Posted by Cam W. on May 26, 2002, at 18:48:54
In reply to Lou's answer to this thread (more) » Cam W., posted by Lou Pilder on May 25, 2002, at 23:31:01
Lou, Lou, Lou - I hardly think that anything I have said is new or anti-Islamic. Actually I have probably erred by not strictly saying that it is the fundamentalist Islamic followers (eg the Taliban) that are causing problems for the majority of the modern thinking Islamic sects.
As for the 3000 years. The Middle East has long been regarded as the cradle of civilization and my figure of 3000 years, should probably be raised to at least 9000 years, according to some of the latest archeological evidence. The point that I was trying to make (and has been made by sci-fi writers since the late 1940s) is that perhaps great civilizations always fall, and this is what we may be witnessing in Afghanistan.
As for Christian doctrine in the Dark Ages and even the Middle Age, and it's influence in the political arena, did stagnate science and technological advances. Anyone who has read anything on the Scientific Revolution will know this. The church's hold on political power began to began to faulter in the 12th to 14th century, when Western European was reintroduced to the writings of Islamic scientists.
It was the Islamic scientists who had done more for the advancement of Western science, than anyone else. While the West had all but lost the teachings of the Greeks, it was the Middle Easterners who saved this knowledge and added greatly to it. The same cannot be said for the people of these same countries today.
I was just making an observation that I had noticed. I wan't blaming anyone, nor anti-anyone. I was just making a comment. If I was going to blame someone for the current state of affairs in the world, I would not be blaming Muslims.
Sigh! I would say more, but I don't really think that I need to; your words speaks volumes.
poster:Cam W.
thread:24547
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020523/msgs/24680.html