Well...yes. With the exception of Saudi university students, it seems. Strangely, it's elements of the ummah that seem to have this problem, unless you think it's a Californian thing. Ah, as slaves. That's the problem. Despite Mohammed's good preaching about how nice one ought to be, some Saudis still seem to think that pitching them down stairs is somehow fard. Hard to say. The Quran does extensively talk about rights granted to those who take slaves with the "right hand". One wonders: is that the origin of the "pimp hand" phrase? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Well, they're economically disadvantaged, but there's no religious compunction for it and I wouldn't call them slaves. Now go analyse some poo. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
:bugeye: Haaa! Come off it. In another thread you said Allah can do ANYTHING. This is so typical. So NOW you are saying that Allah can not do ANYTHING, Allah was powerless to convince those wee little humans not to become Slave owners - and yet Mao, with his Communist Manifesto, did so in a year! Q: Is it possible for Allah to put in Mohammed’s head a logical argument so irresistibly compelling that when it is told to ANY human in the World they instantly see the Evil and Wickedness of Slavery and stop Slavery right then and there? YES or NO I’m not sure if I agree with this. Humans may have a tendency towards violence but in a society these tendencies are checked. We are not as primal as the other animals. Actually, now that I think about it, I will have to say I disagree. Democracies reflect the will of the People. In general that will is benevolent for the people within that Society. Whether that be banning TFA in NY or preventing sexual exploitation of Children. It’s the will of the people that probably keeps those many individuals that have a strong tendency towards violence and revenge and exploiting those who are less fortunate in check. In general people look after the welfare of one another and thus Democracies are successful. If that were not the case they would not be. I’m not sure but I think I read that this is usually the male side of our species. Females are actually more mentally independent (not so sheepish). Male pack mentality (follow Dear Leader or The Prophet) probably evolved as a consequence of hunting other animals. What do you think? You know, because of this “codified of behaviors under ALL circumstances” that: 1) Is the first thing Muslims that turn Atheist say they felt releaf from. I have seriously heard that many times. 2) Can result in stagnation. There is no such thing as a “Perfect Society” at least not with Humans. As such Democracies, which are more agile and flex with the Will of the People will always out-compete those that have these set formulas for life. I think Communism makes another good example for stagnation. Actually Communism and Islam share many more things than one would imagine. 3) Sam, now hear me now, I know you said ALL but isn’t this a bit much! [Islamic toilet etiquette] Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! kidding! 1)It is much much much better than it was in the past. 2) Surely you must agree that the Qur’an or Islam or whatever you want to call those societies that call themselves "Islamic" – they didn’t even stop selling Slaves. One could say they were not following the Qur’an. Yet again, another could say that the Qur’an Codified and made Slavery into an acceptable Institution and they were. Either way, the only way we can try to eliminate these things is by condemning them as Evil. And pressuring government by shaming them into making illegal and policing such atrocities – kind of like what happened to Saudi Arabia and they ended the Legal practice of Slavery. What do you think? So the solution is to have Slavery?!?!? I fail to see the logic? The fact is there are many many many reasons why “third” world nations are poor. - Some are poor due to exploitation. - Some simply lack resources and have poor weather. - Some are poor because of their Culture (compare Singapore with Malaysia). - Sometimes it has nothing to do with culture and everything to do with government (Compare North and South Koreas). - Some have always been “poor” as we would define poor. - Japan locked itself away for hundreds of years they had a period of prosperity and a period of stagnation and about the time they opened up things were taking a dive. Not being poor is something everyone must work at all day every day - just like keeping ones house tidy. - China was for the most part of history the most prosperous nation to have ever existed, yet it went to shit, now the people are trying to pull themselves out – they are succeeding. Prosperity comes and goes. - The beginning of the Golden Age of Islam had a lot to do with a growing mercantile middle class and a lenience on religion. Yet, due to the taxation scheme more and more people became Muslims (they even tried to ban conversion at one point!) and soon Religion become more important than Government and Commerce. (my theory) Being very Religious is to be very stagnate. (my theory again) The end of the Golden Age of Islam had a lot to do with controlling the Silk (China) and Spice (India) trade routes to Europe – soon after the Portuguese discovered a trade route to Asia (almost Priceless) they skipped the Middle Man in the Middle East and the Middle East soon collapsed. So there are lots and lots of reasons. One day Americans may be really poor and have to work for the Chinese and Indians – maybe one day soon! This is not always the case: See China. See Japan. See Vietnam. See South Korea. See Thailand .. .. .. .. I personally think it has to do with the 1) governments 2) the work ethic of the people 3) the culture of a fair-go 4) AND many countries have HUGE populations now. This was not the case. Many poor countries have massive numbers of people now. Absolutely massive. Now when famine or natural disaster hit it hits a 1000s times the number of people and that little amount of food that used to support a small communities will not support the mega numbers of people. Well so I think anyway. Also, I’d rather be poor and free than poor and a Slave. That is for sure. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Michael PS: I grew up on $45/week childcare + free cheese/milk. I know a little about being poor. Of course I was lucky to be poor in America when there is oppertunity if one works their arse off....
A very wise man once said, "If you think that disagreeing and offering excellent reasons for your thinking will change anyone’s mind, you might be new on this planet.". So I'm going to stop here.Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I think atheists have more expectations from religion and obsess much more about what effects religion should have than theists do (and then they accuse theists of being brainwashed anyway!)
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Quote from Scott's Blog refering to Stephen Hawking. "But if you got as much barely-legal student poontang as The Hawkster, you’d be in a wheelchair too" Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Oh man that's funny.
