From: Phil Osborn (philosborn@altavista.com)
Date: Thu Nov 08 2001 - 20:51:29 MST
While branding ALL persons of a particular religion may be a stretch, it is a fact that to its adherents a religion is a set of beliefs. Those beliefs define that religion. Thus, those behaviors which are logically predicated upon those beliefs can be expected of those people.
Here's a small bucket of kerosene for the fire brigade: Some years ago, in the '80's, I used to attend occasional gatherings of an intellectual singles group at a local Unitarian church. One of the other attendees overheard me saying something about the persecution of the Palestinians by Israel and took me to task.
He - not Jewish, as best I recall - had gone to Israel months before, with the intention of simply finding out the facts of the situation, or so he claimed anyway. He had spent considerable time on the West Bank and in Lebanon and met numerous radical and non-radical members of the various opposing parties.
His evaluation of Hezbolah: The Mullas recruit young men with promises of Paradise upon death via martyrdome for Allah. They keep them by such means as the very common temporary marriage. The young man and his "bride" go before the Mullah and are declared man and wife. A couple hours later, the man asks the Mullah for a divorce. Thus, a traffic in young women is maintained - toys for the young men, but all within the religious rules. The women are effectively forced into these marriages by being excluded from other means of survival.
Anyway, after observing how women were treated within the radical Muslim community in the area, this guy became a total fan of Israel.
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