Petraeus Condemns Church's Plan to Burn Quarans

[Santa_Claus]

Yeah, the General is right.

I guess until this blows over the US troops won't be wandering around down town Kabul in jeans & t-shirts during their days off. What with how freindly the locals were until this week.

With f#ckwits like that no wonder the Afghan war was lost.

[Toontown]

Why can't big ol omnipotent Allah defend His own Book? Why would the book even be burnable, if it's a God's book? Wouldn't the Creator of Everything know how to fire-proof His books?

Well...maybe He doesn't know how to do that. But...He is omnipotent, right? He can throw lightning bolts, right?

So...when the bad ol Preacher Man tries to burn Allah's books, Allah can zap him, right?

So...what are the muslims worried about? Are they afraid Allah really can't defend His own book? Are they afraid Big ol Allah is helpless against a little ol preacher man with a fifty member congregation? For that matter, how did those Afghanis get wind that a tiny little church in a tiny little town plan to burn a couple of Kurans? How silly is it that they know that 50 people far, far away plan to burn a couple of books? How silly is it that they care? Don't they have enough to worry about in their corrupt, disfunctional shithole of a country?

That's it, isn't it. They really are afraid Allah can't whup a little ol infidel preacher man. Which is probably right. Allah's had his ass handed to Him by everybody from Ghengis Khan to the Bushes. Which begs the question...Why do muslims want to worship a false god? What's the use? the false god can't do anything for them. They have to do everything themselves. And yet they have to waste time praying to the false god 5 times a day.

Somebody needs to design a head-puller. I know it's a big job, pulling billions of heads out of their asses, but it has to be done. Monkeyworld can't go on like this, with billions of heads up billions of asses. Any fool can see that. Something's got to change.

Because this shit is fucking ridiculous.

[mistermack]

Don't they have enough to worry about in their corrupt, disfunctional shithole of a country?

Like most people, you seem to get your information from headlines.
Afghanistan is actually incredibly like the USA. It's not a shithole, it's a fabulous country, the only problem is it's full of Afghans. The same applies to the USA. And just lke the USA, most people don't give a toss if somone burns a few korans. It's just the assholes that care. Just like in the USA, very few people care if some Afghans burn the stars and stripes. It's just the mental and backward that get upset.
The other big similarity is the real problem. In Afghanistan, just like the USA, every brain-dead moron has a houseful of guns. When you give guns to the retarded, you will always get trouble.

[Robert_S]

Don't they have enough to worry about in their corrupt, disfunctional shithole of a country?

Like most people, you seem to get your information from headlines.
Afghanistan is actually incredibly like the USA. It's not a shithole, it's a fabulous country, the only problem is it's full of Afghans. The same applies to the USA. And just lke the USA, most people don't give a toss if somone burns a few korans. It's just the assholes that care. Just like in the USA, very few people care if some Afghans burn the stars and stripes. It's just the mental and backward that get upset.
The other big similarity is the real problem. In Afghanistan, just like the USA, every brain-dead moron has a houseful of guns. When you give guns to the retarded, you will always get trouble.

If the number of cranks who care are so small, why do Patraeus and Obama feel the need to speak on the issue?

I know lots of non-criminal and non-retarded gun owners and I feel very safe discussing politics and religion in their houses, even if we strongly disagree. Also, there's really not much in the way of armed insurrection brewing in the US.

[mistermack]

If the number of cranks who care are so small, why do Patraeus and Obama feel the need to speak on the issue? .

Because they've all got machine guns, and rocket propelled grenades. And they go one stage further in crankiness, they are prepared to die.

I think the biggest problem with Islamic countries is they don't get enough sex at a young enough age. ( the men, that is ). If all the women had been wrapped from head to foot, and off-limits, when I was in my teens and early twenties, I would have been much more trouble myself. What else is there to do? Especially if I was going round with an AK47.
It's hardly surprising.

I know lots of non-criminal and non-retarded gun owners and I feel very safe discussing politics and religion in their houses, even if we strongly disagree. Also, there's really not much in the way of armed insurrection brewing in the US.

I think you missed the point there. Those people aren't normally the problem. (Although quite a lot of people change, when they get a gun in their hands). But perhaps you know a way of keeping the guns out of the hands of the criminal and retarded?
.

