Most Muslims, like most Christians, blindly follow the traditions of the religion without a second thought about the actual theology.
You seem intelligent.. How the fuck can you think that the average Muslim is any more "cruel and violent" than another human? Sorry man, that just sounds so ignorant.
I spent some time in southern Thailand and Malaysia and met many normal Muslims - happily living their lives, wearing designer jeans and makeup under their burkas, being "bad muslims" by having a drink, regarding praying and going to the mosque in the same way many in the west used to go to church on a sunday - more tradition than true belief. The guys I met in
Muslim lands were some of the friendliest, happiest people I have ever met and as a westerner I felt safer in Malaysia than in some Buddhist parts of Thailand.
If you truely think (or even believe) than Muslims are "cruel and violent"? Then do you also subscribe to other sterotypes? Jews are tight with money? The Irish are stupid? Women are shit drivers? All Americans are loud and annoying...? I hope not.
Most muslim countries are not as developed as their western counterparts. Going back to an earlier point the Sunni/Shia tension and violence is comparable to the Catholics and Protestants just a relatively short time ago. Then look at the crusades... does that mean all Christians were "cruel and violent"? Or were they just living their lives?
I specifically used the word "Islamist" so as not to stereotype ALL muslims. Islamists means the radical muslims. And yes, i do believe that Islamists are more violent because their views teach violence.
Also, i don't think there is anything wrong with certain Stereotypes. People get them for a reason. It doesn't mean they apply to EVERY indavidual, but they can often be generally true.
Truthfully, many Jews i know ARE cheap and careful with money. Why? Because they are only a few generations removed from being a poor european people. So they were careful with every penny they had because they had very little.
My grandmother used to save empty glass jars from things she bought and use them as drinking glasses. That's just the way poor europeans lived.
Does that mean ALL Jews are cheap? Not at all, but is there SOME truth to the Steryotype? Sure. Stryotypes can be dynamic. They change as a cultures conditions and behaviors change.
Also, how come there is nothing wrong with Stereotyping people in a positive way? People always say things like "Mexicans are such hard workers." I don't see any public outrage by Mexicans or anyone else saying "What?!?! how dare you call me a hard worker. Just because I'm mexican, doesn't mean i work hard!"
The truth is that different people have different backgrounds, cultures, values, and religions. And all those things influence their actions. Thats why large groups of people behave a similar way, and thus get stereotyped.
It happens to be that Islamists have a background of violence. And if you look at the actions of them around the world, you will see their violent behavior in protests and attacks on people and you will not see many other nations and people behaving in the same manner. Even the countries in which they live do not behave that way, so it can't be attributed to their surroundings or being "third world"
The problem with Liberals is that they think everyone is equal and so that everyone has the same desires as them; peace, goodnes, etc. It's just not true. Look around the world.
Liberals like to think that their ideas are bigger than reality. That they can change the world with an idea. What idea can you possibly promote that is more appealing to a poor, despondant Islamist than eternal life with 72 virgins and riches? The answer is you can't give them anything. B/c no matter what you say, their lives will be shit, they will still be poor, their friends will still pick on them, people will still hurt them. And so the only thing that appeals to them is the eternity of happiness that awats them..
I don't judge people on an indavidual level and i don't treat indaviduals differently based on stereotypes. But i'm also not blind and i don't try and lie to myself so i can convince myself that i am some allknowing idealist who is pure good and that everyone in the world is like me and wants peace, even though they don't know it yet.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
-Edmund Burke
