tripleX

I was having the usual fight with a christian the other night: my mother. She did the usual bit about how I'm going to be sorry, and that she wishes I would reconsider so I could be "saved" and all the rest of the bullshit. She went on to mock people who are atheists, state that everyone knows there are no atheists in foxholes (after which she told me she doesn't care that I have proof - WTF?). <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

That's not all, folks! She also went on to say that there was absolutely no religion involved in what took place last September. Did I miss something in the explination for what happened? I suppose they just flew a plane into a building for what? To get a few laughs? How stupid can people get?



[ July 22, 2002: Message edited by: tripleX ]</p>

Peregrine

Actually I feel that your mom is not totally wrong.

OBL and his "generals" are politicians with domination of the region on their minds. They have learned that religion is a very usefull tool. Their "foot soldiers", such as the 911 hi-jackers are/were religious fanatics manipulated by OBL for use in a political plan.

I believe one should be skeptical of the claims and goals of liberators and crusaders. More often than not, their lofty goal is to enrich themselves in power and wealth. Doing things in the "Name of God (Alah)" does not mean that they were done for their god.

butswana

I don't know, P. I saw an interview with an ex-sister-in-law of Osama. She said that one of her few encounters with him involved him going completely spastic ape-shit because her head was uncovered. Apparently, he implored his brother to kill her for it.

Undercurrent

I'm guessing OBL is like the fundy businessmen in the U.S. -- A stanch supporter of "morality" so long as it involves only other people, but rationalizes to himself that a personal political agenda is what God would want him to do.

One thing I can say for OBL though, is he's at least part of the action. I know that if Pat Robertson waged a jihad, no one would wonder whether he was dead or alive or injured or healthy because Pat would be so very far from the front lines.

He has fucked-up convictions, but they're apparently strongly-held.

m.

Synaesthesia

No true scotsmen were involved in september 11th. In other news, only true scotsmen were involved in september 11th.

Up next, politically expedient conflulation of labels with criterion of classification.

Pitshade

This seems to be a serious discussion.

Sephiroth

Nothing you can do here. I find it funny how so many Christians are always talking that they have the truth but then believe in any urban legend that supports their faith. Hmm, a better example would be how the Taliban ran Afghanistan. IMO, 9/11 occured mainly because of incompetent US foreign policy.

Viti

Regardless of OBL's personal agenda...those suicide pilots thought they were doing Allah's work and had some virgins waiting for them in heaven. I can't think of any other way they got the balls up to do it

JL

Peregrine wrote:

By what objective mouthpiece of the gods do you measure this claim?

GaryP

It is my understanding that one of OBL's biggest beefs is the presence of American military in Saudi Arabia. This is considered Islam's Holy Land due to Mecca being located there.

So, I would think that and the fact that the hijackers truly believed they were doing Allah's work would at least make religion a contributing factor.