The Muslim Brotherhood has continued its crackdown on Christians and has now implemented a tax or Jizya for Christian Copts who do not agree to convert to Islam. Based on Koran 9:29, Christians are being told in Dalga that they must pay jizya or tribute to their Muslim overlords as described in the Koran.
The tribute varies from 200 to 500 Egyptian pounds per day. If families cannot pay, they are reportedly attacked and 40 families have now fled the village.
The same demand has been seen among Syrian rebels who reportedly have gave a shopkeeper three options: become Muslim; pay $70,000 as a tax on non-Muslims or be killed with his family. The same practice has been noted in Iraq with Islamic militants.
Jizya seems a wonderful example of how religion can be used for simple extortion, but the culprits claim the imprimatur of God. It is the same logic that allows the killing of Christians and burning of churches in a “moral outrage” over the showing of a disrespectful film or anti-Islamic cartoon.
Bruce all I can say is AMEN BROTHER!
I guess if you can arm the Mexican drug cartels a la fast and furious arming the Syrian rebels via the CIA isn’t so bad. So how can one condemn the Iranians for arming the existing Syrian government? It’s time to get out of the middle east mess
When one has God on his side, anything is permissible. I defend the right of every person to worship or not worship, but those who do worship often seek to impose their warped version of morality upon the individual and society collectively.
To say something is done in the name of religion and not mandated by said religion is to ignore the content of scripture: which claims to be the revealed direction of the friggin creator of the universe. It’s irreconcilable with Western principles.
And I’m amazed at all the Davids/Daves in just these postings. Hopefully it’s not too confusing.
Praise Jfieidjd. Have faith that Jfieidjd exists, because I know so.
This is why we need to get out of the Mideast
We cannot get in the middle of these quagmires any more
We have tried … Truly to spawn democracy and human rights
What has it gotten us … Lots of lost lives for our military and Bajillions spent on causes that would have been much better spent here in the USA
Let them fight it out amongst themselves …
When they have finished we will see what’s left and deal with it then ….
Sorry … No more money and ESP NO MORE TROOPS …
Reblogged this on veritasusa and commented:
Religion being used as a simple excuse or justification for GREED.
This has nothing to do with religion per se and EVERYTHING to do with this who practice one faith that happens to be in power victimizing those of a different faith using religion as the justification for a much baser human desire. In this case simple greed, but I would not be any more surprised if it was lust with rape or demanding that they turnover their minor daughters or die (maybe that’s next).
The religions don’t really matter, it’s the power that does.
Hindi’s are doing it to Muslims, So are Buddhists, So have Christians, Israel isn’t exactly treating the Palestinians well, nor would many Arab’s or Muslims in that area treat the Israelis or a Jew well. Christians are of course fair game too, as would be any other religion and your really F’d if your an agnostic or worse.
But it’s NOT the religion, it’s simple human nature when fallible people find themselves in a position of power where they can simply take what they want from others, without scruple, with the virtual blessing of the powers that be – of course some will end up doing just that.
And some will decry what they do.
But their victims are still victimized.
Religion being used as a simple excuse or justification for GREED.
This has nothing to do with religion per we and EVERYTHING to do with this who practice one faith that happens to be in power victimizing those of a different faith using religion as the justification for a much baser human desire. In this case simple greed, but I would not be any more surprised if it was lust with rape or demanding that they turnover their minor daughters or die (maybe that’s next).
The religions don’t really matter, it’s the power that does.
Hindi’s are doing it to Muslims, So are Buddhists, So have Christians, Israel isn’t exactly treating the Palestinian s well, nor would many Arab’s or Muslims in that area treat the Israelis or a Jew well. Christians are of course fair game to, as would be any other religion and your really F’d if your an agnostic or worse.
But it’s NOT the religion, its simple human nature when fallible people find themselves in a position of power where they can simply take what they want from others, without scruple, with the virtual blessing of the powers that be – of course some will end up doing just that.
And some will decry what they do.
But their victims are still victimized.
“Not so for millions of Christians, Jews and Muslims, so your hyperbole in using the word “only” is unjustified. One might argue that we would have tyranny if it were not for religion, because all of the principles of freedom and democracy come from religious inspiration.”
DavidM,
Ever hear of the Inquisition? How about the expulsion or conversion of Jews in Spain in 1492? The Southern Baptists declaring slavery had God’s blessing before and after the Civil War? The Albigensian Heresy and Genocide? Forced conversion by Islam in the 8th and 9th Centuries CE? I could go on and on but why bother. Religion is simply neither the palliative nor the civilizing force you claim it to be, in fact it has proven to be quite the contrary.
Mike Spindell wrote: “Ever hear of the Inquisition?”
