Israel 60 and Cultural News

yes. that is my father. he will have his own section on the DVD edition - NoahDavidSimon

my parent's friend an Iranian (claims he is atheist) piano player says I'm "deranged in the head" for telling him the Quran is hate and worthy of expression against. He visits around four times a year and stays over for many nights and plays my mother's piano and we have a concert. I suspect he isn't as atheist as he tells my parents. Very talented guy, but I don't think Iran would let... more... - NoahDavidSimon

...you can also check my sister at the Kennedy Center with the Joffrey Ballet in the next few weeks. She will be playing Clara from the Nutcracker - NoahDavidSimon

I'll be glad to go see the remake. - Friendfeed's Francisco

well it is about money... behind all the facade of pretension of caring about value... it is about selling tickets - NoahDavidSimon

"(in a neighborhood without an actual Muslim community)" - http://www.newsvine.com/_news... "The center's location, in a former Burlington Coat Factory store, is already used by the cleric for worship, drawing a spillover from the imam's former main place for prayers, the al-Farah mosque. That mosque, at 245 West Broadway,... more... - Andrew C (✓)

"They cannot argue that the building is both religious and non-religious at the same time" - OK, here's a question, then - is the Ganesh Temple Canteen (as seen on "No Reservations") a religious or non-religious space? As I understand it, you go in, order some food, eat it, and pay for it. The temple above it is unquestionably a religious space, but... - Andrew C (✓)

the Muslims do not live there. they work there. not a community of Muslims. you could say a large community of Jews.... or Europeans, but it is not Muslim. The Muslims return to Atlantic Ave. - NoahDavidSimon

Then why are there [at least] two mosques already there in lower Manhattan? - Andrew C (✓)

did I say the other Mosques were a good idea? of course we know we were not aware before. - NoahDavidSimon

you can believe that you have a right to molest young children... that is why we allow the Mosques, but if you actually do practice molesting young children then you go to jail. - NoahDavidSimon

that is how freedom of religion works. everyone has a right to believe their shitty belief... but if your belief starts effecting other people... then it is no longer freedom of religion. that is the point' - NoahDavidSimon

our country allowed freedom for Islam, but when it became clear that Islam is proactively hostile to our constitution and actively asks it's members to destroy it... then it no longer is categorically a religion. practice and belief are separate issues - NoahDavidSimon

as for your argument about categorizing something as both... certainly so... but that is not what Rauf said. He clearly stated one or the other. - NoahDavidSimon

"you can believe that you have a right to molest young children... that is why we allow the Mosques, but if you actually do practice molesting young children then you go to jail." ... OK, I've clearly wandered into the deep end of crazy and here I am without a life jacket. So long. - Andrew C (✓)

I think Islam is crazy too. I didn't make that bit up. how am I crazy for saying exactly what we tolerate here? ...and why is it you think that a personal attack is somehow helping your argument? - NoahDavidSimon

My personal attack was meant to amuse me, because I no longer think it is worth arguing with you. - Andrew C (✓)

of course you don't think it is worth arguing. you lost all the points you made. but people are going to see this thread. there are many things written in all large scale religions that are questionable... not just Islam. That is why we have to tolerate all the crazy and yes violent and yes hateful things Mohammad says. The practice of a religion is controlled by an institution. In... more... - NoahDavidSimon

in fact I'm friends with Salahuddin Shoaib Choudhury on facebook... a follower of #Ahmadiyya. I recognize him as institutionally different in practice. that is what is meant by belief and practice. - NoahDavidSimon

But is Sultan Knish correct that "the First Amendment provides unlimited protection to freedom of religious belief, not freedom of religious practice."? According to the first amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to... more... - Daled Amos

let's dissect the 1st amendment then: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion (that means the government shall not be cahoots with a religion in setting up a structure). ...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; (as long as you don't hurt other people is implied) ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; the right of the people peaceably to assemble (the word "peaceably"here that it is very thorough here for interpretation) - NoahDavidSimon

so you are free to think anything... but you are not completely free in your expression of your faith because the expression is the proactive part that hurts people. you can believe that the Gods are angry and need virgin sacrifice. you can not actually go and get a virgin and assemble her on a volcano. - NoahDavidSimon

going over the logic... the word 'peaceably' is clear as day. peaceably refers to the actions of the believer. - NoahDavidSimon

No argument here. I am not arguing with anything you are saying--all I am saying is that the conclusion "the First Amendment provides unlimited protection to freedom of religious belief, not freedom of religious practice" needs further explanation. The word 'unlimited' applied to belief but not to expression sounds counter-intuitive. In the end, that distinction needs to be spelled out--as you have done. - Daled Amos

I have a belief that you have the best intentions. there are directions you can go that counter the point... no doubt. I recognize a non Cartesian such as myself could point out philosophically that there is no schism between the mind and body and therefor thought and action are one and the same, but the argument would be insincere and belabors a point that the intent is very clear... even if we can philosophically question the nature of thought. - NoahDavidSimon

In the 19th century, the supreme court ruled that it's legal to believe you should practice polygamy, but not legal to actually practice it - another example that was mentioned by the Sultan - NoahDavidSimon

Question for Noah. You said - "you can believe that you have a right to molest young children... that is why we allow the Mosques". I'm trying to factor a couple of things together, but reading through this, I'm not entirely following your line of thought. Do we suggest that (with respect to child molestation) that we get rid of all the Catholic churches as well (or was that part of... more... - Prosey BUTTONS!

