Muslim judge in PA rules violence against someone mocking Islam is legal

[MicroBalrog]

I think this mostly happens though because most Westerners encounter the political and cultural influence of Christianity in their lives more often than that of Islam.

[Perd Hapley]

I think this mostly happens though because most Westerners encounter the political and cultural influence of Christianity in their lives more often than that of Islam.

True. Ignorance of Islam cuts both ways - some people see only the more violent form of it and over-generalize; some merely see it as "other" and therefore assume it is better than the religion we have here.

[MicroBalrog]

I think you'll find that most people just don't care to pay as much attention to Islam. the only way Islam can affect me, really, is by virtue of a terrorist attack succeeding - not really very likely, and I do not need to read the Koran to understand the ways a terrorist attack can affect me.

On the other hand, the radical elements of Fundamentalist Judaism can affect me through political influence. Judaism is also the religion of my ancestors, and has a great influence on my culture, so it really makes sense to know a lot about it. If I were a Ha'aretz columnist writing about the  threat of fundamentalist Jews to me - through things like segregation, bans on secular marriage, etc - would make sense.

If I lived in America - where Muslims are not really very influential - the main religion that can affect political life in such a way that studying its doctrines is important to understand its influence, is Christianity (this cuts both ways - there are also many Christians supporting the current President). If I were an American intellectual I'd be far more interested in Christianity than Islam.

On the other hand, I am more interested in Christianity than Islam right now, since I'm studying under a prominent scholar in the field of its history, so who knows, maybe I'm biased. :D

[RevDisk]

Ye fluffy Dark Elder Ones. 

Look, a judge may or may not have stepped over lines. We have selective recordings from a party with a known ideological axe to grind. Sadly, the potential crime has been overshadowed by blatant overreaction.

PA is not the breeding ground of sharia. Do you people have any idea how many friggin breweries we have? We have a problem with some of our judges, sure. But please friggin keep it in context. Judge problem, not religious problem. PA was settled for the very straight belief in "religious freedom for all, and enough guns to shut up any bloody one who takes active issue with that."

PA rifles, supplies and troops greatly helped break the Brits. Our mountains broke the Confederates. If anyone ELSE is dumb enough to invade us, we'll break them too. But we like things nice and quiet here. Not too much partisan BS, not religious/cultural battles, etc. Elsewhere, do as you like and have all the nice cultural wars you want. Only acceptable place for that rot is Philly, which is the sewer of the state.

[gunsmith]

 Y'know, that reminds me, I am very fond of the Allegheny nat forest and have often thought about moving there. .... of course I would probably be more broke then I am now