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The violence is there for other reasons. Religion is an outlet. I agree it's not a simple matter. Neither is just saying they are violent, and that is the end

The violence is there for other reasons. Religion is an outlet. I agree it's not a simple matter. Neither is just saying they are violent, and that is the end of the story. That is a bit simple, don't you think? Should I assume that you're "a devout Muslim of one of the more violent sects"?

tsotha 14y ago
>The violence is there for other reasons. Religion is an outlet. That's what I'm talking about. Why do you assume this? Why do you assume people who have been beheading each other for blasphemy going on 1500 years have suddenly decided God can take care of himself and it's all really an excuse? >Should I assume that you're "a devout Muslim of one of the more violent sects"? Why would you assume that too? What difference does it make?
- poli_throwaway 14y ago
  Perhaps because scholarly research into the last five or so decades of conflicts has shown that politics is the main cause of violence, and that groups from the European fascists, anarchists to todays militants have been using similar technicques of warfare, organisation, propaganda, and follow conflicts follow similar trajectories.
  - tsotha 14y ago
    >Perhaps because scholarly research into the last five or so decades of conflicts has shown that politics is the main cause of violence... How could you possibly trust "research" into the minds of millions of people? Doesn't your bullshit detector even twitch a little when you read something like that?
    - Evbn 14y ago
      Your research into a billion Muslims' minds seems untwitching...
      - tsotha 14y ago
        Well, I subscribe to this quaint notion that people mean what they say unless there's a solid reason to believe otherwise. The advantage being I don't have to pretend I can figure out what really motivates them. I just listen. The 20th century would have been a lot nicer if the people in charge had done the same.

tsotha 14y ago

>The violence is there for other reasons. Religion is an outlet. That's what I'm talking about. Why do you assume this? Why do you assume people who have been beheading each other for blasphemy going on 1500 years have suddenly decided God can take care of himself and it's all really an excuse? >Should I assume that you're "a devout Muslim of one of the more violent sects"? Why would you assume that too? What difference does it make?

poli_throwaway 14y ago
Perhaps because scholarly research into the last five or so decades of conflicts has shown that politics is the main cause of violence, and that groups from the European fascists, anarchists to todays militants have been using similar technicques of warfare, organisation, propaganda, and follow conflicts follow similar trajectories.
- tsotha 14y ago
  >Perhaps because scholarly research into the last five or so decades of conflicts has shown that politics is the main cause of violence... How could you possibly trust "research" into the minds of millions of people? Doesn't your bullshit detector even twitch a little when you read something like that?
  - Evbn 14y ago
    Your research into a billion Muslims' minds seems untwitching...
    - tsotha 14y ago
      Well, I subscribe to this quaint notion that people mean what they say unless there's a solid reason to believe otherwise. The advantage being I don't have to pretend I can figure out what really motivates them. I just listen. The 20th century would have been a lot nicer if the people in charge had done the same.