Dodgy. Islamic school forcing kids to sit exams at TAFE if they think they are going to bring the aggregate school mark down with their performance. I wonder if that’s what the parents were thinking they were paying for each year?
Dodgy part #2: I wonder if the school is refunding the government the money they are getting for those students because they are being taught and tested by the public TAFE system?
Not just Islamic schools, though. Other private schools try to dissuade poor students from bringing down their averages. ALL schools will be doing it if a national ranking is introduced.
Fair enough, but the point about Darfur is that it is a Muslim government doing it, that is, a government that might be responsive to Muslims’ religious arguments.
Also, I don’t think that rape is as systematic and wiespread in the other conflicts you mention, nor is the slaughter currently as large.
I think some of the problem is to do with the Islamic Schools that tend to be so focused on academic results have such a low number of subjects on offer. The principal at Malek Fahd said they offer 11 and there does not seem to be much diversity.
If students are forced to choose from a bunch of subjects they do not enjoy then you would expect a lack of motivation and a decline in scores.
It is understandable them wanting to be ranked up there, and they are not the only school that sends the struggling students elsewhere to do their exams. I always wondered why AIA didn’t do that, maybe they have also started doing it now.
Today my laundromat had a copy of the New Yorker (hallelujah - it usually has copies of celeb-trash mags) in which there was a long profile piece on Mrs Obama. She comes across as a very intelligent person with a great deal of integrity. Apparently there are (non-serious, of course) campaigns in the US to have her as First Lady no matter who wins the election.
Yep, the New Yorker is liberal, but it is also pretty honest and rigorous. The piece has laid to rest any doubts I had about Mr Obama’s dredibility.
Random impressive fact - ‘gamma bursts’ which apparently occur regularly in the universe but we don’t know why (maybe colliding stars), release as much energy in a SECOND as the Sun will over its entire life.
Hmmm what a dilemma for a Melbourne Mac fan. On the one hand there is the new Mac store, on the other hand it means suffering Sydney… what to do…what to do.
Disclaimer: this is a joke, some of my best friends are from Sydney ;).
Surely it is best if the Muslims stay as far away from Islamic educational institutions as possible? Let’s be honest, the Muslim world is hardly a showcase of educational achievement or respect!
It has to be asked (mainly because I’m embroiled in a bittter struggle on a fanatics’ board about it): does the fact that there is sectrarianism invloved mean that the Indonesian law prohibiting members of the whatsis sect from talking in public about their faith is no-ones business but Muslims’?
antish: As far as I know Muslims don’t consider the Ahmadiyya as Muslim to begin with, considering they follow a different Prophet.
So personally I don’t understand what the big deal is, it would be like demanding the Bhudists or Hindus of Indonesia cannot speak publicly about their respective faiths.
Doesn’t really bode well for Indonesia on a regional level.
I think it’s because the Ahmadis think of themselves as Muslims, that it makes Muslims a bit tetchy. Of course, I am a firm believer in the Qur’anic ayat that truth will ever prevail, so religious freedom even in something that is post-Muhammadan i.e. Sikhism, Baha’ism, Latter Day Saints, Ahmadiyya etc. so long as it doesn’t infringe on the rights of others, should absolutely be respected.
A friend was extolling its virtues to me and now I’m curious to see more than the few snatches I’ve seen thus far.
The show seems to consider humanity and belief (monotheism vs polytheism vs atheism), and question why people are driven to do things in the name of their beliefs. The “cylon” race seem to be a metaphor for terrorists.
I’ve read in an interview with Ronald D Moore, the show’s producer, that in the sci-fi genre you can deal with controversial things (like extremist thought in religion) without retribution because it’s disguised. It does appear to be a thoughtful show though.
Any thoughts?
50 words or less. Or more. Up to you. Assuming there are any fans on Austrolabe. If not, that was a waste of a post.
Hmm. I was always under the impression that the new Battlestar Galactica was a Da Vinci Code type of ‘mourn the passing of gentler polytheism’ schtick against the Church and its rather zealous eradication of paganism in Europe and the America’s.
I genuinely miss the parallel between terrorists and the Cylons. There is no territorial malcontent on the part of the Cylons; just a zealous belief in their own ‘choseness’ and humanity’s damnation because of their polythiesm, hence the genocidal tendencies.
I admit, I’ve only seen the first season, so I might be missing something.
antish: well now that’s picking and choosing. Either the Islamic community treats the Ahmadiyya as an Islamic sect or a separate Religion. Can’t pick and choose whenever it suits.