[Robert_S]

If the number of cranks who care are so small, why do Patraeus and Obama feel the need to speak on the issue? .

Because they've all got machine guns, and rocket propelled grenades. And they go one stage further in crankiness, they are prepared to die.

The biggest problem with Islamic countries is they don't get enough sex at a young enough age. ( the men, that is ). If all the women had been wrapped from head to foot, and off-limits, when I was in my teens and early twenties, I would have been much more trouble myself. What else is there to do? Especially if I was going round with an AK47.
It's hardly surprising.

Odd, there was a in western civilization time when the mere sight of a woman's ankle was scandalous.

I know lots of non-criminal and non-retarded gun owners and I feel very safe discussing politics and religion in their houses, even if we strongly disagree. Also, there's really not much in the way of armed insurrection brewing in the US.

I think you missed the point there. Those people aren't normally the problem. (Although quite a lot of people change, when they get a gun in their hands). But perhaps you know a way of keeping the guns out of the hands of the criminal and retarded?
.

I was making sure you weren't painting all gun owners as retards. Actually, I get awful careful when I have a gun in my hand. I think a great many people do too. Criminals will get ahold of guns, that's part of their job a lot of the time. I think the answer is more cultural. If a criminal with a gun knows that only themselves and other criminals have one, they'll rightly feel quite powerful until the police show up. However, if a criminal knows that quite a few law abiding people in the area also have guns, then they'll feel more vulnerable and therefore a little less bold.

But that's another thread...

[Tigger]

Not sure whether this is apocryphal or even needs its own thread. I heard somewhere that the one's virginity, a condition held in such high standing in the Muslim world (I mean hymen reconstruction operations, for fuck's sake), can be preserved by buggering boys and that it doesn't count as "sex".

[mistermack]

Odd, there was a in western civilization time when the mere sight of a woman's ankle was scandalous.

That's right. A much more violent time. And if you read up, you'll find that the morals didn't match the clothing as much as they do in modern Islamic cultures.

However, if a criminal knows that quite a few law abiding people in the area also have guns, then they'll feel more vulnerable and therefore a little less bold.

That's the theory. I don't see it working in practice though. And there's another theory that says that if every house has guns, you might be advised to carry one of your own, if you're going to break the law.
.

[mistermack]

Not sure whether this is apocryphal or even needs its own thread. I heard somewhere that the one's virginity, a condition held in such high standing in the Muslim world (I mean hymen reconstruction operations, for fuck's sake), can be preserved by buggering boys and that it doesn't count as "sex".

That's an interesting one. Is the virginity of men as highly prized as that of women? I doubt it very much. We seem to share the islamic attitude deep down.
We somehow are a littlle bit proud of our sons, if they "put it around a bit", but would really rather our daughters kept it to themselves.
.

[JimC]

Not sure whether this is apocryphal or even needs its own thread. I heard somewhere that the one's virginity, a condition held in such high standing in the Muslim world (I mean hymen reconstruction operations, for fuck's sake), can be preserved by buggering boys and that it doesn't count as "sex".

That's an interesting one. Is the virginity of men as highly prized as that of women? I doubt it very much. We seem to share the islamic attitude deep down.
We somehow are a littlle bit proud of our sons, if they "put it around a bit", but would really rather our daughters kept it to themselves.
.

I would have thought so myself...

[Toontown]

Don't they have enough to worry about in their corrupt, disfunctional shithole of a country?

Like most people, you seem to get your information from headlines.

Oh? And from whom should I be getting my information?

Some anonymous, unreliable internet disinformation pusher?

You? Are you an honest and reliable source of information?

Afghanistan is actually incredibly like the USA.

You're kidding me, right? Ever seen any pitchers of the USA?

It's not a shithole....

Uh...yes it is. Dusty, rocky, mountainous, low on water, bad climate. Populated by some seriously fucked up people.

it's a fabulous country...

No it's not.

the only problem is it's full of Afghans.

No, that's not the only problem.

The same applies to the USA.

Duzzitnow.

Wow. You're a veritable fount of honest, reliable information, aren't you.

