wild world
Sep. 22nd, 2004 12:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verbicideCat Stevens makes me want to throw things.
Not that he's done anything particularly noteworthy in this article, except board a plane. But just in general. In his own way, he's done more to hurt the reputation of Islam than to help it. I remember having a conversation with a friend in high school who asked me why music was considered bad for Muslims. I used to love Cat Stevens. I still love some of his songs. But I'm really glad he declared to the world that his love for Islam meant he had to stop producing those nasty songses. Yes, I know it was to break free from a world of SIN (drinking, drugs, cavorting with frisky free women--which, sorry, but I prefer the world of SIN). It's just tragic that he couldn't continue his music career and sing about things that didn't offend him. Like, um. Trees. And flowers. Or something.
That's what frothy fundamentalists don't seem to get. Their extreme behavior makes the entire religion look like a bunch of freaks. Yes, they're usually in the minority, but they're also the loudest and garner the most attention. Or maybe it's not that they don't get it, it's just that they don't care.
As much as I'm not a fan of organized religion, it is possible to follow Islam in a moderate, non-psycho way. But sitting in a camp with Khomeini, bellowing for the head of Salman Rushdie is not the way of peaceful submission.
Also, to be needlessly catty: Yusef Islam? That's the name he picked for himself? Hello! That's about as lame as someone changing their name to Johnny Christianity. Yes, we get it. We see the beard and turban. We know you're ON THE TEAM. Chill, motherfucker.
Sheesh.
Not that he's done anything particularly noteworthy in this article, except board a plane. But just in general. In his own way, he's done more to hurt the reputation of Islam than to help it. I remember having a conversation with a friend in high school who asked me why music was considered bad for Muslims. I used to love Cat Stevens. I still love some of his songs. But I'm really glad he declared to the world that his love for Islam meant he had to stop producing those nasty songses. Yes, I know it was to break free from a world of SIN (drinking, drugs, cavorting with frisky free women--which, sorry, but I prefer the world of SIN). It's just tragic that he couldn't continue his music career and sing about things that didn't offend him. Like, um. Trees. And flowers. Or something.
That's what frothy fundamentalists don't seem to get. Their extreme behavior makes the entire religion look like a bunch of freaks. Yes, they're usually in the minority, but they're also the loudest and garner the most attention. Or maybe it's not that they don't get it, it's just that they don't care.
As much as I'm not a fan of organized religion, it is possible to follow Islam in a moderate, non-psycho way. But sitting in a camp with Khomeini, bellowing for the head of Salman Rushdie is not the way of peaceful submission.
Also, to be needlessly catty: Yusef Islam? That's the name he picked for himself? Hello! That's about as lame as someone changing their name to Johnny Christianity. Yes, we get it. We see the beard and turban. We know you're ON THE TEAM. Chill, motherfucker.
Sheesh.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Hello,Pot? This is Kettle calling.
Date: 2004-09-22 07:38 pm (UTC)I've often thought that American Christian fundamentalists recognize the worst of themselves in fanatical Islamicism, and that's why they're so pissed off.
Re: Hello,Pot? This is Kettle calling.
Date: 2004-09-22 09:02 pm (UTC)And while I did target Islamic fundies, I meant to slap them all with the same tar brush.
Re: Hello,Pot? This is Kettle calling.
Date: 2004-09-23 12:48 pm (UTC)Hey, at least he's not shouting, "developers! developers! developers!"
On that note, maybe vice-versa, too? That could explain some of the apparent animosity.
(Sadly, the "hello! We're not all like that!" explanation probably won't fly. Either way. *sigh*)
no subject
Date: 2004-09-22 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-22 09:03 pm (UTC)Yes.
Date: 2004-09-22 09:44 pm (UTC)Re: Yes.
Date: 2004-09-23 06:17 am (UTC)Re: Yes.
Date: 2004-09-23 01:30 pm (UTC)How to get rid of fundamentalists? Why just appoint them to positions of power...
Date: 2004-09-24 12:16 am (UTC)http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=4426
"On July 6, by a vote of 51 to 46, the Senate approved the nomination of Leon Holmes to a federal district judgeship in Arkansas"
"Holmes was strongly opposed by pro-abortion groups and homosexual activists. Part of the opposition stems from Holmes' support for the traditional Christian view of marriage. Holmes, a devout Catholic, had written with his wife an article on marriage in which they stated that "the wife is to subordinate herself to the husband" and that "the woman is to place herself under the authority of the man."
What can I possibly add? Except to say I loved your entry, "We know you're ON THE TEAM. Chill, motherfucker." I couldn't stop laughing.
Thanks. You made my day. You made me gay (well, not really but I didn't have an overbearing Mom. So, I have to pin the blame on someone).
No! Not homosexual activists!!
Date: 2004-09-24 06:28 am (UTC)Subordinate herself to the husband? Bondage fun? Cool.
"So, I have to pin the blame on someone"
I'd like to think of it as credit. But unfortunately the credit for your coolness is entirely your own.
Don't you love it when I blatantly fawn over you? *grin*