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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what the problem is (The terrorists)

116 replies

lemisscared · 09/01/2015 17:32

Because i just don't know. Have they got a genuine gripe? Why the hatred? What do they want to achieve? Honestly, shouldn't people be sitting round a table and making concessions on BOTH sides?

I am terrified which is probably daft but in Syria and other countries that im embarrased to say i don't know, people are being massacred daily and the West bats not an eye. They live with terror every day - how can we make it stop?? Not just here, but everywhere?

If there is a God, whoever's God you are, now would be a good time to intervene because i can't help but feel that the whole world is turning on itself.

Can somone please explain this to me, possibly from the point of view of the Islamists behind these attacks, because they must feel justified in their actions, i don't believe that the route of the problem is evil.

I'm just scared

OP posts:
LurkingHusband · 09/01/2015 17:38

If there is a God

There isn't.

BMW6 · 09/01/2015 18:00

Well, as I understand it it appears that Sunni Muslims believe anyone who isn't a Sunni Muslim or takes the piss out of Islam deserves to be killed, and some of them are carrying out that as a directive from Allah/Muhomed.
Apparently Shiah Muslims don't believe that bit so the two branches hate each other.

I read the Koran once and it was every bit as confusing and contradictory as the bible....Hmm

JohnQuig · 09/01/2015 18:03

Basically they don't have a sense of humour and they're fucking lunatics.

lyspaere · 09/01/2015 18:05

Why do they hate the west and westerners so much? it's upsetting.

They've been indoctrinated so young. But I'm back to the why again. Why indoctrinate young people to hate ?

Goingintohibernation · 09/01/2015 18:05

They are evil. You would have to be to do what they have.

LaurieFairyCake · 09/01/2015 18:06

They have a very skewed idea about what Islam is and they're just as loony as those American baptists from Wstboro who agree with murdering doctors and nurses who carry out pregnancy terminations. They picket funerals of gay celebrities with placards saying 'God hates gays'.

I'm mentioning them because they're from a progressive democracy and if you can get fundamentalist nutters there then you can have some appreciation of why a very backwards society who has issues with repression, dictatorship and deeply ingrained mysoginy can go that way - and I must stress there's not very many Al Quaeda.

GrandTheftQuarto · 09/01/2015 18:06

They value respect for Muhammad over the benefits of allowing people to disrespect Muhammad. It's no more confusing/contradictory than any other belief really.

LaurieFairyCake · 09/01/2015 18:07

And they hate the West because frankly they've been exploited and bombed the shit out of for quite a while - and some of it was illegal and didn't have the backing of the UN.

GrandTheftQuarto · 09/01/2015 18:08

It's always only a small subset of people who believe in something strongly enough to kill/be killed off their own bat (rather than as part of an organised army, I mean) but I see no reason to believe that being part of that group necessarily means they're evil or lunatics.

RandomNPC · 09/01/2015 18:09

Just what are we supposed to do in Syria? Military intervention? Worked well in Iraq. Bomb the bad guys, whoever they are this week? Caused a complete nightmare in Libya.
Diplomacy? With who, ISIS?
IF you want to try and this nightmare, sooner or later you're going to deal with Saudi Arabia, who funds a lot of it. But they're OUR psychopaths, aren't they?

lyspaere · 09/01/2015 18:10

I wonder why they think it's reasonable for Christians, Jewish people, non-muslims and others to respect Mohammed. I mean I don't plan to disrespect anybody's beliefs but if I respected Mohammed then I'd be Muslim. Can't they see that for non-muslims everything is up for observation and discussion. Why does it offend so much if a non-muslim doesn't view Mohammed in the same way that a muslim does. That should be just logical.

Theboodythatrocked · 09/01/2015 18:10

Totally Lauries post.

Evil lurks behind every religion as does great good.

And just like santa and the tooth fairy there is no god.

He was invented to ensure some man somewhere has power and control over all his female followers and most of his males.

JohnQuig · 09/01/2015 18:11

If we get rid of all religion, or take away its powers (special laws and accepting it) then we won't have a problem.

Islam is a horrible religion, same as Catholicism, Christianity and any religion. They all cause wars and indoctrinate hatred against certain groups.

BackOnlyBriefly · 09/01/2015 18:12

GrandTheftQuarto would you say murdering a dozen people is a sane response?

GrandTheftQuarto · 09/01/2015 18:14

I couldn't say BOB - it could be a perfectly sane response to kill dozens of people if you have certain precepts and beliefs. I'm not saying it's not abhorrent, I'm saying it's unhelpful to put it solely on these individuals being "mad" or "evil" rather than accepting we have societal problems.

sebsmummy1 · 09/01/2015 18:14

They are pissed off that Israel was gifted to the Jews by Britain after WW1.

Original poster
lemisscared · 09/01/2015 18:16

oh. so no one actually can tell me what the issue is then?

OP posts:
thelittlebooktroll · 09/01/2015 18:17

I wonder if the criminal thug element is also an ingredient here. Young probably poor uneducated men with few prospects just full of hatred having their moment. Their very own violent video game. Just for a day or two the whole worlds eyes are on them. Scary that this could be tempting for others who are watching.

RandomNPC · 09/01/2015 18:18

There isn't one issue, that's just simplistic.

LaurieFairyCake · 09/01/2015 18:18

The Koran and the Bible are interpreted by all sorts of people who skew it to their own prejudices.

There are 2 passages in the Old Testament that could be interpreted if you're an idiot/homophobic/full of hate as anti-gay.

To anyone with half a brain they're not of course - and the New Testament has far more to say about love than anything.

The point is that if you were a wanker you could interpret your washing machine instructions as anti-whatever. It doesn't make it true.

BMW6 · 09/01/2015 18:21

OP - the issue is that they believe they are doing the will of Allah.

OK now?

Pensionerpeep · 09/01/2015 18:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IamTitanium · 09/01/2015 18:23

lem
No one is able to tell you the actual issue, I don't know, I am sure the issue between different fanatics differs also.

Original poster
lemisscared · 09/01/2015 18:23

no not really. i was Trying to understand

OP posts:
GrandTheftQuarto · 09/01/2015 18:28

There's always a small number of, usually, young men, who are capable of being encouraged to kill and be killed for a cause. All it takes is a pre-existing belief system that you can slot it into and someone charismatic to persuade them. It doesn't take much persuading either, with all the other factors that have been pointed out - the rankling sense of injustice to their brothers, a feeling of fighting subjugation or prejudice, being exhorted to stand up for their mothers/sisters as heroes, the excitement of preparing for battle, the feeling of righteousness and martyrdom, the lack of other opportunities, the perceived prestige, the attention. i bet a young man who is being groomed for this type of thing feels special and chosen and has more attention paid to him and his potential than he gets in ten years of school.