Best Posts in Thread: Can terrorism be justified?

Jihadi John -- An immigrant to the UK, arriving at the age of 6. Someone who was educated at the 'Quintin Kynaston Community Academy' in St John's Wood, north London. Who was reported a "reasonably hardworking" and "quiet" young man. He graduated from the University of Westminster in 2009.

Do you think that this man saw the political grievances of fellow Muslims in the Middle East and thought to himself... "Yeah. I do think it's a good idea to indiscriminately slice off the heads of innocent men and women. This makes me want to slaughter hundreds of people in the most savage death-cult in recent memory, becoming the posterboy for Islamic terrorism."?

Where are the other forms of ISIS throughout history, if this is just an expression of the fight over land and resources? Why are terror attacks always reliably from adherents to the Islamic faith?

When an avowed racist goes into a black church and shoots a bunch of black people, we don't usually question his motives. We take him as his word, having seen his actions, and attribute racism as the cause. But when religion is involved, it seems as if people will do anything to deflect blame away from it. Why?

A group of men gun down artists that caricature their prophet. They specifically target people that criticize their faith, screaming 'Allahu Akbar' (praise be to god) in the streets. When later questioned, both the perpetrators as well as many religious authorities worldwide ascribe religious motives to the attackers. There are even swathes of text in their holy books to support such actions. How can you see this, and come to the conclusion that religion played no role in their actions?

 

Hi @Deinen and thanks for tagging me here..

Please @Jalapenos, when you take a verse out of quoran, do not cut it.. It changes the whole meaning, and for example here the whole verse says: "Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors."

See, the whole meaning changed because you didn't read the end of the verse, we (us muslims) are asked to fight in the way of Allah/God those who fight us.. Pretty rightful when someone tries to kill your family, conquer your country, you don't watch him do, you react and fight back, but the verse says fight in the way of Allah? What does it mean? Does it mean kill innocent? Does it mean bomb people? Does it mean go into hospitals and kill babies children women elders? The answer is in the second part of the verse: "those who fight you but do not transgress" and the very end shows how God doesn't accept transgressors.

Another thing not to do when you read Quran is to use the right translation for its words to truly understand its meaning. It’s important whenever one reads a Quranic verse, to read it in its context.. In this verse we talk about 'Fitnah' which you've translated with the word 'persecution'. At the time when this verse came, there was a problem inbetween muslim comunity, Islam was still something new and Muslim were a minority, so oppression became a thing. I'll explain: Before Islam, the community was divided into two groups, very rich and powerful people (merchants, land owners, knights.. ) and very poor ones (workers, slaves..). Pretty much the same as in the European Feodal Age. So when Islam came and people started convert to Islam, some people accepted that all man kind are equal as the Prophet Mohamed SAW told them; Some of them didn't accept that they're equal with their own slaves, and some of the slaves wanted to revenge. So the verse came to put some rules to fix this kind of "civil war" if we can call it this way. It told true muslims when they find two groups of Muslims fighting each others, to fight them both. And to never fight them in the sacred Mosque unless they do first (always in self-defense) and then it said: "such is the recompense of the unbelievers" MEans if unbelievers fought in the sacred places, then you fight them there too.

And to not cut the verse once again, the end of the verse says: "And if they cease, then indeed, God is Forgiving and Merciful." Which asks Muslims to stop fighting when the other group stops. Not only it asks you to defend yourself but also it reminds you not to transgress and to forgive.. God is Merciful.

 

Lt. Commander Data: I have been reviewing the history of armed rebellion. And it appears that terrorism is an effective way to promote political change.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Yes, it can be. But I have never subscribed to the theory that political power flows from the barrel of a gun.


Finn: This is a war for independence, and I am no better or different than your own George Washington.
Dr. Crusher: Washington was a military general, not a terrorist.
Finn: The difference between generals and terrorists is only the difference between winners and losers. If you win you are called a general. If you lose...
Dr. Crusher: "You are killing innocent people!"

Finn: How much innocent blood has been spilled for the cause of freedom in the history of your Federation, Doctor? How many good and noble societies have bombed civilians in war? Wiped out whole cities. And now that you enjoy the comfort that has come from their battles, their killing, you frown on my immorality? I am willing to die for my freedom. And, in the finest tradition of your own great civilization, I'm willing to kill for it, too.

I remembered these quotes from Star Trek: The Next Generation "The High Ground". I quote Star Trek probably too often in political/philosophical debates. I think that this particular Star Trek episode gave me a better understanding of the different sides there are in this debate and how both of them are reasonable stances, (especially when often these situations are so complex) so I found quotes from it worthy of sharing.