And just lke the USA, most people don't give a toss if somone burns a few korans. It's just the assholes that care. Just like in the USA, very few people care if some Afghans burn the stars and stripes. It's just the mental and backward that get upset.

Wow. I don't know how to begin to tell you how insightful that is. You've altered my entire paradigm.

The other big similarity is the real problem. In Afghanistan, just like the USA, every brain-dead moron has a houseful of guns. When you give guns to the retarded, you will always get trouble.

I see. You used that one cherry-picked sentence from my post as a springboard from which to call Americans brain-dead morons with guns. How very...cunning...of you. Seriously. That was really cunning.

But frankly, I've found it even more troublesome when intelligent enemies have guns and I don't. I've found that armed, belligerent morons aren't usually that much of a problem if I have a gun.

And frankly, I haven't been all that impressed with the, uh..."information"...you've bestowed upon me. So I think I'll just stick with my usual sources, thank you very much. BTW, I haven't read a newspaper in months. I don't have anything against them, it's just that I never seem to have my reading glasses when the opportunity to read one arises. I do, however, have an internet, and a TV.

Yeah, I know what you're going to say. The TV is a crap source of information. I know the drill. All you would-be indoctrinators are alike. You all want to herd us away from our usual sources of information, in the hope that you can then substitute your own bogus disinformation. Well, forget it. I ain't buying.

Move along now.

[mistermack]

You're kidding me, right? Ever seen any pitchers of the USA?

Uh...yes it is. Dusty, rocky, mountainous, low on water, bad climate. Populated by some seriously fucked up people.

the only problem is it's full of Afghans.

No, that's not the only problem.

You're right! It's also full of americans. They are even more alike than I thought!!

I've found that armed, belligerent morons aren't usually that much of a problem if I have a gun.

It's Clint Eastwood!! Toontown is Clint Eastwood!!

I do, however, have an internet, and a TV.

You prove my point for me then. They have headlines too. And they deliberately keep it simple.

I know the drill. All you would-be indoctrinators are alike. You all want to herd us away from our usual sources of information, in the hope that you can then substitute your own bogus disinformation. Well, forget it. I ain't buying.

Move along now.

You're not just a teeny weeny bit paranoid, by any chance? Or am I just trying to control your mind with subliminal text?
.

[Toontown]

You're not just a teeny weeny bit paranoid, by any chance? Or am I just trying to control your mind with subliminal text?

Maybe. Maybe not. It is difficult to know with certainty what the fuck you're trying to do, but whatever it is, it STINKS, and it's not working.

A couple of recorded facts are evident, however. You did start out by presumptively attacking my information sources without having a clue how I obtain or evaluate information. You then proceeded to regale me with some lame, shallow, opinionated bullshit, which you seemed to consider deeply meaningful.

So it does kind of look like some fumbling, amateurish indoctrination routine when you look at it from my perspective, now doesn't it.

But seriously, I really don't think you have a clue how to control anyone's mind, including your own. So perhaps you're just trying to badger me. Is that it?

Whatever the fuck it is, just spit it the fuck out, get it the fuck over with, and move along. The fucking internet is already so jammed up it takes half an hour to load a fucking page, and you're jamming it up worse with your ineffective badgering and/or indoctrination attempts, as the case may be. And yet you have the sheer hypocrisy to call Americans "brain-dead".

Perhaps you simply wanted to insult Americans. If that's the case, you've been there and done that. In one sentence. You didn't need another sentence, or any of this other useless embellishment to do that. No need to make a career out of it. In fact, you could easily have said nothing at all, for all your jacked up bloviations are worth. You make the world a crappier place every time you post. But then, perhaps that's your motivation.

[Robert_S]

bloviations

You said "bloviations"


2x score multiplier for double entendre and a reference to Pres. Harding.

Rerail:

I think that it was justified for Petraeus and the Obama administration to ask this preacher guy to not burn the Korans in light of the fact that it would make military operations more difficult. If the US was not in Afghanistan, then I don't think it would be justified for the administration or the military to ask this and I don't have any reason to believe they would give it a second thought.