🙂 Yes, Mike. You know I have. I’m not denying that people kill in the name of God. It just strikes me as bigotry to lay the blame upon religion rather than the human condition. It is like blaming the condition of being a redhead for killing in the name of God just because King David was a redhead and killed in the name of his God. Lots of redheads have not killed in the name of their God. In like manner, many religions have not killed in the name of their God.
“It just strikes me as bigotry to lay the blame upon religion rather than the human condition.”
DavidM,
That just strikes me as a silly ploy to justify your own belief systems and the fact that all that I said was provable as a case for you being wrong in your original statement.
Mike Spindell wrote: “…all that I said was provable as a case for you being wrong in your original statement.”
No, my original statement is still correct. Listing examples of other religions whose philosophy motivated killings does not prove that all religions are the same. What you said is a non-sequitur in regards to my original statement.
I previously mentioned the Mennonite religion as an example that proves my statement. Now let’s consider Judaism. Do you believe that Judaism causes people to fine non-Jews in the same way that Islam does in this example? I don’t see that it does. The Torah actually teaches to treat strangers in the land the same, with respect and dignity. Maybe you have knowledge that I lack about this. Please give me an example where Jews fined non-Jews who refused to convert or followed it up with a death sentence. I really do not believe that such has ever happened. Well, I guess I remember the case of Shechem where after all the men were circumcised they were slaughtered by the Jews, but that was a case involving premarital sex and not really comparable to the example in this story. Please go ahead and prove your case that Judaism is just as bad as Islam in this story.
No more money to Egypt! If a western country did this to Muslims, there would be such an outcry! (I am not suggesting that it be done by the way.) There is clearly a double standard.
David,
All religions have killed in the name of their God for centuries. All religions have stolen from their faithful and those that did not believe. This is nothing new. This is what happens when you try to mix anyone’s religion into governing policy. Another example why the separation of church and state is a wonderful thing.
rafflaw wrote: “All religions have killed in the name of their God for centuries.”
Not true. The Mennonite religion is just one that has embraced pacifism for centuries.
You might consider that killing others is a human condition rather than a religious one. The problem is not restricted to religious individuals. People have killed for centuries in the name of their country, their monarch, or even their own name.
Stalin converted to atheism and killed millions. He started an education and propaganda campaign against religion, much like you do, and then he started killing those of religious faith, nearly exterminating them. You can’t blame religion for that history.
Did you you not mean to say COPTIC as opposed to COPT……
Believe it or not I could subscribe to some of the philosophies of the Coptic Christians than I can what is being taught in organized religion today……
Now, the new pope is giving me hope that things might take a direction for the better….. I hear tell he bought a 1979 Renault…. Hmmmmmm……
As far as a tax on Christians individuals I’m against… Especially with the other penalties so proscribed….
However…. I think some of these folks in the US need to pay there fair share…. Think mega church….
must be time to play cowboys and muslims
This may or may not be so sinister. Do they also get special protections as dhimmi?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhimmi
D2575, exactly! For instance, while Muslims are seeking to tax Christians for being Christians, the Afgahnistan-Iraq Crusade is but the latest example of Christians killing Muslims for being Muslims. Good catch there. And if you think I’m over a top, I simply painted with the same broad brush you wielded.
Pretending to know the mind of an unsubstantiated deity leads only to censorship and tyranny. Religion is slavery.
Dave wrote: “Pretending to know the mind of an unsubstantiated deity leads only to censorship and tyranny. Religion is slavery.”
Not so for millions of Christians, Jews and Muslims, so your hyperbole in using the word “only” is unjustified. One might argue that we would have tyranny if it were not for religion, because all of the principles of freedom and democracy come from religious inspiration.
The leading Muslim leader of Egypt, Ali Goma said
“As both Muslims and Christians grapple with the tremendous upheaval in the region, Sheikh Ali Gomma, grand mufti emeritus of Egypt and one of four senior Muslim scholars who attended last week’s conference, condemned the attacks, church burnings, and humiliation of Christians in Egypt.
“This is a huge violation not only on the humanitarian level but on the Islamic level as well,” he said, contrasting the heightened bitterness with the calmer days of his youth, when he would play soccer with Christian boys and share food with their families. “It is incumbent upon us to eliminate this bitterness and tension which is victimizing our brethren in Egypt.”
An excellent illustration of how religions are not all the same.
That is totally unislamic on several fronts. Crazy things are going on in Egypt, but that doesn’t seem like something I would understand to happen from the brotherhood in Egypt, having lived there.
Shades of the indulgences of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
I guess “a tax on your sins” is better than “a pox on your house.”
Oppressive religions, illegal drug cartels, street gangs,,……what’s the difference? All act against others for the supposed betterment of the group. It’s the fear tactics, money shakedowns, thefts and murders that makes it all come together in one cohesive unit. Oppressive religions do have one extra hole card; they have instituted God as their gang leader….
Reblogged this on Brittius.com.