tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9684236.post114588139358896656..comments2023-10-16T06:10:24.969-04:00Comments on Julie Unplugged: Reacting to Karen ArmstrongAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00088119765077193302noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9684236.post-1146018261929363372006-04-25T22:24:00.000-04:002006-04-25T22:24:00.000-04:00I'll post a new entry tomorrow but I have to say K...I'll post a new entry tomorrow but I have to say Karen was better tonight. I also got to talk to several others tonight who gave me some other perspectives to consider.<BR/><BR/>Lisa, thanks for the questions. I'll write more about it tomorrow.<BR/><BR/>JulieAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00088119765077193302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9684236.post-1145935433236055732006-04-24T23:23:00.000-04:002006-04-24T23:23:00.000-04:00Provacative as usual! I've wanted to comment on a...Provacative as usual! I've wanted to comment on a few other posts, but time's been slipping away on me. <BR/><BR/>Did Amrstrong cast any of the discussion in terms of economics/politics of the region? I admit that I've not done much studying on Islam, but am signed up to take a short course when I am at Princeton Sem this summer for their week long theology institute.<BR/><BR/>Anywyay, I keep wondering how much of the struggle within Islam itself is due to oppressive regimes that stamp out free expression and do nothing for the welfare of their citizenry. <BR/><BR/>The more extreme and violent elements of the religion provides a voice for those struggling with no hope and no way to be heard.<BR/><BR/>The west then of course ends up bearing a good part of the violence because of our "freedoms" but more importantly our wealth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9684236.post-1145934362297586442006-04-24T23:06:00.000-04:002006-04-24T23:06:00.000-04:00Armstrong's infatuation with Islam doesn't make a ...Armstrong's infatuation with Islam doesn't make a lot of sense to me from my vantage point, but I've never really had much contact with the religion or its followers so it's hard for me to judge. For the most part, I consider Islam to be a religion in need of some serious reformation and have yet to find a spokesperson on its behalf that is able to persuade me that it's worth my time to study it further. Most of what I've seen on various websites or on video indicates to me that this is a religion where the "fundies" are pretty much allowed to go unchallenged, and I have little patience or admiration for any ideology that remains so stubbornly resistant to self-critique. <BR/><BR/>I'm waiting to see what kind of positive contribution Islam has to make to world culture outside its own sphere of immediate influence. I'd have a hard time choosing between North Korea or Saudi Arabia if I could only live on place or the other - both seem unacceptably repressive to their own citizens, regardless of whatever level of privilege I might personally enjoy in either place myself.David Blakesleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12167200509158903679noreply@blogger.com