I knew a school teacher of Muslim background, well educated and teaching students of the age 8-16, for about 20 years, many with Muslim background in a city in Western Europe. During the last year, for some of these kids, the way they responded to her advice made it difficult for her to envision another future for them "than becoming members of a local shooting club." Quite a number of young people exit school with poor results compared to the huge efforts trying to facilitate their learning, including, in this case, expensive computers, free tuition, books, learning materials, mentors and counselor, special education teachers, psychologists etc. Still when the kids reach 15-16, in too many instances one may well doubt that the intention of a functional level of education is reached. If even a fairly well educated person with a good heart can be an object of intentions to mislead them, what chances do people and young people in particular stand? Apart from excusing people with being mislead, there is also the reality of choices being made, conscious and subconscious choices. In some cities in western Europe, children with Muslim background have shown to be very what they say "vulnerable", if future social order is desired. Is Paris any different?
Regarding the trail of events
April 15: Notre Dame fire
News of Al-Aqsa Mosque having a fire at the same time is posted in the thread.
Question: Is simultaneity a coincidence?
Finding out from MEMRITV that preachers in Al-Aqsa mosque have plans for the future of Islam and for some countries in Europe. Not surprising in itself, as most organizations have a plan.
I find out that MEMRI was based in Washington, aligned with US and judging by the staff also Israeli interests which is not surprising either. What MEMRI published, among many many other translations on various topics, was:
March 12:
Palestinian Cleric Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari at Al-Aqsa Mosque: France Will Become an Islamic Country Through Jihad; Entire World Will Be Subject to Islamic Rule
March 31:
Al-Aqsa Mosque Address By Ahmad Al-Khatwani: Job Of Muslims Is To Bring 'Hateful Infidels' To Islam Through Jihad; Rome Will Be Conquered
And then we came to yesterday:
April 21: Bombing of hotels and churches in Sri Lanka ( Some recall Mumbai 2008, which some say involved foreign intelligence agencies, like Mossad)
I don't know if there are more links between such recent events than meets the eye. When I go to the art museum or read a piece of fiction, maybe written long ago, then one can discuss the theme, the design, the plot, and relate it to ones own time and experience. Is it the same with some world events, were even after much research one can not establish a connection, but still the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated events leaves one with an impression, an idea, or interpretation.
Here, just for the record, is more
about MEMRI and further down additional material from various sources. It is tempting to discard their work, but radical expressions, to us, from Islamic scholars are a dozen a dime, if one listens and reads, and in total really hard to sweep under the rug.
I see. I misread you. I apologize. Thank you for being patient and going to the effort to clearing that up with me Thorbiorn.
You see, I live in a compact multi-culturally vibrant yet quite intense urban dynamic with a strong Islamic presence. I live a stones throw from the main mosque out the back (the green-lit glow of the minaret shines through my window at night) and Im really feeling their zeal these days. I have to remind myself to step back from it all to regain some sanity. Sometimes I forget.
Ya know, it was great in those final years before 9/11, everyone kinda got along, the racial tensions carried on over from the 1980's were dwindling, and fast, or at least around London and the surrounding South-East region. There was of course still plenty crime and general all-round ignorance (of a different kind today), police-response couldn't always be relied on so one was often left to fend for oneself, but there was nevertheless a sense of 'belonging' to your neighborhood and mucking in together that came first and foremost before creed colour sex etc.
To give an example of the Islamic situation back then; it was incredibly rare to see a Muslim man with a big bushy beard (the older generation liked their mustaches), the women might wear a headscarf, but never remember seeing a niqab. Religion was private, it was for the most part, kept a personal affair. To set out to give Da'wah without expressed consent by the receiver was tantamount to incitement and universally recognised as a given to be borderline-offensive to anothers belief system. Actually, back then it was the Christians who were guilty of that sin.
I remember in the 1990's the few early converts to Islam were viewed with some suspicion by the Muslim community and had to prove some semblance of sincerity ie not converting just to marry a pretty young Asian girl. Now its like "Yeh bro, we got connexions... Convert to Islam and
we'll reward you with marriage to a pretty young Asian girl!" (in so many words). Its a complete 180 in less than 20 years.
Now its 2019, and the constant ramping up of competing ideologies and cultures year after year, the ever-increasing messengers of Allah pouring forth ever-ready to give Da'wah, and now with the Brexiteer refreshed-nationalism thrown in to the hotmix, its quite suffocating - and made worse when the weather warms up as it has done the last week... Everyone out flexin' their muscles spouting their big uninformed opinions... The underlining aggression fizzling beneath the clouds of super-grade drifting across the park.
Sometimes I feel like I'm under siege. It gets to me sometimes, and aggregates my thinking. I know its a test and I'm aware of the way it effects me, and sometimes I overcompensate 'reasoning' too far the other way to counteract any perceived bias I fear I might develop because I know how easy it is to fall into Muzzie-bashing.
Coz they sure as hell don't help themselves!
However, as I have no doubt you know, there are good Muslim families out there amongst it all, like in the 90's but better because they've since learned to love their daughters as equally as their sons. They quietly get on with there lives respecting their neighbors regardless of background. Their religion is private. They don't give Da'wah. They would think it unthinkable to presume to stand up as judge and jury to determine what constitutes as divine righteous law for all mankind - in doing so condemning those others they live peacefully alongside. Such Muslim families are real gems... At Eid they will always bring round the most delicious authentic home-cooked food no Asian restaurant can rival (except maybe Taste of Pakistan in Hounslow), and will always give a large box of Ferraro Rocher to their Christian neighbors at Christmas. I spare a thought for Muslims such as they, and worry for their safety when things really do properly kick-off because in the end, I know it will be the Muslims that will lose, and they will be made to pay dearly for it, and they will pay dearly collectively as a group.
Muslim communities here and in Europe are not the military. They are not sufficiently organised no matter what they like to think or have us think of them... Whatever weapons may have been procured on the black-market is never a match for the unlimited resources of the hi-tech armories of Western governments whether at home or abroad. And i know, too, at street-level there are plenty old-time home-grown Anglo families across the UK tooled up, interconnected with the military and far better organised... Waiting in the wings... And they are not nice people at all.
In spite of all their insufferable bigotry and bridges burnt with Western civilization, it could well be the Muslims we hurt for the most because Allah is not going save them.
I suppose I see the scope of what we are facing as something to also remember and realize we all face this together. Knowing it is such a huge stage we act upon it is only logical I think that we at some point begin to realize that it will take a team effort to see significant change.
When we fail to reach even our own "gold standard" we face discouragement and may need "time" to recover. If there are more of us in the fight we might have a much better chance to make some positive changes for the world around us.
I would never be so unreasonable as to demand such standards to be actually realized of anyone. Its all about the actions of "striving". This Forum
strives harder than any other group of souls I've ever known, online or in real life. THAT... is more than enough for me!
Even as I write this I wonder if I don't sound like I am preaching to the choir. You know, I think many/most of us here really do care about wanting to make a difference that will give meaning to our lives and the lives of others.
I KNOW!!! This Forum strives harder than any other group of souls I've ever known, online or in real life. THAT... is more than enough for me!
The Twitter idea you mentioned is something many of us try to do with other current event situations to at least give voice to what we see as truth vs lies. You have good ideas I just wanted you to realize some of these we are already doing in other parts of the forum so your efforts are supported already in some cases.
Thank you for that reassurance, I know you guys are absolutely tireless in your efforts!
I forget I'm still very much a newbie and there are higher realms within FOTCM
(I would say thank you for your patience too, goyacobol, but its a bit pointless because you're always a patient soul
)
