Nuke 'em all, let God sort them out . . . or something like that

There was a story online about a billboard (http://madworldnews.com/picture-perfect-solution-jihadists/). The billboard, put out there by the US Marine Corps, reads, “Its God's job to judge the terrorists – Its our mission to arrange the meeting.”

This, as you might guess, made lots of people comment. Some were the supportive, Semper Fi-ish comments and others were of the typically uneducated sod kind.

One in particular caught my eye and I felt I needed to respond.

It was from a Brian Johnson of Denver, Colorado. He wrote:

“Good old religious fervor!! There are so many things wrong with this billboard statement:
- First and foremost, is not one of the Christian Commandments, Thou shalt not kill? If in fact you truly follow the Christian religion, these kinds of statements go directly against what you preach. You can't have it both ways
- According to their beliefs, they are doing what is right (and it exactly mirrors what this billboard suggests; ridding to world of your religious "enemies"). So if Christians follow this billboard statement, then they are no better than the people they wish to kill under the guise of religion.

I find it odd that the most consistent and grotesque comment these days comes from the so called Religious Conservative/Tea Party group who believe in small gov't and limited spending, but then vocally state that our military should go in and wipe the place clean (meaning the Middle East). Really? And this is a way to reduce gov't spending?

While I do not agree for one moment with what the ISIS/ISIL group is doing, I also do not condone what Israel, Syria, Russia, etc. are doing right now either. And even in our own back yard there are numerous examples of actions perpetrated by the USA in the name of "Freedom" or "Democracy" that are reprehensible. This rock we call "Earth" is an imperfect place and the sooner that the world's religious zealots realize this, the better off we as Humans in general will be. Humans are just one species on this planet, but we are also the species that has committed the most egregious acts against each other and our living environment.

It's time for the US to get off their high-horse, step back from the world leader stage to better grasp what our true issues are here at home and deal with them, and get away from this Manifest Destiny idea. Far too many US citizens state their opinions with conviction, yet those same opinions have no substance or merit to back them. America needs to turn off the brain-washing, mind-altering, agenda-driven boob-tube called television "news" and get back to reading and interpreting various news sources with a critical, questioning approach.....don't believe everything you read just because it is written.”

I felt compelled to educate, as well as applaud in a few spots, this person (don't know if he was a young man, old man, veteran, peacenik, or even a woman). Therefore, my response, verbatim, was this:

“Brian, I am of several thoughts concerning your comments. Shooting to the end of you comments, you are accurate about America needing to concentrate more on home (although your right wing / tea party focus is slightly delusional - all politicians, right and left, make use of people's passion for their true agenda of power). Instead of sending billions overseas, we do indeed need to start looking at feeding our hungry, sheltering our homeless and educating our young.

As to America stepping off their high horse and abandoning the leadership role in world affairs, I must disagree. By doing all the things we need to do for our own people first, America should once more be the shining hope, the example to others in world affairs. We once were. America was the example many people looked to for ways of shoring up their own country's problems.

Now to the heart of your comments, the beginning. You need to stop listening to whoever it is YOU are being a sheep about. The actual translation from the original Hebrew is not simplistically "thou shalt not kill" it is a more nuanced word that means kill egregiously - that is, to murder. And it is a "commandment" that pre-dates Christianity. But even then, I think the Hitites, Amalites and the citizens of Jericho might have been as confused as you that God would command do not kill and then send his people to do just that. But if you are going to espouse that people start doing due diligence to get their facts and information straight, you should as well.

Now as far as the terrorist just doing what he believes in, if they embrace Islam and say this is the ideal from which their actions flow, then they are being deluded by those who are teaching them. The Koran does not condone the actions these murderers are committing. The leadership of the terror organizations throughout the world teach uneducated / disillusioned / crazies a warped and twisted version of the ideals the Koran embodies. So to say that they are just doing what they believe in and should be left alone (not what you said, but what you imply), you argue from a viewpoint that is, itself, flawed by misinformation. Again, a little research on your part about Muhammad (and the fact his wife took over his teaching when he died and only half quotes are used when defending certain actions) and the actual text of the Koran might enlighten you on what it says.

If a serial killer was running around your neighborhood targeting blonde women, you would be all "lets go nail that right now!" Especially if you had a wife or daughter or sister who was blonde. If someone told you that he believed blonde women were from Satan because Eve was obviously a brunette (all the pictures show this), I am sure you would say not be saying, "well if he believes this then we should just let him be."

Long winded, I know, but I wanted to point out some areas in your thinking that may need to be revisited once you had more information.”

Now I don't believe Mr. Brian Johnson of Denver, Colorado will even read let alone heed anything I have just posted. But even if it gets one person to think for themselves I will have won a small victory toward educating a world in deductive reasoning that sorely needs it.

But don't take my word. Agree or disagree, I don't care, just so long as you think for yourself and stop being sheep. Because, hey, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

post script – or to the layman, p.s.

All that being said, the real problem we have is not with the whiny liberals or the soft hearted do-gooders or even the fanatical terrorists themselves.

No, the real problem lies with a Muslim world that is just fine with all this terror. So long as they just sit idly by they can justify the spread (by elimination of everyone else) of Islam and feel smug that THEY had no hand in all these atrocious acts of cowardice and barbarism.

post post script - or is it post script script . . . anyway . . . 

The title of this piece comes from an old t-shirt I had back in the early 80's when I was in the Navy. Just thought I'd let you know. :)