Originally Posted by Charismatic

*cough* Sources please .

Like many I've been happy with my conduct in this life. Sometimes we hurt people but in then end you yourself probably know what is good and moral in life. You always hope the good you do, insignificant as it often may seem, will make others happy. If there is a judgement after this life I feel confident that I would be judged favourably, we make mistakes because we are human but we also have an ability to pick ourselves up and strive to do better in the future .

[Plug] This is why folk who give to and buy from "Helping Hands" find it so rewarding. We have all known pain and suffering in our lives and nothing quite makes us feel as satisfied as sharing happiness and our prosperity with others . [/Plug]

Originally Posted by MacScot

The Arabic (Islamic?) contribution to science and philosophy was great and is widely acknowledged.

The Professor of Islamic Studies at Edinburgh University, William Montgomery Watt, wrote a book about Islam (The Glory that was Islam). Christian Europe showed an interest in Arab science and philosophy around 1100 AD (around the time of the Saracens) -- the golden age of Islamic science and philosophy. Western science and philosophy developed more fully once this knowledge had been integrated and used.

Another Scot, Michael Scott, translated many Islamic science and philosophy texts (e.g., astronomical and mathematical texts) in the 13th century in Toledo, Spain (home to the Andalusian Moors), which were subsequently incorporated into Western science. He translated the works of Aristotle from Arabic to Latin based on the accounts and commentaries of two Andalusian Moors (Averroes and Avicennia). This work was sent to British universities at the time, the professors of which were very grateful to receive new information, which they thought had been lost for centuries.

Originally Posted by Blue Cat

who has complained about the Rulers of this Country on here? I can't see any posts reflecting that at all. Just today a local guy who murdered a British woman has had his sentence REDUCED. How do you think her family feel? her children who are now without a Mother? the grandchildren she will never see? Yes people get a tad annoyed at the way this Country is run.

This site is for British Expats regardless of the race or religion.

Originally Posted by Mitzyboy

I dont think any of that has been suggested, lets not turn this into a race issue All are welcome here

Originally Posted by Beard Man

thanks alot

i just hope that there will be no double standers in dealing with me

there are some who have been violating the rules here and no one did anything to them .. but when it is me !!! i was banned.

Originally Posted by Sue

No, that is not what anyone has said and you know it. This site was started by British expats for British expats, but we welcome all. We have people from many, many different nations posting here and we are happy to have them as members. However the majority of people who use this site are British and you need to be mindful of that when you are posting. I have told you this before, and I do not want to go down this road with you again.

Originally Posted by B Bear

People in the UK die every day having had very fufilling lives, developing medicines to prevent death in childbirth, designing cheap universal telephones so that a Palestinian refugee can talk to his family or allowing satellite technology to help forecast weather patterns that affect crop growth in the third world. In the UK god effectively 'died' in the mid 19th century. The beauty of the world has been captured in picture, song, film and poetry and many mediums. It does not for the majority involve 7th century or earlier books that have held poulations locked in poverty and superstition since that time. Ask yourself why Islam went from taking the original Greek ideas and science forward and instead became a footnote in history for so long.

The popularity of the UK with Muslim people ought to suggest that there is something special there. Of course it is where there is religious freedom, where you can have Jewish friends, write critically of the UK and your home country without fear. I watched with amusement this week as a Guantanamo prisoner chose UK as home to return to rather than go back to Eritrea or wherever he came from. We're not perfect by a long shot, but he certainly knew where he would rather be to practice his faith and live his life.

Lenin told us that communism would 'bury us'. They didn't. We have absorbed many cultures in our history, with openess and equality. We have Muslim politicians and state officials, there by their own hard work. We've been knocking around our island just as long as you have, we just got our act together a bit quicker, and we had a lot less oil too!

Originally Posted by Norm_uk

Actually the UN caused Israel...the UK gave up trying to please the Jews and Arabs and handed the problem to the UN who voted in favour of the state of Israel...

N.

Originally Posted by Norm_uk

France has more Muslims than the UK according to most official statistics...

