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All the names people gave themselves when we database programmers were weak is no longer enforceable once we became strong. Now we enter the name of the baby at birth in the hospital. If the name could not be entered, tough luck, pick a new name proud parents! Not born in a hospital? Hospital does not have computer? tough luck, no social security number to your baby, no way to do anything in US of A. We are the dbase programmers, we rule the world.

Tolerance? Who mentioned tolerance? You think Ancient Rome was tolerant? You think the USA is tolerant? Forget history, read the news: Muslim countries are far less a threat to their neighbours. BTW, since you think that tolerance is important, perhaps you should try to practice it. As for science, this seems to be a fairly comprehensive summary: http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/sciencehistory.htm

It survived because : [Source - http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/charter1.html%5D In 628 C.E. Prophet Muhammad (s) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war. An English translation of that document is presented below. This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

the American tendency to try to drown out the voice of the (few) legitimate grievances of al-qaeda pushes the day the middle east is at peace further and further away
By what mechanism does America use to drown out these voices of dissent and where are they? And what pray tell is the legitimate AQ grievance this week, they change them monthly. And in case you haven't heard, the middle east has never been at peace for well over four thousand years.

Now - thanks to courageous politicians - we live in peace with the Northern irish and the former leaders of terrorist organisations co-operate to run Ulster jointly
This is disingenuous at best. Your leaving out the whole Catholic/Protestant conflict. And how many years of violence did it take for your courageous politicians a hundred? Two hundred? Perhaps over three hundred years?
Was not the English invasion of Ireland the cause of the conflict to begin with? Were the English attacked or under a threat of attack by the Irish before the illegal occupation?

- however the battle between the USA and its allies and Wahhabist / fundamentalist islamic terrorists and their allies is essentially a political battle by other means.
I disagree, its a clash of culture. The Tribal mentality versus Western liberalism. Name one successful political solution that solved a conflict between the West and any middle eastern country?

This post brought to you by a beer loving, pork eating, dog owning, bikini wearing women admirer, and all around agnostic.

For enlightenment, you can read up on Islamic tolerance here: http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/toleran1.html

Enjoy,

and to add sources... http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/charter1.html http://www.iviews.com/Articles/articles.asp?ref=IC 0609-3110 and a copy of prophet's order (courtesy of st. Catherine's monastery) http://www.sinaimonastery.com/photos/big/sina_t039 _f01_b.jpg

I suppose you did read the Bible and/or Nostradamus

Did you read the Qur-an? That is, before you came to the conclusion that they're all cut from the same cloth (or paper)...

Some links, that can help you or anyone interested

Qur-an, Islam and Science Qur'an and Sceintific Knowledge