you lost me there
i think your smarter than me
Hardly. I was talking about Victor Davis Hansen, and the book that Dave recommended. It's a book my father bought for him, but I ended up reading it (and kind of destroying it, shitty binding) first. It took me a little while to chew through it, as there's a lot to chew on. In any event, he released the book under a different title overseas, and it is often seen and used as a counterpoint to Jared Diamond's work. Mr. Diamond's work was actually turned into a PBS series by the same name of his book, Guns, Germs, and Steel. Overseas, though, it was taken quite differently than here in the U.S. It was seen is almost racist, and certainly ethnocentrist. The same can be said, and is said, for Diamond's works (I'm sort of into archaeology and this stuff has come up in some publications). Being an American, I definitely lean towards Hansen's understanding of our culture.
Both men are offering interesting theories as to why the west has won (succeeded) over the east. Jared Diamond thinks that it's more to do with disease resistance, and having firearms and steel. But this doesn't sit well with me, because guns are a relatively new invention, germs have always been around, and smithing and metallurgy are not at all unknown in the east (nor in New World cultures). The true difference, the difference that made a difference, according to Hansen, is the concept and practice of the free man.
Really, if you can get the book Carnage and Culture, get it. Then read it. I'm thinking I'm gonna reread it, but I've got to repair the shitty bindery that's NOT holding the damn thing together (if I were the author I'd be pissed about that).
Is it a tax which targets you for your religious beliefs?
Or, how about this one? Receiving a tax break for your religious beliefs.
Sharia law is religious law (morals) codified into standard law. And you seem to be okay with that.
Much of our western law is religious law codified into secular (standard) law. Dave, as a man brought up with no religion but well-exposed to Catholicism (more so than my Hispanic self), has an interesting POV in that he believes, and the more we discuss I am leaning this way, that the essence of our morals and laws do indeed come from religious roots. Now, for me, I combine this with the ideas of Joseph Campbell, in that there is a utility for religion.
When one considers what Muhammed was born into and what he tried to eradicate with Islam, it makes more sense. But he failed, the tribes always fought and always will fight. They have always oppressed women, and always will. But, they're not the only ones holding that banner. Think you'd catch me, wearing pants and bare shoulders, in the orthodox section of Jerusalem? Think again!
