Newsweek reports that ISIS has announced a new curriculum banning the study of math for students in areas of Iraq and Syria it controls. Also banned will be the teaching of music, social studies (especially anything about elections or democracy), and sports. Books cannot include any reference to evolution and teachers must say that the laws of physics and chemistry "are due to Allah's rules and laws." Students will instead learn all about "belonging to Islam," and how to "denounce infidelity and infidels." Teachers who break the rules "will be punished," according to fliers posted in ISIS-controlled territory.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by weeds on Thursday September 18 2014, @01:09PM
That sounds good and all but no, the distinction has to be made by them, not by us. When all of the "peaceful and pleasant" Islamic world joins (or leads) the fight against the radical factions, then the distinction will be obvious.
Get money out of politics! [mayday.us]
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday September 18 2014, @02:15PM
Well, then you'll be pleased to know that the nations of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, UAE, Yemen, Iraq (for whatever that government is worth), and Kuwait are generally US allies in the fight against the radical factions. Even Iran is thinking of getting on board against ISIL. The current governments of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco are to varying degrees friendly or allied with Western powers on this issue (I'm leaving out Libya because their post-Qaddafi situation is complicated at best).
So yes, it's safe to say that the vast majority of the Islamic world is not supportive of the radical Islamist groups.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Thursday September 18 2014, @04:16PM
AFAIK Syria would like to help too, but some interest group(s) are instead financing rebel troops, which might turn out to be on the side of ISIL after all.
(Score: 2) by weeds on Thursday September 18 2014, @04:52PM
Indeed, I am pleased to know!
Get money out of politics! [mayday.us]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 19 2014, @01:00AM
And you will be not so pleased to know that much of their support will be in the form of allowing US military personnel to be stationed at bases on their land, provide fly-over rights, logistical support, a (somewhat tepid) moral support in the form of tut-tutting their extremist co-religionists, and not much more. Actually joining in the fight? Not so much. :-(
(Score: 2) by CRCulver on Thursday September 18 2014, @02:33PM
They have been. If you are unaware of this, the fault is yours. Central Asian Muslim bodies (usually closely entwined with secular authoritarian leaders who don't want the unstability that religious fundamentalism brings) have taken great pains to turn their followers away from radical interpretations of Islam. Those states also called for armed action against the Taliban. Groups like Ismailis and Ahmadis, who suffer violence and other forms of persecution from fundamentalists, have been speaking out for decades against Islamism in media here and abroad.
(Score: 1) by turgid on Thursday September 18 2014, @06:58PM
Here in the UK the media have been pretty bad at reporting on-goings. However, today the Guardian has a piece [theguardian.com] about British Muslims speaking out against the atrocities of IS/ISIS/ISIL.
The is an absurd meme going about in the UK just now that "all Muslims" believe in IS/The Caliphate and Islamism/Islamofascism and that they're all waiting to pounce on us, chopping off heads, crucifying non-believers and claiming the UK for the Caliphate. It has given rise to some very ugly right wing extremism [bbc.co.uk],
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 2) by Tork on Thursday September 18 2014, @04:33PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 18 2014, @07:18PM
When all of the "peaceful and pleasant" Islamic world joins (or leads) the fight against the radical factions, then the distinction will be obvious.
Here's a couple of thousand denunciations by muslim leaders and institutions who have been denouncing islamic extremists for years. [muhajabah.com]
ISIL is a local phenomenon, not much different from hundreds of other groups of violent fascists that have come before around the world. That they wear the uniform of islamic extremism doesn't say anything about islam, just that they are yet another group of extremists. Focus on the extremism and you'll get understanding, focus on the religion and you'll just wander off into the weeds.
It really isn't the job of all regular muslims to fight ISIL any more than it was job of all regular atheists to fight the Khmer Rouge.