Atheist knowledge

[Marty_d]

Bex I've been trying to agree with your post about Waleed Aly, but it seems to have been erased.I sure don't share his religion, but the bloke runs rings around most commentators and politicians.

 

Surely people like him should be kept inside the tent.

If it was the one about preferring Waleed Aly for PM over Tony Abbott, that was me - think it was in another thread about England. Looks like the whole thread's been deleted, I can't find it now.

 

(This is not a huge compliment for Waleed Aly, I think anyone with half a brain would be a better PM than Phoney Rabbit - but I do like Waleed.)

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Bex I've been trying to agree with your post about Waleed Aly, but it seems to have been erased.I sure don't share his religion, but the bloke runs rings around most commentators and politicians.

 

Surely people like him should be kept inside the tent.

Not me OK, I don't think much of Weedy Al.

 

It's very easy to make believable commentary with the lights dimmed, camera slowly zooming in on you and the ideal music to suit the mood, a lot harder when you actually have to have a discussion one on one with the people or subject you are criticising.

 

He is also a devout Sunni Muslim who openly blames Western culture for terrorism and speaks on behalf of "Violence against Women" while making his wife follow Sunni law including head scarf. I find that not quite right.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

...It's very easy to make believable commentary with the lights dimmed, camera slowly zooming in on you and the ideal music to suit the mood, a lot harder when you actually have to have a discussion one on one with the people or subject you are criticising....

Perhaps you have not seen him in action with our (supposedly) best and brightest. Do some more research.

 

...He is also a devout Sunni Muslim who openly blames Western culture for terrorism and speaks on behalf of "Violence against Women" while making his wife follow Sunni law including head scarf. I find that not quite right.

Is this all true, or supposition? I bet he never straight out blamed the West for terrorism. From what I've seen of his analytical and even-handed approach to issues he probably explained why so many young Islamic people have reacted to the worst of Western culture and manipulation of the Moslem world- and there's been no shortage of that!

 

 

[bexrbetter]

following which he's run a chequered career where sometimes he's made a motza and other times he's fallen on his ar*se.

Exactly. He has the experience at all levels.

 

I don't nor have ever believed "silver spooners" has anything to do with the ability of a person, plenty of sons have inherited a business and stuffed it completely in short time.

 

His recent achievements include calling all Mexicans "rapists" and calling John McCain a loser for being shot down and captured in Vietnam (while he was avoiding the war altogether).

I will have to watch the alleged comments within the context of the speech surrounding it before making judgements.

 

 

[coljones]

Not me OK, I don't think much of Weedy Al.

It's very easy to make believable commentary with the lights dimmed, camera slowly zooming in on you and the ideal music to suit the mood, a lot harder when you actually have to have a discussion one on one with the people or subject you are criticising.

 

He is also a devout Sunni Muslim who openly blames Western culture for terrorism and speaks on behalf of "Violence against Women" while making his wife follow Sunni law including head scarf. I find that not quite right.

His wife has never struck me as a shrinking violet. I don't believe that she would were the scarf if she was in the slightest anti. The nuns of my childhood scared me much more than even the fiercest birka.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Do some more research.

Is this all true, or supposition?

It's true I haven't seen every episode, no desire too. I'm not a big fan of many journalists overall and the perfect liberal worlds they live in.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waleed_Aly

 

 

[bexrbetter]

His wife has never struck me as a shrinking violet. I don't believe that she would were the scarf if she was in the slightest anti. .

I would accept that if you showed me a picture of her wearing a light head scarf, but no, it's the full gear every time including arms and legs etc as her religion demands, she doesn't have a choice ...

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

Exactly. He has the experience at all levels.

Including business deals with Mafia figures - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/donald-trump-rolling-snake-eyes_n_854177.html

 

Overall not a very nice person when you read about some of his litigious actions over the years - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump

 

I particularly like this little gem:

 

"In March 1990, after an analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott said that Trump's Taj Mahal project would initially "break records" but would fail before the end of that year, Trump threatened to sue the firm unless the analyst recanted or was fired. The analyst refused to retract the statements, and was fired by his firm.[157] Taj Mahal declared bankruptcy for the first time in November 1990.[158] A defamation lawsuit by the analyst against Trump for $2 million was settled out of court.[159] The analyst's statements regarding the Taj Mahal's prospects were later called "stunningly accurate".[160]"

 

So when someone gives him accurate advice he doesn't want to hear, he gets them fired. Possibly not a personality trait you want in the leader of a country.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Including business deals with Mafia figures -

So when someone gives him accurate advice he doesn't want to hear, he gets them fired. Possibly not a personality trait you want in the leader of a country.

