Libertarian Muslim

Why would Muslims in the US pay a tax that size?

This is just outrageous. Just to clarify though, the value of one ISIL gold dinar is apparently US$139, meaning that wealthy Christians will pay a Jizyah of $556 per year, middle class Christians will pay US$278 per year and poor Christians will pay US$139 per year. These may not seem like exorbitant amounts but given that the economic conditions in ISIL held territory are not great, it is a high amount.

I'm aware of the difference between a system of government and the government of the day. ISIS is not a caliphate, they are a group of extremists trying to gain legitimacy by declaring a caliphate and the vast majority of the Muslim world doesn't at all recognize their caliphate, nor the leadership of Al-Baghdadi. With regards to Adam's question, it was a Cable Ship, only a short job of about 30 days but it was a great experience.

It's not only about gratitude and paying back. It's more about helping to support and defend a system of government here that is unparalleled anywhere else in the world in terms of the rights it, in principle protects for individuals. Right now we are under attack by the likes of ISIS. It is not a group with simple ambitions to 'liberate' it's own region, but is instead hell bent on dominating the world and oppressing anyone that comes under the yolk of its tentacles. They must be stopped.

Sigh, you should have just stopped at the apology. The hurtful part was your suggestion that I personally could be a lone wolf or a mole. Just like if I were to suggest that you could be a pedophile? Sure, it's all possible in the sense of how possibilities exist in the universe, but hearing it hurts. That this would come to someone's mind when you've given no reason for them to believe that you could do such a horrible thing.

What is still a possibility?

Thank you for your well wishes, though I must correct you and state that I have not served yet, I intend to serve in the near future. Also, as for the statement that I have made bold. I understand it was in jest, but even in jest it is hurtful.

I don't believe it is impossible to prove intent at all, the FBI has done a great job of doing it over the past year with several people being caught planning to join ISIS. I would have absolutely no hesitation in handing out a death penalty to someone who commits treason in such a way when there was already a clear path for them to leave in the first place in an honest way. Let them leave, take a DNA sample, fingerprints, retinal scans, etc. Make it so they'll be immediately identifiable should they ever try and board a flight to the US or any other Western Country. Thank you for the welcome back also. It's great to be back.

As far as I'm concerned Western countries should let people leave and join ISIS and allow them to take the majority of their wealth with them, too. Give them their opportunity to declare their allegiance to ISIS for safe passage with the condition that they renounce their citizenship and let them take the majority of their wealth with them. Any person found to be trying to leave their home country to join ISIS without following this path should then be tried for treason and executed. ISIS would get so paranoid by the free flowing of people going there with our permission that they'll screw it up by treating almost everyone as a spy. Plus it'll mean we can fight them over there rather than fight them here. I completely agree, except for the Marxist thing. I've been on a very interesting journey of discovery. In 2011 I spent a short amount of time fighting pirates on the Red Sea. In 2012 I moved to the USA, got married to an amazing woman and am currently a consultant in the security field specializing in Islamic Extremism. I live an hour away from Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello and visit often to reflect on how amazing this man and his compatriots were, to risk their lives, wealth and honor to set up what is the greatest experiment in government in the history of the earth. I intend to enlist in the military soon and I hope to spend the rest of my life supporting and defending the US Constitution and protecting our way of life against our enemies like ISIS and Al Qaeda etc. In doing so I hope to set an example to inspire other Muslims and especially my own progeny (when I have them) to devote their life in service to protect this nation.

Is there a better link? Also, great to see you here again. I value your insight. A... Thank you, sir. A pleasure. Try this http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/11/section/12 A pleasure to see you, sir

Oh it is. I agree with what you are stating regarding such a sign as it is a clear incitement to violence. My concern is more with how the legislation is written. That's quite vague. What constitutes inviting support or support in itself? Can it be used to limit criticism of the British Government's foreign policy? Would I go to prison for saying that I believe Northern Ireland should be a free and independent state? It seems somewhat dangerous.

Is no one else concerned with the type of legislation that might be required to charge someone with a crime like this? As to how flimsy the evidence might be and how it could be used to deprive the people of the UK of their liberty in the future?

