How should we treat our enemies?

[sybarite]

Originally Posted by ern59

Syb, therein lies the whole problem. We don't leave them be, we have always been sticking our nose in, telling them what they "should" do or be. We have never even tried to get out of there because of our corporate interests. The west butts its nose in all the time.
As for the Koran and the passage about the "infidels being destroyed", I wish people would read their own bible sometimes. What about "Whosoever does not beliveth in me shall perish but he who believes shall have everlasting life". It is a foundation of every religion about belief. Translation for "infidel" is "non-believer", plain and simple. A bunch of people have taken this to the extreme and that is sad but to say that every Muslim in the world thinks this way is just another statement based on paranoia and half-truths. It just fuels hatred and makes matters worse than they already are. Catch the criminals like Bin Laden and be vigilant,yes, but let's not wage war on the masses because of the actions of a few. I surely don't want to argue with you about the shoulda,coulda,woulda because that is pointless but before we make statements of hate, we need to let our emotions subside and use our heads. I would suggest that the west sit down and talk to the Muslims in their community instead of just treating them all like like evil terrorists and criminals with no tangible proof. We have done as much to create this problem as the radical leaders in Islam have.
I can't stay here and debate this with y'all and you are free to disagree as that is your right. I just hope that people start to see that we are not innocent in this matter and that emotion can't guide our actions. The end of hatred has to start somewhere and when we don't even give things a chance to work, how can we truly say that it won't work?
Peace & love to all, Ernie.

This is the reason I was very careful to say EXTREMIST Muslims. Of course you can take the level headed Muslim, sit down, and talk peace, but it is not in the extremist's interests to make peace. Their mission in life is to take out the infidels. The leaders of the oil producing middle eastern countries do not want us to leave them alone. They are more than happy to have our cooperate interests. They are making money hand over fist from us. They probably see the radicals as pesky flies as they do not have to worry about the extremists attacking them. They are already Muslim. These countries get the best of both worlds.

I think the Christians should pray for these people peaceful and radical alike, however, to turn our backs and just say leave them alone and they will forget about us, is dangerous and foolish.

[Pixsurguy]

How should we treat our enemies?
Why, with massive amounts of curative radioactivity, of course.
What else?

[arella]

Originally Posted by Pixsurguy

How should we treat our enemies?
Why, with massive amounts of curative radioactivity, of course.
What else?

When it comes to facing some "sects of people,we really don't have a choice. It comes down to kill or be killed

[arella]

after all,if we had treated Hitler with love and kindness....

[Vinnie]

Originally Posted by arella

after all,if we had treated Hitler with love and kindness....

Uncle Joe would still have crushed the Third Reich into dust but then we'd have seen the whole of Europe under the Iron Heel of the Soviets...

[Vinnie]

But seriously the question was how we should treat our enemies. That is with the same repect that we would wish to b treated. This does not mean that we should bow down beore all alternative wishes. Merely that we should give the other point of view the respect that we would wish ours to be given.
If this is rejected then, like Stooby says, crush them and salt the earth of their cities.

[indianajoe]

Originally Posted by ern59

Syb, therein lies the whole problem. We don't leave them be, we have always been sticking our nose in, telling them what they "should" do or be. We have never even tried to get out of there because of our corporate interests. The west butts its nose in all the time.
As for the Koran and the passage about the "infidels being destroyed", I wish people would read their own bible sometimes. What about "Whosoever does not beliveth in me shall perish but he who believes shall have everlasting life". It is a foundation of every religion about belief. Translation for "infidel" is "non-believer", plain and simple. A bunch of people have taken this to the extreme and that is sad but to say that every Muslim in the world thinks this way is just another statement based on paranoia and half-truths. It just fuels hatred and makes matters worse than they already are. Catch the criminals like Bin Laden and be vigilant,yes, but let's not wage war on the masses because of the actions of a few. I surely don't want to argue with you about the shoulda,coulda,woulda because that is pointless but before we make statements of hate, we need to let our emotions subside and use our heads. I would suggest that the west sit down and talk to the Muslims in their community instead of just treating them all like like evil terrorists and criminals with no tangible proof. We have done as much to create this problem as the radical leaders in Islam have.
I can't stay here and debate this with y'all and you are free to disagree as that is your right. I just hope that people start to see that we are not innocent in this matter and that emotion can't guide our actions. The end of hatred has to start somewhere and when we don't even give things a chance to work, how can we truly say that it won't work?
Peace & love to all, Ernie.

Originally Posted by sybarite

This is the reason I was very careful to say EXTREMIST Muslims. Of course you can take the level headed Muslim, sit down, and talk peace, but it is not in the extremist's interests to make peace. Their mission in life is to take out the infidels. The leaders of the oil producing middle eastern countries do not want us to leave them alone. They are more than happy to have our cooperate interests. They are making money hand over fist from us. They probably see the radicals as pesky flies as they do not have to worry about the extremists attacking them. They are already Muslim. These countries get the best of both worlds.

I think the Christians should pray for these people peaceful and radical alike, however, to turn our backs and just say leave them alone and they will forget about us, is dangerous and foolish.

Though I am not in anyway an expert on the Koran or the Bible
I have read the Bible a couple times...and am currently about 50 % way through the Koran...
In the "Old Testament" and in the Koran there is mentioned, as pointed out by Ern about killing the "infidels" and "non-believers"
In the bible non-believers were also referred to as pagans ..pagan being rendered as one without faith or religion...but usually it was a term used to refer to non- faithful Israelites... or non- jews...in the Koran the term infidel also seems to appear to aplly to non-faithful Israel.. Muhammed, being considered a prophet in the line of prophets .. actually appears to be referring to Israel , condeming them for leaving off from pure worship of God ,, Yahweh, Allah ... this is consistant with eariler bibical prophets..as they were also warning Israel of their errant ways throughout the OT...
Today many extremist in Islam broaden this idea to include "blue eyed white devils"..( not really sure where this phrase came from )...but it could be that they include those others into the "Jihad" due to the support that is given to the percieved "infidel" Israel ...
Bibical Isael was made up of many people , jew and non-jew..when they left out of Egypt ..quite possibly the rift between the two groups produced this animosity that exists to this day ...whatever the case.. it is recorded in the "New Testament" that after the Apostles of Jesus had all died off that evil men would enter into the congregation and lead the women aways as slaves and treat the congregation unkind.....this is evident in how many religions have twisted the "word of God " to the injury of believers..

[Flynn]

Originally Posted by sybarite

I think the Christians should pray for these people peaceful and radical alike, however, to turn our backs and just say leave them alone and they will forget about us, is dangerous and foolish.

What a lot of people can't or wont acknowledge is that there are Muslims who pray that Christians have a better understanding of their right to be a Muslim.

Same goes for most of the other religions, I've never heard a Budhist Monk denegrate Christianity or the Islamic faith.

[arella]

Smooches for flynn

[PENNMTNS]

Originally Posted by Flynn

What a lot of people can't or wont acknowledge is that there are Muslims who pray that Christians have a better understanding of their right to be a Muslim.

Same goes for most of the other religions, I've never heard a Budhist Monk denegrate Christianity or the Islamic faith.

and then again i will never turn the other cheek....hit me once or us once...itl be all over for you...ask the catholics which i am one about the dark side the inquestion...they burned raped staked millions....but they wont talk about it...will they............patrish..........