Finally a Muslim with the guts to say it

Originally Posted by Perry Winkle

So, basically, something you pulled out of your ass. Just like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, ad nauseum.

Nope, mine are tested in the forge of logic. Religon can never say that.

[DanaC]

I'm not a newshound, by any means, so maybe it's not the media--it's me. If a particular newsprogram, or website, or newspaper were to say, "all Muslims are terrorists" or imply that ... I guess I just would not believe it. It's contrary to common sense.

It may be contrary to common sense, but there is a growing sense in the US and in Britain (as well as in large areas of Europe) that Islam is a violent creed. The media doean't say 'all moslems are terrorists' it doesn't need to. It just needs to focus to a morbid degree on Islamic stories in order to give that impression.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Well duh, most muslims are not news. They cover the dangerous ones because they are the ones people are concerned with. Joe Muslim with the wife and two kids, that goes to work everyday and mows his lawn regularly is not news.
However Joe Jihad, that's bitching about the infidels and is trying to round up some buddies, with the means to kill people in the name of Allah, certainly is.

Discussing Joe Jihad, as a muslim extremist, for a long time, and because the Joe muslim is not discussed at all, after a while the "extremist" gets dropped as a matter of convenience. Then Joe Muslim gets all pissed off when it's not about him at all.

Which is the point of her book {note opening post } and why the points she makes are extremely valid.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

While it doesn't require an afterlife rationalization to be a good person, it does work, and has worked for a very long time.

Every religion with the probable exception of the Church of Satan -- finally, a congregation where the sociopathic can feel right at home!* -- is full of instructions on how to be nice to people, and statements of how it finds ethical behavior holy.

Nope, mine are tested in the forge of logic. Religion can never say that.

Actually, it can, and without speaking nonsense. Consider for one the Anglican tradition. They speak metaphorically of a three-legged stool, the three legs being Scripture, tradition, and reason -- or logic. Lose any of these and the stool lets you down pretty hard. Religion does not require rejection of nor departure from logical, reasonable thought. That some unreasonable people get a chance to take the bit in their teeth is unfortunate -- but we don't have to go along on their ride, either.

Ethics get tested in the forge of experience. Moral behavior is survival behavior, and is often very closely reasoned survival behavior -- again, tested by experience. Looking at the biblical story of Onan from that point of view, you can see the case that repealed that tribal law -- you need some other way to look after a widow if the decedent's brother simply cannot get along with her. That was an experiential test that caused a shift of the paradigm.

*The stuff the CoS writes in their various newsletters will creep you right out. Honest, it will.

I've gotten along with all the Satanists I've known.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Not to throw a wrench in the works, but should this thread or some portion of it be moved to Philosophy?

I've "gotten along" too -- but only by suppression of certain topics. Since the Satanist I know is now a former Satanist, having taken up the Egyptian pantheon nowadays -- her Satanist then-boyfriend was nobody to invite over for supper, running the gamut as he did between the twisted and the pointless -- I'm relieved.

Still, those newsletters... gah.

[piercehawkeye45]

Most satanists are actually atheists and do not worship the Christian Satan but use Satan as a symbol for opposition to the Christian church.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Satan

Satanism's ethical standards are about being more or less realistic than the very unpractical standards of other religions.

The Nine Satanic Statements

The Nine Satanic Statements are to outline what Satan within the Church of Satan Symbolizes. They are:

1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence!

2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams!

3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit!

4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates!

5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek!

6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires!

7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development,” has become the most vicious animal of all!

8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!

9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years!

The Nine Satanic Sins

These are similar to the seven sins within Christianity.

1.Stupidity

2.Pretentiousness

3.Solipsism

4.Self-deceit

5.Herd Conformity

6.Lack of Perspective

7.Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies

8.Counterproductive Pride

9.Lack of Aesthetics

The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth

Similar to the Christian ten commandments.

1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.

2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.

3. When in another’s lair, show him respect or else do not go there.

4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.

5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.

6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved.

7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.

8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.

9. Do not harm little children.

10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.

11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.

[xoxoxoBruce]

But the Goat Leggings are so cool.

[Stormieweather]

Well, I can't prove there is an afterlife. I also cannot prove there isn't one. As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence either way, and no one has ever come forth and said..yeah, I've been there and here are pictures. So....

I kinda like the idea of moving to another plane after my existence on this one ceases. I don't know if I'll be in some beautiful kingdom in the clouds with angels, or if I'll come back as a worm, or if I'll be reincarnated into another human body here on earth. Maybe there really is nothing else, and my remains will simply turn to dust where ever they end up. In any case, I choose to be the best person I can be, during this life. If there is more, great! If not, I don't want to have wasted my short, precious time on unimportant pursuits and hatred for my fellow mankind.

Simplistic maybe, but I don't mind not knowing what comes next. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, never mind the hereafter.



Stormie

[TheMercenary]

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