Too many people don't seem to want to understand what is happening here and I hope that it doesn't take the murder of the Pope or some equally horrific crime to wake people up to their peril.

If this happens, the international Left will simply blame the Pope himself (for offending Muslims), the Catholic Church or the West in general for this murder. Remember, according to political correctness, if non-West does something wrong to West, it is only because West provoked it.

if an attempt is made it won't be the first time, in recent history, a muslim tried to kill the pope.

yet political correctness demands that we show tolerance to our untolerant enemies...to include random searches of grandma instead of mohammed just behind her in line.

Yep... the "religion of peace" again rears its ugly head.

This is really getting old.

Bigfoot,

I fear you are all too right about the left.

Looks like a plane was hijacked because a muslim was upset about what the Pope said.

Yes, our elected dimocraps continue to investigate who knew what when about Foley's scandal, while ignorimg all of the real threats to America and the west. They are so tough on this war against terror, they don't need to pay any attention to it.

Easy election win for all Republicans if the dimwitted dimocraps keep to their game plan of "just hate Bush, and we'll get elected".

So, the Pope makes a statement linking Islam with violence and to protest this the Muslim world reacts...violently. Six Christian churches are firebombed, a fatwa is issued calling upon Muslims to kill Pope Benedict XVI and 2 Turks hijack a plane to "protest" the Pope's comments about Islam. I'd say this was unbelievable behavior, yet the sad truth is that it's just par for the course for the Muslim world.

So, the Pope makes a statement linking Islam with violence and to protest this the Muslim world reacts...violently. Six Christian churches are firebombed, a fatwa is issued calling upon Muslims to kill Pope Benedict XVI and 2 Turks hijack a plane to "protest" the Pope's comments about Islam. I'd say this was unbelievable behavior, yet the sad truth is that it's just par for the course for the Muslim world.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I agree!

And where are the "peaceful" Muslims standing up and denouncing this? If they are so against this, maybe one of them should hold a press conference and denounce this call to murder, to the world!

But it wont happen...because.....

well, i wont post why

One cannot stand idlely by in the face of such egregious behavior without taking a position.

Silence in the face of such behavior give assent. And the silence of the aledged 'moderate' Islamic community is positively deafening.

If it weren't so sad, it would be almost amusing, that you all get so flustered by an alleged "fatwa" issued by a group that has no authorization to issue fatwas, but at the same time ignore fatwas issued by legit Muslim jurists condemning terrorism and violence.

By the way, the hijacker of the Turkish plane was a Christian protesting his draft into a Muslim army (the Turkish military).

The religion of peace --- also executed Sister Leonella, a nun in the back. It took two of them to do it, and still the muslims are silent.

She forgave them before she died, but muslims still do not forgive the pope and continue their 'violent' behavior towards the world. Just what will it take for the world to wake up to this?

Moderate Muslims are condemning violence and terrorism every single day.

The real question is why don't you hear them?

*Update!*

CNN.com: Earlier reports on Tuesday that two hijackers were protesting Pope Benedict XVI’s planned visit to Turkey were apparently incorrect; authorities now say that the single hijacker has requested political asylum.

The hijacker, who according to passengers sneaked into the cockpit when the rest of the crew was busy, told the pilot there were two hijackers, Italian police said. But passengers have reported seeing only one.

Turkish officials said the hijacker, identified as Hasan Ekinci, wrote a letter to the pope in August asking for help in avoiding service in the Turkish army.

“I am a Christian and don’t want to serve a Muslim army,” he wrote, adding that he had been attending church since 1998.

The US needs to outlaw Islam, or riots like this will soon be happening in America...

Seven police hurt in riots by youths near Paris.

(via LGF) VERSAILLES, France, Oct 2, 2006 (AFP) - Seven French police officers were hurt during clashes with scores of youths that broke out after a car chase in Les Mureaux, in the western Paris outskirts, justice officials said Monday.

The incident late Sunday followed the arrest of man who drove his car into a police vehicle after being chased for a traffic offence. As the man was being taken to the police station in another vehicle, it was set upon by a crowd.

