Deadly Combination: ignorance, hate & religion

[Danmark]

Once again the tragic events in Boston April 15, 2013 involve the deadly combination of ignorance, religion and hatred. Once again the religion is Islam and the resources used to fuel the hate came from an Al Qaeda terrorist site. It becomes harder and harder not to blame Islam and religion in general, despite knowing that most Muslims are peace loving.

What triggered this topic is the news from a friend of the older of the two terrorists than he claimed the Bible was a 'cheap copy' of the Qur'an, despite the Qur'an having been written about 500 years after the NT.

Muslims argue vigorously that it is only a misunderstanding of their religion that results in acts of terror and that the Bible also has verses of violence and adherents who terrorize.

The question for debate is how much is ignorance to blame instead of religion?
does Islam play a particularly responsible role in the culture of terrorism?

[Youkilledkenny]

[Replying to post 1 by Danmark]

The question for debate is how much is ignorance to blame instead of religion?
There are ignorant people without religion. And religious people that aren't ignorant. And vice verse. How much blame to place where really depends, IMO, on the individual and their mental state/paranoia.
does Islam play a particularly responsible role in the culture of terrorism? Over history, yes, but no more so than any other religion at any point in time I would think.

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 1 by Danmark]

The question for debate is how much is ignorance to blame instead of religion?
There are ignorant people without religion. And religious people that aren't ignorant. And vice verse. How much blame to place where really depends, IMO, on the individual and their mental state/paranoia.
does Islam play a particularly responsible role in the culture of terrorism? Over history, yes, but no more so than any other religion at any point in time I would think.

I don't disagree. What has been happening the last few decades is that a disproportionate number of acts of terror are, according to the terrorists themselves, being done in the name of Islam. And, depending on the nation these acts of terror are supported by more than a tiny minority of Muslims.

I attribute this not so much to Islam itself, as the fact that many of the attackers and their supporters feel disenfranchised, or that their culture is being eroded by the West, or both. For many, terrorism appears to them to be one of their only weapons.

World Public Opinion: 61% of Egyptians approve of attacks on Americans
32% of Indonesians approve of attacks on Americans
41% of Pakistanis approve of attacks on Americans
38% of Moroccans approve of attacks on Americans
83% of Palestinians approve of some or most groups that attack Americans (only 14% oppose)
62% of Jordanians approve of some or most groups that attack Americans (21% oppose)
42% of Turks approve of some or most groups that attack Americans (45% oppose)
A minority of Muslims disagreed entirely with terror attacks on Americans:
(Egypt 34%; Indonesia 45%; Pakistan 33%)
About half of those opposed to attacking Americans were sympathetic with al-Qaeda’s attitude toward the U.S.
http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/ ... 09_rpt.pdf

Pew Research (2010): 55% of Jordanians have a positive view of Hezbollah
30% of Egyptians have a positive view of Hezbollah
45% of Nigerian Muslims have a positive view of Hezbollah (26% negative)
43% of Indonesians have a positive view of Hezbollah (30% negative)
http://pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims ... hezbollah/

Pew Research (2010): 60% of Jordanians have a positive view of Hamas (34% negative).
49% of Egyptians have a positive view of Hamas (48% negative)
49% of Nigerian Muslims have a positive view of Hamas (25% negative)
39% of Indonesians have a positive view of Hamas (33% negative)
http://pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims ... hezbollah/

Pew Research (2010): 15% of Indonesians believe suicide bombings are often or sometimes justified.
34% of Nigerian Muslims believe suicide bombings are often or sometimes justified.
http://pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims ... hezbollah/

16% of young Muslims in Belgium state terrorism is "acceptable".
http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/1275/Islam/art ... baar.dhtml