Theology Я Us -- The Dogma Pound

[FishbellykanakaDude]

Here's a REALLY interesting walkthrough of the History of the Islam:

History of Islam, Parts 1 thru 5

It is amazingly factual! If you actually want to educate yourself, and don't want a "conversion attempt" (which I certainly don't), PLEASE do check this series out.

I thought I knew WAY more than I actually did know, and now I feel much more fully armed for discussions with anyone interested (for whatever reason) in this very human drama.


Aloha nui! Mahaloz at'cha! <shaka!>

[John]

> Here's a REALLY interesting walkthrough of the History of the
> Islam:

> History of Islam, Parts 1 thru 5
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no5RCHR ... eqEjEejQnf

> It is amazingly factual! If you actually want to educate yourself,
> and don't want a "conversion attempt" (which I certainly don't),
> PLEASE do check this series out.

> I thought I knew WAY more than I actually did know, and now I feel
> much more fully armed for discussions with anyone interested (for
> whatever reason) in this very human drama.

> Aloha nui! Mahaloz at'cha! <shaka!>

I watched all five videos (total time about an hour), and I
was pleasantly surprised that they are as good as you say.

The only fault I would name is that they avoid discussing any of the
very real controversies within Islam itself. They avoid discussion of
controversies about the validity of the Koran and the Hadith, which
are important about understanding violent jihadist extremism today.
The videos blame it on the Kharijites, which is a very fanciful
explanation, since the Kharijites had disappeared within a couple of
centuries.

This is a good time to mention that I'm writing a book on
Islam and Iran, which is a subject that I'm very familiar with
because I've written thousands of articles on Islam and Iran.

It's currently just a partial draft, and the draft is currently
available on a hidden page on my web site:

http://generationaldynamics.com/pg/ww20 ... .gx113.htm

Since I'm not a Muslim, I'm able to describe Islam and Iran in a
respectful, balanced, non-ideological way, but also describing the
controversies within Islam that Muslims themselves feel obligated to
avoid.

If you have some time, take a look and tell me what you think.

[FishbellykanakaDude]

> Here's a REALLY interesting walkthrough of the History of the
> Islam:

..sorry about that errant "the" in there (above). I don't know what came over me.

> History of Islam, Parts ...

I watched all five videos (total time about an hour), and I
was pleasantly surprised that they are as good as you say.

The only fault I would name is that they avoid discussing any of the
very real controversies within Islam itself. They avoid discussion of
controversies about the validity of the Koran and the Hadith, which
are important about understanding violent jihadist extremism today.
The videos blame it on the Kharijites, which is a very fanciful
explanation, since the Kharijites had disappeared within a couple of
centuries.

This is a good time to mention that I'm writing a book on
Islam and Iran, which is a subject that I'm very familiar with
because I've written thousands of articles on Islam and Iran.

It's currently just a partial draft, and the draft is currently
available on a hidden page on my web site:

http://generationaldynamics.com/pg/ww20 ... .gx113.htm

Since I'm not a Muslim, I'm able to describe Islam and Iran in a
respectful, balanced, non-ideological way, but also describing the
controversies within Islam that Muslims themselves feel obligated to
avoid.

If you have some time, take a look and tell me what you think.

Holy Catfish my good man.... looks like a fun read.

I originally happened upon that vid series because I didn't know much about the pre-Islamic to Islamic transition, or the particulars of the sectarian schisms.

My "wanderings" through youtube's material on central eurasia (mostly due to a recurrent interest in the IE/Uralic/Turkic/Altaic language conundrum) presented me with this "Azerbaijanian Perspective" series. It's always seemed odd to me that the central asians were Islamic, especially the Turkic speaking groups, as the truly desert people are SO different from the steppe and mountain peoples to the north.

These "northern" people seem more like the "earlier irish" in their attitude toward their "imported" religion. They seem to have bent it more into a less fanatical and more "naturey" quasi-universalist religion where regional variability was actively appreciated as long as the small number of important core principles were observed.

I suppose my habit of wanting to balance "universalist" spirituality with LOTS of local "flavor" makes me sensitive to examples of universalist versus tribal thinking.

"Important" (large?) religions, and political systems, tend to break right at that Globalist/Tribal fuzzy boundary.

Anyway,.. I'll dig into your text! Yeehaw!

Aloha a me mahalo! <shaka nui!>

[FishbellykanakaDude]

There were a few typos in the text (which is no biggy), but one line might want changing post haste:

"but they provide a rich source about Mohammed and how he lived"

..where the "v" isn't actually there. Yikes!



I've read most all of the text, and I like it,.. I like it a lot!


Big honkin' mahalo for your dedication to makin' other people smarter. <shaka nui loa!>