“There were around 250 people — very angry and very hostile,” police officials said. The prosecutor’s office said the number was around 130.

Some of the police were hurt when a stone hurled into their car detonated a tear-gas grenade. One of the police cars was gutted by fire. There were no arrests.

These events are not suprising at all. The MUSLIMS right now view the West as a weak, decadent society. They misread our political systems as a significant chink in our armour. Certain key Muslim players (its not hard to figure out who they are) are positioning themselves as instigators for World War III, with the intention of rewriting, or as they say "correcting," the after-effects of World War II. They honestly do not believe that the West will have the will to fight, and even if the West fights, God will protect and deliver Muslim warriers. In order to do that, they have to whip up the frenze in their population. But why now?
1. First, since the mid 80's, NATO has significantly cut back on defence spending, troop levels, technological innovations, etc., etc. When the Soviet Union collapsed, there went the reason to buy bullets rather than butter. Second, even though the EU has solidified Europe, thousands of Muslims have integrated themselves into the various member states, and now form a significant "Third Column"--recall the riots in the Cities of France when the President of France suggested that many of the Muslims needed to return to their homes (due to the job situation) and England (for their support against terrioism), the "nicely timed" Train Bombings in Madrid that changed public opinion (and support) at the poles, the London bombings (that FAILED to change the publics opion or political leadership), the recent bombinbs in the Economic Stronghold of India, and Pakastan's recent nose thumping at the US and the West. The theory is to confuse and disillusion the West, and pounce while they are in a state of weakened confusion.
2. The United States has continued to use BRAC's to cut troop levels, equipment inventories, and defence spending, despite the fact that we are currently in a global war on terrorism. The Air Force is fighting for its survival (especially after the failed Israli AF attempt). In recent years, the Strategic Air Command (Bomber, Tanker, and Missile Forces) have been downsized and merged into the Tactical Air Command (Fighters and Air Defence) to form the Air Combat Command. I can recall the fevered discussions when plans were announced to reduce to 22 Tactical Fighter Wings, and a two-front strategy. Then there were 18, 17, a single front strategy (must quickly win one front), then shift forces within 60 days to defeat the second front (of course, pulling our troops back kills the concept of surviving weeks, much less 60 days.) Now there is the new strategy, centralized, lightly equipped strike forces contained solely in the US, or on ships at sea. Our current AF strength is a mere shadow of what it was, even in the first Gulf War. The same holds true for our Navy, and for our Army. We continue to close and realign military assets, we continue to bring our forward operating locations/troops home, to consolidate them in fewer hardened facilaties (this was the same tactic that devastated Perl Harbour on Dec 7, 1941--and had the carriers been allowed to return to port, would have extended WWII Pacific by another 2 to 3 years (the time to rebuild our carrer fleets). We are still pulling our troops out of Europe, out of Asia, and consolidating down into a quicker, lighter force, with lightning deployment capability. The MAJOR FLAW with this plan is that it depends on the concept that we will never have to face a massive Soviet Type military again--thus the conversion to fighting light regional conflicts with terriosts. The seond major FLAW with this plan, is that any potential enemies (nations don't normally tend to act alone, they tend to form alliances prior to major wars) will give us the necessary time to retool and rebuild our massive military arsenal. I won't even discuss the irrationalization of this concept. I firmly hold that there always have been, and there will always be, rising nations capable of fielding massive conventional armies (Can anyone trully guarantee us that the Muslims are not capable of overthrowing their governments, joining alliances, and initating military campaigns in the name of Alla)? Finally, the Muslim population in the U.S. continues to grow daily. There are now thousands of Muslimes (which, we have welcomed with open arms, and should do so) in the US, and if reports are true, many are now openly preaching rebellion against the American Government (who welcomed them here in the first place). Could we have the makings of a third coloum here? I think that's the plan--better get those fences on the borders up quicker.
3. North Korea has fired missiles in the Pacific toward American interests, unanswered. They continue to work on nuclear technology. Here's an interesting idea. Neither we, nor the Communists, won the Korean War. Since it was never offically declared a war, but a military police campaign,and since we had not yet fully recoverd from the financial burden or human loss of WWII it apparantly was not worth winnig (on our part), and a stalemate developed, from which both sides signed an Amestice "cease fire" agreement. The year I was stationed there during the Olympics (late 80's--thirty years after the cease fire) North Korean Special Forces enterd South Korea on several occasions (once while I was deployed at a forward Army camp). Of course, they went down fighting, but they were satchel charges and machine guns equipped. The South Korean government (at least when I was there) took the threat from the North quite seriously.
4. The Chinese Military Leadership continues to compete with the Chinese Economic Leadership for influence, and even though the Economists are winning, there is an awful lot of funding going into their arms develpment programs. Is there ever a time where the enourmous expenditers in military capability have to be used to justify their expense.
5. I've seen a lot of discussion on the Iranian issue, and I've heard the news agencies discuss Iran's past, present, and future, and why they have a right to be upset with the West because of the Shaa. But, I notice that the "historical perspectives" portrayed on CNN, ABC, and others have neglected coverage on why Kemenee was exiled into Southern France in the first place, and why the Brittish and American governments paid millions of tax-payer dollars to maintain a rather lavish living style (Review some of the old "Life" magazine articles), or what happened when we and the Britts quit paying his way. We hear about the attrocities of the Shaa, but no one dares to report on the events in the months following Kemenee's return--of his ordering executions of thousands of loyal offericers (most educated and trained in the West), of his orders that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Iranian Women, Children and Men who refused to follow his "bloodlust" desire to return to the great Persian Empire, of the inner tribal warfare. Had it not been for Iraqs invasion, that turned out to be a unifying action, Iran would have probably fragmented into a long sustained bloody civil war, as the Radical Islamics fought the more Conventioal Islamic tribes. If my memory serves me, Kemenee was bannished to Southern France because of the radical religious violence he preached toward all non-believers (even his own people). Even the majority of his own followers (at the time) refused to follow him to France, because his radical ideas were trully dismissed by most Islamics of the time (again, based on my memory of the events)as being too blood thirsty for modern times. Well, history is unique. He, and his appointed followers, have since the late 1970's, guided, developed, instigated, educated, and built a whole nation of Radical Islamic followers--they have apparantly managed to "weed-out" and execute any conservative Islamics who might protest--and that has extended beyond the borders of Iran--Perhaps that is why we people in the West don't hear a lot of protest coming from many Muslims--most are afraid of the radical revival that flowing through the Islamic ranks like wildfire--most are probably afraid for their own safety, or that of their families.

