-Showing me the differences between civilized and uncivilized.
-Teaching me why the world needs Sharia Law and Jihad.
-Explaining in detail, the reason for "Burkas" and stripping human rights for six million females in just one country alone.
-Teaching me what a beheading and stoning looks like.
-Teaching me what happens when you name a pet Mohammed.
-Giving civilized countries a reason for their soldiers to die.
-Telling me that their best is yet to come.
-Letting me know what hate feels like.

Is this what you feel about all Muslims, Bet? Or does this refer to fundamentalist Islam (which is the source of all the above and more), rather than the rest who consider themselves Muslim (even if you don't think they're following 'true' Islam)?

And wherever there are faithful there are radicals who will use them to do harm to outsiders

True. Not only does this happen in Islam but all religions. Many atrocious things have been done in the name of God. Christianity is by no means exempt either.

The 3 main religions all originate from the the same place. Islam, Judaism and Christianity all have the God of Abraham in common. Of those 3 only Christianity is faith based, the other 2 relying on works to gain God's approval.

I can't by any means look around and see so much order in the universe and then conclude that its all an accident. So there must be a Creator. Since the beginning of time people have used superstition and the idea of God to control and force their will upon others. You have every right to be suspicious just as I am. I would take the word of no man but investigate for myself.

If their is a God, as I am convinced, then I would think his purpose would be to have a relationship with me and for us to get to know each other. I have seen what you speak of in every religion here on earth, but I refuse to blame God because of unstable and corrupt men.

Submission my ass!

The more I ponder religion the more I reject its mechanisms.

And I assume that goes for those that accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour and give their life over to doing his will?

It's all crap to me but it offers solace and meaning to the lives of others. I was asked to say something nice about Islam so I did. The rest is off topic.

She said Islam, not Muslims, Foil.

An Arab invented the number 0. Really, really helped with numerical notation. 507 could then be represented accurately, without an abacus.

Ford Prefect wrote:

Submission my ass!

The more I ponder religion the more I reject its mechanisms.

And I assume that goes for those that accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour and give their life over to doing his will?

It's all crap to me but it offers solace and meaning to the lives of others. I was asked to say something nice about Islam so I did. The rest is off topic.

Yea I was trying to cover all religions with the evil-bastards-who-dictate-gods-will.
That phenomena is definitely universal but I single out Islam as being much more suited to those evil bastards with violent intent.

Anyway, whether any of you believe in God, Allah or the tooth fairy I sure hope you'll be honest with yourself when you evaluate the threat posed by radical Islam and the partner to that threat which is the insane political correctness that seems to give the Islamofascists a pass.

You really can be of any political or religious persuasion and still be able to honestly point the finger of blame at Islam in general for being such an easy home for violent fundamentalism. It may be a small percentage that perform the actual terrorism but the larger body gives those people far too much support for me to be able to totally separate them from the terrorists.

I'd say the same of Christianity if the likes of Eric Rudolph received the kind of support from Christian organizations that Islamic terrorists receive from Islam as a whole.

Bet51987 wrote: -Teaching me what happens when you name a pet Mohammed.

BAD! Mohammed sit, quit eating the furniture, do you wanna get spayed?

well...

That didn't take long.

coffee, bitches!!!!

Incidentally, I did a little reading up about Eric Rudolph, and found that he was Catholic. To the uninformed that might not seem like a big deal. In reality they might as well be two different religions. The difference really is night and day.

What, Catholics aren't considered Christians?

Christians took turns murdering Catholics (or was it the other way around? Probably mutual) so maybe not.

Topic:

I've only seen one positive post towards Islam...we've all been posting Arabic accomplishments, which don't matter. Is Kilarin's post really the only thing that Islam has done that's positive?

It has given our jackass President a convenient excuse to take more of our civil liberties. That's good for everyone. Right?

The \"Are Catholics Christians?\" / \"What's the difference between a Protestant Christian and a Catholic Christian?\" question ought to be a different thread.

Just to keep the parts of this thread that are not peoples opinions straight:

1. Catholicism is the western orthodox version of Christianity.
2. Yes most of the accomplishments sited here are Arabic but I’m going to say they are valid simply because back when a lot of these things occurred Islam had not yet spread to other cultures.
3. And I think Testi means Protestants not Christians took turns killing Catholics, and yes the wars went both ways.

Foil wrote:The "Are Catholics Christians?" / "What's the difference between a Protestant Christian and a Catholic Christian?" question ought to be a different thread.

I was just trying to clarify something Sergeant Thorne said. I wasn't trying to start another topic. Honest. If it warrants it's own thread, fair enough.

The doctrinal departures and outright evils of the Catholic church are another topic.

All I wanted to say is that to just call him a Christian is a gross generalization, and for a while it had me confused. There are enough differences between what you would generally call \"Christians\" and \"Catholics\" to warrant using the qualifier \"Catholic\" instead of just saying \"Christian.\"

FYI for anyone who might be ignorant on the subject.