It occurs to me (not for the first time either) that Islam is devoid of original thought, ideas, traditions, real estate or icons.
The only thing they can truly call their own is the belief that Mohammad was the last prophet and that his revelations from Allah are the inflexible last word on everything from women's (non) rights to duplicity, 7th century mind sets, and the non advancement of science or humanity.
If I were going to do a counter-campaign, I'd make a poster with the slogan, in Arabic:
In the name of the merciful, the compassionate: Christ, the Lord.
That would be just about tit-for-tat in the game theoretic sense.
Recall - the phrase bismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm is the Basmallah, the traditional Muslim invocation of the name of God.
Wiki has a slightly different and apparently more literal translation, but I've mostly seen it rendered in English as In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
So turn it around a bit, and emphasize that aspect of the Christian faith which Muslims cannot reconcile with: the identification of Jesus as the Christ: God, made flesh.
Bonus points: make a calligraphy design, like the ones illustrated on Wikipedia, only in the shape of a fish.
Now, on the one hand, I'm betting this would be positively seizure inducing for your average Wahhabi / Muslim Brother type.
On one hand, a believing Christian who made this poster as a good faith effort to proselytize and evangelize, well, how could that be wrong?
On the other hand, using the name of God for the express intent and purpose of pissing people off is, IIRC, IMHO, blasphemous. I'm not a believing Christian, but I recognize and respect Christ as a name of God - and my motives aren't pure - so I think I'll pass on participating in this project. In fact, I've said quite enough.
Picking up on what lewy14 said, I had a surly Mohammedan cabbie in Toronto once. Quite apart from not tipping the jerk, I looked him right in the eye when I got out of the cab and snarled "Issa Akhbar!". He looked like I had gutshot him... heh.
As tiresome and self-advancing as Pamela Geller can be, I always thought that her basic concept was sound- to drive back to the Mohammedans a frisson of Charles Martel or Jan Sobieski. The First Amendment cuts both ways. And, in the span of history, Poitiers, Tours, Lepanto and Vienna were not all that long ago.
I think the best thing would be a concerted effort at conversion. Using Lewy's idea of Arabic language, put signs outside all mosques extolling the differences between Christianity and islam.
Target them most especially at women, with language like;
'Women are not stoned to death by Christians'
'Christian women are worth more than one-half of a man'
Three hands are perfectly fine, or, as many as needed to make a good point.
But, how to implement the above good suggestions? That is the problem.
I'm not quite sure how to say this, and, I may be FOS anyway.
But any such ideas have to be introduced at an early age, to WAG, 4 to 10 years old. That's where the purveyors of Islam are smart, they strike and imprint before independent thought has had a chance to arise.
Or something. Personally, I think the only thing that will ultimately work is, well, ideas which I'll not say here.
Yes, Dances is correct - Issa is the Arabic name for Jesus.
Muslims recognize Jesus as a prophet, but deny that he was crucified. And they absolutely do not recognize him as God. (The Christian Trinity - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - smacks of polytheism for the Muslims).
So Earl's version is a much pithier version of my own suggestion. Instead of Allah Akhbar, Issa Akhbar -> Jesus is Great -> with Jesus implied as God.
But the truth is, I like Dances (#9) slogans best of all. I'd feel more comfortable talking about how Islam treats women than I would invoking the names of the divine as a kind of weapon. It's not for nothing that scripture and tradition warn against going down that path.
It occurs to me (not for the first time either) that Islam is devoid of original thought, ideas, traditions, real estate or icons.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing they can truly call their own is the belief that Mohammad was the last prophet and that his revelations from Allah are the inflexible last word on everything from women's (non) rights to duplicity, 7th century mind sets, and the non advancement of science or humanity.
Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteEr, my question was meant for DWT.
ReplyDeleteFay, spot on assessment.
lady red #2
ReplyDeleteI have a few.
How about the non importation of treasonous peoples to our homelands?
