Let stereotype go.....Please
this thread is a response of some threads i found which contains what i can call "Arab-phobia" or "Islam-phobia" or even a stereotyping against any religion or or nation or color, let's start :
Close your eyes and picture this: A jet with 111 passengers and crewmembers is about to land when a religious fanatic stands up and declares that he has a bomb.
Now open your eyes. Was your first thought anger that Muslim terrorists were at it again? Or perhaps you wondered why Muslims do this so often? Or maybe you're frustrated that we haven't done enough to stop these Arab terrorists from hijacking jets?
But this time, the alleged hijacker wasn't a Muslim. Or even an Arab. The suspect in the Sept. 9 Aeromexico Flight 576 incident is José Flores, 44, a Bible-carrying Christian who was overheard saying, "Christ is coming soon."
As an American Muslim, I cringed when I first heard of this hijacking. "Not another radical Muslim," I thought to myself.
And there, I suppose, is the lesson. Though like my fellow Americans, I've unfortunately grown accustomed to hearing about acts of religious fundamentalists around the world, I know Islam and understand that this strain of violence is not my faith.
Even so, the post-9/11 construct of "us against them" subconsciously defines "them" as Muslims.
Perhaps only time will release us from this stereotype, but I ask my fellow citizens to make a deliberate attempt to leave this suspicion behind. After all, does the Ku Klux Klan represent all whites? Or did the Irish Republican Army terrorists represent all Catholics? Of course not.
Many Muslims actively preach and believe in the message of peace, love and tolerance for people of all faiths, races and ethnicities.
If you open your eyes, you'll see that peaceful Muslims are the majority, and like you, we have nothing but disdain for the radical few who have tried to hijack our faith.
this topic is by Harris Zafar from :
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/09/column-let-stereotype-go.html
I suppose agnostic could be used for indifference of God. It means that you neither believe nor disbelieve
of atheism. They may not have believed in God but they didn't invoke that belief as the reason for killing (at least not to my knowledge). Actually atheists usually have a respect for their fellow wo/man and strive for decency based on a common thread of humanity. You might find this declaration interesting, Mandi:
What is Atheism
Atheism is a doctrine that states that nothing exists but natural phenomena (matter), that thought is a property or function of matter, and that death irreversibly and totally terminates individual organic units. This definition means that there are no forces, phenomena, or entities which exist outside of or apart from physical nature, or which transcend nature, or are “super” natural, nor can there be. Humankind is on its own.
The following definition of Atheism was given to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Murray v. Curlett, 374 U.S. 203, 83 S. Ct. 1560, 10 L.Ed.2d (MD, 1963), to remove reverential Bible reading and oral unison recitation of the Lord's Prayer in the public schools.
“Your petitioners are Atheists and they define their beliefs as follows. An Atheist loves his fellow man instead of god. An Atheist believes that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth for all men together to enjoy.
An Atheist believes that he can get no help through prayer but that he must find in himself the inner conviction, and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it and enjoy it.
An Atheist believes that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment.
He seeks to know himself and his fellow man rather than to know a god. An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An Atheist believes that a deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanquished, war eliminated. He wants man to understand and love man.
He wants an ethical way of life. He believes that we cannot rely on a god or channel action into prayer nor hope for an end of troubles in a hereafter.
He believes that we are our brother's keepers; and are keepers of our own lives; that we are responsible persons and the job is here and the time is now.”
http://www.atheists.org/Atheism/
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Enough people with a common element (race, religion, nationality, gender, etc.) do something that people start to stereotype. It is no excuse for this type of stereotype. And while I sometimes feel personally affronted by stereotyping, I do my best to condemn those who commit crimes and violent acts; and try to play a role in defying the stereotype.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
I am planning to start an organisation, we will kill anyone and everyone who doesn't believe in the theory of evolution ;)
About polpot and Stalin, my understanding was that they were just power hungry people who killed anyone that they perceived as a threat to themselves and their reign. Does that mean they killed in the name of atheism? I don't think so or maybe I have to do some reading about them.