Egypt to see first female, Coptic vice-presidents: Morsi team Sarah Mourad, Tuesday 26 Jun 2012 Morsi plans to appoint the first ever female and Coptic vice-presidents in a bid towards inclusiveness, an advisor said Ahmed Deif, a policy advisor to Egypt’s president-electMohamed Morsi, stressed that Morsi will be a leader for all Egyptians and will appoint Coptic Christian and female vice-presidents. "President-elect Morsi is not only backed by people with an Islamic tendency or ideology; he is now backed by all the people of the revolution, and this is definitely a dramatic positive card that he can play while negotiating with the SCAF," Deif told CNN. "One of the first decisions will be appointing different vice-presidents. One of them will be a woman, for the first time in Egyptian history - not just modern history, but all Egyptian history, for a woman to take that position. "Also, he has decided to appoint a Christian vice-president, and they will not just be a vice-president who will represent a certain gender or sect, but a vice-president who is powerful and empowered and will deal with critical files within the presidential cabinet." In his last news conference before the presidential runoff vote, Morsi took the opportunity to reiterate his promises to Egypt's political forces, and said the country would not be run by an autocratic president. He stressed that the presidency would work together with young revolutionaries, former presidential candidates, Copts, Salafists and all the sectors of the Egyptian people. Morsi, who was declared president-elect on Sunday after narrowly beating his rivalAhmed Shafiq, also said women will play a major role in society. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/46229.aspx

-

I know a lot of people are very concerned right now about Egypt's future. But I'm not, today's step of voting in Muhammad Morsi as the president of Egypt is a positive step, mainly because his main opponent, Shafik was a member of Hosni Mubarak's old guard and was the final prime minister, he would not have brought change at all. I think if Morsi is able to properly limit the military rule that is in place, the way that the AK Party in Turkey has done the same there then there will be many positive steps in the future. Do I believe that his election will be dangerous for women or Coptic Christians? No, I don't. Do I believe that it will effect relationships with Israel? I hope not. I was pleased to see Israel's reaction and respect for the democratic process in Egypt and hope they stay that way. I do hope that Egypt takes a more leading role in working towards peace between Israel and the Palestinians and should Israel commit any atrocities against the Palestinians, I hope that Egypt will put pressure on Israel to cease such actions, and should they continue to do so, to intervene by allowing aid and observers into Gaza. What I am sure that no one wants, including the Muslim Brotherhood is a war with Israel as it would be entirely counter productive.

That's really not true. Life in the Ottoman Empire alone gave Jews a great deal of autonomy over their own lives rather than having little or nothing to say. whYNOT, I have no problem with Jews having their own country, I also have no problem with it being in the Middle East. I do have a problem when that is imposed on the Arabs and military force is used to establish it rather than negotiating a proper resolution. I also have a huge problem with the fact that there is no Palestinian state. But what REALLY makes me annoyed is the fact that the British engineered the conflict between the Jews and the Arabs and knew it would come to conflict, rather than approaching it properly. Examples of this are the fact that the British imposed a fanatic as the Mufti of the lands who was not voted in by the people, someone they knew was extreme rather than the person who was eager to negotiate with the Jews etc.

I think it also depends on which time in Muslim Spain, in its decline it became more puritan and less pluralistic than previous imposing ridiculous rules on the People of the Book such as they have to wear certain clothes and can't ride horses as a means to subjugate them. Disgusting behavior.

Furthermore, under the Ottoman Empire, Jews for the most part, as most religious minorities were allowed a great deal of autonomy in ruling themselves.

Where do you think they fled to when they were being persecuted in Europe? Let's ask Rabbi Zarfati http://www.history.umd.edu/Faculty/BCooperman/EarlyMod/Zarfati%281454%29.htm: Isaac Zarfati: "O Israel, wherefore sleepest thou? Arise, and leave this accursed land forever!" [somewhere in Turkey, probably 1454] I have heard of the afflictions, more bitter than death, that have befallen our brethren in Germany -- of the tyrannical laws, the compulsory baptisms and the banishments, which are of daily occurrence. I am told that when they flee from one place a yet harder fate befalls them in another. I hear an insolent people raising its voice in fury against a faithful remnant living among them; I see its hand uplifted to smite my brethren. On all sides I learn of anguish of soul and torment of body; of daily exactions levied by merciless oppressors. The clergy and the monks, false priests that they are, rise up against the unhappy people of God and say: 'Let us pursue them even unto destruction; let the name of Israel be no more known among men.' They imagine that their faith is in danger because the Jews in Jerusalem might, peradventure, buy the Church of the Sepulchre. For this reason, they have made law that every Jew found upon a Christian ship bound for the East shall be flung into the sea. [Zarfati alludes here to the Bull of Pope Martin V forbidding the seafaring republics of Venice and Ancona to convey Jews to the Holy Land under pain of excommunication.] Alas! How evil are the people of God in Germany entreated; how sadly is their strength departed! They are driven hither and thither, and they are pursued even unto death. The sword of the oppressor ever hangs over their heads; they are flung into the devouring flames, into swift-flowing rivers and into foul swamps. Brothers and teachers, friends and acquaintances! I, Isaac Zarfati, though I spring from a French stock, yet I was born in Germany, and sat there at the feet of my esteemed teachers. I proclaim to you that Turkey is a land wherein nothing is lacking, and where, if you will, all shall yet be well with you. The way to the Holy Land lies open to you through turkey. Is it not better for you to live under Moselems than under Christians? Here every man may dwell at peace under his own vine and fig-tree. [i Kings IV, 25; Is. XXXVI. 16; Mic. IV 4; Zech. III. 10.] Here you are allowed to wear the most precious garments. In Christendom, on the contrary, ye dare not even venture to clothe your children in red or in blue, according to your taste, without exposing them to insult of being beaten black and blue, or kicked red and green, and therefore are ye condemned to go about meanly clad in sad-colored raiment. All you days are full of sorrow, even the Sabbaths and the times appointed for feasting. Strangers enjoy your goods, and, therefore, of what profit is the wealth of your rich men? They hoard it but to their own sorrow, and in a day it is lost to them forever. Ye call your riches your own -- alas, they belong to them! they bring false accusations against you. They respect neither age nor wisdom; and though they gave you a pledge sealed sixty-fold, yet would they break it. they continually lay double punishment upon you, a death of torment and confiscation of goods. They prohibit teaching in your schools; they break in upon you during your hours of prayer; and they forbid you to work or conduct your business on Christian feast days . . . And now, seeing all these things, O Israel, wherefore sleepest thou? Arise! and leave this accursed land forever. [Ps. XLIV. 23] [pp. 283-285] Jews, for the most part were protected in places like the Ottoman Empire, Muslim Spain, Baghdad and Muslim Persia. There were of course times when some rulers, fanatics came into power and began oppressing the Jews, using them as scape goats but this was not the norm and did not last. In fact, the Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid issued a ferman concerning the Blood Libel Accusation on October 27, 1840 saying: "... and for the love we bear to our subjects, we cannot permit the Jewish nation, whose innocence for the crime alleged against them is evident, to be worried and tormented as a consequence of accusations which have not the least foundation in truth...". Here are some more examples of Jews under the Ottoman empire http://www.sephardicstudies.org/sultans1.html

