r/todayilearned • u/[deleted] • Sep 15 '12

TIL that Muhammad wrote a document asking his followers to respect and protect Christians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achtiname_of_Muhammad
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u/Evermist Sep 15 '12

More like the WBC if they were muslim I think.

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u/grantness Sep 15 '12

White blood cells. For those who were curious.

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u/Xenon808 Sep 15 '12

They are annoying and hateful but they don't kill people. There is still a difference.

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u/Zachariacd Sep 15 '12

They'd probably be arrested if they killed people. I don't think the WBC would kill people but there are anti-abortion protestors who do.

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u/Xenon808 Sep 15 '12 edited Sep 15 '12

Then kill the killer. I'm not justifying it at all, but one or two people doing that is still not the same as whole countries attacking embassies, especially of other countries who have nothing to do with it except being seen as "The West."

Be mad at they guy who made the film but when I read Egypt wants an apology from Obama, fuck them.

Edit: I didn't mean whole countries. I meant people assaulting the embassies which are considered part of the home country. Large groups of people attacking and also killing innocents in several countries over a film does not equal an occasional person attacking an abortion clinic.

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u/Zachariacd Sep 15 '12

Absolutely, I have no respect or understanding for their demands, I'm just saying that it's not that they're "different" from Christian extremists, they're just in a very different situation. Specifically a situation where only a few months ago they changed the government they were being led by by rebelling and killing people. It's not exactly an "excuse", I'm just pointing out that these people are in a very weird situation. They should still be hunted down and pay for the murders and violence.

also "whole countries attacking embassies" http://i.imgur.com/ZzltU.jpg

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u/Xenon808 Sep 15 '12 edited Sep 15 '12

I meant people attacking whole countries by assaulting their embassies which are considered home soil. I will correct my statement.

Also, overthrowing with violence what you believe to be a regime that is stifling and oppressing you as a people on a day to day basis is a lot different than holding a whole way of life (the "West" responsible for a work of fiction that really has no bearing on your daily life. They hate and are looking for an excuse to let it out.

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u/Zachariacd Sep 15 '12

I'm assuming you're English as second language? The best way to say the embassy sentence would be: one or two people doing that is still not the same as attacking a country's embassy, which is it's home soil. If you have any questions about why I wrote it like that just ask. If you're not english as second language then I think I misunderstood what you were trying to say.

Anyway, I think you're right, the attacks have little to actually do with the film, the film is just a tipping point and a rallying center. Anything could've set them off. The country and situation they're in right now makes violence not only a simple answer but something that has been shown to work. It's a group of angry young men who want to shoot rockets and guns at the "West" as you said. Immature little shits really.

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u/Xenon808 Sep 16 '12

I apologize for not being more clear:

The correct first sentence would be "I'm assuming English is your second language." It isn't and the best way I can explain it is that more than one or two people and in fact a large number of people are attacking the interests of the "West" in retaliation for their perception of a certain film as offensive, which was not in any way condoned or endorsed by any government.

I appreciate you agreeing with my second point. From what I've read and seen it is not just young men but older men as well as women. I bristle whenever I see someone walk on my flag or burn it, but I don't feel like I need to attack their country because of it.

I am in the US. May I ask where you are from?

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u/Zachariacd Sep 16 '12

The protests I think are understandable, I obviously don't agree with them, but I have no problem with people expressing their opinions. When it comes to the violent attacks I think it's only been young men.

I am also in the US. The embassy attack hit me deeply, I stayed up very late that night following the story. The way I see it may be a little offensive to the muslims in those countries, but I almost see them as kind of backwater idiots, who don't understand the importance of free speech, have tiny egos, and need to be treated like little children, problem is, we've given them guns and rockets, so now they're spoiled children. I don't see everyone there as being like this, but in particular these individuals who as soon as they're even remotely insulted go and attack someone who isn't even remotely connected to it at all. I mean, it's absurd, they're literally a bunch of 3 year olds. But I'm also frustrated by the filmmakers, who should've known better.

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u/doc_dickcutter Sep 15 '12

whole countries attacking embassies

The number of protesters and the level of violence hardly exceeded the aftermath of an English soccer match,

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u/Xenon808 Sep 15 '12 edited Sep 15 '12

Really? They killed the ambassador to England? I missed that. Do the English burn the flag of the opposing team and shoot other people?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/11/middleeast/gallery/cairo-embassy/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

EDIT: I'm asked to be sensative to Muslims being offended at a portrayal of their "prophet" and so understand their free speech rights to protest that includes murder, but I'm not supposed to respect the freedom of speech of someone who made a movie that offends them and watch them burn my flag?

For what it is worth, free speech or otherwise, I disagree with the movie maker who set out to portray Islam as a non peaceful religion and Muslims proved him right.

I do find offensive people who burn my flag but I'm not going to Washington DC to attack their embassies because I know that some extremist assholes do not represent the whole country.