The first thing I think of is my neighbours; the folks next door are Muslim.
That “mass rape” makes me suspicious, Winston as I know for a fact that a group of Danish neo-Nazis released a ‘study’ showing that Muslims where responsible for 90% of the rapes in Copenhagen.
RedFury
Welll yes, you could describe education into a religion as some type of brainwashing. But then we must describe every sort of education as such. (To give an example: I find the amazing display of partriotism and flag whorshipping of so many Americans a very good exapmle of mass brainwashing.)
I don’t think Islam has the most outwardly devoted followers among the major religions. In fact: Islam is a very personal religion, as is the prayer.
But I can come into it that you see the common prayers on friday as a demonstration of what you refer to. Yet even then prayer is a strictly personal business. And attending a mosque on friday is a recommendation, not an obligation.
And as you say: every religion has its rituals where people gather. Until only a few decades ago Catholicism also knew the ritual of several prayers a day starting with a mass early in the morning (which my mother still followed and I’m born in 1972) and I’m sure there are people who still follow that. Maybe you never witnessed the devotion of Catholics in for example a country like Spain, where people even let themselves be nailed on a cross on Good friday and this every year again. Or you could go take a look at a devoted Jewish community like the chassidim.
LOL. Those Muslim guys overthere must be really desperate. It is the cold. They only seek warmth.
We all know that the women in our lives give us the warmth we machos pretend we don’t need, no?
Mass rape, don’t know if it’s the correct word. Where a large number of men come together to rape one woman, probably it’s called gang rape? Anyway there have been a number of cases recently in Denmark where Arabic immigrants have raped Danish women in this way. A crime that was until this quite unheard of. I realize this probably has very little to do with Islam, and a lot to do with Arabic culture clashing with Danish culture. So it’s quite unfair to pin it on Islam, which also is why I wondered why you wanted first impressions, that seldom has much to do with logic.
Well I don’t know which press you’re referring to. I live in Denmark so I read other newspapers than you. Or which lunatics for that matter. Certainly Danish mullahs as well as prominent Middle-East statesmen are given much space in the news. Actually I don’t really know what you mean when you refer to the press. As far as I know, there is no PRESS, only a large number of different individuals writing stories for newspapers, radio television, etc.
If you want you can find historical roots for demonizing pretty much everything in Europe. There’re very strong historical roots for demonizing Swedes (serves them right, damn bastards!) here in Denmark, doesn’t mean the first I think I think about is terrorist if you say Sweden.
MC. I know nothing of this study, but if it’s very new I haven’t heard about it since I just came home from six weeks vacation (can’t help it - I’m European 
). I don’t think it’s what I was thinking about, but that’s the problem with first impressions. You’re seldom able to with confidence say where they came from, or why.
Well I don’t know if you read/watch other media then I do.
And if it was so that everyone who reads/watches them was aware that what is published or said represent only the opinion (or in the best case: report) of that particular man or woman, the world would be witnessing the mass miracle of millions of people using their brains for what they are made for.
Sadly enough that isn’t the case and I don’t see it happen in the near future.
By the way, which “Arabs” do you refer to? I mean: what is their country of origin?
And I’ve never heard of these gang rapes stories before. Where was this published?
And when I talk about historical roots, I refer to documentation of events = to historical sources. And as I pointed out also to the works and other writings of early Orientalists. Even Blachère and Nöldeke weren’t completely free of these influences.
But I don’t see quite what your remark about the Danish/Swedish historical interaction has to do with this.
If you’re not Danish, you can be quite certain you’re not reading/watching the same as I.
Quite a bleak view of your fellow man, I would say – and not even based on your first thought. I take it you do not count yourself among the multitude that does not use their brain for its intented purpose.
Don’t remember, a mix of different nationalities I think. What difference does it make, why do you ask?
Different media I guess. I can dig it up for you if you want – don’t see why though. You’re not going to get me to defend my “first thought on Islam” since they’re not based on any logic. Are you referring to them as “stories” because you doubt their authenticity? If you wish you can find an Australian “story” much like it – a Lebanese gang I believe.
Blachère, Nöldeke?
