Posts by Merry Magdalene

19

What is your opinion, do we talk to Iran and Syria or Not?

by restrangled in

jw
friends

do you find that the president is still out in left field after today's news conference with blair and himself?

i can't believe after what they have been handed they continue to exact rules before they sit down and talk to everyone in the region.. what happened to "keep your friends close but your enemies closer?

" something has to change and it isn't just troop levels.

Merry Magdalene

Definitely should be talking with them, but who do we want to have talking to them on our behalf and what should be said? I think the idea of approaching the Iraq problems within their larger context is important (Israel-Palestine in particular). What all else, I'm not sure.

Drew said:

It's the same tired old story over and over, about how America needs to 'spread Democracy and Freedom'. To bad that Democratic countries take time to develop, usually after many generations. The fact is that it happens when the time is right, and the people of the particular nation are ready for it. I don't think Iraq was ready for it. It is a forced Democracy, one that is doomed to fail.

I read an interesting article yesterday. Although it's a few years old I think it is still relevant. The whole article is worth a read IMO, but it says, in part:

In conclusion, it may also be pointed out that if democracy has to take roots in Muslim Societies, it will have to seek legitimacy from Islam, otherwise it will remain an alien idea. Democratic movements in Muslim societies that are based primarily on secular liberalism will have little, if any, prospects of reaching the Muslim masses. The West's fascination with secular elites in the Muslim world - perhaps as a counter force to check the Islamists - is based on two false assumptions: the popular support base of secular liberals, and their commitment to the ideals and practices of democracy and liberalism.
Developments in the Islamic world since the Iranian revolution of 1979 have clearly demonstrated that secularism has no future as far as the Muslim masses are concerned. As for the commitment of the Muslim secular elites to democracy, liberalism, and pluralism, one has only to look at the recent performance of the three most important segments of secular elites in the Muslim world: (1) the military and the higher bureaucracy, (2) the institutional intellectuals, and (3) the emerging Muslim bourgeoisie. We all know the military's commitment to democracy and liberalism from the experience of Egypt, Syria, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, and more recently, of Algeria. Secondly, majority of the institutional intellectuals - the Pan-Arab secular nationalists of yesteryears - were the ones who were closely associated with, and apologists for, socialist dictators of various colors. Until very recently, these intellectuals were an integral part of the oppressive state apparatus in all its versions( 18 )- Arab nationalist, Nasserist, Ba'athist, socialist. They may have converted to the doctrine of free market and capitalist economy after the collapse of socialism in the Soviet Union but their political alternatives are far from liberalism, democracy and pluralism.
--http://www.islamonline.net/english/Contemporary/2002/05/Article15.shtml

~Merry

8

a HUGE reason to pray..

by candidlynuts in

jw
friends

mogadishu, somalia residents of a southern somalia town who do not pray five times a day will be beheaded, an official said wednesday, adding the edict will be implemented in three days.. shops, tea houses and other public places in bulo burto, about 124 miles northeast of the capital, mogadishu, should be closed during prayer time and no one should be on the streets, said sheik hussein barre rage, the chairman of the town's islamic court.

his court is part of a network backed by armed militiamen that has taken control of much of southern somalia in recent months, bringing a strict interpretation of islam that is alien to many somalis.. those who do not follow the prayer edict after three days have elapsed, "will definitely be beheaded according to islamic law," rage told the associated press by phone.

"as muslims we should practice islam fully, not in part, and that is what our religion enjoins us to do.".

Merry Magdalene

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
The country's Muslim community voiced support yesterday for Addis Ababa's tough stance against powerful Islamists in neighboring Somalia, now on the brink of war with the weak Somali government.
A top leader of the mostly moderate community condemned the Islamists for their declaration of "holy war" against mainly Christian Ethiopia. He accused them of spreading radical views, hatred and terrorism.
"Here we live in tolerance, and we are teaching tolerance," said Elias Redman, vice president of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC), voicing concern about developments in Somalia.

