Saudi clerics ruin Islam

[sg1008]

From the view within Islam, the Saudi clerics and govt have been waaaaaaaay out of line for a long time...the brutality, control, and backwards ideologies supported by them are AGAINST Islam as it was practiced pre-state in Medina, as it evolved over time and places, and adapted around the world. The Saudi officials oppress their own people, support violent terrorism based organisations...but the really nasty fact is, they have tons and tons of money which funds propaganda, "missionaries" to other continents, publishing (censoring) companies, and control of pilgrimage access. They destroy sacred areas and graves in Saudi Arabia, omit historically significant pages of books, and teach a version of "Islam" that encourages people to devalue diverse schools of thought and differences in interpretation (a tradition of learning which is much more liberal, flexible in practice, and mystically geared). They effectively change history and try to claim/make Islam into a homogenous judgment- like some kind of nazi fascist interpretation of spiritual proportions. They are at the center of what westerners refer to as radicalisation. Yet, because of their political position they are rarely scrutinised by powerful governments in the world...who incidentally play right into Saudi propaganda by making belligerent political and military decisions and statements without directly challenging that major source of corruption. Our gov'ts will profile ISIS operatives, but they rarely profile Saudi officials...they will demonise "radicalised" youth, but rarely investigate the source of their material (the schools the teachers learn in, the publishers, the form of Islam being preached). They run after pawns and steer clear of the Kings....and they will lose because of it.

They should seriously consider divesting out of OPEC, and start focusing on renewable energy and local businesses. Its smarter in terms of policy, military tactical advantage, environment, employment, economy, international relations. Then they can feel free to criticise the Saud govt without fearing they will lose access to oil.

[Jack]

They run after pawns and steer clear of the Kings....and they will lose because of it.

Or they will win. It's a very intelligent approach. Directly targeting rulers is more likely to result in public support for those leaders. Saddam was tried and convicted by his 'own people'.

[Gopher Gary]

I'm disheartened to read modern cleric's new version of bullshit is ruining the historical true meaning of bullshit. 

[sg1008]

I'm disheartened to read modern cleric's new version of bullshit is ruining the historical true meaning of bullshit. 

lol

[sg1008]

They run after pawns and steer clear of the Kings....and they will lose because of it.

Or they will win. It's a very intelligent approach. Directly targeting rulers is more likely to result in public support for those leaders. Saddam was tried and convicted by his 'own people'.

But are they at least secretly plotting against those leaders?

If they wait too long it will be like Hitler all over again. Or maybe it is already like that... 

Dang.

[Jack]

But are they at least secretly plotting against those leaders?

Of course not. That would require a conspiracy of global proportions.

[odeon]

There are too few of them to "ruin Islam".

[MLA]

From the view within Islam

What does that mean?  Is there a single voice that speaks for a fractured religion, or was there a poll taken?

[Parts]

There are too few of them to "ruin Islam".

In a way they already have in getting people to think of their nutty version of it when ever Islam is mentioned.

On a side note the very first friend I made when I went away to college was the son of one of the Saudi diplomats at the UN,  he was about as Muslim as I am Catholic and would have been very happy if he never had to set foot in Saudi Arabia ever again he hated the place and everything it represented,  it didn't stop him from cashing the check he got at the end of every month from them though

[MLA]

There are too few of them to "ruin Islam".

In a way they already have in getting people to think of their nutty version of it when ever Islam is mentioned.

On a side note the very first friend I made when I went away to college was the son of one of the Saudi diplomats at the UN,  he was about as Muslim as I am Catholic and would have been very happy if he never had to set foot in Saudi Arabia ever again he hated the place and everything it represented,  it didn't stop him from cashing the check he got at the end of every month from them though

I don't know why anyone with a ton of money stays there.  Except maybe they enjoy subjugating women and beheading apostates.   

[odeon]

There are too few of them to "ruin Islam".

In a way they already have in getting people to think of their nutty version of it when ever Islam is mentioned.

On a side note the very first friend I made when I went away to college was the son of one of the Saudi diplomats at the UN,  he was about as Muslim as I am Catholic and would have been very happy if he never had to set foot in Saudi Arabia ever again he hated the place and everything it represented,  it didn't stop him from cashing the check he got at the end of every month from them though

Money is more powerful than most religions.

[sg1008]

From the view within Islam

What does that mean?  Is there a single voice that speaks for a fractured religion, or was there a poll taken?

Meaning, from people who are Muslim and following happenings from a muslim vantage point....indicative of a crisis recognizable from both "within" and "without" the institution. Its like saying, "even the faithful priests (who are not necessarily biased against their religion) know there is effed up shit happening in the church".

[sg1008]

There are too few of them to "ruin Islam".

In a way they already have in getting people to think of their nutty version of it when ever Islam is mentioned.

On a side note the very first friend I made when I went away to college was the son of one of the Saudi diplomats at the UN,  he was about as Muslim as I am Catholic and would have been very happy if he never had to set foot in Saudi Arabia ever again he hated the place and everything it represented,  it didn't stop him from cashing the check he got at the end of every month from them though

The particular ideology emanating from Saudi Arabia (Salafis) in large part frames most international discussions about Islam....many muslims (and even more non-muslims) are unaware of the various existing schools of thought which are generally deemed heretical under salafi interpretation....almost everything is heretical under salafi interpretation...they are like the fascism of Islam. But they are contemporary, not traditional. Most people who convert  or try to find out more about their religion are guided straight into salafi interpretations.....its akin to the vantage that comes up in the first 5 pages of the "google search" of Islamic scholarship....bolstered not by merit, but by money.

[odeon]

I disagree. To a significant part whatever discussion there is on Islam is dictated by the news. So ISIS, Al-Qaeda, etc, as well as local highlights such as immigration problems or women wearing burkas.

Of course, a lot of today's topics--any topic, mind--are dictated by the news. Only then might some people do a Google search.

[MLA]

Eh, I can't accept an individual viewpoint when it is couched as the viewpoint of an entire community.  Especially when that community is split into factions trying to kill each other.