depends somewhat on how you might interpret New Testament writings like:
"Any city that doesn’t receive the followers of Jesus will be destroyed in a manner even more savage than that of Sodom and Gomorrah." Mark 6:11

perhaps this is seen as a prediction of the New Testament God's wrath or condemnation to some hell on Earth, or perhaps as authorization for Christian zealots to attack with abandon.

I agree that we do not want to have people not blend and integrate with US society. But, looking at places that have been multilingual for a long time, I am not certain that 'an additional language' is that important.

Of course, you are right that if everyone has a decent command of English, one does not need to print government documents in other languages. So I guess your argument is more elegant than mine.

Jan

plusaf -
I have traveled a lot in Europe (my sisters lived there) and I have only heard comment in the US about 'other languages'. European countries (and Malaysia) don't even seem to notice that their signs are in multiple languages. They say: "You must be able to speak THIS language and THIS language too." (For instance English and French in the Western part of Switzerland.) but they do not care if you speak a half-dozen languages in addition.

I think that we are over reacting to the concept of alternative languages...as long as English is the "Common Tongue" in the US. Everyone should speak English - bilingual signs in the grocery store do not bother me.

Jan

Exactly.

IMO, most Christian free themselves selectively from both the Old and New testament, and provide a moving target when they (Christians) attack either the Koran, or Islam.
Not that the Koran should not be attacked/exposed, it is just hard to do from ones own glass house.

That is not true if you consider "The Bible" part of the major religions of Judaism or Christianity.

New and Old testament instructions on killing those who do not convert/believe:

You must kill those who worship another god. Exodus 22:20

Kill any friends or family that worship a god that is different than your own. Deuteronomy 13:6-10

Kill all the inhabitants of any city where you find people that worship differently than you. Deuteronomy 13:12-16

Kill everyone who has religious views that are different than your own. Deuteronomy 17:2-7

Kill anyone who refuses to listen to a priest. Deuteronomy 17:12-13

Kill any false prophets. Deuteronomy 18:20

Any city that doesn’t receive the followers of Jesus will be destroyed in a manner even more savage than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Mark 6:11

Jude reminds us that God destroys those who don’t believe in him. Jude 5
Other similar instruction for a major religion (Christianity) to restrict knowledge/learning:

Don’t associate with non-Christians. Don’t receive them into your house or even exchange greeting with them. 2 John 1:10

Shun those who disagree with your religious views. Romans 16:17

Paul, knowing that their faith would crumble if subjected to free and critical inquiry, tells his followers to avoid philosophy. Colossians 2:8

Judge other religions for not following Christ:
Whoever denies “that Jesus is the Christ” is a liar and an anti-Christ. 1 John 2:22

Christians are “of God;” everyone else is wicked. 1 John 5:19

The non-Christian is “a deceiver and an anti-Christ” 2 John 1:7

Anyone who doesn’t share Paul’s beliefs has “an evil heart.” Hebrews 3:12

False Jews are members of “the synagogue of Satan.” Revelations 2:9, 3:9

Everyone will have to worship Jesus -- whether they want to or not. Philippians 2:10

A Christian can not be accused of any wrongdoing. Romans 8:33

+1!

That is why my list above includes item 8).

So true!

sumich, thanks for that reference.
It gives this link-
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/...
-a comparison between violent passages in the bible and the koran.
The argument is that the bible violence is historical, descriptive, while that in the koran is proscriptive, instructions. The link shows how Muslims in saying the bible is the same conveniently leave out key passages.
But there is another important difference. The bible allows disagreement, but Islam says what is written in the koran is 'the seal of the prophet', it cannot be changed. Recall in the old testament the bargaining between Abraham and god, and the dilemma faced by Job. In Islam there are instructions to put aside thinking and questions, only submission is permitted.

I'll have to take a look. Thanks for the suggestion.

Haven't heard of that one. I'll look it up. Thanks much!

You have to supplant ideology with another ideology. The mind must have a value set from which to operate. If we value freedom of thought, we must then combat a militaristic religion with a freedom-based mantra if we are to win.

One should also recognize that Islam succeeds as a philosophy in part because it takes advantage of base emotions such as lust and hate and channels them into furthering the religion itself.

I have that book & yes, it is most fascinating. Have you read "The 48 Laws of Power"? Another good one with many historical examples of how to apply it, and what happens if you eff it up.

Absolutely. The Venicians cobbled together an alliance because they saw the military threat of the Ottomans coming at them. Lots of history there - worth an entire college class IMHO - and yet somehow it always gets shortened down to a war of faith vs faith.

My vote would be that if they choose to live in the United States, they choose to be subject to Constitutional courts - not Sharia ones. If they wish to be subject to Sharia, they should leave the United States. We can not have parallel legal systems - that invites only chaos.

If you want to know (from surveys) how many Muslims supported Osama bin Laden, check out the following:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7TAAw3o...

The reality: 60%+ of Muslims identify with "radical" Islam. Considering that there are about 1.6 billion, that's a scary number.

Well said.

I would add 10) A failure to identify the enemy.

10b follows: with a failure to identify the enemy automatically comes a failure to identify the measures of success, so everything can be categorized as a failure!

It should also be noted that it was a mistaken bombing in the first place on the part of the British that actually precipitated the firebombings of England. The British accidentally bombed a large population center in Germany instead of the factories. Germany then took its gloves off and unleashed the V1's.

Sun Tzu advocated for attacks that weakened the will of the opponent. He similarly advocated never backing an opponent into a corner from which they could not retreat for this same reason. "The Art of War" is a fascinating book.