How about the non financial support of countries and cultures that want to destroy us?
How about calling out, demoralizing, demeaning,
marginalizing, the true misogynists, racists, and bigots?
OK I have an idea.
ReplyDeleteIf I were going to do a counter-campaign, I'd make a poster with the slogan, in Arabic:
In the name of the merciful, the compassionate: Christ, the Lord.
That would be just about tit-for-tat in the game theoretic sense.
Recall - the phrase bismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm is the Basmallah, the traditional Muslim invocation of the name of God.
Wiki has a slightly different and apparently more literal translation, but I've mostly seen it rendered in English as In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
So turn it around a bit, and emphasize that aspect of the Christian faith which Muslims cannot reconcile with: the identification of Jesus as the Christ: God, made flesh.
Bonus points: make a calligraphy design, like the ones illustrated on Wikipedia, only in the shape of a fish.
Now, on the one hand, I'm betting this would be positively seizure inducing for your average Wahhabi / Muslim Brother type.
On one hand, a believing Christian who made this poster as a good faith effort to proselytize and evangelize, well, how could that be wrong?
On the other hand, using the name of God for the express intent and purpose of pissing people off is, IIRC, IMHO, blasphemous. I'm not a believing Christian, but I recognize and respect Christ as a name of God - and my motives aren't pure - so I think I'll pass on participating in this project. In fact, I've said quite enough.
Aum namah Sivia.
See, this is the problem: if you're going to edit a post as much as I do, you at least need to proofread more carefully.
ReplyDeleteOr you end up with three hands, like I just did.
Lewy, I love the way you think! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteBetween your ideas and Fay's, the bastards won't stand a snowball's chance in hell.
Now, to implement them....:D
Picking up on what lewy14 said, I had a surly Mohammedan cabbie in Toronto once. Quite apart from not tipping the jerk, I looked him right in the eye when I got out of the cab and snarled "Issa Akhbar!". He looked like I had gutshot him... heh.
ReplyDeleteAs tiresome and self-advancing as Pamela Geller can be, I always thought that her basic concept was sound- to drive back to the Mohammedans a frisson of Charles Martel or Jan Sobieski. The First Amendment cuts both ways. And, in the span of history, Poitiers, Tours, Lepanto and Vienna were not all that long ago.
I think the best thing would be a concerted effort at conversion. Using Lewy's idea of Arabic language, put signs outside all mosques extolling the differences between Christianity and islam.
ReplyDeleteTarget them most especially at women, with language like;
'Women are not stoned to death by Christians'
'Christian women are worth more than one-half of a man'
Three hands are perfectly fine, or, as many as needed to make a good point.
ReplyDeleteBut, how to implement the above good suggestions? That is the problem.
I'm not quite sure how to say this, and, I may be FOS anyway.
But any such ideas have to be introduced at an early age, to WAG, 4 to 10 years old. That's where the purveyors of Islam are smart, they strike and imprint before independent thought has had a chance to arise.
Or something. Personally, I think the only thing that will ultimately work is, well, ideas which I'll not say here.
Earl, what does "Issa Akhbar!" mean?
ReplyDelete"Jesus is Greatest" as near as I can translate, Fay.
ReplyDeleteYes, Dances is correct - Issa is the Arabic name for Jesus.
ReplyDeleteMuslims recognize Jesus as a prophet, but deny that he was crucified. And they absolutely do not recognize him as God. (The Christian Trinity - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - smacks of polytheism for the Muslims).
So Earl's version is a much pithier version of my own suggestion. Instead of Allah Akhbar, Issa Akhbar -> Jesus is Great -> with Jesus implied as God.
But the truth is, I like Dances (#9) slogans best of all. I'd feel more comfortable talking about how Islam treats women than I would invoking the names of the divine as a kind of weapon. It's not for nothing that scripture and tradition warn against going down that path.
Thanks Dances and lewy.
ReplyDelete