Nothing arong with the Turkish Armed Forces. At 1,000,000 strong, it is the second largest standing force in NATO, next to the USA.

Perhaps the problem is that it is 99% Muslim?

What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do when he knew he was going to be crucified? Did he wage war on the people responsible for that? Why does a threat of violence lead to more threats of violence against that violence? Pre-emptive violence? This will never end if both sides just seek to destroy each other. From this entry this blog sounds much more like Blog for Christianity than Blog for Bush. Yet there is such little tolerance and forgiveness here.

Freedom1, in none of the news reports I can find (looking beyond the LFG blog) about the riots in Paris is there any mention of religious affiliation of the rioters. There is mention of immigrants from Africa, low-income, unemployment, in the neighborhoods where the rioting occurred. Low income and unemployment have led to strife in other communities--in the US and abroad--without respect to religion. There are ways to respond to such issues. Outlawing a religion, isolationism, escalating violence, etc. won't solve anything.

What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do when he knew he was going to be crucified? Did he wage war on the people responsible for that? Why does a threat of violence lead to more threats of violence against that violence? Pre-emptive violence? This will never end if both sides just seek to destroy each other. From this entry this blog sounds much more like Blog for Christianity than Blog for Bush. Yet there is such little tolerance and forgiveness here.

Freedom1, in none of the news reports I can find (looking beyond the LFG blog) about the riots in Paris is there any mention of religious affiliation of the rioters. There is mention of immigrants from Africa, low-income, unemployment, in the neighborhoods where the rioting occurred. Low income and unemployment have led to strife in other communities--in the US and abroad--without respect to religion. There are ways to respond to such issues. Outlawing a religion, isolationism, escalating violence, etc. won't solve anything.

