Monday, June 02, 2008

A Woman's Place

The aftershocks of the devastating earthquake in China have evidently spread to the desolate hinterlands of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, turning over a large rock to once again expose that paragon of brotherly love and peace, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

The number two snake of al Qaeda has been taking questions from his adoring fans and answering them on the internet, and according to this article from CNN online, he has responded to a question about women in al Qaeda, thundering from on high his pronouncement of the role of women in his group: stay home, have babies, and take care of the swine who go forth to murder the innocent. Well, that's not quite what he said; I sort of used a bit of expressional license on the last part, but that's his real message.

The amazing part is that women in the radical Islamic world are clamoring for the right for equality: they want to become ruthless murderers just like the men. In Iraq, women have either carried out or attempted at least 20 suicide bombings since 2003.

Gender equality is a wonderful thing.

Not a day goes by that I don't shake my head in complete amazement at the actions of those who claim their religion is one of peace, and yet endorse the most horrific acts of violence against those who don't share their beliefs. Not a week goes by without some newspaper account of something that has resulted in "Muslim outrage."

Well, I'm outraged, too. I'm outraged by those who believe their beliefs give them the right and duty to kill me. I'm outraged by those - regardless of belief - whose rigid intolerance for any other form of religious belief leads them to commit terrible acts in the name of God. I'm outraged by those who mine the Koran for exhortations to murder and intolerance. Renaissance dramatist and poet Ben Johnson once said, "There are some men born only to suck out the poison of books." Mr Johnson died in 1637, but his words ring true today.

I just wish those who suck the poison from the Koran or the Bible or whatever "holy" book they choose would kill only themselves. It would make the world a much better place.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo

5 comments:

The Mistress of the Dark said...

I doubt their book of god really tells them its fine to kill anyone, just as the Christian Bible doesn't do so..but then there was the Spanish Inquisition...no one expected that.

Amanda said...

Its all so mindless. I really can't how the cycle of outrage and murders can end. It will take such humility, forgiveness and desire to move forward that I think people just don't have yet. It will take years of evolution.

Anonymous said...

I just finished taking a short course about Islam and how it compares to Christianity. The pastor at my daughter’s church taught the course. I learned that one of the reasons why terrorists are able to recruit suicide bombers is because according to their faith martyrdom is the only way a Muslim can atone for his or her sins completely and have the assurance that they will enter paradise after death. Without that atonement, they can only hope that when they die and are judged, their good deeds in life end up outweighing their bad deeds. This is according to their belief.

ssgreylord said...

Well said. I can hear the passion in your writing. I back up every word of it. Thinking of all of the hate crimes and terrorism they've committed makes me want to cry and throw up. If only there could be one universal faith, would there be no more killing in the name of God?

rimafauzi said...

I grew up a fanatic Muslim, converted to Christianity but was finally able to free myself from it all.
Religion is poison to the human mind. it limits our thinking and it tries to control us all with threats of hell and lure us with promises of heaven.
BS, I say.

If God exists at all, I wonder what His/Her religions is. The day I know what religion God believes in, is the day I will believe in a religion once more.