Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Double Standard, Colonizer Edition

 "Israel is often accused of being a colonizer. The general argument is that Zionism is evil because it is a colonizing force. OK, is there a religion in that region that has engaged in the colonizing of an extraordinarily greater number of people and territories, over a profoundly longer time period? If colonizing is evil and bad, it should be so for anyone who engages in it no?"

 

Gaad Saad

8 comments:

Marshal Art said...

Pretty much how islam spread throughout the middle eastern world!

Craig said...

Thank God for the bravery of those who stepped up and defeated the Muslim armies at Vienna or they'd have very likely conquered Europe. But it would a been a peaceful conquest from the religion of peace.

Marshal Art said...

Had they not relied upon the sword, it's doubtful islam would even exist today. Few found their "religion" to have any appeal, which played a role in their determination to conquer (a better word regarding them than "colonize").

Craig said...

Absolutely. Although the 72 virgins deal isn't unappealing. But no, there was a reason why Islam needed conquest, and death threats, to expand.

Marshal Art said...

Indeed, because though intelligent people might find 72 virgins in the afterlife appealing, they don't take it seriously enough to convert to stupidity.

As an aside, every time I hear or read of the 72 virgins thing, I recall a comedian...don't remember who...saying it's actually a 72 yr old virgin.

Craig said...

My point, however sarcastic it might have been, is that there are people who would find positive reasons to convert to Islam. But those would be much fewer than those who were forced on pain of death to convert.

Marshal Art said...

Much fewer. Indeed, I would insist that those few are pretending the "religion" is something it isn't.

Another aide: of those who convert to any religion, isn't it a good idea to investigate the truth claims before committing? Despite having been raised a Christian, there did come a time when I launched my own investigation. I don't believe there exists any other religion which has anywhere near the body of evidence affirming its truth claims as does Christianity.

Craig said...

Actually, I'd argue that a religion that legitimizes revenge and extols conquest and Jihad would be appealing to quite a few people.

It's absolutely important to investigate the Truth claims of a religion, yet how many people really do? I agree that Christianity is unique in that sense.