World Politics Thread

[watson]

Also this is one of the sillier dick measuring contests going around the internet. The answer is the same no matter what religion is being talked about. Don't persecute people on the basis of their religion. Simples.

But that is never ever going to happen in any society that you care to think of. There is no historical precedent for religious memes getting-on, and neither will there be despite all the wishful thinking by Liberals and Liberatarians.

Interestingly, Conservatives like yourself believe that if no one mentions religious differences then society will magically get more harmonious and less balkanised, but that ironically must involve the suppression of free-speech - something that no one wants except the ultra-Left.

The reason that global surveys on religion need to be published/highlighted like the one above is not to prevent intolerance and harassment (because it can’t be done) but to remind politicians like Merkel what their long term policy strategy should be.

Call it a reality check for Liberal politicians if you like.

 

[Ausage]

Interestingly, Conservatives like yourself believe that if no one mentions religious differences then society will magically get more harmonious and less balkanised, but that ironically must involve the suppression of free-speech - something that no one wants except the ultra-Left.

Haha. WTF is this rubbish?

A. I'm a conservative now? Lol ok.
B. I said nothing about not mentioning the differences in religions and "suppression" of religious discussion/criticism is a stance so far out of my wheelhouse it makes me question if you've ever read my posts. My consistent position is that religions should be criticised separately from the individuals that practice them. Eg, criticism of Islam distinct from criticism of Muslims.

 

[watson]

Well you did say that you’re against ‘dick measuring contests’. I’m not because nothing is to be gained by ignoring either Islamaphobia or Christianophobia, and pretending that they don’t exist.

But yes, I agree that that criticising monotheism is not the same as criticsing Jews/Christians/Muslims.

 

[Ausage]

Well you did say that you’re against ‘dick measuring contests’. I’m not because nothing is to be gained by ignoring either Islamaphobia or Christianophobia, and pretending that they don’t exist.

But yes, I agree that that criticising monotheism is not the same as criticsing Jews/Christians/Muslims.

Being against religious persecution doesn't mean giving a **** about whether X is greater than Y though. That's about the extent of my point. There's no need to elevate the plight of the Copts over that of the Rohingya (and vice-versa).

Tangentially, both Islamophobia and Christianophobia are very stupid words.

 

[watson]

Being against religious persecution doesn't mean giving a **** about whether X is greater than Y though. That's about the extent of my point. There's no need to elevate the plight of the Copts over that of the Rohingya (and vice-versa).

Tangentially, both Islamophobia and Christianophobia are very stupid words.

I don’t think that the survey, or myself are elevating the plight of one group over another. The main point has been that religious memes compete with eachother and don’t get-on. The end result is across the board discrimination and harassment on a global scale. That’s about it really. Yes we are all aware of persecuted Sunnis and Shia in the Middle East, but the ‘genocide’ of Christain communities is equally as bad and often forgotten.

Also, discrimination and harassment don’t appear out of thin air, but must have something precede them. Somethines that thing is Islamophobia and Christianophobia. Of course I have no way of proving the connection, but it does seem like a commonsense assumption to me.

EDIT:
I say commonsense assumption because of my trip to Beirut in 1998. During the trip I stayed at the apartment of my friend Mohammad which was situated on the old Greenline. I wanted to visit the ‘Shrine of Our Lady’ at Harissa but Mohammad didn’t want to visit the Shrine/Church because of the idolatry. The fact that Maronites had been killing Muslims for 2 decades was apparently neither here nor there. In the end Mohammed did visit the Shrine/Church with me, but he was visibly shaken by his first ever time inside a Church. I tend to think of this viceral revulsion as a phobia - a Christianophobia.

 

[Victor Ian]

Irrespective of whether Watson has a point or not, this is a pretty terrible counter argument.

It was not a counter argument. Sometimes are pointless.

 

[Victor Ian]

Just because you have so many phobias is not good cause to ascribe them to other people. You really do try to intellectualise somethings way to much. It was likely less phobia and more confusion that some people can believe something that one can't rationalise. Visibly shaken by walking into a church. FMD.

 

[ankitj]

I hate the use of -phobia suffix in a pejorative sense. Holding an unfavorable view of some ideology doesn't mean a phobia. And pray tell me what is bad about having a phobia anyway. I can be accused of having communism-phobia or nazism-phobia. So what?