"These people are extremist Wahhabis supported by Saudi Arabia, and they want to teach us their reading of Islam," Mr. Elias said.

I don't know if it is true or not but I was reading something interesting about the origin of the Wahhabis yesterday:

Although Ibn Abdul-Wahhab is considered to be the father of Wahhabism, it was actually the British who
initially impregnated him with the ideas of Wahhabism and made him its leader for their own sinister purposes
to destroy Islam and the Muslim Ottoman Empire. The intricate details of this intriguing British conspiracy,
which are beyond the scope of this article, are to be found in the memoirs of its master spy, titled "Confessions
of a British Spy" from which the following two paragraphs are drawn.
2
While in Basra, Iraq young Ibn Abdul-Wahhab fell under the influence and control of a British undercover spy
nicknamed "Hempher" who was one of many spies sent by London to Muslim lands in order to destabilize the
Ottoman Empire and create conflicts among Muslims.

Although many people opposed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab's rigid teachings and actions including his own father and
brother Sulaiman, who were both religious scholars, British undercover spies and money succeeded in cajoling
an insignificant Dir'iyyah sheik, Mohammad al-Saud, to support him.
5
In 1744, al-Saud joined forces with Ibn
Abdul-Wahhab by forging a political, religious, and marital alliance. With this union between them and their
families, which is still in existence today, Wahhabism as a religious and political movement was born. By this
joint venture each head of the al-Saud family (House of Saud) assumed the position of a Wahhabi Imam
("religious leader"), while each head of the Wahhabi family was guaranteed control over religious
interpretation.

~Merry

13

Interesting Radical Islam video clip

by JH in

jw
friends

http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/12min.htm.

.

Merry Magdalene

from http://www.newshounds.us/2006/11/05/obsession_is_more_than_a_perfume.php ("We watch FOX so you don't have to)

The film was hosted by none other than Fox former morning chat show host, E.D. Hill who introduced the segments and interviewed the film’s director Wayne Kopping. After a short film clip of generic Jihadists shouting (translated, of course) “bomb, bomb, USA, Death to America, and Kill the Jews,” E.D. explained that Islamic Radicals are the “new Nazis and they want you dead.” She claimed that Islamic Jihad is the “most deadly threat of our times” and noted that “we here at Fox believe every American should know” about this. (Comment: In a recent British poll, George Bush was second to OBL and ahead of Kim Jong-Il as the person most threatening to world peace.)

The hour-long film was non-stop footage of various jihadist groups making anti-American and anti-Israeli statements. The translations of the jihadists were provided by Middle East Media Research Institute which, according to Source Watch, is connected to Israeli intelligence organizations and Christian evangelicals and is funded in part by the right wing Olin Foundation.

E.D.’s interview with the producer, Wayne Kopping, included a question regarding the funding of the movie, to which Kopping responded that it was “completely independent.” (Comment: Kopping is a very devout Jew who has also done a very pro-Israel movie “Relentless.” Shouldn’t E.D.have asked him about his “objectivity” in doing a movie about Islam?) He also noted that this jihadist propaganda is shown almost all the time on Middle Eastern TV.

Comment: It’s not suprising that Fox, as a propaganda network, would show a propaganda movie complete with many of the so-called “pundits” who are Fox “Middle East experts.” The movie was clearly not a scholarly examination of a movement that is a response, in part, to American and Israeli policy. While someone from the Israeli Sassoon Institute was interviewed, there was only one comment from an Islamic scholar who defined Jihad as an “internal struggle” – which was then debunked by the “pundits.” Absent was any historical perspective on the mid-twentieth century rise of the Islamic Brotherhood. Absent were any references to the Shatilla massacre and the plight of those in refugee camps.

While E.D. did some perfunctory “disclaimers” such as “most Muslims are peaceful” she then completed the sentence by saying that “while that may be true, how many are not?” In previewing an upcoming segment she used the words “shocking, hateful, and unbelievable.” She referenced a Fox poll that showed that 70% of Americans feel that there will be an all out war with Islam in the next 20 years. The film footage of the jihadists gave no background on who or how significant they were. A clip was shown of some “radical” shouting on a street corner in NY City with perhaps 5 curious on-lookers!

