In a recent discussion on suicide bombing, an article was presented by a Muslim academic, which had been republished by the red cross. The article claimed that suicide bombing violated many Islamic laws, including a prohibition on mutilating bodies. As you would expect, the only rational way to interpret the ban on mutilating "bodies" is as a ban on mutilating corpses. Muhammed himself was fond or dismembering people in the process of killing or punishing them.

Interestingly, the author went to significant effort to build this argument, but in the end disowned it by claiming merely that it "may" be the case. This is not an uncommon method used by Muslims to mislead non-Muslims into accepting a more progressive version of Islam.

Gandalf responded to the discussion about the veracity of this "mutilating bodies" argument by pretending to be confident that it is legitimate, while not actually directly supporting it. The familiar Muslim tapdancing ensued, until he too conceded that it may or may not be true.

This lead me to consider another recent claim that Gandalf made about Islam - that Muhammed's direct order to kill gay people can be reinterpreted into something entirely different. Gandalf initially disowned this argument also, but later put his name to it. He was, however, extremely reluctant to discuss it in the first place. The revelation was preceded by many pages over several threads of the all-too-familiar Muslim tapdancing - this time concerning Gandalf's method of interpreting, or reinterpreting Islam and Muhammed's example. Gandalf refuses to nominate a school of thought he belongs to, or to give any broad overview or methodology. At best, he just comes up with conveniently progressive interpretations of Islam as is necessary, though usually he merely insists that critics of Islam are wrong and leaves it at that. The reinterpretation of Muhamed's order to kill gay people is most likely merely the tip of the iceberg of a very strange school of Islamic thought, one that Gandalf likes to play very close to his chest under most circumstances.

When he does explain what he thinks, it is usually in the context of an argument that Muslims are just like everyone else. To make this argument, Gandalf must present himself as a normal, average Muslim, and lead his readers to believe that his views are typical or representative of the broader Muslim community. The reinterpretation of Muhammed's order to kill gay people is one of many small lies that Gandalf tries to avoid, so that he can get away with the much bigger lie about Muslims being normal people who eat corn flakes for breakfast and do not represent a threat to freedom and democracy. Gandalf has made this argument directly. He has also made the argument in trying to re-interpret the results of a Pew survey showing some very disturbing views held by the majority of Muslims in some of the largest Muslim countries. Revealing his unusual take on Muhammed's order to kill gay people undermines this bigger lie, because it destroys his legitimacy as a representative of Islam or the broader Muslim community, and his ability to honestly speak on their behalf. Presumably, revealing what school of thought he belongs to (or his broader method of reinterpretation if his views are indeed unique to himself) would further destroy the credibility of his arguments about the 'average' Muslim. So far, reinterpreting Muhamed's direct order to kill gay people is the closest we have come to an insight into this, despite Gandalf discussing Islam endlessly, and the many threads trying to elicit an honest response from him.

Gandalf has also often argued that he opposes the traditional interpretations of Islam and is promoting his views within the Muslim community. I have seen no evidence of this. All I have seen for myself is Gandalf going to elaborate lengths to justify his refusal to discuss Islam with other Muslims on this board, and to blame anything but Islam (usually he blames America) whenever Muslims do nasty things in its name.

The mutilating bodies argument, the order to kill gays, and many of the other arguments concerning Islam and the views of the Muslim community end up serving the same purpose. They all serve to misrepresent Islam and to understate the threat it poses to freedom and democracy. This threat is currently being writ large by ISIS. Gandalf's contribution to the debate on ISIS is to blame it all on western interference and pretend it is nothing to do with Islam.

Read it, have you? Jolly good.

You two are sick in the head feckers that's for sure.

polite_gandalf wrote on Aug 11^th, 2014 at 11:32pm:


You can begin by explaining how you had the hyde to disagree with FD in all those threads, Moslem.

Apologize to FD now.

Is this another personal attack threads?   You know, the ones Brian is always attracting?   Sure looks like it.  You should be flattered Gandalf that they go after you personally like this!   FD really likes you!!!!

polite_gandalf wrote on Aug 12^th, 2014 at 11:36am:


Now now, don't you start. As a Muselman, your support of ISIS is absolute - your prophet demands it. Of course you would try to cast the blame elsewhere. This is what the Muselman does.

You might not have said this in so many words, but we know exactly what you mean.

polite_gandalf wrote on Aug 12^th, 2014 at 12:05pm:


Exactly. You also disagree with FD's meticulous analysis on Hamas' mother's skirts.

I think you owe FD an apology, G.

polite_gandalf wrote on Aug 12^th, 2014 at 2:45pm:


Yes, G, but I think FD is cranky that you don't blame Islam like everyone else:

Quote:


If you could blame Islam - even just a little bit - I think you'll be okay.