Mostafa,
You wrote, "Our defeatism comes from the fact we have surreptitiously
compiled to cultural manipulation and imperialism."
I beg to differ. Overwhelming military might brought about defeat.
In being forced to accept foreign rule, your people have
surreptitiously compiled to cultural manipulation and imperialism.
To some degree the vanquished survive by mimicking the victor. Rome
modeled her Empire on previous Empires. Brittan carried on in true
Roman tradition, as does the American Empire, today.
Carl Jarvis
On 10/16/18, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have visited Spain and I can attest to the fact that there is evidence
there of a Muslim tradition of fine art and education. Each religion has
produced fine art, educational traditions, and values to sustain humankind.
From every religions tradition, people of superior morality and leadership
have arisen. No religion can claim a monopoly on the positives that it has
contributed to the world. At the same time, every one of the great religions
has a dark side, a tradition of cruelty, intolerance, war in order to
dominate others, domination over, and devaluation of women. And if we look
at the secular world, we can see something similar. The large Communist
states were authoritarian and tended to disregard civil rights and freedoms.
We are talking about the human condition. Whatever our belief system or
philosophy or political views, it's important to remember that all of us
suffer from the same human frailties.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Mostafa
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 1:35 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: What's religion?
Hello. To those who asked to be removed, they've been opted out. As Roger,
Carl and Mariam contributed their own perspective based on experience, I'll
do so in the section below. What is religion? In order to answer this
question properly, we must first focus on the norm of human societies.
Humans came into being in need for provision, tutelage and guardianship.
Therefore, throughout many ages, God sent to people prophets conveying
divine sentiment and preaching decent conduct. From time to another, people
stubbornly rebelled, resisted and dissented with religious devotion. Even
after prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) completed his
mission, there are people who desecrate religious veneration. So, religion
is the system of organised belief that is steadfastly adhered by a
particular sect, group or denomination. This belief incorporates set of
tenets and principles that are destined to guide and devise believers.
"Religion is a complex set of superstitions that comprise an ideology the
main function of which is the justification of the prevailing class." Roger
says this about religion. Of course, his definition reflects his own
experience. A superstition is an irrational presumption and it is commonly
based on ignorance or fear. Wittingly, religion is essentially based on firm
consignment to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. People slip all the
time. Therefore, they always need a source of comfort and penitence.
Religion is what people seek refuge with to improve themselves. I respect
Carl's perspective on religion.
Although I sternly dissent with him, he and Miriam have contributed their
perspectives respectfully. So, if religion is initially of divine sentiment,
has it ever been ruined? Of course, in each and every faith, there are
fringe elements which have misinterpreted religious text such as Al-Qa'ida
and Da'ish in Islam and right-wing Protestants and Zionist movements which
have viciously abducted the Jewish faith. So, what is the key element to
this? If religion is misused to justify the intrinsical demonisation and
thus the perfect demolition of some communities or minorities, then its
interpretation is gravely problematic. So, to correct this prejudicious
assumption, I am not necessarily hostile with anyone who is not Muslim. I
neighbor Coptics and many of my coworkers are Coptics. I naturally dissent
with them on theological grounds. Nevertheless, I treat them justly because
they haven't assaulted my faith and identity. The reason why I am
substantially uncongenial to many Protestants and many Jews is the fact they
have relentlessly endorsed the apartheid state of Israel and they
incessantly preside its broadly outlawed aggression. I never extrapolated.
My religion doesn't teach terrorism but it ordains combative Jihad against
oppressive infidels. So for instance, the CNN has just reported this, More
than 200 children from separated undocumented immigrant families remain in
US custody, officials said in a court filing Monday night. Who is going to
free these wrongly confined children? The US won't and nothing will make it
recede unless an intemperately superior force is executed properly. So, is
religion the reason of the Muslim world backwardness today? Secular critics
like to unprovably think so. However, Muslims today are backward because
they disgraced themselves by abandoning their religious tenets and have
given their enemy more than it ever dreamed. In the past, in the State of
Andalusia which is an interlingual rendition from the Arabic term
Al-Andalus, Muslims prospered in Theology, Literature, Philosophy, physics,
Mathematics and brilliant architectural works. If you visit today's modern
Spain, you'll see what Muslims left there.
It was a major educational center for Europe and the lands around the
Mediterranean Sea as well as a conduit for culture and science between the
Islamic and Christian worlds. Al-Farabi who was deeply skilled in
Mathematics, Music, Philosophy and Metaphysics came from Andalous.
ibn-Roshd who was a great philosopher wrote detailed commentaries on
Aristotle that were admired by the Schoolmen (1126-1198). His textbooks and
commentaries on ancient Greek philosophy are still taught today in many
prestigious colleges around the world. ibn-Sina, a notable Philosopher,
Mathematician and a great physician. Those outstanding scholars come from
Muslim background. Today's modern Europe and North America, still rely on
many scientific and medicinal theories, initially brought by Muslim
scholarship of Andalous's great civilisation. Ibn al-Haytham, An Egyptian
polymath (born in Iraq) whose research in geometry and optics was
influential into the 17th century; established experiments as the norm of
proof in physics (died in 1040). France, assumed the precise simulation of
jural principles of Maliki Madhhab to constitute statute law. So, it is
pretty obvious that Islam is not the reason of why we are miserably
defeated. Our defeatism comes from the fact we have surreptitiously compiled
to cultural manipulation and imperialism. Today at school, I see many young
people attempting to imitate Americans and Europeans. Even when I met some
domestic Athists here at the American University of Cairo, I found them
unconsciously mimicking what western Atheists claim.
People like to speak English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
and even Chinese. Ironically, they barely speak their own language, Arabic.
Is this nation modeling footsteps of prosperity?
Unfortunately, no. I therefore urge American recipients of this thread to
redress their conception of Muslims, especially those of the past who
pridefully held our glory. I am not telling a story. I am retaining our
dignity through reciting impressive historical accounts.
I hope to keep this discussion civil and of deferent engagement. . I keep my
head upright, even in the position of facing this defeatism. I do not know
how to incline. I learned English to represent myself plainly. Thank you for
patiently reading and hopefully, wisely listening. Mustafa
Religion is a complex set of superstitions that comprise an ideology
the main function of which is the justification of the prevailing
class society. To clarify a word used in this definition, a
superstition is a belief held by faith and faith is the act of
believing a given proposition or set of propositions without any
consideration for either reason or evidence That is, a superstition is
the belief and faith is the act of believing it. For example, one
could have faith that there are square triangles and if upon being
presented with a mathematical proof that there can be no square
triangles if one continues to belief in square triangles then the belief
in square triangles is a superstition.
On 10/14/2018 8:50 AM, Mostafa wrote:
Hello. I'd like each and everyone who receives this to tell me in
brief, what is religion for him? Even if he's irreligious but please,
without mockery and in respectful terms.
