Sprintcyclist it wasn't meant to offend you - and perhaps I used the wrong word.  We've all got character traits (I don't want to know mine though) and I couldn't think of any other description.  Maybe I should have said - aversion to certain groups of people.  Hope that sounds better.

Mantra, you owe it to yourself to make the time to watch the BBC documentary, "The Power Of Nightmares" subtitled, "The Rise Of The Politics Of Fear".

Here is a link to the wikipoedia page about this highly acclaimed documentary, which will give you a precis as well as some opinions of it's worth as an unbiased, balanced study of the separate rises of Neo_Conservatism, and Islamism, and how they each play on peoples' fears.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Nightmares

It does not demonise anyone, or seek to create any further hatred and division, it really justs gives an accurate historical background and exploration of these powerful ideologies which are at the root of so many of the world's current problems.

I realise you think I have been brainwashed by western media, but that is absolutely wrong, I gather little to zero information from those traditional sources, and view them with the same degree of suspicion which I always have.
In saying that, I should point out that neither do I dismiss something reported in the media as necessarily wrong, or biased, by mere dint of it being there.

So do yourself a favour, and watch this series, it is pretty long, and at times slow, but it is very balanced, and very informative.
If you do decide you want to watch it, there are links to it from the wiki page.

Good on you Mantra, I think you will find it very interesting.

Contrary to many people's ideas, one can strongly oppose Neo-Conservatism, as well as Islamism, and to my mind, should.

We also have the issue of Zionism, which is also a source of much that is wrong in the world, and one can oppose Zionism as well as Islamism also, it is not always a case of my enemies enemies, are my friends.

I appreciate that you are just trying to be tolerant and fair, but I have decided that some things do not deserve our tolerance, and for me Islamism falls into that category.

As always, I do not lump all muslims as evil Islamists, but unfortunately, far too many tolerate, or even support Islaist extremism, who would normally not support any violent, extremist views.

Just thought I'd better cast my vote 

Maybe Grendel should've rephrased the question.

I like to see Abu's antics out of a need to know the truth about our muslim "friends", and also a touch of morbid curiousity.

Quote:


I can't even understand why Grendel's complaining, he only had one or two posts deleted - who cares.  It's not as if he put hours of work into each one.

I realise you are just joking, and it is a bit of fun to have a go at grendel, but there is a serious issue being discussed here, whether you agree or not.

All of us who do not agree with everything in Islam being praiseworthy, are likely to have had posts deleted, sometimes we expected it, but more often did not.

When I chose to insult Lestat, I fully expected the posts to be deleted, and that is not what I am taking issue with.

When I criticise an aspect of Islam, that I find offensive, or questionable, and do not use any personal insults, or bad language, which you all know I very rarely do anyway, to then have that post just disappear, because it is not respectful to Islam, then that is a problem.

If it were not an aspect I did not respect, I would not be raising it in the first place, so to reserve the right, used arbitrarily, to protect Islams good name, makes a joke of being able to frankly discuss our opinions on the forum at all.

Now I will add that it has not been a huge issue for me, and I generally word my posts more moderately than some, but I think the principle of freedom of speech is important, and I also think Abu has been more open to allowing criticism lately, than he was earlier on, but still, if we have anything we think may be considered controversial to say about Islam, we use another board, because we know that it will disappear from Islam, or Extremism Exposed.

That is not an ideal situation.

mozzaok wrote on Jan 15^th, 2009 at 7:03pm:


Is Abu seriously doing that?

If so, he should add these sentences to his riot act:

"Please enjoy your stay. Oh, and by the way, there will be no debate on the Islam board. Only nice things should be said about Islam, because I'm trying to give it a positive image. What do you think this is? A political forum or something?"

Seriously though, if anyone has a problem with Abu's moderation, just post something on the extremism board, because we know how unbiased Gaybriel is with Islam just post on either 'thinking globally' or 'general.'