Why they hate us........

How many Muslims has the U.S. killed in the past 30 years?

Tom Friedman had an especially fatuous column in Sunday's New York Times, which is saying something given his well-established capacity for smug self-assurance. According to Friedman, the big challenge we face in the Arab and Islamic world is "the Narrative" -- his patronizing term for Muslim views about America's supposedly negative role in the region. If Muslims weren't so irrational, he thinks, they would recognize that "U.S. foreign policy has been largely dedicated to rescuing Muslims or trying to help free them from tyranny." He concedes that we made a few mistakes here and there (such as at Abu Ghraib), but the real problem is all those anti-American fairy tales that Muslims tell each other to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions.

I heard a different take on this subject at a recent conference on U.S. relations with the Islamic world. In addition to hearing a diverse set of views from different Islamic countries, one of the other participants (a prominent English journalist) put it quite simply. "If the United States wants to improve its image in the Islamic world," he said, "it should stop killing Muslims."

Snip

Contrary to what Friedman thinks, our real problem isn't a fictitious Muslim "narrative" about America's role in the region; it is mostly the actual things we have been doing in recent years. To say that in no way justifies anti-American terrorism or absolves other societies of responsibility for their own mistakes or misdeeds. But the self-righteousness on display in Friedman's op-ed isn't just simplistic; it is actively harmful. Why? Because whitewashing our own misconduct makes it harder for Americans to figure out why their country is so unpopular and makes us less likely to consider different (and more effective) approaches...>>>>

Sparking Real Religious Dialog?

This ought to really raise the ire of condemnation within the Fundamentalist Christian Community,
especially as practiced in the U.S..

Dialog already started

at site of this report, Story of Jesus Through Iranian Eyes

New Movie By Iranian Filmmaker Tells Story of Christianity From Muslim Perspective

You can also view their video report here.

A new movie in Iran depicts the life of Jesus from an Islamic perspective. "The Messiah," which some consider as Iran's answer to Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ," won an award at Rome's Religion Today Film Festival, for generating interfaith dialogue. The movie will be adapted into a television series, shown on Iranian TV later this year. Filmmaker Nader Talebzadeh spoke to ABC's Lara Setrakian in Tehran.

The fundamentalist christians I'm speaking of are the ones who have all the answers about what others practice
but don't bother reading about, and especially studying, other religious ideologies.

They'll pick and choose little
snippets, of those ideologies, to fit their desired rethoric.

They do the same within their own personal religious
rethoric, picking the teachings and sins they want to follow in their self constructed lifestyles, throwing out those that clash
with their personal wants and desires, than when guilt finally hits, much more often caught in their own hypocrisy,
they say they are "Born Again, Thus Saved!", simple as that.

"We are talking about the same beautiful man, the same beautiful prophet, the same divine person sent from heaven.
In the Koran, it emphasizes maybe three main points: about the birth, about the fact that he was not the son of God, and then, that he was not crucified.
The rest is [the same] Jesus ... the sermons, and the miracles, and the political situation."

The ones who don't except 'choice' as a womens right, as to what she does if confronted with making that choice and as to her own
religious beliefs, but many wanting their own right to 'choice' as to the number of weapons they might own,
and the full range of the manufactured small arms, no questions asked.
And readily except a societies right to sentence to death those covicted of major crimes.

"The virgin birth was the same. The difference in the Koran, God says Jesus was saved.
Instead of having him hung and crucified, the person who betrayed Jesus was crucified.
This is how the Koran sees it, through the Gospel of Barnabas."

The ones who readily start the drums of Wars of Choice beating, louder and louder, as they raise the rethoric level with
the religious tones of exceptance by 'God' that this is what he/she wants, the choice of! Destroying people and their countries to bring them 'Freedom',
'Democracy', and the 'Righteous View of Their Religion'!

"Yes, two endings. I thought, the Christians, when they see it, it'll be important for them.
{In the Koran} God says, emphatically, he was not crucified. Somebody was crucified in his stead.
In the Gospel of Barnabas, there are explications of this. The majority of {Muslims} say the one who betrayed Jesus {was crucified}."

Also the ones who speak 'Tolerance' but practice 'Intolerance' with a vengence!

"Well, those are not Muslims. They're murderers. First and foremost, they're murderers, and they dress as Muslims.
Today, we have that problem. There is an evil strain in those people. They're, first, evil, and then they find a religion to address that evil,
or to explain it, or as an excuse. But that's a minority that is aggrandized, and it's elaborated — it's constant.
So, when you hear the word "Islam," you get a shock. Every time you hear "Islam," you get a little shock. What we lack is communication."

We were almost finished filming when Mel Gibson started shooting.
I saw the film, and it's the first time the Gospel of John has ever been depicted. It was nice. But it was the wrong story.
In my film, I respect that common belief with all the good intentions the Christians have ... according to what Islam says.
Yet, Jesus, at the night of the last supper, ascends to heaven [without being crucified]. A beautiful man, a beautiful prophet.
Why should he be bloodied that way?

"Many thought this film is a good step for serious inter-religious dialogue.
Many of them liked it — seeing the Koran-based ending. And I was very happy that the practicing Christians were very happy with the film.
I have never found one case among practicing Christians who are offended [by the movie].
American Christians, I respect them very much. I think these Christians, the born-again Christians, especially,
are a very interesting group that Iran is not aware of, because a whole generation of Iranians haven't been able to travel to America.
And those who do move to America, stay in America. So, how to create serious communication, not at the political, but at the religious level?
I thought this would be a shortcut."

If you haven't studied others religious beliefs, especially as to Islam,
go over and read the rest, it's an interesting interview.

And who knows, maybe it might prompt many to
study more about the main religious beliefs of the people in which we waged Wars on and occupy their land,
you might also want to learn more about their, religions, history and beliefs outside of the religious window thats always open.

Remember though, the bible and koran, were written by men about the facts of the prophets, or son of god as is the new testiment, and not
by those worshipped.

You see, anyone following an Extreme Religious Fundamentalists Ideology, are no differant than those of the other Extreme Fundamentalist Religious Ideologies, be they christian, muslim, jewish, {why don't we ever hear about buddhist invading others under an umbrella of 'God' or 'Budda'?}or any other religious ideology!

A Land Called Paradise