I am also wondering if there is a term for people indifferent to God's existence if someone can help me. people who don't care whether God exists or not.
"Hurricanes are like women : when they come, they're wet and wild, but when they leave they take your house and car."
Thanks for my morning chuckle Niko.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Niko how many Darwin terrorists do you know? Please let me know their names or the organisation that kills in the name of Darwin as I would like to research this
Mandi please don't trot out the old falsehoods and stereotypes that Stalin and Pol Pot killed in the name of atheism. Its the same as say all muslims are terrorists as that is what their religion demands.
whether in the name of Allah, or Christ, or Darwin, bad people will always find reason ( read excuse )to down the plane or plant a bomb
Erm one shot I was just being sarcastic. And yes I've read big thick books on Stereotyping and prejudice.
The suspect in the Sept. 9 Aeromexico Flight 576 incident is José Flores, 44, a Bible-carrying Christian who was overheard saying, "Christ is coming soon."
Probably all he wanted to do is warn all the Christians about those Muslims sitting on the plane! Keep those eyes open for them!
Be careful for QL long list of names, they are embossed into my toilet tissue roll.
Your name is probably the next one to be stain severely!
Graduated from Xavier Institute for Higher learning
Terrorists and those funding these terrorists have no religion. One should not associate them with any religion.
"Hurricanes are like women : when they come, they're wet and wild, but when they leave they take your house and car."
another victim in the trap of stereotyping.
i will tell you a story, let's see
a crime happened in a place and they had the criminal then they put you in jail BECAUSE you and the criminal were wearing the same green T-shirt.
now Is that make you a criminal?
it sounds very silly and wrong , but believe me it sounds the same silliness or stupidity in our case.
It is not related to a religion,being a "mizzlim" or christian or even jew does not make you the same criminal who did the crime before
"every one is responsible for his own mistakes, no more no less"
The plane landed safely with the passengers and crew members onboard. I wouldn't need to open my eyes to know it wasn't a muslim terrorist.
yes nice post
....Nice Post .... & Great Views
---------------------------------------------------------Whenever I find the KEY to SUCCESS...Someone STEALS it.
Ka Pukhtoon ye no dalta daNgg warka: http://www.qatarliving.com/group/pukhtoon-in-qatar
until they make fake promises :D
you are not getting the point .
you are stereotyping people now LOL
and as a response to your comment :
"the hijacking will be in the name of Darwin or in the name of money or in the name of randomness !!!!
you see :D
I dunno, Gypsy, two of the worst mass murders in the 20th century were committed by atheists and in the name of atheism - Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot.
Mandi
Correct one-shot. Lets get rid of all religions. Athiests would never hijack a plane in the name of god.
Amen! Well said and said from the heart, one-shot. I agree with every word.
Mandi
Well said one shot ! I'm sure Muslims are very tired about stereotyping after 9/11, I for one am very tired of the BS thrown as a propaganda, irregardless on TV or here on QL (the skeptics, my goodness...they do come out with funny ideas....its amazing really). But to those skeptics, keep em coming because it really entertains me sometimes to see some real shallowness speaking....
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter....its only about us as an individual and Ummah, and Allah will judge us on those accounts. Keep the faith guys !
*Bunga*
then have a best day ;) :D
Wait a minute people, just wait a minute!
The day I leave this perfect klingon state of Qatar is going to be my best day of my life.
No more being force to listen to that daily music, no more Hypocrites!
Show me different and will stay!
Life moves on!
Be careful for QL long list of names, they are embossed into my toilet tissue roll.
Your name is probably the next one to be stain severely!
Graduated from Xavier Institute for Higher learning
True that Homie. As you said, only time can make that happen.
LOL
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Just sad how people look at others with only one side. Too narrow... too short-sighted. I believe in the goodness of men, unfortunately some are misguided or mislead by the few misguided too.
I remain keeping the faith, that somewhere, around is a better place o dwell on in the end.