# How many more attacks before the West has to consider the previously unthinkable? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 15, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950 "2016-07-15T02:38:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/261 "2016-07-18T17:28:36Z")
Probably more pro boner. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/262 "2016-07-18T17:43:20Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Well, being a mercenary actually is against a number of laws. I can’t find a citation on this claim … US citizens fighting abroad is regulated, one would need State Department permission, but it’s not outright illegal. The US didn’t sign the UN agreement prohibiting such activities. This article in the _New York Times Magazine_ [“Meet the American Vigilantes Who Are Fighting ISIS”](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/magazine/meet-the-american-vigilantes-who-are-fighting-isis.html) doesn’t mention anything about violating the law. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/263 "2016-07-19T06:13:21Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Catholic here, and yes it is the same God. Same God for the Jews, Muslims and us. This strikes me as very silly and mushy-headed, but I’m an atheist so w/e. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/264 "2016-07-19T07:03:00Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > This strikes me as very silly and mushy-headed, but I’m an atheist so w/e. History of religion stuff, it doesn’t require belief. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/265 "2016-07-19T08:36:23Z")
I think if you really do have devout belief, it won’t scan. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/266 "2016-07-19T10:00:14Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I think if you really do have devout belief, it won’t scan. So, you’re not even going to pretend to make sense? ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/267 "2016-07-20T00:21:50Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > So, you’re not even going to pretend to make sense? Apparently we’re not speaking the same language, because…back atcha. ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/268 "2016-07-20T00:31:28Z")
> [@Mr.Natural](#): > > I studied Philosophy and Logic, and this isn’t debate. This is silly assed one up arguing. You don’t know shit about philosophy or logic. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/269 "2016-07-20T00:39:43Z")
> [@rmbnxs](#): > > You don’t know shit about philosophy or logic. If philosophy and logic depend on a knowledge of shit…you’re doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/270 "2016-07-20T01:39:09Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > You wouldn’t know a constructive point if it stuck it’s dick in your ear and fuck-started your brain. > [@Mr.Natural](#): > > How about making one of those constructive points, rather than personal attacks, and let’s see. Go ahead. **QuickSilver** - you wouldn’t by any chance happen to be a fan of [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQLXYu6plhg) movie, would you? If so - thumbs up. Great scene. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/271 "2016-07-20T02:00:08Z")
> [@Mr.Natural](#): > > Every able man and woman (isn’t that a joke) must stand for what’s right. It’s not happening. This is a curious standard. You hold others in contempt for not risking their lives for - not even their actual day-to-day needs, but a political belief. Unless you are also actually risking your life to defend _your_ political beliefs, this seems to be a very unfair standard to which you hold others. Even were you doing so, this seems to me to be most uncompassionate. I wouldn’t hold others to standards that at minimum I could not meet; there are limits to hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/272 "2016-07-20T03:16:40Z")
I emailed my two devoutly Christian friends to weigh in on whether they believe Muslims worship the same god as Christians. So far I have received one response, to wit: > [@](#): > > I am dubious of the notion, to say the least, but if we do all worship the same God then I would say that their religion is a deeply corrupted, heretical version of the faith, not entirely dissimilar I suppose, to how I regard the Westboro Baptists, Dominionists, or other extreme Right-Wing Christian movements. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/273 "2016-07-20T03:55:48Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I emailed my two devoutly Christian friends to weigh in on whether they believe Muslims worship the same god as Christians. So far I have received one response, to wit: So your devoutly Christian friends know a lot about Islam? More than you? What does being a Christian have to do with being Muslim? Put it this way. I am an extremely well educated if not exactly devout Jew. Educated enough that I’m helping write curriculum for a religious school right now. Muslims worship the same God I do. The exact same one. Its actually explicit in Judaism that Islam evolved from Ishmael. So if Christians worship a different one… Well that’s news to me. Your friends would know better I guess. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/274 "2016-07-20T04:36:22Z")
I think the whole “monotheism” thing pretty much decides that. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/275 "2016-07-20T04:39:39Z")
So by that logic, all polytheists worship the same pantheon of gods? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/276 "2016-07-20T05:09:14Z")
Yeah, and I know several Baptists who claim Mormons aren’t Christian at all, either. Whether or not a particular Christian or group of Christians claim otherwise, Muslims consider themselves to worship the same God, albeit in a different manner. That said, what the holy fuck does it matter? It’s an asinine distinction that makes not one whit of difference to the original point, which was itself asinine to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/277 "2016-07-20T05:19:08Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Yeah, and I know several Baptists who claim Mormons aren’t Christian at all, either. They are quite obviously right to make that claim! And believe me, there is not much I agree with most Baptists about. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/278 "2016-07-20T05:30:48Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > They are quite obviously right to make that claim! And believe me, there is not much I agree with most Baptists about. Probably just as many of them claim that Catholics aren’t Christians either. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/279 "2016-07-20T05:35:05Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > They are quite obviously right to make that claim! And believe me, there is not much I agree with most Baptists about. And yet, most Christians (at least in the US) accept Mormons as Christians, which they consider themselves to be. Are you really going to rely on a “No True Scotsman” argument? This thread is already chock full of weak arguments without tossing in a flagrant error like that. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950/280 "2016-07-20T06:13:35Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Probably just as many of them claim that Catholics aren’t Christians either. Sure, because Catholicism loaded up a more basic religion with a lot of polytheism, goddess worship, thrones, crowns full of baubles, etc. It’s reasonable to look at that with a pretty jaundiced eye. Which is a big reason why the Protestant Reformation even happened. For that matter, it’s pretty clear to me that Paul himself hijacked the religion a long time ago. There were, for a while, clearly Christians who saw this clearly, but we don’t get to see their angry letters–only Paul’s responses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-more-attacks-before-the-west-has-to-consider-the-previously-unthinkable/759950.md?page=15)