Poll: Did Islam have anything to do with 9/11?

[Infohawk]

IMO at the core of the mosque debate is the question of whether the religion of Islam had anything to do with 9/11. People who find the location of the mosque distasteful (even if is legal) hold this belief because they feel that 9/11 was a product of Islam. People who are outraged over the outrage don't seem to think Islam has anything to do with 9/11.

What do you think?

I'm of the opinion that Islam was an important cause of 9/11 and is still a cause for much of the terrorism we see around the world. The hijackers committed their crimes in the name of Islam. Much of the animosity towards the USA in muslim countries is based on religious ideas that religious infidels should not be in muslim areas and that Israel is at odds with Islam. This is not to say that other religions are great, they aren't, but I haven't heard of any Buddhist hijackers lately or Christians killing people over portrayals of raptor jesus and other christian parody.

 

[OCGuy]

Come on...

It sounds like one of those bad Gieco commercials with that wierd looking dude:

Can Gieco really save you 15% or more on car insurance?


*turns to look at camera*


Did Islam have anything to do with 9/11?

 

[BeauJangles]

Radical Islam, sure. But radical elements of religious groups (or really any group) are behind some of the worst atrocities in history. Is that really surprising?

 

[Infohawk]

Radical Islam, sure. But radical elements of religious groups (or really any group) are behind some of the worst atrocities in history. Is that really surprising?

So you don't think muslim superstitions push the radical muslims to action? Don't the religious doctrines have an impact on these individuals?

 

[woolfe9999]

IMO at the core of the mosque debate is the question of whether the religion of Islam had anything to do with 9/11. People who find the location of the mosque distasteful (even if is legal) hold this belief because they feel that 9/11 was a product of Islam. People who are outraged over the outrage don't seem to think Islam has anything to do with 9/11.

What do you think?

I'm of the opinion that Islam was an important cause of 9/11 and is still a cause for much of the terrorism we see around the world. The hijackers committed their crimes in the name of Islam. Much of the animosity towards the USA in muslim countries is based on religious ideas that religious infidels should not be in muslim areas and that Israel is at odds with Islam. This is not to say that other religions are great, they aren't, but I haven't heard of any Buddhist hijackers lately or Christians killing people over portrayals of raptor jesus and other christian parody.

"Islam" was a key motivating factor for the attackers. However, my understanding is that many within that religion dispute that particular interpretation of the religion. So it's difficult to answer your poll. Certainly it was an important subjective motivation for the attackers themselves. However, whether the problem is inherent in the religion itself or just certain adherents of it is another matter.

An analogy can be drawn with Christians shooting abortion doctors. Certainly the religion was a key motivating factor for the killers. But how do you think the bulk of people who call themselves "Christians" would react to the statement, "Christinianity caused the murder of this doctor." They'd probably say no, it was certain misguided people who mistakenly believed that they were following Christian doctrine.

- wolf

 

[Craig234]

This is a very badly worded poll.

Did Islam have anything to do with 9/11? No - except, as I have explained too long to repeat here, the radical small group Al Queda wanted to strengthen its position in the Muslim world, and so it came up with 9/11 to force the US to respond, hopefully invade a Muslim nation and get the Muslim people to angrily rush into Al Queda's arms.

To the extent that Al Queda is a radical militant group who considers their extreme version of Islam to be right, there was a role of their version of Islam.

But it really wasn't about Islam when you recognize that the Muslim world was the *target* of the attack and do not consider Al Queda's radical version to be correct.

Your poll lumps together the Muslim world, with the radicals who were attacking them in Al Queda.

You should really separate them - did Islam outside of the radical version of Al Queda have anything to do with 9/11 would be a better question.

I don't know, but it sounds like instead of listening, discussing, etc. with my longer post to you, you angrily said "I'll make a point" and made this badly worded poll. Maybe not but the coincidence is there then.

Do I answer it 'yes' for Al Queda and lump in the Muslim world wrongly? Do I answer 'no' and pretend that the radical version of Al Queda isn't the reason? Do I pick some middle answer that still lumps the two?

 

[Infohawk]

This is a very badly worded poll.