Well, from the people I’ve been arguing with, it’s the sectism that’s the problem. “Copyright” on the word ‘Muslim’ (presumably residing with mainstream Sunnis) has been invoked.
antish, serious question: why do you spend your time arguing these things at all? Granted you’re a troll and annoying as crap. Whatever. But once in a while a coherent thought slips into your posts, so you’re clearly some sort of hybrid troll not just your standard variety. Why the interest in Muslims besides that we vex you with our pesky ways?
Thanks for your response re BG. I’ll write more later inshallah… Just one thing though, there is definitely an element of territorial malcontent on BG. The cylons basically nuke the planets they came from to resettle there. But it’s not the central point, granted.
You vex me with your pesky ways. Actually, I’m not really a troll in the classical sense. I’m not after ANY reaction, I’m after logical replies. But I do get a perverse glee from illogical replies, I admit.
To expand on the Battlestar Galactica discussion, I’m just going to paraphrase what my well-informed friend explained to me, and in some bits just outright plagiarise since she’s expressed it so well.
Re the terrorism parallel to cylons, it’s definitely there in so far the cylons are dispossessed (they were created by man and were slaves until they rebelled and were driven out) and hold firmly to a monotheistic belief system. It’s also quite evident in the way they express their beliefs (very much like Osama bin Laden-type pronouncements).
There is an element of ‘mourn the passing of gentler polytheism’ etc except that the two religions (the cylon monotheism and the human polytheism) are inherently linked. Inexplicable (quasi-miraculous or deeply coincidental) events occur to people of both faiths and neither faith is ever proved to be correct or otherwise. Atrocious acts are committed by both humans and cylons in the name of their respective faiths, or in the pursuit of their zealotry to be more precise, so neither faith is ‘pure’.
And antish, you didn’t actually answer my question about why you spend your time arguing all things Muslim-related.
I don’t actually argue ALL things Muslim-related. And I spend an equal amount of time arguing with White Supremacists and their ilk. I should probably be arguing with fundie Christians as well, but they aren’t as much fun. I’m a sucker for taking up cudgels against absurdity.
I have a current argument with a couple of zealots who maintain that because Tolstoy wrote in a letter to a woman whose sons were considering Islam “And therefore, please, regard me as a kind Mohammedan, and all will be fine”, that Tolstoy was a Muslim. Apparently Goethe was as well, but we haven’t got onto him yet.
I agree - the burqa makes it silly to have made a video of it - why not just a still photo?
(Disclamer - I haven’t actually watched this one but I have watched some of her earlier masterpieces. I assume this is a just a poorly-filmed static shot of a black blog saying silly things.)
Iran - he had a different name (it’s on his site somewhere if you can be bothered with a long trudge through the rubbish) and apparently he IS a Sheikh. Or something.
Hmm - I made a post with a link to a wonderfully funny Onion News video but it’s still “awaiting moderation”. Is there a problem with YouTube links here?
Actually, I will comment further, having read the thread on this over on Muslim Village. There seems to be a theme there that a women can’t have more than one husband because it’s “physically impossible”. Now without wanting to be too explicit, it’s women who can physically handle multiple partners much better than men. My big concern about polygamy is that none of the wives would be getting as much physical enjoyment as they might want.
Interestingly Mr Trad is the person who screeched most hysterically on Insight when Bronwyn Bishop suggested a substantial number of Muslims wanted to have sharia law imposed on Australia.
There’s a great deal of loose talk about polyandry/polygyny (if I finally have the terms right) being ‘illegal’ in Oz. That isn’t really so - the state refuses to recognise multiple partner marriages but it isn’t actually illegal to hold multiple partner marriage ceremonies.
There’s a great deal of loose talk about polyandry/polygyny (if I finally have the terms right) being ‘illegal’ in Oz. That isn’t really so - the state refuses to recognise multiple partner marriages but it isn’t actually illegal to hold multiple partner marriage ceremonies, just as it isn’t illegal to hold same-sex marriage ceremonies.
My big concern about polygamy is that none of the wives would be getting as much physical enjoyment as they might want.
How is the physical satisfaction of other women any of your concern, Antish? Shouldn’t it be left upto the women to decide what constitutes their own satisfaction?
But really, have there been any studies about lesbianism in multi-wife marriages? Prima facie, and on the analogy of harems, it must be a serious possibility.
Antish, there have been plenty of discussions around libertarianism.. To be fair though, I wouldn’t say that all the people at Austrolabe are necessarily “libertarian” either.