"Freedom1, in none of the news reports I can find (looking beyond the LFG blog) about the riots in Paris is there any mention of religious affiliation of the rioters. There is mention of immigrants from Africa..." -Nate

Precisely. The MSM avoids using the "M" word (Muslim) whenever they can. If the reader didn't know that these particular African immigrants are predominantly Muslim, the reader would be completely clueless as to who these mysterious "youths" are. The MSM is just afraid to tell the truth. The MSM has been intimidated by violent Muslims (ie.-Muhammad cartoon scandal) into silence. The MSM doesn't want to "offend" Muslims by telling the truth about them. LGF chronicles these stories. Start reading LGF on a regular basis and you will get a completely different understanding of the MSM's "reportage". BTW, the articles posted on LGF are from "reputable" sources-ie. AP, Reuters, AFP, NYT, Washington Post, The Guardian, etc.

"Outlawing a religion...won't solve anything."-Nate.

Sure it will. Islam is the problem. Outlawing Islam will get rid of the problem.

Nate, here's what you get when you invite Islam into America...

Supreme Court OKs 7th-Grade Islam Immersion Course

LGF, "Here’s a case of multiculturalism gone berserk, in a Supreme Court ruling that must have greatly pleased CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood: 'Appeal on school’s lesson in Muslim culture is rejected.'"

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal Monday by evangelical Christian students and their parents who said a Contra Costa County school district engaged in unconstitutional religious indoctrination when it taught students about Islam by having them recite language from prayers. [They did quite a bit more than simply recite prayers, as you’ll see below. —ed.]

The court, without comment, left intact a ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco last November in favor of the Byron Union School District in eastern Contra Costa.

The suit challenged the content of a seventh-grade history course at Excelsior Middle School in Byron in the fall of 2001. The teacher, using an instructional guide, told students they would adopt roles as Muslims for three weeks to help them learn what Muslims believe.

She encouraged them to use Muslim names, recited prayers in class, had them memorize and recite a passage from the Quran and made them give up something for a day, such as television or candy, to simulate fasting during the month of Ramadan. The final exam asked students for a critique of elements of Muslim culture.

The students and parents who sued argued that the class activities had crossed the line from education into an official endorsement of a religious practice. A federal judge and the appeals court disagreed, saying the class had an instructional purpose and the students had engaged in no actual religious exercises.

If guys like Freedom1 got their way, the US would become the Christian version of Saudi Arabia . . . seriously.

How would you identify Muslims to ban them - check to see if they are circumcized? But then you'll ban Jews too I guess. This is sounding more and more like the anti-Semitism of the early twentieth century.

The lesson for all is that what we are really fighting is religious extremism, especially when religious extremists control armies and states.
Turkey (a secular state) and Saudi Arabia (a religious state) are very different places. Yet both are 99% Muslim. Something to ponder.

Hey Freedom, maybe this is good news. With that ruling we can now go through the same type of “exercise” with Christian or Jewish religious themes like around Christmas and Easter time. Of course it wouldn’t matter if it lasted for a few months as long as it’s for instructional purposes right?

Think anyone would get in a tizzy over that?

(also at above LGF link), "The Islamic immersion course is now also being taught in Oregon:"

"Students Wear Islam Dress For Class"

NYSSA, Ore. — Officials at a public school in Oregon are defending a seventh-grade social studies unit on Islam that included students dressing in traditional Islamic dress.

Kendlee Garner of Nyssa told the Ontario Argus Observer that she objected to the amount of time dedicated to the unit on Islam — four weeks — as well as the wearing of religious garb and the lack of parental notification. She said her son told her about the activity, and when she objected, he got an alternate assignment in the library.

Nyssa school officials respond that teaching about Islam is not promoting the religion. Superintendent Don Grotting said it’s part of meeting state standards that call for students to “understand the importance of the rise of Islam and its interaction with Europe.”
*****

America is gradually being transformed to Islamic norms. The push towards Shari'a should be a wake up call to all Americans.