Did Islam have anything to do with 9/11? No - except, as I have explained too long to repeat here, the radical small group Al Queda wanted to strengthen its position in the Muslim world, and so it came up with 9/11 to force the US to respond, hopefully invade a Muslim nation and get the Muslim people to angrily rush into Al Queda's arms.

To the extent that Al Queda is a radical militant group who considers their extreme version of Islam to be right, there was a role of their version of Islam.

But it really wasn't about Islam when you recognize that the Muslim world was the *target* of the attack and do not consider Al Queda's radical version to be correct.

Your poll lumps together the Muslim world, with the radicals who were attacking them in Al Queda.

You should really separate them - did Islam outside of the radical version of Al Queda have anything to do with 9/11 would be a better question.

So you don't think AQ is a muslim organization? Why do I get the feeling that your defnition of a muslim is all believers in Allah and Mohammed except those committ terrorist acts. Isn't that just a little too convenient?

 

[BassBomb]

pretty sure the hate for america drove them to do this

osama's vehicle was justification via religious interpretation

 

[OCGuy]

pretty sure the hate for america drove them to do this

osama's vehicle was justification via religious interpretation

Well what drove the hate?

Western culture, our bases on "holy ground" (Saudi Arabia for Desert Storm), and our support for Israel.

So yes, it is about religion.

 

[bfdd]

This is a very badly worded poll.

Did Islam have anything to do with 9/11? No - except, as I have explained too long to repeat here, the radical small group Al Queda wanted to strengthen its position in the Muslim world, and so it came up with 9/11 to force the US to respond, hopefully invade a Muslim nation and get the Muslim people to angrily rush into Al Queda's arms.

To the extent that Al Queda is a radical militant group who considers their extreme version of Islam to be right, there was a role of their version of Islam.

But it really wasn't about Islam when you recognize that the Muslim world was the *target* of the attack and do not consider Al Queda's radical version to be correct.

Your poll lumps together the Muslim world, with the radicals who were attacking them in Al Queda.

You should really separate them - did Islam outside of the radical version of Al Queda have anything to do with 9/11 would be a better question.

I don't know, but it sounds like instead of listening, discussing, etc. with my longer post to you, you angrily said "I'll make a point" and made this badly worded poll. Maybe not but the coincidence is there then.

Do I answer it 'yes' for Al Queda and lump in the Muslim world wrongly? Do I answer 'no' and pretend that the radical version of Al Queda isn't the reason? Do I pick some middle answer that still lumps the two?

Your answer is obviously "yes" by your explanation. Yes Islam had something to do with the 9-11 attacks, no it is not the main cause, but the people involved used it to justify their actions.

 

[Infohawk]

pretty sure the hate for america drove them to do this

osama's vehicle was justification via religious interpretation

Do you honestly believe Osama would be the same man and have the same targets if he weren't muslim? Really? Even if he would have been a pyscho maniac, I really doubt he would have chosen the US and the WTC as his target.

 

[Nebor]

Solely Islam. Even if there were never such a thing as the United States of America, the Muslims would have flown a plane into one of the largest wigwams of the Lenape people.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Islam was nothing more than a figleaf. It doesn't matter how ferevently religious a person is. Only a person consumed by hatred would commit such an act.

Why was OBL so full of hatred? Who knows? My money is on his huge ego taking a blow from his own government. He twice volunteered his Mujahideen to protect Saudi Arabia from Saddam's advances and was turned down both times in favor of the US protecting SA. I don't believe it's a coincidence that OBL suddenly turned his wrath on the US when the US had never had his attention previous to that.

 

[Infohawk]

Islam was nothing more than a figleaf. It doesn't matter how ferevently religious a person is. Only a person consumed by hatred would commit such an act.

Why was OBL so full of hatred? Who knows? My money is on his huge ego taking a blow from his own government. He twice volunteered his Mujahideen to protect Saudi Arabia from Saddam's advances and was turned down both times in favor of the US protecting SA. I don't believe it's a coincidence that OBL suddenly turned his wrath on the US when the US had never had his attention previous to that.

OK, what about all the other muslim terrorists? You don't think their focus on Israel and the US is based on the superstitions of Islam?

 

[OCGuy]

Wait, after all the lobbying by the whackos in the truther thread, AT P&N still doesnt think it was the Joos and Carl Rove who did it?

