Agreed. It is not Islam that is the problem, it is the interpretation of Islam by many of the 'leaders', Imams, mullahs, whatever they are called.

No True Scotsman’ Fallacy

The no true scotsman fallacy is a way of reinterpreting evidence in order to prevent the refutation of one’s position. Proposed counter-examples to a theory are dismissed as irrelevant solely because they are counter-examples, but purportedly because they are not what the theory is about.

An argument similar to this is often arises when people attempt to define religious groups. In some Christian groups, for example, there is an idea that faith is permanent, that once one becomes a Christian one cannot fall away. Apparent counter-examples to this idea, people who appear to have faith but subsequently lose it, are written off using the ‘No True Scotsman’ fallacy: they didn’t really have faith, they weren’t true Christians. The claim that faith cannot be lost is thus preserved from refutation. Given such an approach, this claim is unfalsifiable, there is no possible refutation of it.

Pejorative in error?

Do you actually know any Muslims? As in talk to them rather than read about them on the 'Gates of Vienna'?

That is an appeal to authority.

Appeal to Authority

An appeal to authority is an argument from the fact that a person judged to be an authority affirms a proposition to the claim that the proposition is true.

Appeals to authority are always deductively fallacious; even a legitimate authority speaking on his area of expertise may affirm a falsehood, so no testimony of any authority is guaranteed to be true.

However, the informal fallacy occurs only when the authority cited either (a) is not an authority, or (

is not an authority on the subject on which he is being cited. If someone either isn’t an authority at all, or isn’t an authority on the subject about which they’re speaking, then that undermines the value of their testimony.

.

I take it the answer's no then.

The latest from Egyptian President Morsi:

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Egypt’s New Leader Spells Out Terms for U.S.-Arab Ties...President Mohamed Morsi will travel to New York on Sunday for a United Nations meeting.

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and STEVEN ERLANGER

Published: September 22, 2012

CAIRO — On the eve of his first trip to the United States as Egypt’s new Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi said the United States needed to fundamentally change its approach to the Arab world, showing greater respect for its values and helping build a Palestinian state, if it hoped to overcome decades of pent-up anger.

A former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mr. Morsi sought in a 90-minute interview with The New York Times to introduce himself to the American public and to revise the terms of relations between his country and the United States after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, an autocratic but reliable ally.

He said it was up to Washington to repair relations with the Arab world and to revitalize the alliance with Egypt, long a cornerstone of regional stability.

http://www.nytimes.c...-arab-ties.html

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Can somebody please explain to me what Morsi will do if we don't do as he says?

Maybe he will punish the US by refusing that $1.558 Billion the Obama administration requested for fiscal year 2011 in foreign aid.

http://www.fas.org/s...ast/RL32260.pdf

Can somebody please explain to me what Morsi will do if we don't do as he says?

although a rhetorical question here's my answer: of course he can't do anything as he seems to be well aware what an American friend of mine mentioned more than once. when he ran out of arguments he grinned and said "we got the nukes" and then we opened another bottle of beer.

One problem. He does not have any nukes, so he can't use that one.

So to cut out all the psycho babble I will move to the abusive phase and say why are you trying to hide your abject Racism and turn it on the non racists?

Sounds good to me.

Straw Man Fallacy

A straw man argument is one that misrepresents a position in order to make it appear weaker than it actually is, refutes this misrepresentation of the position, and then concludes that the real position has been refuted. This, of course, is a fallacy, because the position that has been claimed to be refuted is different to that which has actually been refuted; the real target of the argument is untouched by it

.

Are you sure you want to assert that followers of the cult of Mohammadian Islam are a race?

Strike.

cult of Mohammadian Islam

are you feeling alright bulbous mate ¿¡¿ ?!?

It's almost worth a thread in it's own right, but what differentiates a cult from a religion?

Ticks all the boxes imho.

cult of Mohammadian Islam

are you feeling alright bulbous mate ¿¡¿ ?!?

It's almost worth a thread in it's own right, but what differentiates a cult from a religion?

Ticks all the boxes imho.

Sounds like the Roman Catholic cult, or even most forms of organized religion.....

It's almost worth a thread in it's own right, but what differentiates a cult from a religion?

Ticks all the boxes imho.

Sounds like the Roman Catholic cult, or even most forms of organized religion.....

It could also be argued it is similar to the Obama cult.

Nice definition but it misses out one point. "Cults usually fade out a generation or so after the founder dies, or sooner (e.g. Waco, Jonestown)." Who nowadays follows Theosophy, Scientology, or Christian Science?

Nice definition but it misses out one point. "Cults usually fade out a generation or so after the founder dies, or sooner (e.g. Waco, Jonestown)." Who nowadays follows Theosophy, Scientology, or Christian Science?

That depends on how much money is involved, hence the Scientologists continuing post Hubbard.

Be interesting to see what happene with the money making machine of the Moonies now the founder is no more.

Nice definition but it misses out one point. "Cults usually fade out a generation or so after the founder dies, or sooner (e.g. Waco, Jonestown)." Who nowadays follows Theosophy, Scientology, or Christian Science?

That depends on how much money is involved, hence the Scientologists continuing post Hubbard.

Be interesting to see what happene with the money making machine of the Moonies now the founder is no more.

Fair comment, folium. Yes, I wondered about the Moonies.

Nice definition but it misses out one point. "Cults usually fade out a generation or so after the founder dies, or sooner (e.g. Waco, Jonestown)." Who nowadays follows Theosophy, Scientology, or Christian Science?

That depends on how much money is involved, hence the Scientologists continuing post Hubbard.

Be interesting to see what happene with the money making machine of the Moonies now the founder is no more.

Fair comment, folium. Yes, I wondered about the Moonies.

Yes, I thought about that, the definition can be applied to many religions/groupings. Perhaps a cult gains some credibility with the passing of time and hence becomes known as a religion. Perhaps if the Solar temple cult had not been smoked it could have actually become a religion at some future date.

Why are the Americans in particular the target of Islamic extremists? The ostensible reason in this case was an anti-Islamic film, but I don't think this is the real reason, only a pretext. I suppose the real reason has to be American support for Israel (though I hate to bring that subject up again!). Are there any other real reasons why America is so hated?

Possible factors; the institutionalize arrogance of the US EMBASIES posturing by personnel. The Media Networks fanning the flames.. and sadly the confrontational attitude of MANY Americans.. and many more

Why are the Americans in particular the target of Islamic extremists? The ostensible reason in this case was an anti-Islamic film, but I don't think this is the real reason, only a pretext. I suppose the real reason has to be American support for Israel (though I hate to bring that subject up again!). Are there any other real reasons why America is so hated?

Possible factors; the institutionalize arrogance of the US EMBASIES posturing by personnel. The Media Networks fanning the flames.. and sadly the confrontational attitude of MANY Americans.. and many more

Most Americans I've met living abroad are anything but confrontational - except when they feel they are being attacked verbally or otherwise. I'm a sweetheart in person but if anyone thinks that makes me an easy target for drunken, bar stool anti-Americanism I'll rip them a new one and have done so plenty times in the past. That doesn't make me aggressive, that's just not being afraid to defend oneself.