Are we moving backwards?

I believe the old adage that everything always sinks to the lowest level.

Examples everywhere we look, from the dreadful news headlines, to concreting over Britain, to the loss and bastardisation of our beautiful language.

Sad.

I worry a lot about the taliban and all that goes with them, with UK accepting all and welcome mats out, how long before they are in government here. Now that’s really scary.

Fridayschild

I worry a lot about the taliban and all that goes with them, with UK accepting all and welcome mats out, how long before they are in government here. Now that’s really scary.

Good grief. Are you back from Australia already Katie?

GillT57
Australia deports undesirables. She's been back for a month!

Are we doomed to go backwards?

I hope we progress but perhaps it's a case of two small steps forward, one large step back at the moment.

The young age of the men that entered the presidential building was surprsing. About the same ages as the ones that entered the White House.

Trump most certainly started the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan - but not only has Joe Biden not reversed that decision, he has speeded it up! US intelligence said the Taliban would not reach Kabul for 30 days - it took ONE! We were all caught on the hop, with plans to extract our own nationals plus Afghanis at risk from working with UK troops. The Americans have ZERO moral highground here - we cannot stay on our own as we share equipment with the Americans.

We did apparently ask other European leaders if they would help to hold the line (purely to stop breeding of terrorist insurgents in Afghanistan coming ot Europe) - but, quelle surprise, none of the cowards wanted to have anything to do with it! Yes its a total shame what is going to happen in Afghanistan - but I cannot say what we could have done to prevent it? Russia never managed it,so the thought that the West could do it was arrogant to say the least! I weep for the women and girls of Afghanistan - whilst hoping the promises of the Taliban leaders hold true and they will not go back to the barbarity of the late 90s!

I am sorry but some of you need to STOP conflating the Plymouth shooter with what is going on in Afghanistan - they have ZERO to do with each other. The situation out there is confused enough without people making banile comparisons that serve no purpose. At the moment with Afghanistan it is a case of "watch, wait and hope for the best". The useless so-called "incel" in Plymouth should be kept out of this discussion - vague comparisons serve no purpose.

Just recently I have been reading parts of the Quran in particular those that mention women’s place in Islam. The Talibans interpretation is way off the real meaning. Whilst modesty, for example, is mentioned for both genders I cannot see anything about the wearing of garments such as a burka. Mohammed encouraged the pursuit of knowledge for both men and women, so nothing about banning education for girls.

I consider myself a Christian and am not a Muslim, but I think it might be useful for us non Muslims to be aware of the the proper message of the Quran and not the extremists twisted interpretation. Just a thought.

I think most of us are fully aware that the Taliban (and other organisations) is twisting the Quran to mean what they want it to mean and that most Muslims know this and do not support it.

But unfortunately the fundamentalist nature of all religious texts (i.e. they deal in fundamentals) leaves the door open for nutters to interpret in their own way.

Indeed all readings of religious texts are interpretations: most Christians latch on the the message of love and kindness from the New Testament, but there is plenty in the bible that can be interpreted otherwise - just look at America with their fundamentalists and evangelicals.

And all this in an age when we have the means to understand the world better through our diligent scientists.

When I feel despairing and powerless in the face of the capacity for evil within human nature, I meditate and pray, somehow this brings about an inner peace and clarity. From this space, I source a word or a deed Im able to act upon - however tiny - to sow a seed of comprehension, I have come to recognise (in part) intrinsically within myself hides my own shadow, my own darkness and I feel ashamed of my judgements and complacent inertia. All Religions can and are
interpreted by those who hold the power; in such a way to fuel fear greed and hatred, but I choose to believe the human spirit is forever evolving and seeking to attain its highest self possible

Excellent post Sallywally.

Sallywally I think Mohammed would be as appalled by what is being done in his name as Jesus would be. Fundamentalists in any faith seem to have a very twisted version of the original message.