[RMadd]

Quote: (Originally Posted by RalphyS)

There is no true religion, all religions are false and there are extremists or a better word maybe fundamentalists of all religions over the world, who prove it on a day to day basis..., but that's just my humble opinion on the matter.

i would hardly consider that humble lol

Quote: (Originally Posted by RalphyS)

The islam has been a religion, that depended on war to increase itself for a long time. But the Christian crusaders were maybe even more cruel and relentless, also Christianity has forced itself on the people of Africa and America with its missionaries, accompanied by soldiers, who forced natives to become Christian or be killed. Anyway I do believe Christianity has become more moderate and that Islam has a long way to go in that, but I don't think Christianity deserves any praise for that. The enlightenment and the increase in liberal-humanistic values and the separation of church and state and the freedom of expression, media and even the freedom to mock things c.q. institutions is what has made the west more moderate and less tolerant to the radical religious. In other words education about the atrocities made in the name of religion and the lies spread in the name of God has made the West less susceptible to being lied to about things happening in the name of God. This lesson still needs to be learned in most islam nations. And the most frightening thing to the radical islam is that the learning of lesson in the end will be inevitable, this is why they strike out so hard against anything that will open doors to do so.

ditto

Quote: (Originally Posted by RalphyS)

The American dream used to be what many in the world aspired, but as the saying goes: power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. As long as the USA had a counterpart in the communist East, there seemed to be a worldwide system of checks and balances, ofcourse everyone in the free world, was on the side of the USA at that time. But as the iron curtain fell and the USA became the only superpower, its tendencies also became more dictatorial instead of based on cooperation. Statements like 'you are either for us or against us' leave no room for a third opinion. It is no longer allowed to disagree without being treated as an enemy. Laws are being fascillitated to invade friendly countries.

that's why i don't like Bush so much anymore. this approach that he and his cronies use is dangerous in international politics. much like radical islamists will experience backlash for their views, i expect that, if it hasn't happened already (int'l opposition to the war in iraq), the u.s. will again have substantial difficulty in currying int'l favor.

Quote: (Originally Posted by RalphyS)

I both fear islam, because it is an unenlightened absolute religion, and the state to which conservatism has led the USA, I hope in both cases education is the answer and that in the end reason will prevail.

I assume that, in regards to the U.S., you don't mean true conservatism. Conservatism, at least over here, indicates a desire for a smaller federal government, states' rights, and little government invasion of privacy. In this regard, Bush is certainly not politically conservative, only socially conservative (neo-conservative, as you may well know).