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Originally posted by Doc Velocity
Originally posted by johnny2127
Buddy, I hate to tell you but the middle east had been fighting itself long before Israel was ever created or the US 'intervened'.
Buddy, I don't hate to tell you that Israel existed long before Islam existed, and Islam has been waging war for centuries to exterminate Christians and Jews.
When the "modern" state of Israel was created in 1947, it was to give back the traditional Jewish homeland taken from them centuries before. The USA and most of the free nations of the world are avowed to protect Israel against all enemies.
Pay attention next time in your history class.
— Doc Velocity
Originally posted by converge
The issue is that the United States Government is (supposed to be) a secular Government, as established by the First Amendment.
Originally posted by johnny2127
But the constant is they are always fighting. Why? Because of the Muslim extremists. Not because of the US or Israel. Don't you get it? The Muslim extremists just need a target, and they will always find one, and always have.
Originally posted by Doc Velocity
Again, next time pay more attention in your history class.
Originally posted by Doc Velocity
It does not say that those in government must not be religious.
No, the U.S. government is not "supposed to be a secular government"... Never has been, never will be.
The phrase "separation of church and state" became a definitive part of Establishment Clause jurisprudence in Reynolds v. U.S. (1879), where the court examined Jefferson's involvement with the amendment and concluded that his interpretation was "almost an authoritative declaration" of its meaning. (source)
1. The government's action must have a secular legislative purpose;
2. The government's action must not have the primary effect of either advancing or inhibiting religion;
3. The government's action must not result in an "excessive government entanglement" with religion.
Originally posted by Doc Velocity
Originally posted by johnny2127
But the constant is they are always fighting. Why? Because of the Muslim extremists. Not because of the US or Israel. Don't you get it? The Muslim extremists just need a target, and they will always find one, and always have.
Again, next time pay more attention in your history class.
Islam has only existed for about 1400 years. Not all Middle Eastern conflicts (which date back thousands of years) were spawned by Muslim extremists. Not even close. So, Muslim extremism is not a constant in Middle Eastern conflict.
However, what we do know is that previous wars in the Middle East were fought between kingdoms and empires, usually one nation against another.
With the birth of Islam in the late 7th Century A.D., the Middle East and Europe began to see massive conquests of many empires by Muslim armies — armies united under a common religion. The Muslims weren't fighting for territory or natural resources, but to conquer many lands in the name of Islam.
While Jews and Christians were often allowed to continue living in Muslim-conquered lands, these Jews & Christians were relegated to a much lower class of citizenship, forced to pay for the right to practice their own religions, and were forced to wear different clothing identifying them as non-Muslim. Additionally, they did not enjoy the same legal rights as Muslims.
And, yes, the Muslims occasionally flat-out massacred Jews and Christians for the hell of it. Converting to Islam was about the only way to save your ass and enjoy basic rights if you were a Jew or Christian.
So, no, Muslim extremism hasn't been a constant in Middle Eastern conflict throughout the ages, but it certainly is today — and anyone refusing to acknowledge the state of Muslim holy war against non-Muslim nations and people is simply turning a blind eye on the facts.
— Doc Velocity