Has anyone seen this? This Sheikh Haron character has a thankyou message for the Bali bombers. The spokesperson of the site on youtube says that the Bali bombers are better than Schapelle Corby. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFNf4kYu3sI
79 comments ↓
Blerg.
My new favourite word.
As a variant of ‘blog’ or as an alternative to ‘blech’?
Hmm… Blerg as in blah.
Meh.
Dodgy. Islamic school forcing kids to sit exams at TAFE if they think they are going to bring the aggregate school mark down with their performance. I wonder if that’s what the parents were thinking they were paying for each year?
Dodgy part #2: I wonder if the school is refunding the government the money they are getting for those students because they are being taught and tested by the public TAFE system?
Not just Islamic schools, though. Other private schools try to dissuade poor students from bringing down their averages. ALL schools will be doing it if a national ranking is introduced.
http://www.islamiceducation.com.au/wp/?p=54
Darfur. Do Friday sermons regularly rail against the carnage and rape?
Antish,
yes they do, they also speak out against rape and carnage taking place in iraq, afganistan, chechnya and somalia…
Fair enough, but the point about Darfur is that it is a Muslim government doing it, that is, a government that might be responsive to Muslims’ religious arguments.
Also, I don’t think that rape is as systematic and wiespread in the other conflicts you mention, nor is the slaughter currently as large.
I think some of the problem is to do with the Islamic Schools that tend to be so focused on academic results have such a low number of subjects on offer. The principal at Malek Fahd said they offer 11 and there does not seem to be much diversity.
If students are forced to choose from a bunch of subjects they do not enjoy then you would expect a lack of motivation and a decline in scores.
It is understandable them wanting to be ranked up there, and they are not the only school that sends the struggling students elsewhere to do their exams. I always wondered why AIA didn’t do that, maybe they have also started doing it now.
Serious support for Obama or blatant Republican plant?
http://my.barackobama.com/page.....hforobama/
Today my laundromat had a copy of the New Yorker (hallelujah - it usually has copies of celeb-trash mags) in which there was a long profile piece on Mrs Obama. She comes across as a very intelligent person with a great deal of integrity. Apparently there are (non-serious, of course) campaigns in the US to have her as First Lady no matter who wins the election.
Yep, the New Yorker is liberal, but it is also pretty honest and rigorous. The piece has laid to rest any doubts I had about Mr Obama’s dredibility.
Freudian slip - “credibility”, not “dredibility”.
I heart Jon Stewart.
http://www.comedycentral.com/v.....oId=171492
Hilarious. What a fake Billary is. Reminded of a verse from Isaiah my arse.
“You win McCain, but you know when you go to Israel you don’t need to bring your own Jew”
“You know where you can criticize Israel? Israel”
I loved the Adam Sandler interview in that episode.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Here is something that came across as noteworthy:
Arabs to discuss role of Israel in Mediterranean Union
http://www.alarabiya.net/artic.....51246.html
It would be a step in the right direction to include the Israelis in this Union.
Testing
I’m trying to upload a url to the JihadWatch website. It doesn’t seem to be working. Any reason?
Robert Spencer has called on the Holy Spirit to intervene and stop you.
Random impressive fact - ‘gamma bursts’ which apparently occur regularly in the universe but we don’t know why (maybe colliding stars), release as much energy in a SECOND as the Sun will over its entire life.
Yes, but can you prove it, antish?
It is written.
You’re so weird, antish. Kinda makes me like you more. Well, almost.
Speaking of stars, the Sydney Observatory have some interesting things happening in June and July:
http://www.sydneyobservatory.c.....hatson.asp
*does funny dance*
Oh get a room you two.
G-man… ever the thoughtful contributor… Can you just, like, never type anything ever again? Pretty please?
Meanwhile, geek alert:
http://www.apple.com/au/retail/sydney
Sydney’s going to be chockers with nerds. Probably all coming from Melbourne.
As an out and proud Mac user, I resemble that remark. And I guess the answer to your polite request is nope.
The quip about resembling the remark is funny, I admit, but… you’re still a Mac user.
Just saying.
Hmmm what a dilemma for a Melbourne Mac fan. On the one hand there is the new Mac store, on the other hand it means suffering Sydney… what to do…what to do.
Disclaimer: this is a joke, some of my best friends are from Sydney ;).
What’s the significance of being a Mac user and reading Austrolabe?
Surely it is best if the Muslims stay as far away from Islamic educational institutions as possible? Let’s be honest, the Muslim world is hardly a showcase of educational achievement or respect!