 

[dwell]

When their "bible" teaches to hate Jews, non-believers, and sub-humanize women, how can you not blame Islam?

 

[JS80]

When their "bible" teaches to hate Jews, non-believers, and sub-humanize women, how can you not blame Islam?

Combine that with billionaire sociopath and you get 9/11

 

[Orignal Earl]

Full text: bin Laden's 'letter to America'

(Q1) Why are we fighting and opposing you?
Q2)What are we calling you to, and what do we want from you?

As for the first question: Why are we fighting and opposing you? The answer is very simple:

(1) Because you attacked us and continue to attack us.

(2) These tragedies and calamities are only a few examples of your oppression and aggression against us. It is commanded by our religion and intellect that the oppressed have a right to return the aggression. Do not await anything from us but Jihad, resistance and revenge. Is it in any way rational to expect that after America has attacked us for more than half a century, that we will then leave her to live in security and peace?!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/24/theobserver

 

[MotF Bane]

Full text: bin Laden's 'letter to America'

So, yeah, religion is part of it.

Edit: Or, more accurately, the views of some Muslims and their twisted form of Islam, is part of it.

 

[Craig234]

Solely Islam. Even if there were never such a thing as the United States of America, the Muslims would have flown a plane into one of the largest wigwams of the Lenape people.

Wrong, but if there no such thing as Muslims, you would have invaded the middle east Lenape people, saying they're all evil terrorists.

 

[Rainsford]

The flaw in this poll is that the question it asks "Did Islam have anything to do with 9/11" and the options it gives "how big of a CAUSE of 9/11 was Islam" aren't at all the same thing.

Did Islam have anything to do with 9/11? Obviously the answer is yes, since the individuals who committed the terrorist attack viewed their interpretation of Islam as a justification for 9/11. On the other hand, Islam itself wasn't a "cause" of 9/11, not even a little bit.

The thing is, like all ideologies, Islam is fairly open to interpretation...people get out of it what they want to. If someone reads "I should be a terrorist" in Islam, it's because that's what they wanted to do anyways...the blame lies with them, not Islam. Same for the ideological excuses everyone gins up.

Another way to think about it, what part do the terrorist themselves play in the blame for 9/11? If Islam has all or most of the blame, are the people who killed thousands of people just witless dupes?

 

[bfdd]

Full text: bin Laden's 'letter to America'



http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/24/theobserver

I see the use of the word Jihad which means they do incorporate Islam into their craziness. So it did play some role in 9-11.

 

[wirelessenabled]

OK, what about all the other muslim terrorists? You don't think their focus on Israel and the US is based on the superstitions of Islam?

What about all the other wackjobs in the world? Africa alone has enough crazies to satisfy the world all concentrated in one continent. What about all the crazy religious folks of all kinds of persuasions?

There are all kinds of crazy religious folks out there. Think Jim Jones of Guyana fame; think David Koresh of Waco; think Klu Klux Klan; think Inquisition; think Crusades; think witch burning; think voodoo, etc etc.

Why is your focus only on how the Muslim religion creates problems and radicals?

Is the "War on Terror" going to do anything to stop all the kinds of wackos from trying to achieve their day of fame? Not likely if you have read even one book of world history.

 

[JS80]

So, yeah, religion is part of it.

Edit: Or, more accurately, the views of some Muslims and their twisted form of Islam, is part of it.

There's nothing twisted about it. The Koran, straight up says to do what the supposed "extremists" are doing.

Twisted is the Catholic church somehow twisting Jesus's teachings to justifying the Crusades. Twisted is that baptist church idiot who puts up signs saying "God hates fags." Extremist Christian would be one who sells all his stuff and gives it away.

 

[Rainsford]

There's nothing twisted about it. The Koran, straight up says to do what the supposed "extremists" are doing.

Twisted is the Catholic church somehow twisting Jesus's teachings to justifying the Crusades. Twisted is that baptist church idiot who puts up signs saying "God hates fags." Extremist Christian would be one who sells all his stuff and gives it away.

Really? Because I've read the Bible too, and there is a lot of questionable stuff in there. Jesus was a nice guy, but his wasn't the only point of view presented in the bible. And for that matter, it's not like all of modern Christianity is based only on the teachings of Jesus.