Syrian child photographed 'surrendering to camera because she thought it was a gun'

a reply to: puzzlesphere

Screw your compassion.

I've heard your post paraphrased a thousands times...


It'll never stop me asking Allah to bless someone.

So again, screw your compassion.


Compassion from your computer has never solved anything.


Allahu Akbar.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

Compassion from your computer has never solved anything.

Neither has wishing Allah bless somebody, to be fair. Just so I'm not singling out any religion, the same goes for all of them. Of course, I wouldn't try to get someone to stop having faith. If people want to believe that nonsense it's their right.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

At least my compassion comes from my heart, not some imaginary external force.

While I’m sharing my views through a computer on a forum... my compassion extends to real life too.

I volunteer for the Cancer Council, I donate to charities, I regularly speak at schools and universities, I give my time freely to my employees, I involve myself in the development of my community hoping that I can have a positive effect on the world around me... all without a God holding my hand.

I do it because I believe in the progression of humanity, and understand that compassion comes from the self... not a god.


Allahu Akbar... lol

... what is said by people beheading hogtied victims "in the name of God"?

... or what is said by someone in a carbomb seconds before he fires it off in a crowded marketplace.?

"Wait for that grandmother with her three cute grandkids gets a bit closer"

"ALLAHU AKBAR!!!"

KA-BLAM!!! ... screams, wailing, etc

It seems that phrase is said more often in anger than in compassion... as supported by you using in a response that was angry at me... nice... peaceful religions and all that...


Your mantra does very little to actually improve the world.

a reply to: puzzlesphere

I don't think Allah supplied ISIS with US M1 tanks and Humvees. The story is that ISIS was able to walk in and seize 2,500 US armoured vehicles from Iraq without a struggle and be able to use that machinery without training. But if history is any guide the US is again playing a proxy war using private armies to wage war against sovereign nations illegally. ISIS has no factories so obviously the west is also supplying ISIS with ammunition, oil, water and food to fight a prolonged battle.

a reply to: glend

I agree that Allah didn't supply ISIS with actual hardware (partly because he doesn't exist)... but what Allah (or any other imaginary deity) did do is allow ISIS and similar religious nuts to conceive and convince themselves of a reason why obtaining destructive hardware is in their interest.

When people get to a point that a perceived insult to their beliefs produces a greater emotional response than the image of a child in distress, like the child in the OP, there is something wrong with those belies.

It disgusts me when religious people polute an issue with their beliefs... muddying the water and turning any negative or positive into an "extension of god".

This thread was about the injustice of people that extends to the behaviours of a child... then all of a sudden "May whatever entity greater than us is out there, have mercy for humanity."... or ... "May Allah bless them."... appears in a non-religious thread, as if adding those beliefs has any positive effect whatsoever...

How about we leave religious beliefs out of the issues and deal with them as humans alone?

a reply to: puzzlesphere

Why would islamic people leave their homes to fight other Islamic people in other countries when there is a whole world of non-muslums to conquer! Or you'd at least think they would try free the Palestinians. Clearly these wars have nothing to do with religion. The US corporate machine wants total control of the middle east which was foretold be an ex-general years ago. They of cause cannot admit they fighting illegally wars of conquer so the propaganda machine is in full swing trying to convince the world otherwise.

a reply to: puzzlesphere

It seems that phrase is said more often in anger than in compassion... as supported by you using in a response that was angry at me... nice... peaceful religions and all that...

I'm willing to bet you've never actually seen or heard anyone use the phrase God is Great angrily...

& neither did I say it angrily, i said it proudly...



All the while your anti-theist sentiment just shines through...


Plenty of compassion when I ask Allah to bless people...

Not that you'd understand, you have a small mind that blames God for things that happen all the while you probably go off and vote for the people who cause such anger you so vehemently claim is used when saying Allahu Akbar...

Please... Do me a favour...
Spare the holier than thou attitude for someone you can brainwash into hating religion.


I'll continue to ask my God to bless the unfortunate.
As He has done for me, many times.

