Steve (as 41oo) wrote:But monotheism implies exclusivity, infallibility, superiority, intolerance and all the other -ities and -isms that leads ultimately to conflict.
No it doesn't! Monotheism implies whatever the individual chooses to perceive to be the nature of the
one God. Many undividuals perceive the
one God to be infallible, omni-loving, omiscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, omnificent, and omnifarious. If such a
one God actually exists, by definition it could not imply "exclusivity, infallibility, superiority, intolerance and all the other -ities and -isms that leads ultimately to conflict." My own personal perception is that the
one God is identical to the observable inferable universe. Determining the nature of that version of the
one God is the subject of both science and philosophy. The complete nature of Its intelligence is not yet known.
Steve (as 41oo) wrote:I dislike organised religions. Religion should be a private matter. Organisation builds political power and that power is rarely used to do good.
Wow! We agree!
Steve (as 41oo) wrote:... Western imperialism in the Arab world since the end of WW2.
www.m-w.com
Quote:Main Entry: im·pe·ri·al·ism
Pronunciation: im-'pir-E-&-"li-z&m
Function: noun
1 : imperial government, authority, or system
2 : the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas; broadly : the extension or imposition of power, authority, or influence <union imperialism>
- im·pe·ri·al·ist /-list/ noun or adjective
- im·pe·ri·al·is·tic /-"pir-E-&-'lis-tik/ adjective
- im·pe·ri·al·is·ti·cal·ly /-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
What was the reason for Middle Eastern imperialism in the European world more than a 1000 years ago? Oil? I think not. I think Middle Eastern coveting of the European world's land was the reason. Thankfully the West pays for and does not steal arab oil, the discovery and lifting of such was originally performed by the West. Had that oil not been discovered in the Middle East, there would be fewer arabs living in the Middle EAst.
Steve (as 41oo) wrote:We, The West have treated the Arabs badly.
The fundamental cause of terrorism is not Islam. It is a reaction against Western imperialism. The Arabs have just had enough of us. They want us OUT. Islam is used to inspire this reaction and stir up the Muslims out of their passivity. Take away Islam and you would still have terrorism, but take away the source of the irritation and there is a chance that the disease could be controlled.
A chance

What is that "chance"? Rather, what is that probability? Specifically, what is the probability that the TMM will dismantle its operations if the west totally removes itself from the Middle East? Isn't the
chance greater that the TMM will behave like Saddam Hussein and/or the Taliban and murder or maim arab dissenters.
Why did the people of Japan, Germany, and Italy not turn to creating their own TMM when we occupied them after WWII? Didn't we treat them the same as we treated the Arabs? Why have so many Middle Easterners left the Middle East and emmigrated to the West, if they were treated badly enough to justify their murderering and maiming the West's population?