[I recognize this post is low on useful content. You can pass on it.]

 

[Spark]

Haha. WTF is this rubbish?

A. I'm a conservative now? Lol ok.
B. I said nothing about not mentioning the differences in religions and "suppression" of religious discussion/criticism is a stance so far out of my wheelhouse it makes me question if you've ever read my posts. My consistent position is that religions should be criticised separately from the individuals that practice them. Eg, criticism of Islam distinct from criticism of Muslims.

m8 y u do dis to yourself

 

[watson]

Just because you have so many phobias is not good cause to ascribe them to other people. You really do try to intellectualise somethings way to much. It was likely less phobia and more confusion that some people can believe something that one can't rationalise. Visibly shaken by walking into a church. FMD.

Perhaps you should have a chat with our msm in Australia as the term Islamophobia is commonplace and assumed to be a thing. But you rarely hear the term Christianophobia or Westernophobia for some reason, even after a terrorist attack where the target has been a Coptic Church or a secular pop concert.

I don’t mind if the term phobia is dropped altogether, but if it is to be used ad nauseum by the msm then there should be some consistency. Otherwise the term Islamophobia becomes a form of ‘reverse hate-speech’.

We have to stop normalising relentless Islamophobia in Australia

For Muslims in Australia, particularly hijab-wearing women and their children, Islamophobic attacks are all too common. It needs to change.

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...malising-relentless-islamophobia-in-australia

The rise of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in Trump’s America

Hate crimes targeting Muslims and Jews have increased during Donald Trump’s rise to power. But is he really to blame?

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-rise-of-islamophobia-and-anti-semitism-in-trump-s-america

 

[smalishah84]

so how long is Watson's latest ban? There seems to be nothing on ban announcements for now?

And is the post above the straw that broke the camel's back?

 

[Anil]

 

[Gnske]

so how long is Watson's latest ban? There seems to be nothing on ban announcements for now?

And is the post above the straw that broke the camel's back?

There really wasn't anything offensive, just wrong.

 

[Firebreaker]

What is happening in Iran? Looks like it will become another banana republic like its western neighbours

 

[Shri]

USA is to its west but it isn't a neighbour really.

 

[andruid]

So much for Leviticus 19:34

Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has told African immigrants in his country to voluntarily go back to their countries of origin or third country risk being repatriated forcibly, or jailed.
According to reports by Israeli media, PM Netanyahu said the plan to expel unwanted African immigrants ‘is already underway’, with a 90-day ultimatum issued for all refugees to have left or be jailed.

Rwanda, Uganda now deny Israel deal on migrants - The East African

 

[Spark]

So, uh, while we're all incredibly fixated on epoch-defining events like some internet-popular psychologist copping a bad interview, Turkey has started what looks to me like the precursor to a massive campaign of ethnic cleansing in northern Syria/Rojava.

 

[hendrix]

So, uh, while we're all incredibly fixated on epoch-defining events like some internet-popular psychologist copping a bad interview, Turkey has started what looks to me like the precursor to a massive campaign of ethnic cleansing in northern Syria/Rojava.

I don't know if I'd call it a precursor to a campaign of ethnic cleansing.

 

[hendrix]

It's obviously not surprising that Turkey is not exactly pro Kurdish expansion right now, but it's not exactly a shocking perspective to think the that Syrian Arabs in the Kurdish areas may be uneasy with the fact that the "Syrian Democratic Forces" obviously have aspirations outside of...Syria. In terms of allies, Northern and Eastern Syrians can choose between formerly-but-really-still Al-Qaeda, US-sponsored SDF, or the Turkish groups.

Still though, I think Kurdish autonomy is a good thing, not least because it dissuades them from aligning themselves pro-Government, which is a real risk.

 

[Spark]

Yeah it's more the rhetoric that I'm worried about, combined with the very expansive-looking campaign. They're stuck in Afrin for now though.

Meanwhile, this is an extraordinary story: https://t.co/pkOE5QPfQo

Looks like all that "free" infrastructure and investment wasn't free at all, who knew. Full article is here, if you can read French: http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/artic...ne-espionne-par-les-chinois_5247521_3212.html