Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

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Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by Schneibster » Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:52 pm

An interesting piece of analysis, that cites several sources on the ground. This source is quiet, but occasionally very incisive. I am looking for corroborating accounts.

Enjoy.
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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by klr » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:19 pm

It wouldn't be the first time that over-zealous religious terrorism has helped to fatally erode its own support base.

I suppose the important question is just what happens next.
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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:23 pm

Is there a number we can call to donate money to help those poor people?
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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by Ian » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:46 pm

Gawdzilla wrote:Is there a number we can call to donate money to help those poor people?
1-800-PRED-TOR

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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:05 am

Ian wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:Is there a number we can call to donate money to help those poor people?
1-800-PRED-TOR
(703) 482-0623


:leave:
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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by John_fi_Skye » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:09 am

Where did all that religion stuff come from anyway? It's all bizarre, counterintuitive, unhelpful, stultifying, and downright fucking stupid. When we were in the caves and the trees, struggling to find basic subsistence, who the fuck came up with the most odd idea of a deity? And wouldn't it have been so much better for all the rest of us ever since if he or she had just been drowned at birth?
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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by Ian » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:22 am

John_fi_Skye wrote:Where did all that religion stuff come from anyway? It's all bizarre, counterintuitive, unhelpful, stultifying, and downright fucking stupid. When we were in the caves and the trees, struggling to find basic subsistence, who the fuck came up with the most odd idea of a deity? And wouldn't it have been so much better for all the rest of us ever since if he or she had just been drowned at birth?
I recommend watching The Invention of Lying.

Making up the concept of a pleasant afterlife is a good way for the ignorant to cope with loss and dying. From there, you just create other structures on top of that belief so people will continue to accept a unified theory of it. Eventually, those who gain some authority in this organization will perpetuate it as a means of control.

Or something like that.

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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:24 am

John_fi_Skye wrote:Where did all that religion stuff come from anyway? It's all bizarre, counterintuitive, unhelpful, stultifying, and downright fucking stupid. When we were in the caves and the trees, struggling to find basic subsistence, who the fuck came up with the most odd idea of a deity? And wouldn't it have been so much better for all the rest of us ever since if he or she had just been drowned at birth?
It's a reflection of a society similar to the one that produced the Torah.
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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by John_fi_Skye » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:30 am

Ian wrote:
John_fi_Skye wrote:Where did all that religion stuff come from anyway? It's all bizarre, counterintuitive, unhelpful, stultifying, and downright fucking stupid. When we were in the caves and the trees, struggling to find basic subsistence, who the fuck came up with the most odd idea of a deity? And wouldn't it have been so much better for all the rest of us ever since if he or she had just been drowned at birth?
I recommend watching The Invention of Lying.

Making up the concept of a pleasant afterlife is a good way for the ignorant to cope with loss and dying. From there, you just create other structures on top of that belief so people will continue to accept a unified theory of it. Eventually, those who gain some authority in this organization will perpetuate it as a means of control.

Or something like that.
Yep. I do understand that, Ian. Just, going back a millennium or ten before that - before we were quite so social and organised, when as I say we were still in the caves and the trees - who the fuck first came up with that fucking crazy idea? And when he or she was struggling every day to find enough food and warmth and shelter to keep going for the couple of decades of grinding and fearful hardship which at that time constituted a full life, why the fuck did he or she do so? Was he or she legless on fermented fruit?
Pray, do not mock me: I am a very foolish fond old man; And, to deal plainly, I fear I am not in my perfect mind.

Blah blah blah blah blah!

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Life is glorious.

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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by John_fi_Skye » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:32 am

John_fi_Skye wrote:
Ian wrote:
John_fi_Skye wrote:Where did all that religion stuff come from anyway? It's all bizarre, counterintuitive, unhelpful, stultifying, and downright fucking stupid. When we were in the caves and the trees, struggling to find basic subsistence, who the fuck came up with the most odd idea of a deity? And wouldn't it have been so much better for all the rest of us ever since if he or she had just been drowned at birth?
I recommend watching The Invention of Lying.

Making up the concept of a pleasant afterlife is a good way for the ignorant to cope with loss and dying. From there, you just create other structures on top of that belief so people will continue to accept a unified theory of it. Eventually, those who gain some authority in this organization will perpetuate it as a means of control.

Or something like that.
Yep. I do understand that, Ian. Just, going back a millennium or ten before that - before we were quite so social and organised, when as I say we were still in the caves and the trees - who the fuck first came up with that fucking crazy idea? And when he or she was struggling every day to find enough food and warmth and shelter to keep going for the couple of decades of grinding and fearful hardship which at that time constituted a full life, why the fuck did he or she do so? Was he or she legless on fermented fruit?
As we say hereabouts, it's fucking mentle.
Pray, do not mock me: I am a very foolish fond old man; And, to deal plainly, I fear I am not in my perfect mind.

Blah blah blah blah blah!

Memo to self: no Lir chocolates.

Life is glorious.

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Re: Taliban May Be Losing Popularity

Post by Schneibster » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:35 am

Ian wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:Is there a number we can call to donate money to help those poor people?
1-800-PRED-TOR
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Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. -Daniel Patrick Moynihan
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. -Thomas Jefferson
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