Originally posted by no1marauder
Muslims in Western countries will simply get richer and more culturally assimilated as time goes by. Their birth rates will decrease. The ones who move to the West and esp. their children won't want much to do with the strictures of Sharia Law in the main. Traditional "Christian" values won't make it back. All these things are basically positive.

Correct me if I'm wrong - but weren't the 9/11 pilots rather economically well-off and well-educated in the West?

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Correct me if I'm wrong - but weren't the 9/11 pilots rather economically well-off and well-educated in the West?

That's right, the 9/11 pilots were highly representative of Muslims in the USA and Europe. Go on fanning the flames...

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
That's right, the 9/11 pilots were highly representative of Muslims in the USA and Europe. Go on fanning the flames...

Go on fanning the flames...

A fine balance between that and turning a blind eye is what is necessary here. You seem to enjoy doing the latter.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Correct me if I'm wrong - but weren't the 9/11 pilots rather economically well-off and well-educated in the West?

Bad example. You can't pick a few and use as a generalisation. There are many christians in Sweden with good economy and social security, yet they remain practicing christians. The majority of swedes has gone atheistic, though. In general, economic and social freedom dereligiounises us (if, by religion we mean some kind of belief in the supernatural).

But it's also true that religion is more of a personal matter over here than in countries like Iran and Saudi. So, there may be many believers out there uninterested in preaching their beliefs to people who aren't really interested. Which of course, is best for everyone involved.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
That's right, the 9/11 pilots were highly representative of Muslims in the USA and Europe. Go on fanning the flames...

Cut the rhetoric. If you're interested in a discussion, discuss.

I'm just challenging no1's assumption that better economic status and education necessarily lead to moderate views.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Cut the rhetoric. If you're interested in a discussion, discuss.

I'm just challenging no1's assumption that better economic status and education necessarily lead to moderate views.

Since I never claimed such a ridiculous universal premise, your challenge is to a strawman.

Originally posted by stocken
Bad example. You can't pick a few and use as a generalisation. There are many christians in Sweden with good economy and social security, yet they remain practicing christians. The majority of swedes has gone atheistic, though. In general, economic and social freedom dereligiounises us (if, by religion we mean some kind of belief in the supernatural).

But ...[text shortened]... liefs to people who aren't really interested. Which of course, is best for everyone involved.

Where did I generalise? If anything, I was challenging no1's generalisation.

(What's with you and BdN? Why don't you just respond what I actually write instead of what you think I'm writing?)

Again, there are some apparently noteworthy exceptions to the maxim that socio-economic freedoms dereligionise - the US, for instance, would appear to be more religious today than it was 20-30 years back. Iran and the '79 revolution would be another example. Even Afghanistan after the Soviet withdrawal might be an exception.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
Cut the rhetoric. If you're interested in a discussion, discuss.

I'm just challenging no1's assumption that better economic status and education necessarily lead to moderate views.

You stepped in with the rhetoric right away, my friend, with your odious comparison.

Since the 9/11 pilots went to the States with the specific intention of gaining the necessary skills for them to carry out their mission, they cannot be compared to "the average Muslim". That being said--of course better economic status etc don't necessarily lead to moderate views. George W. Bush went to college, didn't he?

Originally posted by Halitose
[b]Go on fanning the flames...

A fine balance between that and turning a blind eye is what is necessary here. You seem to enjoy doing the latter.[/b]

Turning a blind eye to what, exactly? You have a blind spot for hate speech, my good friend.

Originally posted by no1marauder
Since I never claimed such a ridiculous universal premise, your challenge is to a strawman.

What, then, did you claim?

Originally posted by lucifershammer
(What's with you and BdN? Why don't you just respond what I actually write instead of what you think I'm writing?)

We need a Magic Decoder Ring for you, too?

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Turning a blind eye to what, exactly? You have a blind spot for hate speech, my good friend.

Do elucidate, my good friend.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
What, then, did you claim?

Read my first two posts and figure it out. Or do you need someone else to do your thinking for ya?

Originally posted by Halitose
Do elucidate, my good friend.

What am I turning a blind eye to? I do have my blind spots. In your case--you don't seem to realise what the author of your article and others like him are up to.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
What am I turning a blind eye to? I do have my blind spots. In your case--you don't seem to realise what the author of your article and others like him are up to.

Oh, whatever. So now it's my article?!