Soloist wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2026 9:17 am
Wife: This probably ages me, but I find it so odd now that we are seeing Shiite as the extra bad version when just a decade ago, the Shiites were our allies, not Iran specifically, and the Sunni were the terrorists. A lot of our interpreters were shiites from Afghanistan, and we actually ate with a family who had moved over here, and they seemed pretty chill and more into Bollywood than religion.
i’ve always sort of thought of Shiites as the Catholics and Sunni as the Protestants of Islam. My guess would be that hard core Shiite as in Iran gov is not very peace loving and friendly, but they are just following what their religion preaches. I’m reminded of Michael Sattler with the Turks of the flesh and the Turks of the spirit comment that got him in trouble.
The Shiite edition of Islam teaches an extreme version of martyrdom, complete with a celebration of some battle centuries ago where they all lost, along with an apocalyptic view that mass warfare and martyrdom will bring in some kind of eschaton. It also teaches that there are people who can be mediators between God and man (which other Muslims view as a form of idolatry), including the Ayatollahs.
Iran as a society has sections of it which are secularised, as does every other highly religious society. You can also find essentially secular Sunnis.
Of course, the U.S. government and intelligence services are more than happy to find agents who are Sunni, Shiite, or anything else to use for their own purposes, and much like what the British empire did for centuries, often will find an aggrieved minority group who is willing to cooperate with the Empire in order to get some power against the majority group.
Soloist wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2026 9:17 am
Wife: This probably ages me, but I find it so odd now that we are seeing Shiite as the extra bad version when just a decade ago, the Shiites were our allies, not Iran specifically, and the Sunni were the terrorists. A lot of our interpreters were shiites from Afghanistan, and we actually ate with a family who had moved over here, and they seemed pretty chill and more into Bollywood than religion.
i’ve always sort of thought of Shiites as the Catholics and Sunni as the Protestants of Islam. My guess would be that hard core Shiite as in Iran gov is not very peace loving and friendly, but they are just following what their religion preaches. I’m reminded of Michael Sattler with the Turks of the flesh and the Turks of the spirit comment that got him in trouble.
The Shiite edition of Islam teaches an extreme version of martyrdom, complete with a celebration of some battle centuries ago where they all lost, along with an apocalyptic view that mass warfare and martyrdom will bring in some kind of eschaton. It also teaches that there are people who can be mediators between God and man (which other Muslims view as a form of idolatry), including the Ayatollahs.
Iran as a society has sections of it which are secularised, as does every other highly religious society. You can also find essentially secular Sunnis.
Of course, the U.S. government and intelligence services are more than happy to find agents who are Sunni, Shiite, or anything else to use for their own purposes, and much like what the British empire did for centuries, often will find an aggrieved minority group who is willing to cooperate with the Empire in order to get some power against the majority group.
Wife: yes, I’ve found secular Sunnis as well. What you’re talking about is part of the reason why I sort of think of Shiite as Catholics because I think they also sometimes pray to some of their saints so to speak. I feel like some people get the idea that Muslims are all hardcore terror loving terrorists, when it seems as though they have nearly as many interpretations as we do, as well as not everybody actually being devout. Also, it’s kind of hard when the only acceptable Quran is written in Arabic from over 1000 years ago, and a lot of people don’t even speak that form anymore or they use Farsi.
I found some of the prophecy stuff that goes into Iran Shia Islam kind of weird, but I still don’t know that their view on martyrdom is much different than Sunni, and for the last 25 years, a majority of the terrorist/suicide attacks against America have been by Sunni, such as Isis, Bin Laden, etc.
Sunni terrorists have tended to come from some very specific sects such as wahabbists, which is not the norm within Islam at all and is generally looked down on by the rest of the ummah, although wahabbism is unfortunately quite well-funded. (Deobandi Islam such as found in Afghanistan is quite different, but I don't really view the Taliban as "terrorists" simply for being people who were defending their homeland from an American invasion, and didn't really engage in much activity at all outside of their own borders. The 9/11 hijackers and Osama bin Laden were, generally speaking, Saudis, and Osama bin Laden spent much of his time in Pakistan, not Afghanistan.)
Overall, I would say I wouldn't be too wrapped up in Shi'ite islam as being some kind of terrorism-factory, but rather view it as a religion with some problems that is being exploited by the Iranian regime, including via their overseas militias such as Hezbollah.
Szdfan wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2026 10:20 pm
I thought the name change was sending signals.
It was originally called that. From what I’ve heard Trump say is that under Biden America started to look very weak. The name change was to align with his “Peace by Strength “ and to convey that to those who see us as a weakened nation thereby taking advantage of that.
Wife: it was called that back around World War II. It’s been the department of defense since 1949.
It makes sense for an earthly kingdom to have a Department of Defense that is prepared against attacks and invasions, even if it is never involved in armed conflict for decades. (e.g. Switzerland and Sweden)
It also makes sense to have a Department of War if it is going to be involved in armed conflicts a lot of the time.
I think the name change does reflect the posture, despite what was being sold to the public during the last presidential campaign.
1 x
A wee little man can’t say, I’m sorry. A big man owns his mistakes and apologizes.
A wee little man trusts himself and his own discernment. A big man is humble enough to know that he needs the counsel and input of others.
Ernie wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2026 10:47 am
It makes sense for an earthly kingdom to have a Department of Defense that is prepared against attacks and invasions, even if it is never involved in armed conflict for decades. (e.g. Switzerland and Sweden)
It also makes sense to have a Department of War if it is going to be involved in armed conflicts a lot of the time.
I think the name change does reflect the posture, despite what was being sold to the public during the last presidential campaign.
The Department of Defense seems to have been busy invading countries, ranging from Vietnam to Afghanistan. Doesn't seem terribly defensive to me.
Ernie wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2026 10:47 am
It makes sense for an earthly kingdom to have a Department of Defense that is prepared against attacks and invasions, even if it is never involved in armed conflict for decades. (e.g. Switzerland and Sweden)
It also makes sense to have a Department of War if it is going to be involved in armed conflicts a lot of the time.
I think the name change does reflect the posture, despite what was being sold to the public during the last presidential campaign.
The Department of Defense seems to have been busy invading countries, ranging from Vietnam to Afghanistan. Doesn't seem terribly defensive to me.
There is a reason the maxim exists “the best defense is a good offense”
R7ehr wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2026 10:53 am
How about a separate “Department of War Crimes”?
Why would it need to be separate? The current department seems to have this skill. Even threatening war crimes in public.
1 x
1. Are we discussing the topic? Good.
2. Are we going around and around in a fight? Let's stop doing that.
3. Is there some serious wrongdoing or relational injury? Let's address that, probably not in public and certainly not for show.
JohnH wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2026 9:42 pm
The regime has repeatedly just posted AI videos. Any videos from them have about zero credibility.
Since both the American regime and the Iranian regime do this, it's hard to believe either of them.
1 x
1. Are we discussing the topic? Good.
2. Are we going around and around in a fight? Let's stop doing that.
3. Is there some serious wrongdoing or relational injury? Let's address that, probably not in public and certainly not for show.