Now, how would the Muslims do this today, if it were their goal? (BTW, I don't think any such thing of Muslims collectively.) And could have historically? (I understand that there is some question about the link of the Jews of today to the Jews depicted in the Bible.) --Brant Muslims wouldn't do it today because such an action would be forbidden in Islam in the first place. Historically they could have as the Jews for the most part lived in Muslim lands whilst they were being persecuted in Europe.

Brant, I'm not sure that you're understanding exactly what I've said or am saying and now I find this confusing. What is it that you think I was saying initially in the first place? That Muslims wouldn't have been able to kill Jews in the US?

LOL Islam spread and continues to spread, both in agricultural societies like much of Indonesia or a lot of countries in Africa or whether through trade and the marketplace of ideologies. Again, it's growing at a massive rate, by the amount of births as well as the number of people who were not Muslim coming to Islam. It will only be a matter of a few decades before every second person on earth is a Muslim and when that happens, then the West will have to change its policies in how they treat the Muslim world from walking all over Muslims to treating them with the same respect that the West expects for itself.

Where did you happen to see anyone state that Muslims would like to get their hands on American Jews in the first place Grant? I was referring to the fact that no one would ever consider him a threat because he is just a lone nutjob in the US with mental problems who talks big but is ultimately quite harmless. I refer you to the last sentence of yours I quoted. Please craft a reply to that and delete the above as not apropos. --Brant No I don't think I'll be doing that. Please reread what I wrote before, it really needs no further explanation. It makes clear that if Muslims had really wanted to have massacred all of the Jews, we would have teamed up with the Christians to massacre them all a very long time ago when the Christians were doing that and there would now be no Jews in the US. Instead in standing for justice and our divine obligation to it we protected and gave safehaven to the innocent Jews to protect them from the European hordes and their never ending savagery.

Under that logic you're using you would then have to concede that Iran has much more right to attack the US for massing military bases on its borders and sending their Armada to the Persian Gulf than Israel had to attack neighboring states in 1967. The fact is that Israel attacked first, as they attacked first in the Suez Canal crisis. Who could blame Egypt for amassing troops after Israel had tried within the last 15 years to take over Egyptian territory during the Crisis? The offer was proposed to Israel, the fact that it went through other states was part of the negotiation process. Furthermore, HAMAS agreed to the stance. If Israel doesn't want to have a just peace agreement then that's fine. But that will be to Israel's own detriment in the end because it is bleeding itself dry financially and can't sustain itself. The day US money runs out for Israel will be the day that they're forced to reconsider their unjust position and at that time there may be justice. If Israel never reconsiders then the only other option will be for the war to continue until they're willing to come to the table.

Where did you happen to see anyone state that Muslims would like to get their hands on American Jews in the first place Grant? I was referring to the fact that no one would ever consider him a threat because he is just a lone nutjob in the US with mental problems who talks big but is ultimately quite harmless.