What Would Jesus Do?

"He’s just flat wrong. We shouldn’t close Guantanamo” said US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfield in reply to Kofi Ananan. “We have several hundred terrorists, bad people, people who if they went back out on the field would try to kill Americans … To close that place and pretend that really there’s no problem just isn’t realistic”.

Sidestepping the small issue of how 500 men taken prisoner during a war on terror – are not actually prisoners of war ...

“Bad people, people who if they went back out on the field would try to kill Americans”. Now whatever the initial reason for their incarceration I think Rumsfield has a point. After being detained and tortured for five years against international law – I think it may be understandable if they feel a little aggrieved. For this reason Rumsfield is right, these people should not be released. They should be in jail.

So put them in one. Go on Rumsfield – put them in jail. I dare you – put them on trial and send them to jail. You’re a big brave military man – you can stand behind your own convictions right? Put them on trial then, what are you afraid of? Until Rumsfield sorts out this mess America will be seen as the bully – and no one feels sorry for a bully. If Rumsfield wants to see his pretty white Christian children of American return from the land of the heathens unscathed he will put these ‘enemy combatants’ on trial for their crimes against the fatherland.

Wake up America. Europe really, really wants to be your friend, we know your not bad people – we watch your television and buy your books, we think you’re alright guys. So why are you behaving like the very people you hate?

You’re better than that.

Black and White

In a vain bid to keep my blog fair and impartial I will attempt to bring a few articles in favour of a) America, b) Christianity and c) Islam in the coming weeks. There is an Islamic awareness week on my campus coming up which should give me some material for the latter. For the pro-Christian one I am in the process of ‘shopping’ around the local churches to see what goes on and for the pro-American one … well, we will see.

Although if you care to look, one of my earlier posts did highlight the liberty and effectiveness of the American system of voluntary welfare (followed by several more deriding it for leaving out the African Americans).

Yet the point is that some good news stories are on the way…

One day.

Cartoon Calamity

In recent weeks the Islamic world has made me face some very awkward truths which I have been doing my best to avoid. Islam is just as, if not more illiberal than Christianity. I can happily sit back and attack Christianity (and I have been – with a vengeance) yet I have always shyed away from attacking Islam because quite frankly – I felt sorry for them, being on the wrong end of American patriotism and all.

Yet the past couple of weeks have changed all that. I have had my liberal edge tested – and, unfortunately for Islam – found it as strong as ever. The Danish newspaper should not have published the cartoons. I’ll give you that – they have the right to do so – but they should have refrained from doing so in the name of good taste. Yet that is far from the issue any longer.

The issue now is one of the Islamic reaction. In the name of the Prophet they have unleashed a wave of terror across the whole world. They have promised suicide attacks and more ‘9/11’ scale disasters; they have burnt buildings to the ground, murdered and sworn vendetta on Europe. But, aha! – Fear not – this is just the extremist Muslims – the majority have got their heads screwed on right?

Well no. They are blaming the western governments for allowing Islam to look bad in the press. What!? How on earth can they possibly be claiming that when it is the Muslims, their own ‘brothers’, who are indulging in an orgy of violence against innocents? The western press are scared stiff of issues concerning Muslims for fear off being crushed by illibreal protection laws (or subject to death threats).

I never believed the West to be anti-Islam and I could never understand why anyone would be. For the first time I am asking serious questions of the protections we afford the faith. Islam, just like everyone else, should no longer be off limits to criticism.

www.dialectic.org.uk

Religious Revival

A sacrifice of reason and logic, a denial of truth. An embrace of a doctrine whose lasting legacy is intolerance and suffering. Allow injustice in this world knowing you are secure in a fictional peace. To fear my neighbour as much as I fear my God. To reject progress and inhibit growth. To reject pleasures and happiness. To promote suspicion and distrust. To discard science for superstition. To fight criticism with anger and rage.

Have I succumb to the poison of fake promise?

More to follow…

In the Navy?

4 days and 3 nights aboard HMS Bristol as a Potential Officer Candidate (Warfare). Lots of lectures, marching and running. Hard to describe my thoughts really. Far too many going in a thousand different directions. Exciting. Very exciting. Dauntingly exciting. Haven’t felt so hopeful or so anxious about anything for a long while.

It’s difficult to actually describe the officers. They are the most hard working people I have met. Dedicated and disciplined they are more courageous than anyone else I have ever encountered. The warfare branch produce people of such a high calibre it is difficult to take it all in. They are in charge of hundreds of people, hundreds of millions of pounds of equipment and make on the spot decisions that could change the course of history every single day. They are leaders in every conceivable sense and they earn the utmost respect of their men. You can feel it.

In the very brief time I was there, I and the others on the course became infected with this contagious zeal and pride that saturates the entire organisation. We worked hard together, we lived together, we ate together we even slept together (…). We became so close in such a short space of time. And when we got time off, we played together and had more fun in a few hours than I have had in a very long while. When you actually deserve your time off and the luxuries that the officer branch entails, then you have a far better time than when time off and luxury comes all to frequently as it does when your avoiding university work.

It is a truly different world. I have total respect for the Royal Navy Officer. Before I went I had lots of doubt in the job and my ability. I’m not deluding myself; it is more than difficult. Not everyone is capable of demonstrating the skills they desire and I may not be any different. Many people have expressed extreme doubt in my ability. I thank them for their support.

I haven’t made any concrete decisions yet, but what have I to lose?