Speaking of Ramadan, did you know that fasting during Ramadan is a pagan ritual?

The Pagan Sources Of Islam:

GENERAL: As Muhammad developed Islam he borrowed from the other regional religions present in the Mideast. These religions include Judaism, Christianity, Sabeanism, Zoroastrianism, and forms of paganism. Judaism is the largest contributor to Islam, followed by Christianity, then followed by the various pagan religions, and Muhammad’s mind. These pagan borrowings constitute significant facets of Islam and this article details some of these pagan contributions.

THE SABEANS

Who were the Sabeans? Why did Muhammad regard them as believers in the true God? The Sabeans are mentioned at least 3 times in the Quran:

1) 2:62 - "Believers, Jews, Christians, and Sabeans; whoever believes in God and the last day and does what is right, shall be rewarded by their Lord; they have nothing to fear or regret."

Although what is known about the Sabeans is not comprehensive, enough has been written about them to determine a basic understanding of their practices and beliefs. Most of the writings are from Islamic sources. Some of the writers are Ibn Hazm in 'Fisal wa-Milal', Ibn al-Nadim in the 'Fihrist', Shahrastani in 'The Treaty on Sects', and Masudi in 'Muruj al-Dhahab.

Ibn Hazm, writing in 'Fisal wa-Milal', identifies the people then known as 'Harranians' as the 'Sabeans' mentioned in the Quran. Hazm writes that they honored the seven planets and the twelve constellations, they have 5 times of prayer, (the same times as the Muslims pray), they fast in Ramadan, they venerate and turn to the Kaba in prayer. Hazm also says they also worshipped the stars and idols. Hazm further claims that Allah sent Abraham to turn them away from pagan worship, but Abraham didn't succeed.

They also kept the Eid of their own. Further, the Sabeans made star worship a chief characteristic of their system.

So, did Islam get the 5 times a day prayer? --From the star worshipping Sabeans. What about fasting during Ramadan? - from the Sabeans. The Eid? - from the Sabeans.

Summary for the Islamic rites centered on the Kaba

Every Muslim that makes the Hajj, every Muslim that runs between the hills, every Muslim that bestows a kiss on the black stone, is performing pagan rituals, founded on pagan superstitions, sanctioned by Muhammad himself.

But paganism is an integral root of Islam; paganism is part of it's theology, history, ceremony, and veneration.

My references for this section are from the original Hughes Dictionary of Islam (not the recent one that has been sanitized by a Muslim publisher), the Shorter Ency. of Islam, and the Ency. of Islam, pub. by E. J. Brill, and 'The Sources of Islam' by Tisdall.

"Of course it wouldn’t matter if it lasted for a few months as long as it’s for instructional purposes right? Think anyone would get in a tizzy over that?" Posted by: DM

Heh. That's what I was thinking. lol.
:)

"This is sounding more and more like the anti-Semitism of the early twentieth century."-Posted by: Safraz

Islam knows all about anti-Semitism. Let's review some of the disgusting things Islam says about Jews:

Qur’an 2:61 “Humiliation and wretchedness were stamped on the Jews and they were visited with Allah’s wrath.”

Qur’an 4:44 “Have you not considered those to whom a portion of the Book has been given? They traffic in error and desire that you should go astray. But Allah has full knowledge of your enemies. Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, saying, ‘We hear and we disobey’ with a twist of their tongues they slander Faith…. Allah has cursed them for disbelief.”

Qur’an 2:64 “But you [Jews] went back on your word and were lost losers. So become apes, despised and hated. We made an example out of you.”

Qur’an 33:26 “Allah made the Jews leave their homes by terrorizing them so that you killed some and made many captive. And He made you inherit their lands, their homes, and their wealth. He gave you a country you had not traversed before.”

Qur'an 59:14 “The Jews are devoid of sense. There is a grievous punishment awaiting them. Satan tells them not to believe so they will end up in Hell.”