[klr]

Maybe someone should try and hype up this story, and see how Muslims react ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11279317

Indonesia church row raises fears of sectarian conflict

These days there is a heavy police presence in Bekasi, a fast-growing suburb about an hour outside the capital Jakarta.


Every Sunday, officers gather here and are given orders by their superiors to guard against any sign of violence.

For the last few weeks, a group of Christians have been holding their Sunday prayer services on an empty plot of land - resulting in violent clashes between them and the majority Muslims.

On Sunday, a church member was stabbed in what some are calling the latest example of religious intolerance. It's not clear who is behind the stabbing.

The Christians say the land belongs to them, and they were given permission by the local government to pray here.

The Muslims say that according to Indonesian law, the Christians need to get the approval of residents in the area before they can make the land a place of worship.

They have even put up signs warning what will happen if the Christians continue to pray here on Sundays.

"Stop these illegal prayers right now, or the public will take action," one reads.

Another proclaims, "The people of Bekasi reject the construction of a church on this land."

Rising tensions

There has not always been this sort of deep suspicion between Muslims and Christians in Bekasi.

Like much of Indonesia, it is an area dominated by Muslims but the two faiths live side by side.

Risomas is from the Christian minority but has never felt out of place.

But this religious quarrel is threatening to rip the community apart.

"They are very narrow-minded," she tells me as we sit down in her home, decorated with images of Jesus Christ.

"I don't know how they see God. I feel that my God protects me but they seem to think that they need to defend their God. I guess that's the difference between us."

But on the other side of Bekasi, I hear a radically different interpretation of events.

Khairul Fuad, a long-time resident, is a devout Muslim, and a family man.

He says their peaceful lives have been disturbed by the Christians' insistence on using the empty plot of land in Bekasi as a place of worship.

"The non-Muslims should understand the feeling of the Muslims here. We are the majority here," he says.

"The land belong to us, and the majority of the people who live around it are Muslims. There was a rumour that to get that land, those Christians didn't tell the people they wanted to build a place of worship."

Murhali Barda, the local leader of the hardline Islamic Defenders' Front, has taken up the Muslims' cause.

The Christians believe the group is behind the clashes in the area, inciting hostility between the two communities.

"There is no problem with praying. But when they are there with a mission to build a place of worship, it is unacceptable," he told me as he showed me around Bekasi's oldest mosque.

I asked him what he would do if the Christians paid no attention to his warning.

"If we start calling for Holy War, it doesn't matter if we live or die," he said, smiling. "If there is violence that results from this, then the Christians only have themselves to blame."

Democratic response

The problems in Bekasi have caught the attention of the entire nation.

n Jakarta, Indonesians of different faiths joined forces, raising their voices in unison in support of a more secular Indonesia.

The constitution guarantees the rights of citizens to practise their religion freely.

The protesters say they want their government to take action and uphold the principles of this country.

In an interview with the BBC, the Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalagewa told me authorities are not shirking their responsibilities.

"I don't think we lack any political will," he said. "I don't think we lack resolve. On the contrary, we are doing what we can.

"But we must do these things in a democratic way. It must be a democratic response as well. There's a fine balance, in ensuring that everyone's civil liberties are upheld."

But the concern is if the government is too slow to act, this local problem could become a national issue.

Local brawl, national nightmare?

Ten years ago, Indonesia stood on the brink of a religious war. A local brawl between Christians and Muslims in the Maluku islands threatened to split the country apart.

Thousands died in the violence. Troops were called in to quell the unrest, which took years to resolve.

Bonar Naipospos, vice-chairman of the Setara Institute, which works to promote democracy and peace, has been documenting cases of religious conflict across Indonesia.

There were far more attacks on churches and religious minorities in the first six months of this year than in the last two years, he says.

"This has happened in the greater area of Jakarta," Bonar tells me. "If the government cannot solve the problem near the capital city, how can it solve the problem outside of Java?"

Back in Bekasi, the congregation has held yet another Sunday service on their land.

The police are out in full force, standing guard. But this is not a permanent solution.

Indonesia must find a way to ensure that its minorities can worship without fear, or else this ongoing local brawl could turn into a national nightmare.

If we start calling for Holy War, it doesn't matter if we live or die," he said, smiling. "If there is violence that results from this, then the Christians only have themselves to blame.