...and if Muslims tried to take over and make a non-secular country they would be kicked out of the country because that is called an act of war is it not? If Muslims cannot respect their hosts they should leave.

Same applies here does it not? If we expats cannot tolerate and respect the rules and traditions of the UAE we should go? I am the first to agree with this rule. We can talk and moan all we like but if we don't obey the rules we should leave.

As for people converting to Islam in the UK...doesn't matter unless they want to make the UK an Islamic state - in which case they have their citizenship stripped from them...I believe you would do the same here if someone become a Christian and then tried to make the UAE Christian right?

N.

Originally Posted by Norm_uk

Europe's Dark Ages were directly a result of the rise of religion into government and external invasions breaking up the Roman Empire - it stopped all learning and science in most places. The early Muslims generally tried to learn from the people they conquered and so preserved much knowledge of the pagan Eygptians, Greeks, Romans and Persians...building on what they knew until Europe started to separate it's religion from it's government and it re-discovered the ancient learning and leaped ahead again to become world leaders in art and learning.

Meanwhile the Muslims had begun to descend into civil wars and conflict - they tried repeatedly to invade Europe and failed, making Europe stronger with each attempt. Then Europe began branching out and conquering and colonising the world.

Today it seems Muslims want to blame the West for all their problems but forget they created these problems. Who closed the silk road into Europe and inspired Europeans to look for new trade routes by sea?
Who invaded their lands first?

1000 years ago the Islamic world was more advanced in many areas than many European countries....500 years later that had changed though and today nearly every modern invention is Western so I wonder what your point is exactly sir?

I know my history and I know all about the place of Islamic history...perhaps instead of looking at the past we should look at the present and the hope for the future?

N.

Originally Posted by Worldismine

Have you heard of a place called Guantanamo Baie?

Operation shock and awe?

But yeah, Britain, would not generalise west in general as America France ect are different, is way ahead of not only Muslim but also other western countries with regards to people's rights and treatment etc. France is crap if your of Moroccan, Algerian or sub saharan origin. America, if your insurance only covers 1 finger and you lose two you'll have a decision to make, and best make it quickly. Belgium is just crap for everyone, Switzerland, especially Geneva, is amazing, but does its own thing and would definitely not generalise it under the banner of the west, and it aint that accessible to those without skill or a spouse.

Scandanavian countries are racist as hell, even when you say your Sicilian.

I think, in the Gulf and Muslim countries in general, it depends a great deal on who you know, and how much they like you. It's not right, but people that get screwed over by employees and get no justice probably didn't get to know anyone local. They don't have to be big time people, just someone local that is kind hearted, knows the language, is willing to speak up for you, and knows who to go to. Then when you get helped out in that way, its much more rewarding and you appreciate it more.

Originally Posted by MataHari

I hate double standers...

Originally Posted by B Bear

....so why then do people put themselves in danger, pay thousands of dollars and risk all to get to these countries. I appreciate what you are saying, but I'm afraid that until I see Afghans, Somalis, Eritreans, Iraqis tring to sneak their families into Saudi, Qatar etc for a better life rather than go all the way to the US, Australia, UK, France etc where there is no language, culture, weather(!) of any familiarity then I will buy it.

Take time to ask the guy cleaning your office this morning how well he feels cared for on 350 AED a month......

Originally Posted by Beard Man

so did islam stop those muslims from being hardworkers?


the UK is producing alot of good technology as you said in your first paragraph. however, did you consider weapons they produce and pass to Israel? did you consider the political support UK is giving israel?? did you consider what jointly UK and US have done in Iraq? and for what?


you have to look at the full picture. there are many good things that UK did in the past and still doing... however,, there are things that the UK government should feel the shame of doing it.

Originally Posted by B Bear

YOU feel the UK government should feel shame. The UK government's position on Israel is quite clear. It is a member of the UN, and is a democratically functioning, accountable government. The UK also has firm relationships with all the other ME countries. The UK does not 'pass'weapons' - it sells (it has the right to self defence as a sovereign nation )- as it does to the UAE, Saudi etc. We also buy from Israel (as do other 'local' countries around here.. Check the technology in the F16 Block 60).