Screw Allah & God... gods create conflict, they don't end it.

he doesn't exist

Hilarity... As always from an anti-theist perspective.

a reply to: Pimpish

You can prove anything you just said?


Or is it your belief?

Because it seems like nonsense to me!

I'm not sure what to make of this picture.



It kind of reminds me of the Fake "Syrian Child sleeps with his Parents" pic.



Are these pics published to cause outrage towards Assad, and justify sending billions of US taxpayer dollars to fund the "Free Syrian Army?"

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

No... from a factual perspective... there has never been any proof for gods, ever, outside of hearsay, so why bring any faith based comment to bear on an actual situation (such as the dismal reality of the child in the OP) that gods are clearly doing nothing about?

So, believe if you want, that's everyone's personal right, but don't insidiously insert religion into human made situations.

Name me a single modern conflict that was ended by a god... or an ancient conflict that didn't end with a god inciting violence in its followers or have the god end it by raining supernatural destruction?

Gods and religion create more conflict than any other philosophy... even in this thread (that should be about the child's plight) you have introduced the concept of religion ("May Allah bless them."), and rather than discussing human suffereing, you are defending your religion... Ergo, religion causing conflict... again.

Bravo religion... using any excuse to include their dogma... even the suffereing of a child.

a reply to: puzzlesphere

You don't even know the person in the picture nor the sentiment behind it or whether it's the usual Syrian propaganda.

So please refrain from the holier than thou "factual" bull.



You have just as much proof divinity hasn't played a part...

Which is equally zero!!!



You got personal because I left a gesture of hoping for a blessing.



There is none so rabid and vapid as predictable anti-theists that blame religion for everything and say whatever is most hurtful about gods they don't believe in...

Grow the hell up!

a reply to: puzzlesphere

If religion caused this suffering how did I "inject religion" into it...

You anti-theists can't make up your minds you're that rabidly confused.


Clear off and stop telling people what to post just because it sticks in your ore!!!

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

I'm willing to bet you've never actually seen or heard anyone use the phrase God is Great angrily...

From my understanding it is actually "God is Greater", insinuating superiority of Islam over other beliefs. The whole concept leads to righteous anger in any anyone who disagrees... so yes often said in anger.

For instance:
The Prophet said, Allahu--Akbar! (Allah is Greater) and Khaibar is ruined, for whenever we approach a nation (i.e. enemy to fight) then it will be a miserable morning for those who have been warned."

From his own mouth...

... or just watch any of the vile muslim execution videos, or any Islamic propaganda... you will regularly here it said with a condescending tone, and anger at their adversaries.

& neither did I say it angrily, i said it proudly...

Yes... proudly shoved it in my face... righteous indignation can induce pride, and if you want to believe your own tripe then good for you... though others will likely see the malice in your tone.

All the while your anti-theist sentiment just shines through...

More anti organised religion (jury's still out on the existence of a god), I’m not anti-imagination and accept that there may be a creator, though in the current world any creator has no bearing on my immediate life or actions (free will, etc)... just don't like people attributing their actions to make believe... or invoking god's good graces on human suffering as if it has any bearing on the situation.

Plenty of compassion when I ask Allah to bless people...

I care about your personal compassion, not your perceived god's compassion.

How do you feel personally? Why is god's mercy any more valid than your own mercy?

Take responsibility for yourself.

Not that you'd understand, you have a small mind that blames God for things that happen all the while you probably go off and vote for the people who cause such anger you so vehemently claim is used when saying Allahu Akbar...

I don't blame god for anything (for all practical purposes gods don't exist)... I blame a humanity that looks for external justification for their actions, rather than looking into themselves and empathising with others in the shared human condition.

There is almost no-one good to vote for... voting for people makes politics a popularity contest... I'd rather vote on policies specifically. I vote for parties and candidates that are religiously devoid and pushing the notion of community engaged active politics.

Please... Do me a favour...
Spare the holier than thou attitude for someone you can brainwash into hating religion.