Qur’an 4:55 “Sufficient for the Jew is the Flaming Fire!”

Interesting - paganism. Much like Christmas trees and December 25.

Safraz,

You won't win any friends or influence any people here if you come and insult us like that...

Terrific article...

The Islam Conundrum

by Amil Imani
Arutz Sheva

The dictionary defines religion as "the expression of Man's belief and reverence for a superhuman power recognized as the creator and governor of the universe." By this definition, Islam qualifies as religion; so do numberless other beliefs.[..]

Simply because someone or some people say that they believe in a superhuman deity and revere him, should the belief be accorded the privileged status of religion? [..]

In the case of Islam, there is no ambiguity at all. The mosque and the state were one and the same from the very start. During his lifetime, Muhammad embodied in his person all three branches of worldly secular governance - the legislative, the judiciary and the executive - as well as the religious domain. As a "messenger of Allah," he transmitted Allah's laws, adjudicated according to those laws and implemented Allah's design. He also prescribed a set of religious instructions for the spiritual life of the faithful.[..]

When religion crosses the line that separates it from the state, serious problems present themselves. In the case of Islam, the rule of the people, by the people, for the people is supplanted by the rule of Allah, by the faithful to Allah, for the pleasure of Allah.

Other problems arise. Liberty, deeply cherished by democracies, is replaced by submission - unquestioning obedience and adherence to the dictates and precepts of the all-knowing and all-wise Allah.[..]

Sadly enough, instead of Muslims marching out of the suffocating swamps of submission to the meadow of liberty, Allah's faithful aim to drag the rest of humanity into the deadly Islamic quagmire.

Read the whole thing.

Mark,

My intention was not to insult Christianity but rather to remind Freedom1 that every religion, including Christianity, has traditions that are drawn from ancient traditions, including pagan relgions.

As a Muslim, I have tremendous respect for Christianity and would never insult the religion or its followers.

Contrary to that article's premise, Islam has not failed - it is the idea of a religious state that has failed.

Indeed, when Christian religious states dominated Europe, the European civilization was backwards and was far inferior to the advanced secular Ottoman Muslim empire. Scientists were executed for daring to challenge the status quo.

The decline of the Muslim states began with the rise of secularism in the West and the fall of secularism in the Ottoman Empire and other Muslim states.

"As a Muslim, I have tremendous respect for Christianity and would never insult the religion or its followers." Posted by: Safraz

Let's review some of the disgusting, disrespectful and insulting things
Islam says about Christians:

Qur’an 5:17 “Verily they are disbelievers and infidels who say, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, is God.’”

Qur’an 5:51 “Believers, take not Jews and Christians for your friends. They are but friends and protectors to each other.”

Qur’an 74:31 “We have appointed nineteen angels to be the wardens of the Hell Fire. We made a stumbling-block for those who disbelieve and We have fixed their number as a trial for unbelievers in order that the People of the Book may arrive with certainty, and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book, those in whose hearts is a disease.”

Qur’an 72:15 “But the Qasitun (disbelievers) are the firewood of hell.”

Qur’an 88:1 “Has the narration reached you of the overwhelming (calamity)? Some faces (Jews and Christians) that Day, will be humiliated, downcast, scorched by the burning fire, while they are made to drink from a boiling hot spring.”

Qur’an 9:29 “Fight those who do not believe in Allah or the Last Day, who do not forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, or acknowledge the Religion of Truth (Islam), (even if they are) People of the Book (Christians and Jews), until they pay the Jizyah tribute tax in submission, feeling themselves subdued and brought low.” [Another translation says:] “pay the tax in acknowledgment of our superiority and their state of subjection.”

Qur’an 5:80 “You see many of them allying themselves with the unbelieving infidels. Vile indeed are their souls. Allah’s wrath is on them, and in torment will they abide.”

Qur’an 9:30 “The Jews call Uzair the son of Allah, and the Christians say that the Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying from their mouths; they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah’s (Himself) fights against them, cursing them, damning and destroying them. How perverse are they!”

As a Muslim, your "respect" for Christians and Christianity is a hollow fraud, Safraz.