I'm surprised that you would isolate literally any American President, or high profile Candidate from the pool. I think the Mafia thing is overstated these days, far less corrupt than once upon a time and not even in the running for body count than the sickening military deals that go on that the US budgets 30 billion per day on. I don't support Trump at all btw and the American elections are no more than a curiosity, I just loathe smear campaigns.

 

But anyway, this is mildly interesting, better than the usual claims of the type, need to watch the whole thing though, you might want to turn it off around 30 minutes but stick with it as around an hour in it gets interesting ....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe6DN1OoxjE

 

 

[PA.]

And back off topic.

 

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[bexrbetter]

[Gnarly Gnu]

Who's the hippie?

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Who's the hippie?

That's someone's typical bollshot interpretation of Jesus of Nazareth, based on the way followers of the Church have been doing it for at least the last 1000 years or so.

 

Jesus was actually and veritably (well relative to never existing of course) of Middle East Arabian dark man ethnic and about 5ft tall (yes, five feet tall only, typical height back then and no reports in the Bible of any abnormal height for Jesus, Luke 4:30 has him slipping into a crowd unnoticed for example). Long hair was something of shame for a man (noted by Paul, 1 Corinthians 11.14) and also would have been a nuisance for a Carpenter (who did more stone mason type work than wood in the day that would have given him large shoulders). Using scans of a number of skulls from the era, facial reconstruction experts came to this conclusion of what Jesus would have most probably looked something like ...

 

 

.. short, stocky, ugly sucker ain't he.

 

 

[dazza 38]

That's someone's typical bollshot interpretation of Jesus of Nazareth, based on the way followers of the Church have been doing it for at least the last 1000 years or so.

Jesus was actually and veritably (well relative to never existing of course) of Middle East Arabian dark man ethnic and about 5ft tall (yes, five feet tall only, typical height back then and no reports in the Bible of any abnormal height for Jesus, Luke 4:30 has him slipping into a crowd unnoticed for example). Long hair was something of shame for a man (noted by Paul, 1 Corinthians 11.14) and also would have been a nuisance for a Carpenter (who did more stone mason type work than wood in the day that would have given him large shoulders). Using scans of a number of skulls from the era, facial reconstruction experts came to this conclusion of what Jesus would have most probably looked something like ...

 

 

.. short, stocky, ugly sucker ain't he.

I agree and people who believe in fairy tales naturally spruce them up hence the reason Jesus is portrayed the way he is.

 

 

[DonRamsay]

As I understand it about 90% of Muslims are Sunni. That covers pretty well everywhere except Iran and the Southern half of Iraq. In this context easy to see why Iran feels isolated and opposed by every other Muslimsnd western country. The Iran/Iraq war was the then Sunni dominated Iraq attacking the "heretic" Shia dominated Iran. It all makes about as much sense as the Protestant / Catholic wars that raged in Europe for hundreds of years and resulted in the deaths of millions.

 

So, Waleed being a Sunni is of little consequence. He is clearly a brilliant intellect and so is his wife. Nuns wore veils that look remarkably pre-medieval and not at all unlike the hijab. They were wore it as they felt it necessary to fulfil their vows of modesty. Many Muslim women wear the hijab as they feel to do otherwise would be immodest. Few western women would appear at a cocktail function in a brief bikini as they would feel immodest. The same women would not feel it immodest at the beach.

 

All a matter of perception of modesty. Nothing to do with obedience.

 

The brainwashing of what is modest dress is more likely to come from their mums than the Koran or sharia law.

 

I have more issue with Waleed's leftish leaning than his religious indoctrination.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Nuns wore veils that look remarkably pre-medieval and not at all unlike the hijab.

Difference is for example, a couple of my Grandmothers close friends were Nuns, I didn't know until much later after first meeting them often at Nan's house because they were dressed and looked like any other lady. Only once did I meet one of them in habit at the Catholic Church where Nan worked in the canteen (St Macarthins in Mornington Vic).

 

You will never see a Muslim lady dressed in "normal" garb (relevant to that branch of dress).

 

 

[Kununurra]

A couple is laying in bed and the husband says I am going to make you the happiest woman in the world.

