(no subject)
Well, something is on my mind. Recently, I read an article on a friend's journal about whether we are losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the people in Muslim countries forever.
This is what keeps me up tonight. I am concerned about this, albeit for somewhat different reasons. To me, this is something which long precedes George W. Bush, or Clinton, or Bush I or Reagan. It's easy enough to blame the current administration for the U.S. hatred which seems to be permeating Muslim society.
But this really does go all the way back historically into Biblical times, when Israel would always be in discord with the sons of Ishmael. And Babylon (the historical location of Iraq) would be ever at odds with them until she fell.
So, I think that some sense of Armageddon looms. Not that I am necessarily fearful of this. Because we already know who wins. Or at least, some of us do.
But I can easily see how this can transpire into something global, and terrible. This is not something that is terribly unpredictable if you think about it. If not from a realistic current perspective, then from a historical and Biblical one.
How long is it until these countries decide to join one another, and organize against us and our allies? I do believe that the more freedom spreads, the less likely this is to happen. People long to be free. But we have got to make them understand that we are not just another captor, putting them under tyranny from across the sea. It IS a PR battle, in many senses. But spreading freedom is the only hope to stave off this conflict.
We have to hope that as time goes on, the Muslim people will understand, that we do not want to keep them from their faith. We want them to be free to worship however and with whatever faith they choose, a right which is not afforded them now.
If not, we better get ready for the end of all things. And I don't mean get ready by shining up those AK-47s (perhaps not a bad idea, after all), but rather, as ever, we have to be ready for what happens after the world is gone.
I do believe that the War in Iraq has been and still is the right thing to do. Saddam Hussein needed to go, and I do believe he was a threat. Yes, there have been mishaps and screw-ups. But to me, I do have faith that these people will taste their freedom in all its bounty soon. And perhaps then, other countries will indeed see this, and work toward liberty in all Muslim countries.
Bondage is bondage, whether it is to a government, or a religion, or a slaveowner. And it should be broken.
It is difficult for me to see, in Iraq, how this bondage ever would have ended in any other way than this. The Iraqi people had learned their lesson well over time, that any attempts to free themselves would end in the deaths of many. I just can't see our cause in this as ignoble in any way.
I need to be more educated on Muslim society, and how it works, as well as some of the historical implications of this. These are just some random thoughts that came (sort of) together.
This sleep medicine is GREAT! Meh.
This is what keeps me up tonight. I am concerned about this, albeit for somewhat different reasons. To me, this is something which long precedes George W. Bush, or Clinton, or Bush I or Reagan. It's easy enough to blame the current administration for the U.S. hatred which seems to be permeating Muslim society.
But this really does go all the way back historically into Biblical times, when Israel would always be in discord with the sons of Ishmael. And Babylon (the historical location of Iraq) would be ever at odds with them until she fell.
So, I think that some sense of Armageddon looms. Not that I am necessarily fearful of this. Because we already know who wins. Or at least, some of us do.
But I can easily see how this can transpire into something global, and terrible. This is not something that is terribly unpredictable if you think about it. If not from a realistic current perspective, then from a historical and Biblical one.
How long is it until these countries decide to join one another, and organize against us and our allies? I do believe that the more freedom spreads, the less likely this is to happen. People long to be free. But we have got to make them understand that we are not just another captor, putting them under tyranny from across the sea. It IS a PR battle, in many senses. But spreading freedom is the only hope to stave off this conflict.
We have to hope that as time goes on, the Muslim people will understand, that we do not want to keep them from their faith. We want them to be free to worship however and with whatever faith they choose, a right which is not afforded them now.
If not, we better get ready for the end of all things. And I don't mean get ready by shining up those AK-47s (perhaps not a bad idea, after all), but rather, as ever, we have to be ready for what happens after the world is gone.
I do believe that the War in Iraq has been and still is the right thing to do. Saddam Hussein needed to go, and I do believe he was a threat. Yes, there have been mishaps and screw-ups. But to me, I do have faith that these people will taste their freedom in all its bounty soon. And perhaps then, other countries will indeed see this, and work toward liberty in all Muslim countries.
Bondage is bondage, whether it is to a government, or a religion, or a slaveowner. And it should be broken.
It is difficult for me to see, in Iraq, how this bondage ever would have ended in any other way than this. The Iraqi people had learned their lesson well over time, that any attempts to free themselves would end in the deaths of many. I just can't see our cause in this as ignoble in any way.
I need to be more educated on Muslim society, and how it works, as well as some of the historical implications of this. These are just some random thoughts that came (sort of) together.
This sleep medicine is GREAT! Meh.