I consider myself fairly well learned but I can’t say I’ve ever heard of either of these two good gentlemen, so either I’ll have to revise my view of my own education or these are probably generally not very well know. Either way, I too talk of historical sources, since pretty much everybody at one time or another has been trying to murder somebody else, you can find any old historic precedence you like. That you choose to dig up old animosity towards Muslims (and not Danish towards Swedes, or Greek towards Roman, French towards English, or …) speaks more for your wish to root your view in a historic context than any real connection.
You’re a liar and a poor one at that. Clearly, Google comes up with that list when you put in Terrorism as your second value. Try Islam by itself; a bunch of other religions. Try Peace or Love; not much controversy there either.
Shhhh! Islam is our friend now and any criticism of him shows you are soft on the War on Terror.
Fundamentalism is the first thing that comes to mind, without question (pun intended).
Because you refer to them as “clashing with the Danish culture”
Maybe you aren’t informed that not every Muslim is “Arab” and that not every “Arab” lives in Saudi Arabia?
I doubt the authencity of every story I can’t verify comparing different sources. And sorry, but news papers are hardly sources although they can serve as informative reports.
By the way: How come you say on the one hand that an article or whatever media report only reflects the story or opinion brought by one person, while no you as much as declare that what you read in a newspaper is for you the whole truth?
Well then you should revise your view on your own education. Because your remark is quite ridiculous when telling an Arabist that you consider yourself fairly well learned.
Blachère and Nöldeke are not only “known”. Every Orientalist/ Arabist and every one who only remotedly interested in the studyfield “knows” them and their works. I wouldn’t want to count the thousands and thousands of footnotes in which they are mentioned over the decades until this very day by everyone who is occupied in the field of Islamic/Quranic history. Which is by the way also mine.
You don’t seem to grasp the connection between the historical interaction between the Europeans and the Islamic empires and how this influences both societies unto this very day. And not just a little bit, but on every level.
Interlocking tesselations.
And this is supposed to be criticism why? I suppose that would be a whole different thread, though. 
Because you refer to them as “clashing with the Danish culture”
Maybe you aren’t informed that not every Muslim is “Arab” and that not every “Arab” lives in Saudi Arabia?
Asking where something is published is only normal when such things are brought up. I don’t mind in which language it is published. And I don’t ask you to “defend” anything. I just ask additional information.
And of course I doubt the authencity of every story I can’t verify comparing different sources. And sorry, but news papers are hardly sources although they can serve as informative reports.
By the way: How come you say on the one hand that an article or whatever media report only reflects the story or opinion brought by one person, while now you as much as declare that what you read in a newspaper is for you the whole truth?
Well then you should revise your view on your own education. Because your remark is quite ridiculous when telling an Arabist that you consider yourself fairly well learned in the history of Islam.
Blachère and Nöldeke are not only “known”. I wouldn’t want to count the thousands and thousands of footnotes in which they are mentioned over the decades until this very day by everyone who is occupied in the field of Islamic/Quranic history. I’m afraid that alone would keep me occupied for several years.
You don’t seem to grasp the connection between the historical interaction between the Europeans and the Islamic empires and how this influences both societies unto this very day. And not just a little bit but on every level of interaction between them.
Well, and I don’t know why my last post is duplicated…
I must be brainwashed by something… After all, I’m Muslim.
If you are curious what pops into my head when discussing those other countries, you should ask about that, not about word association with “Islam.”
Or are you just trying to set people up?
Julie
If you’re going to be sensitive about the results of a question, it’s probably best not to ask the question. It ends up being one of those “Does this make my butt look fat?” questions if you won’t be happy with honest answers.
Julie
Sorry, I don’t understand. Are you asking if I’m criticising you or if I’m accusing you of criticising Islam Karmic. Actually, I was being facetious and criticising the US State Department which has recently taken a very compliant approach to the Uzbek government in an effort to secure his government’s assistance in Central Asia.
What the fuck!?!?
Aotomatic spell checkers!
Jsgodess,
May I ask why you are out on such an agressive and defensive way of posting?
I’m not in Iraq. You are not in Iraq. You are not occupying my country. I’m not going to get a gun to kill you.
Clear enough for you?
I do hope so because I see the poison dripping from my screen when reading your posts.