Al Azahar University is the active practice of the Mosque. They implement Shariah. It is not merely in a dusty book that no one understands. I'm curious if you have any statistics as to how many world war 2 Nazis actually hated Jews... until then according to your metaphor we can not judge them. as regards to Catholicism what text are you referring to that implements pedophilia. the words of Mohammad use himself as a model who married a girl at five years old and then had intercourse at nine. - NoahDavidSimon

"as regards to Catholicism what text are you referring to that implements pedophilia?" Catholic born and raised as I am I can answer that for you: none! The institution of the Catholic church has been complicit in an almighty, excuse the pun, cover up but the crimes of these priests are without doctrinal basis. In Islam on the other hand.....well how long do any of us have to do justice... more... - JSLeFanu

My question with respect to both Islam and Christianity - with respect to pedophilia...(in current *legal* terms, not applying any "moral" code) is how are they (historically) any different with respect to girl children? In terms of biblical interpretation, or in terms of interpretation in the quran.... And I'm not being facetious, I sincerely don't know, and would like your insight. (I... more... - Prosey BUTTONS!

@Noah, I wasn't creating a metaphor of judgment, though. I was asking a specific question about the big 3 monotheistic religions as comparative to *each other* - not of the Nazis to the Jews during WWII. I could possibly wager a guess that many of those Nazis were "Christian", but that isn't an accounting for Christianity on a worldwide scale, since most Christians around the world... more... - Prosey BUTTONS!

The Nazis had no time for Christianity. However Christianity has a lot to answer for, and I speak as one (well sort of), in terms of creating a climate for the type of slaughter which took place. In terms of Catholicism most of these matters were addressed in Vatican 2 and, as a result, my religious education was actually highly favourable towards the Jews. That's a faith addressing... more... - JSLeFanu

JS, stop putting words in my mouth. I appreciate your perspective. Being sarcastic is fine. Being snarky and assuming my thoughts to your words is patently ridiculous. You and I have different perspectives, and I'm interested in knowing yours...as well as Noah's -- figuring that someone (or both of you) who are evidently more knowledgeable on these topics than I am could...oh, I don't... more... - Prosey BUTTONS!

As I said elsewhere, it is clear you have no interest in actually answering what I asked, so I sought out answers externally, and came to my own conclusions. I'm now done with this thread as well. - Prosey BUTTONS!

@prosepetals sez give all the lotus eaters in that walled garden all my very best. - JSLeFanu

I'm reminded of who Faisal Husseini's father was. That apple really never fell far from the tree. Mind you, his father should have been up for war crimes, too. - George Hall (Australia)

great article, so very true 'arab text books & media' - liny

hey George don't forget grandpa Mohammad Amin al-Husayni the guy who ran the final solution with Hitler and Arafat's uncle. the whole thing is mind boggling. Kim you miss the important part of this. we know what the Arabs teach about Jews. What most of us don't know here is the Socialist Vietnam connection. anyway tra la la. gotta run the Sean McBrides of friendfeed speek of tolerance to those the kill Jews behind trees. ( P.S. Kim: I'm just being hard on you... trying to make conversation) - NoahDavidSimon

husseini the mufti was the one who set up Bosnian SS units. and Muslim Brotherhood also derives from that extreme right link: Nazi/Fascist. - George Hall (Australia) from BuddyFeed

oh but George... dear George you "intolerant" wrench. these are moderates lol - NoahDavidSimon

@jidf did you see this? please see LIFE in Israel in 1948 from http://mediaanalysiscritical.b... the father of the Palestinians (...well not actually because Arabs didn't identify as Palestinians till the later part of the 20th century) ...Haj Amin al-Husseini did have some impressive connections... more... - NoahDavidSimon

"These are moderates"...????? Oy vey..... - George Hall (Australia)

I refuse to live in the same zip code as those that believe they have a religious right to kill me. We don't need to play the semantics of haters anymore. the term "racist" has been abused. as a Jew I am more likely to share genetic traits and even diseases with other Jews, and yet I am not a race because I don't share the same skin color as other Jews. it is time that the term "Racist"... more... - NoahDavidSimon

Noah, are you from a Hebrew race or an Aryan race? Or just a TROLL race? ;-) - Igor The Troll יִצְחָק

Or like the Indians like to say, "who do you belong to?" - Igor The Troll יִצְחָק

I would like to see a book about the P.L.O. and their history with this. - NoahDavidSimon

The KGB's Man: Moscow turned Arafat into a terrorist<http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra...> : Arafat was an important undercover operative for the KGB. Right after the 1967 Six Day War, Moscow got him appointed to chairman of the PLO. Egyptian ruler Gamal Abdel Nasser, a Soviet puppet, proposed the appointment. In 1969 the KGB asked Arafat to declare war on American... more... - Daled Amos from email

Arafat=KGB Interesting! - Igor The Troll יִצְחָק

sort of old news...considering most of the Arab nations were Soviet clients right through even to the eighties. - George Hall (Australia)