There’s no particular significance, Eudi. But Macs? Seriously?
John, yes, let’s be honest. You’re a complete tosser. Is there a particular reason why (perhaps a combination of factors)?
Why is it that I can’t type in messages here that include URL’s?
Please, don’t insult John by calling him a tosser. Use correct terminology. The correct term is w@nker.
I still say my explanation is plausible. But as others have no trouble I guess it would have to be something to do with your own settings Irfan.
Strange. I’ll take a look and see what is going on.
It has to be asked (mainly because I’m embroiled in a bittter struggle on a fanatics’ board about it): does the fact that there is sectrarianism invloved mean that the Indonesian law prohibiting members of the whatsis sect from talking in public about their faith is no-ones business but Muslims’?
Australia has made it through to the next round in World Cup Qualification
(10 Teams)
Other teams to advance: Japan, Bahrain, Both Korea’s, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, UAE (most likely) & Iran.
Qatar & Iraq will battle for the final spot in the Ten this weekend.
antish: As far as I know Muslims don’t consider the Ahmadiyya as Muslim to begin with, considering they follow a different Prophet.
So personally I don’t understand what the big deal is, it would be like demanding the Bhudists or Hindus of Indonesia cannot speak publicly about their respective faiths.
Doesn’t really bode well for Indonesia on a regional level.
I think it’s because the Ahmadis think of themselves as Muslims, that it makes Muslims a bit tetchy. Of course, I am a firm believer in the Qur’anic ayat that truth will ever prevail, so religious freedom even in something that is post-Muhammadan i.e. Sikhism, Baha’ism, Latter Day Saints, Ahmadiyya etc. so long as it doesn’t infringe on the rights of others, should absolutely be respected.
I agree. I’ve been arguing that it amounts to ‘compulsion in religion’, but have been told that this isn’t about religion but sectarianism.
It’s about intolerance, but whatever you do don’t accuse them of being intolerant of they might do you some violence.
Any Battlestar Galactica fans?
A friend was extolling its virtues to me and now I’m curious to see more than the few snatches I’ve seen thus far.
The show seems to consider humanity and belief (monotheism vs polytheism vs atheism), and question why people are driven to do things in the name of their beliefs. The “cylon” race seem to be a metaphor for terrorists.
I’ve read in an interview with Ronald D Moore, the show’s producer, that in the sci-fi genre you can deal with controversial things (like extremist thought in religion) without retribution because it’s disguised. It does appear to be a thoughtful show though.
Any thoughts?
50 words or less. Or more. Up to you. Assuming there are any fans on Austrolabe. If not, that was a waste of a post.
OK, I’m going now.
Hmm. I was always under the impression that the new Battlestar Galactica was a Da Vinci Code type of ‘mourn the passing of gentler polytheism’ schtick against the Church and its rather zealous eradication of paganism in Europe and the America’s.
I genuinely miss the parallel between terrorists and the Cylons. There is no territorial malcontent on the part of the Cylons; just a zealous belief in their own ‘choseness’ and humanity’s damnation because of their polythiesm, hence the genocidal tendencies.
I admit, I’ve only seen the first season, so I might be missing something.
Salams Amir akhee, I’ve tagged you for the 6-word memoir meme. (And of course anyone else reading this who wants to play).
Damn. Just what I needed, another thing to clog my brain with amusing trivia.
antish: well now that’s picking and choosing. Either the Islamic community treats the Ahmadiyya as an Islamic sect or a separate Religion. Can’t pick and choose whenever it suits.
Well, from the people I’ve been arguing with, it’s the sectism that’s the problem. “Copyright” on the word ‘Muslim’ (presumably residing with mainstream Sunnis) has been invoked.
antish, serious question: why do you spend your time arguing these things at all? Granted you’re a troll and annoying as crap. Whatever. But once in a while a coherent thought slips into your posts, so you’re clearly some sort of hybrid troll not just your standard variety. Why the interest in Muslims besides that we vex you with our pesky ways?
Eudaemonion,
Thanks for your response re BG. I’ll write more later inshallah… Just one thing though, there is definitely an element of territorial malcontent on BG. The cylons basically nuke the planets they came from to resettle there. But it’s not the central point, granted.
You vex me with your pesky ways. Actually, I’m not really a troll in the classical sense. I’m not after ANY reaction, I’m after logical replies. But I do get a perverse glee from illogical replies, I admit.
Australia’s latest jihad sheila controversy:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0.....77,00.html
Good old Sheikh Haron. His site has often cheered me up.