 

The wife replied ohhhh I will miss you

 

 

[Marty_d]

As I understand it about 90% of Muslims are Sunni. That covers pretty well everywhere except Iran and the Southern half of Iraq. In this context easy to see why Iran feels isolated and opposed by every other Muslimsnd western country. The Iran/Iraq war was the then Sunni dominated Iraq attacking the "heretic" Shia dominated Iran. It all makes about as much sense as the Protestant / Catholic wars that raged in Europe for hundreds of years and resulted in the deaths of millions.

So, Waleed being a Sunni is of little consequence. He is clearly a brilliant intellect and so is his wife. Nuns wore veils that look remarkably pre-medieval and not at all unlike the hijab. They were wore it as they felt it necessary to fulfil their vows of modesty. Many Muslim women wear the hijab as they feel to do otherwise would be immodest. Few western women would appear at a cocktail function in a brief bikini as they would feel immodest. The same women would not feel it immodest at the beach.

 

All a matter of perception of modesty. Nothing to do with obedience.

 

The brainwashing of what is modest dress is more likely to come from their mums than the Koran or sharia law.

 

I have more issue with Waleed's leftish leaning than his religious indoctrination.

 

It's a 90% like, Don. (I like his leftish leaning too.)

 

 

[Marty_d]

Difference is for example, a couple of my Grandmothers close friends were Nuns, I didn't know until much later after first meeting them often at Nan's house because they were dressed and looked like any other lady. Only once did I meet one of them in habit at the Catholic Church where Nan worked in the canteen (St Macarthins in Mornington Vic).

You will never see a Muslim lady dressed in "normal" garb (relevant to that branch of dress).

I have no issue with their dress as long as it's not that shapeless sack with an eye-slit. Besides being bloody ugly, it could be anyone in there, including a short bloke with a C4 waistcoat. Just in case you think that's racist (culturalist?) I'd have the same objection about someone wearing a full-face mirrored visor helmet and loose kaftan walking around in public places.

 

As for the nun-like outfits - despite female hairstyles not driving me into paroxysms of lust, I have no objection to them believing it will and dressing accordingly. Jeez, christian monks used to shave their scone so god could see their thoughts. (No idea why skin and bone are see-thru but hair stops the big fella in his tracks). Point being, people have all sorts of silly beliefs, and if strange fashion choices are the worst expression of it then who gives a monkeys'.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I have no issue with their dress

The point was that Weedy Al's wife and other various Muslim women are subjected to wearing it with no other choice.

 

 

[coljones]

As I understand it about 90% of Muslims are Sunni. That covers pretty well everywhere except Iran and the Southern half of Iraq. In this context easy to see why Iran feels isolated and opposed by every other Muslimsnd western country. The Iran/Iraq war was the then Sunni dominated Iraq attacking the "heretic" Shia dominated Iran. It all makes about as much sense as the Protestant / Catholic wars that raged in Europe for hundreds of years and resulted in the deaths of millions.

So, Waleed being a Sunni is of little consequence. He is clearly a brilliant intellect and so is his wife. Nuns wore veils that look remarkably pre-medieval and not at all unlike the hijab. They were wore it as they felt it necessary to fulfil their vows of modesty. Many Muslim women wear the hijab as they feel to do otherwise would be immodest. Few western women would appear at a cocktail function in a brief bikini as they would feel immodest. The same women would not feel it immodest at the beach.

 

All a matter of perception of modesty. Nothing to do with obedience.

 

The brainwashing of what is modest dress is more likely to come from their mums than the Koran or sharia law.

 

I have more issue with Waleed's leftish leaning than his religious indoctrination.

I remember the flying penguins with some trepidation.

 

I remember when women wore hats in church and sometimes out in the streets c/w false veils

 

I remember when men wore ties and coats and long trousers and stood around outside in 100 degree heat complaining about rain and lack thereof and how Hanrahan was just a left wing stirrer.

 

I wouldn't regard Waleed as a left winger. Just because he is not a screaming rightwing nutter doesn't mean he is left wing - it just means he is reasonable, measured and respectful.

 

 

[coljones]

The point was that Weedy Al's wife and other various Muslim women are subjected to wearing it with no other choice.

A rather presumptuous statement.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

A rather presumptuous statement.

No, it's veritable fact, it is established in their religion, I didn't make it up.

 

It does vary from region to region though, some consider a loose head scarf suitable while others have the full birka.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I have a few friends who are Muslims Bex, and the women make their choice. I've seen them without their religious dress many times, and they tend to put it on when they are going out, or at formal occasions. So they do have a choice.

 

 

[DonRamsay]

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Had me chuckling . . .