Shot dead for not being Muslim...

[Mercy1]

My heart goes out to all those killed or maimed in the name of religious fanaticism in Nairobi. When you're shot dead for no other reason than you can't prove your a Muslim, then all of us are in real trouble, don't you think?

 

[jamesfuller]

Just terrible. Some of the people on this planet are truly despicable.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

When you're shot dead for no other reason than you can't prove your a Muslim, then all of us are in real trouble, don't you think?

I understand your concern, but why are all of us in trouble?

 

[Scott_F]

I understand your concern, but why are all of us in trouble?

Exactly.

Religious strife is nothing new. In Iraq and Syria you can be killed for being the wrong type of Muslim. In 16th and 17th century Europe you could be burned alive for being the wrong type of Christian.

Plus ca change.......

 

[brucemillar]

Then we get nearer to home and the "troubles" begin.

 

[Mercy1]

Religious strife is nothing new. In Iraq and Syria you can be killed for being the wrong type of Muslim. In 16th and 17th century Europe you could be burned alive for being the wrong type of Christian....

Sorry, but I for one do not equate civilisation (as we understand it) with life in Iraq, Syria or even 16th Century Europe...

I say we are "all in trouble" because when religious fanaticism is exported in such a coldly calculated manner then none of us know where it will be perpetrated next. Being non-Muslim doesn't seem to me a good reason to be killed

 

[Dieselman]

Being non-Muslim doesn't seem to me a good reason to be killed

Being non-Christain was a pretty good excuse at one time. The Knights Templars toured Europe converting people to Christianity...with a sword...

 

[balge]

What can you expect from people with invisible friends?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I'm an athiest but I do respect that people believe in dudes on clouds and stuff and I would say that all religions have their own nutters, not just Muslim.

 

[Scott_F]

Sorry, but I for one do not equate civilisation (as we understand it) with life in Iraq, Syria or even 16th Century Europe...

I say we are "all in trouble" because when religious fanaticism is exported in such a coldly calculated manner then none of us know where it will be perpetrated next. Being non-Muslim doesn't seem to me a good reason to be killed

Why do you think that "religious fanaticism is exported" in this context ?

Kenya invaded Somalia last year under the pretext of peacekeeping and al-Shabab see this as a legitmate response to an aggressor who has crossed their border.

 

[Stratman]

Why do you think that "religious fanaticism is exported" in this context ?

Kenya invaded Somalia last year under the pretext of peacekeeping and al-Shabab see this as a legitmate response to an aggressor who has crossed their border.

So why, if the news reports are to be believed, when the gunmen were choosing who to release and who to kill, did they choose Muslim or non-Muslim and not Kenyan or non-Kenyan?

 

[Scott_F]

So why, if the news reports are to be believed, when the gunmen were choosing who to release and who to kill, did they choose Muslim or non-Muslim and not Kenyan or non-Kenyan?

You'd have to ask them but the attack would not have happened had Kenya not sent troops into Somalia.

 

[Stratman]

You'd have to ask them but the attack would not have happened had Kenya not sent troops into Somalia.

Really?

 

[Sp!ke]

The Kenyans sent the troops in *because* of the increasingly regular Somali driven raids occurring in Kenya.

 

[Scott_F]

Really?

OK we will never know for sure and the group has an anti-Western agenda. However...

"For Al-Shabaab, the mall was an attractive target because Westerners, including Americans, frequented it. The mall is also in the capital of Kenya, a country that Al-Shabaab has good reason to dislike, as the Kenyan military played a major role in handing their forces a defeat last year when they liberated the key Somali port of Kismayo from their control."

The above is from CNN and highlights the desire of the group to strike at Kenya. The country has seen its share af terrorist attacks before the invasion but none so prolonged and well-planned.

 

[balge]

I'm an athiest but I do respect that people believe in dudes on clouds and stuff and I would say that all religions have their own nutters, not just Muslim.

By definition people who believe in dudes on clouds are deluded. Some delusional people are mentally ill, and sometimes dangerous.
In civilised cultures mentally ill people are provided with medical support to help them integrate with society. In some cultures they are given bombs and guns and sent out 'to do gods work'...

 

[Tan]

In some cultures they are given bombs and guns and sent out 'to do gods work'...

Please do elaborate further on which cultures do such things, I am intrigued to hear this.

 

[Howard]

If this thread makes it past midnight , I will be amazed

 

[Spinal]

You'd have to ask them but the attack would not have happened had Kenya not sent troops into Somalia.

What tends to happen (this is what we were told by the FCO when they politely told us not to goto Mali/Mauritania) is that AQIM, like most terrorist groups plan attacks months/years in advance.

When the attack happens, whatever the current "news/excuse" is, is used as a reason for the attack.

Not sure if it's true, but does make sense...
M.

 

[markjay]

Why do you think that "religious fanaticism is exported" in this context ?

Kenya invaded Somalia last year under the pretext of peacekeeping and al-Shabab see this as a legitmate response to an aggressor who has crossed their border.

It may legitimate to respond, but not every response is legitimate.

And this paticular 'response' it grossly illegitimate.

I somehow doubt that Al-Shabab actually believe in the evidently-false 'legitimate response' argument. I am fairly certain that those heading the organisation understand very well that this is a political power struggle and all these killings are simply means to an end.

They learn from Al-Qaida ' - after all, neither Bin-Laden nor Al-Zawahiry even contemplated joing a suicide mission themselves.