[GandalfTheGrey]

disingenuous as usual Abu. It was you and you alone who introduced this furphy of brutality only in the context of "retaliation of international aggression". The original point of Godstud et al relates just as equally to the day-to-day brutal administration of ISIS to enforce some sick moral utopia that has nothing to do with self-defense against external aggressors". Or perhaps you could explain to me how crucifying children for sneaking in a snack during Ramadan fits into your "retaliation of international aggression" narrative. Or parading naked Yazidi women through a market to be bidded on for sex slavery. Even you are not so disingenuous to know that ISIS doesn't have to implement such a brutal moral code in order to fend off its foes - as has been pointed out to you before. Whether its these depraved practices, or the previously mentioned death penalty for a thought crime which we know you wholeheartedly support - they are plain, 100% ideology, not "retaliation against international aggression".

[abu_rashid]

disingenuous as usual Abu. It was you and you alone who introduced this furphy of brutality only in the context of "retaliation of international aggression".

I honestly cannot follow your train of thought, what does this have to do with what I just said?

The original point of Godstud et al relates just as equally to the day-to-day brutal administration of ISIS to enforce some sick moral utopia that has nothing to do with self-defense against external aggressors".

I agree with you on this point. They will inevitably have to be accounted for their own actions. After they establish their unanimous rule over their domain, then they need to make the transition from oppressed militant uprising to state builders. And if they cannot, then I don't predict they'll last very long.

Again though I'm perplexed how this relates to my statement? Nowhere did I suggest this isn't the case.

Or perhaps you could explain to me how crucifying children for sneaking in a snack during Ramadan fits into your "retaliation of international aggression" narrative. Or parading naked Yazidi women through a market to be bidded on for sex slavery.

Please leave your fantasies out of this. I will only discuss verifiable facts.

Even you are not so disingenuous to know that ISIS doesn't have to implement such a brutal moral code in order to fend off its foes - as has been pointed out to you before. Whether its these depraved practices, or the previously mentioned death penalty for a thought crime which we know you wholeheartedly support - they are plain, 100% ideology, not "retaliation against international aggression".

I make no excuse for their brutality, I simply take issue with those who've brutalised them, playing innocent and pretending IS are the source of all brutality.

[QatzelOk]

Where I live, the most thoughtful and open-minded people are often "Muslim."

The people here who call themselves "Christian" or "Jewish" generally don't believe in anything other than the importance of following trends and owning status symbols.

Which makes threads like this one really seem weirdly empty of the reality of the two social belief systems. Christians were basically the slaves of the Jews in their societies, whereas Muslims can't really accept hierarchy of authority among members of a given society.

Whatever the Jewish media says about non-Israelis... or the tropes that Hollywood produces regarding 'them there bad guys' over there ... doesn't reflect the reality of what it's like to think like a Muslim versus what it's like to think as a Judeo-Christian-mass-media by-product.

[Godstud]

Where I live, the most thoughtful and open-minded people are often "Muslim."

Yes, but you're a Muslim/Quebecois bigot, so I'd expect nothing less.

The people here who call themselves "Christian" or "Jewish" generally don't believe in anything other than the importance of following trends and owning status symbols.

Nice lie. You tell yourself that to make you feel better about hating others who aren't like you, right?

[GandalfTheGrey]

I agree with you on this point. They will inevitably have to be accounted for their own actions. After they establish their unanimous rule over their domain, then they need to make the transition from oppressed militant uprising to state builders. And if they cannot, then I don't predict they'll last very long.

Again though I'm perplexed how this relates to my statement? Nowhere did I suggest this isn't the case.

If you trully are 'perplexed' then its only because you are not thinking it through. It is in fact an exceedingly simple point: Godstud brings up the argument that the brutality of ISIS is a reflection of the ideology of Islam. You retort that their brutality is only a function of their "retaliation against international aggression". I'm making the point that this is largely bunkum: sure you can explain beheading foreign journalists and wiring captured Iraqi soldiers' heads with explosives in this way, but you can't use this excuse for crucifying teenagers for sneaking a snack during ramadan, or using Yazidi women for sex slavery. Thats pure ideology.

I make no excuse for their brutality

But of course you do abu, you are proudly supportive of the same sort of brutality - like executing people for thought crimes and pelting people with stones until they die for engaging in certain consensual acts. Thats precisely the same sort of brutality that people criticise ISIS for. Of course you want to pretend its all within a narrative of "retaliating against international aggression", but its complete rubbish. ISIS, just like you, support a brutal, barbaric implementation of Islamic law - because its their ideology.

[Otebo]

Where I live, the most thoughtful and open-minded people are often "Muslim."

I am sure that the residents of downtown Raqqa say the same.