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Boko Haram Appear To Be Targeting Women
AllbuddhaBound
Veteran
Strapping explosives to young girls (one reported to be 10 years old) then sending them into crowds and detonating them remotely is their latest strategy.
http://www.rimecenter.org/dharma/2008/11/15/transcending-fear-hope.html
"What’s at risk by letting Boko Haram “get by without it” extends far beyond instability in Africa’s largest economy. It also means the very probable loss of an entire generation of women, not just as potential contributors to the economy, but as mothers and wives."
The world needs to address these problems. When does that begin? Will things ever get bad enough where there is a concerted and united effort to end terrorism?
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Comments
I think we're approaching the tipping point.
Not for the better anyway.
It's also scary that we have golf ball sized amounts of plutonium that can wipe out every living creature on earth including viruses. Some of which has gone missing.
Violence is not the answer.
I don't think the ISIL fanatics understand anything else unfortunately. It would be rather like trying to negotiate with Hitler.
..."Appear to be...."? So you believe this is a recent phenomenon?
I'd think again....
Perhaps naive but I beg to differ. ISIL fanatics understand that their lives are unmanageable, that life will be better if they kill others. That this is delusion can only be demonstrated by communication.
Hitler arose from the "win/lose" ending of WW1. If the victors had not insisted on being victorious and had instead addressed root causes, the conditions for WW2 are far less likely to have arisen.
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/causes_world_war_two.htm
Maybe Heinrich Himmler would be a better comparison? In any case I don't want to live in a world dominated by delusional religious fascists. In an idea world the western powers would adopt a hands-off approach and allow the Muslim world time to sort out the mess, but I can't see that's going to happen.
Anybodies idea of a perfect world would offend other people.
Your idea of heaven and mine would be different.
We've tried eye for an eye approach but that just leaves everybody blind. And angry.
It has to be compassion and wisdom. Can we solve our own personal problems with force?
No, the mere act of trying just makes it worse.
At this point I feel the only way to fix any problem is see reality for what it is. If you see non duality then there's no more you and me.
Then there's compassion and no more wars.
The only place I can start is with myself.
I just feel through out our whole history of this earth we are always are trying to fix things according to our conditioning. Hence why we are here. So let's stop trying to fix things and start by fixing our delusions.
Maybe then things can change.
Metta
I don't want a perfect world, just one where a bunch of religious nutters aren't slaughtering children. Or trying to blow me up on the London underground.
It appears I pasted the wrong article in the OP.
Here is the original.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/13/nigeria-is-letting-boko-haram-get-away-with-murder.html
"What’s at risk by letting Boko Haram “get by without it” extends far beyond instability in Africa’s largest economy. It also means the very probable loss of an entire generation of women, not just as potential contributors to the economy, but as mothers and wives."
Even though we cannot solve all the problems of the world, we could at least let them know that people care. That though limited, would be a kind thing to do. Please spread the word and let everyone you know hear about this.
Muslim leaders must re-educate their people on the religion's response to blasphemy. Here Mustafa Akyol makes the case that most of Shariah law's injunctions are man-made interpretations, not taken directly from the Quran. Avenging blasphemy is more a religious nationalism than divinely mandated - leaders should bravely seek to re-interpret these "laws".
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/14/opinion/islams-problem-with-blasphemy.html?_r=0
We only care about the West, we don't care about the 'other'. They are not real like us.
-_-.
We only care about the West, we don't care about the 'other'. They are not real like us.
That is certainly part of the problem.
What do you think will happen when we reach the "tipping point"?
And/or
What do you think should happen when we reach the "tipping point"?
I would think a large-scale military response to crush the insurgents. I wouldn't have a problem with that in circumstances like this.
Spiny Norman, this has got to stop! We are in agreement once again!
Oh, so wait a minute. Are we supposed to be the world's policeman, or not? Damned if we do, damned if we don't.
But mainly, damned if you do.
I wish the world powers would spend more time trying to stop the really bad stuff:
http://www.e-ir.info/2012/04/07/rwandan-genocide-failure-of-the-international-community/
No oil, no incentive.
Cynic? No.....
That whole argument has gotten to be a bit of a somewhat outdated cliche. Sure, oil's important. It is part of the equation. YOU and I couldn't do without it. But that does not make it the total equation. Gas here in the States is down to nearly $1.50/gallon and we are almost energy self-sufficient.
