I will just point out that Amir could very easily hit delete button when I post something on this blog. While this would make you very happy, he has decided to give it a miss.

I seriously doubt that Amir cares that I’m white, black or pink with purple polka-dots. I have no idea what “race” or color he might be. To me it is not germane in the least. I only know him from his writings. Does his color mean that much to you? What if Baybers was a lily-white plumber from Alice Springs? does that mean his opinions are worthless?

Islam became a great world religion because it was inclusive, not exclusive. It was tolerant of internal dissent (for the most part) and tolerant of other “people of the book.” Islam flowered because it was willing to look at ideas from other cultures and build upon them. So even though Islam never accepted ancient Greek Polytheism it did accept and build on ancient Greek mathematics. Good thing that too, could you imagine trying to balance your checking account in roman numerals?

Call me foolish, but I do believe that talking to people who are much different from me is a good thing.

Final note, again what is with the all the hostility? ad hominem attacks on Sunnies, then ad hominem attacks on others, accusations of secret agendas etc. This began as such fun but boy, did it spiral down the drain fast.
By the way, here is my “agenda” for the next few minutes:
http://video.google.com/videop.....pr=goog-sl
oh and this one too.
http://video.google.com/videop.....6323959688
Warning absolutely nothing of ANY significance to ANYBODY period!-Enjoy!

Furthermore, his contributions to this site have always, without any exception, been polite and worthwhile. I don’t know why you are addressing him so aggressively. He certainly doesn’t deserve it.

Shia Bhai you really do need to calm down. You are going to burst a blood vessel. Look at the original item from Reuters, look at it fresh. Why is it there? First it deals with gender bending.

Go a little deeper, what is the meme here? What are the stereotypes? One is the Western image of the harem girl. This is not reality, but it has been put forth since at least the romantic period. Like it or not, this bit of nonsense has been drilled into our brains via paintings, books, and some really bad B movies. It’s an image locked into our heads from many sources. It’s a clique.

Now take a look around you at the so called post-modern world. In the pop culture irony and surprise rule. Alex is on the Web because he shatters a stereotype. He is a ironic comment on the harem girl. He is there to shock and titillate. He is part of our endless need to be “entertained.”

I may be uninformed on Islam, but I do know a bit of disposable pop culture when I see it. That is all Alex is.
He may committed to his art (maybe he should be committed elsewhere) but he is being put on display as a freak show. He is part of the “entertainment” at a disco. Call me a culture snob, but I won’t take this guy seriously until he performs at Lincoln Center or the Sydney Opera house.

It is interesting to know that once-upon-a-time dancers were male and that these dancers danced for royalty. It is just like in Elizabethan England when all the parts in Shakespeare’s plays were done by men. The world turns and things do change. It would take a brilliant director to stage Romeo & Juliet with an all male cast today. Even with that brilliant director who would risk such a production?

So while Alex might be reviving a old tradition, my guess is he never getting out of the discos. He will always be an oddity. As an oddity, he will most likely fade away, a trivia question for future generations. That was my original point. But unfortunately some people saw this as an opportunity to jump on their favorite hobby horses.

This whole story was a bit a fluff and nonsense. Baybers got it right on his original post. He introduced it in humorous way, or at least tried too. So to all, relax.
Every once in while have a good laugh at the world and most importantly yourself. Remember in other peoples’ eyes we all look quite ridiculous. And yes Shia Bhai, I include myself in that statement.

At the end of the day, if a person wishes to be treated with respect they need to treat others with respect.

Would the Ayatollahs support belly dancing? (Be it male or female). I believe they would not support such behavior which is why I am confused as to why you are arguing.

I have not defamed anyone Baybers, if James is so upset then he would have spoken out by now, the fact that he has not shows I am in the right. What I find amazing is that you have taken no attempt to tell others not to attack Shias. T cell already has made some harmful remarks. The reason why Islam gets a bad name is because of people like that.

I am not sure how you have managed to judge James so harshly.

I think you are using bluster to cover the fact that you have defamed someone who clearly does not deserve it (and that you now realise that).