Please do me a favour... believe what you like... but in discussions leave your religious catch-phrases out of it.

I'll continue to ask my God to bless the unfortunate.
As He has done for me, many times.

Again... I don't care about your god's blessings... I care about your personal individual compassion and opinions, not your perceived idea about what "god" may think.

Wait... how did this become a religious discussion so off topic? It's sad to me that a child's suffering gets left by the way-side in favour of justifying your personal beliefs.

P.S. Your post about propaganda was good... other than the religious barb included at the end. Your opinions are what's important, not god's mercy which is purely speculation and interpretation.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

The "fact" I was referring to is that I wasn't approaching from an anti-theist perspective, but from a "no proof for god" perspective... which is actually a fact... even if you personally choose to ignore the no evidence problem.

I care about your opinions... not your perceived gods.

You have just as much proof divinity hasn't played a part...

Which is equally zero!!!

Exactly... no proof either way... so let’s just leave any religious phrases entirely out of the equation, and look purely at what humans are doing to each other, and how we can better empathise with each other as a species.

Yea. There you go charlie. We also can't prove that your god didn't start the whole mess over there just to eradicate those who believe in him the wrong way.

Or how about we just wish upon a star that a flying unicorn pics up this young boy and takes him to candyland.

I mean, you can't prove that it won't happen. So it's just as likely.

Who cares if the pictures are staged to bring their plight into the light of day. Their plight is still very real. Begging for fantasy characters to help has never done any good.


a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

I never said that religion caused this suffering... I feel that humans caused this suffering to each other, without the active intervention of any gods (if there was godly intervention... even worse that they let this happen)... and bringing any religion into it creates conflict. (As seen in this thread).

All I’m saying is keep your religion to yourself... posting any religious comment (even well intentioned ones) in a non-religious discussion opens the floor to theological disagreements (from atheists, from opposing religions or even from different interpretations of the same religion), that draw attention away from the topic.

Adding religion, from what I’ve seen, never leads to good resolutions, only more arguments.

Your religion should be in your head and your home, not on display like a statement or a challenge.

I have my own beliefs, that I don’t generally share without being asked specifically or insinuate them unsolicited onto an issue.


My opinion on the OP is that regardless of the propaganda machinations behind the image, the image shows a clearly frightened child, who is having a traumatic life to date.

It saddens me that there are places in the world where when an inanimate object is directed at a child the child’s response is one of fear and cooperation under threat of violence.

No child should have their base environment produce a fear so deep.


See… nothing faith based in my opinion…

… No-one outside your religion cares what your religion thinks.

Maybe she's saying "Syrian Power!"......all joking aside it is pathetic and unacceptable a child has to even understand the meaning of surrender. That part of the world is being destroyed by simple greed of the bastards that already have too much and want more. Boggles my mind that a human could see the sadness and despair over there through a child and still give no mind to raping and looting the resources still.

a reply to: glend

I totally agree... there is always a deep selfish motive at the core of any violent conflict, which is usually separate to any stated ideologies.

It is also always the less than 1% that reaps the benefits of war... everyone else seems to lose out.

Religion is just one aspect of the propaganda tool-set used as a justification to smooth the process of getting one group of people to kill another group of people, or diverting attention after the fact.

Religion is one of the easiest motivators to not bring into an issue, since it's all interpretation and no proof... purely opinion... but once it's been brought in (as simple as saying "May Allah bless them."), the attention is diverted from facts and reality to a theological discussion.

A handy diversionary tactic for those making the decisions...

... if I was on a conspiracy website, I may even believe that religion is one giant conspiracy for playing humanity like a bunch of puppets.

a reply to: puzzlesphere

if I was on a conspiracy website, I may even believe that religion is one giant conspiracy for playing humanity like a bunch of puppets.

It certainly would be hard to argue against your logic given history but sometimes there are lights in the darkness that help bring the world on a better path (gandhi,Martin Luther King Jr. etc). We certainly need people to stand up to the evil that rules our world.