But here's another equation: Africa is probably the richest continent in the world in terms of natural resources. But, their tribal attitudes have prevented any real progress in the continent -- overall -- since the 1960s when my family hosted a foreign exchange student from Kenya who had high hopes for his country and continent. He outlined to us the main issue holding back Africa -- African tribalism. It's still the key issue.
And, there are dozens of other "equations" that are little parts of the answer as to why Africa can't solve its own issues. It's not realistic to blame African genocide on the Western allies.
I, for one, am very grateful that my country had its civil wars back in the days when there wasn't any "superpower" and we were allowed to pick up our own pieces without interference. OK, there weren't the weapons then that there are now but the waste of life was significant:
-- http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/187936/English-Civil-Wars/261392/Second-and-third-English-Civil-Wars-1648-51
I spent my gap year in South Africa in 1985. It seemed clear that ending apartheid would entail massive slaughter. But it didn't.
So difficult when interference has started to then end it but I find it hard to see that violence is ever the answer.
I think you'll find they're two different situations. Hitler negotiated with power and money/land. ISIL just want to kill anything different from them.
I'm sorry I fail to see how it was better that 200,000 people died "back in the days"
Not saying it's better. Just saying those people were allowed to find their own solution that fitted our community of mixed race and mixed faith back from well before Roman times, without outside interference. Obviously too late for most current day places going through strife - whether Africa, Asia, the Balkans or wherever. There's already been so much interference. Still maintain that further violence solves nothing either medium or long term.
I think that in most of recorded history there were "super powers". Rome. The various powers of Europe during the age of monarchs. The sun never sets on the British Empire era.
I am pleased the majority of people lie within the middle of the spectrum.
Boko Haram, are just an extreme example of ignorance.
I am of the view that the majority of people in this world want a peaceful existence, but there are others who are so lost in themselves (call them boko haram, ISIL, Taliban etc etc) that there will never be a time when the actions of the mindless do not affect our lives.
It's the innocent children, men and women whose lives are affected that I find abhorrent.
Lets just keep rooting out the weeds of our minds, and one day - the world might appear a better place!
D'you know, I actually lost a full night's sleep when this announcement came on the radiobbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-30873243
It just upset and unsettled me so much....
I agree @federica. What's ironic is that radical Islam is most hurting other Muslims.
When I was a teen we had a foreign exchange student from Kenya. He would be so sad and upset to see what radical Islamists are doing to his continent and country.
It honestly makes me wonder what the hell is going on through their heads....?
I cannot honestly for the life of me, convince myself they are doing this in the name of Islam... not with the accompanying atrocities.
Conversion is one thing....
I mean, I even object to the historical insistence of missionaries imposing their views on so-called "primitive native tribes" in remote places, through proselytising while also administering medicinal relief....
I even stopped sponsoring a child in Kenya through Christian Aid, because they informed me that not only had they taken him into their Christian fold but had also changed his name to something 'more reasonable and legitimate'...I mean...WTF??
But what Boko Haram are doing is just... well, I am at a loss.... It leaves me tearful and deflated.
Can you forgive them?
I don't know.
There's a paradox: If they were doing these things to kme, I'd have to find a way to face the treatment and cope with it, which I would like to think, would involve compassion and forgiveness on my part.
To constantly hear of them inflicting this on others.... I don't know what my position is on forgiving them, or whether that's my place to do...
Is forgiveness the 'right' sentiment here...?
Do they want to be forgiven?
Forgiveness comes into play if they lay down their weapons and ask to rejoin the country. Till then they don't need or want forgiveness. I don't think they are doing anything wrong in their own minds.
They should be killed or captured but I don't think that is going to happen. The Nigerians can't deal with them and no one else seems interested.
My question was rhetorical. The only people who can forgive are those suffering due to their violent actions. That's the problem, unless you are affected you can only really look on, and deplore them, and hope they have a revelation and suffer regret, and desire to make amends. However, fat chance that will happen, because whoever is leading them and in league with them, is obviously gaining something out of it be it power, sadistic joy or some financial gain.
And which country is making money by supplying the weapons? Their hands are just as bloody as the people who are committing the deeds.