E.D. summed it up by saying “as we have just seen, the threat is close to us. It’s worth repeating that most Muslims are peaceful; but radical Muslims want to kill us.” She then directed viewers to the Fox website for more information in case they weren’t sufficiently scared. But I thought Bush has made us safe. It’s so confusing.

Many things are worrying, including those things that have contributed to the rise of "radical Islam" and to its growth among the abused and ignored who are becoming increasingly desperate.

~Merry

44

WT letter advises JWs not to edit Wikipedia articles on JW subjects

by cabasilas in

jw
friends

apparently, the watchtower society has recently issued formal advice that individual witnesses should not edit jw articles on wikipedia.

i occasionally edit some of the jw articles on wikipedia.

a couple of days ago i noticed a comment from one of the most respected jw editors to another jw editor on his personal talk page mentioning a letter from the wt society about editing on wikipedia.

Merry Magdalene

I couldn't help but find this remark of his a bit ironic, considering the anonymity of WT writers:

I don't think that anonymity has any value to academic progress.

~Merry

12

New Book? Live With Jehovah's Day In Mind

by TrailBlazer04 in

is this a new publication?

i just found it in my stepdaughter's room (no, i wasn't snooping, she arranges things so i'll see them on my computer desk).... if i have the time, i'll try to scan it.... .

tb.

Merry Magdalene

1) The Jehovah’s Witnesses are currently having their yearly District Assemblies, this year with the theme, “Deliverance Is At Hand!” A 99-page book entitled, “Live with Jehovah’s Day in Mind” was released in paperback. No more hardcover books will be printed. This one can actually be read at: http://www.brightertruth.org/live-with-jehovahs-day-in-mind.pdf. (from http://www.freeminds.org/lifeline.htm)

~Merry

11

reasoning with a JW on myspace

by Sam87 in

ok so im still talking to this jw over myspace, and i seem to have hit a stump.

hello again, just thought id message you to see if you got my last message about this quote, as ive been having problems with myspace at the moment, my apoligies if you have already recieved it.

" the time is at hand, page 101 (1908 edition).

Merry Magdalene

Maybe some of the additional quotes here would help highlight what you are trying to point out... http://www.reexamine.org/quotes/1914.htm

~Merry

151

Hambeaks Extremely Heartbreaking News

by Sparkplug in

jw
friends

our friend hambeak just got the most dreaded phone call from his jw child.

the news was passed on as he was asked for by name and not as"dad" and let known that "they" just called to let him know that his other son, brian, age 26, is dead.

he was in a car accident.

Merry Magdalene

oh Hambeak (((((((((())))))))))

~

39

My Dad's funeral was yesterday

by JH in

last sunday, my dad passed away at age 76. he knew since last april that he had cancer.

his funeral was yesterday afternoon.

many friends and family members attended.

Merry Magdalene

My heartfelt condolences to you at this time, JH.

My mother died in July, and I understand the confusion and uncertainty over beliefs (one's own and others') in regard to death at such a time. My 5-year old daughter and I with her during her last days here, and my daughter seemed to handle it with such trust, simplicity and grace that I foolishly thought everything was fine and would continue to be....until about a week ago when she broke down sobbing, afraid of dying, afraid I would die, afraid her dad would die, wondering why we have to die. I did everything I could to console her and help her express her thoughts and feelings. We held each other for what felt like hours. And finally what let her relax and get to sleep was my confessing, "I don't have all the answers, baby, but don't worry, we'll figure it out together, ok?" So today she pops up with, "I'm not afraid to die any more," beginning a whole new conversation.

I guess what I am trying to say is, I hope you feel lots of love from this here group of folks, all of us in various stages of making sense of it, accepting it, and coping with it.

Merry

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