I suddenly feel the urge to watch Battlestar Galactica. Well I have a month off Uni coming up, will give me something to do.
To expand on the Battlestar Galactica discussion, I’m just going to paraphrase what my well-informed friend explained to me, and in some bits just outright plagiarise since she’s expressed it so well.
Re the terrorism parallel to cylons, it’s definitely there in so far the cylons are dispossessed (they were created by man and were slaves until they rebelled and were driven out) and hold firmly to a monotheistic belief system. It’s also quite evident in the way they express their beliefs (very much like Osama bin Laden-type pronouncements).
There is an element of ‘mourn the passing of gentler polytheism’ etc except that the two religions (the cylon monotheism and the human polytheism) are inherently linked. Inexplicable (quasi-miraculous or deeply coincidental) events occur to people of both faiths and neither faith is ever proved to be correct or otherwise. Atrocious acts are committed by both humans and cylons in the name of their respective faiths, or in the pursuit of their zealotry to be more precise, so neither faith is ‘pure’.
And antish, you didn’t actually answer my question about why you spend your time arguing all things Muslim-related.
I don’t actually argue ALL things Muslim-related. And I spend an equal amount of time arguing with White Supremacists and their ilk. I should probably be arguing with fundie Christians as well, but they aren’t as much fun. I’m a sucker for taking up cudgels against absurdity.
I have a current argument with a couple of zealots who maintain that because Tolstoy wrote in a letter to a woman whose sons were considering Islam “And therefore, please, regard me as a kind Mohammedan, and all will be fine”, that Tolstoy was a Muslim. Apparently Goethe was as well, but we haven’t got onto him yet.
It is very plausible Sara. I obviously have not seen the show as much as your friend has. I really need to catch up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2m8w3Dy4us
this is insane!
most watched video in australia???
I agree - the burqa makes it silly to have made a video of it - why not just a still photo?
(Disclamer - I haven’t actually watched this one but I have watched some of her earlier masterpieces. I assume this is a just a poorly-filmed static shot of a black blog saying silly things.)
oops, ‘blob’, not ‘blog’.
Who is this Shaykh Haron and where did he come from?
Iran - he had a different name (it’s on his site somewhere if you can be bothered with a long trudge through the rubbish) and apparently he IS a Sheikh. Or something.
Hmm - I made a post with a link to a wonderfully funny Onion News video but it’s still “awaiting moderation”. Is there a problem with YouTube links here?
Any comment on this?
http://www.news.com.au/perthno.....49,00.html
Not on this in particular, but you have to wonder about Mr Trad’s brains.
Actually, I will comment further, having read the thread on this over on Muslim Village. There seems to be a theme there that a women can’t have more than one husband because it’s “physically impossible”. Now without wanting to be too explicit, it’s women who can physically handle multiple partners much better than men. My big concern about polygamy is that none of the wives would be getting as much physical enjoyment as they might want.
Interestingly Mr Trad is the person who screeched most hysterically on Insight when Bronwyn Bishop suggested a substantial number of Muslims wanted to have sharia law imposed on Australia.
There’s a great deal of loose talk about polyandry/polygyny (if I finally have the terms right) being ‘illegal’ in Oz. That isn’t really so - the state refuses to recognise multiple partner marriages but it isn’t actually illegal to hold multiple partner marriage ceremonies.
There’s a great deal of loose talk about polyandry/polygyny (if I finally have the terms right) being ‘illegal’ in Oz. That isn’t really so - the state refuses to recognise multiple partner marriages but it isn’t actually illegal to hold multiple partner marriage ceremonies, just as it isn’t illegal to hold same-sex marriage ceremonies.
How is the physical satisfaction of other women any of your concern, Antish? Shouldn’t it be left upto the women to decide what constitutes their own satisfaction?
I care about women being satisfied.
Must. Hold. Back.
I was provoked
But really, have there been any studies about lesbianism in multi-wife marriages? Prima facie, and on the analogy of harems, it must be a serious possibility.
http://poll.pollcode.com/Q3g
A pity that the ‘libertarians’ here won’t actually discuss libertaranism, then. I voted for Astrolabe.
Antish, there have been plenty of discussions around libertarianism.. To be fair though, I wouldn’t say that all the people at Austrolabe are necessarily “libertarian” either.
Has anyone seen this? This Sheikh Haron character has a thankyou message for the Bali bombers. The spokesperson of the site on youtube says that the Bali bombers are better than Schapelle Corby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFNf4kYu3sI
Leave a Comment