From: faris@sarcasm.trl.OZ.AU (Aziz Faris)
Subject: Re: Arabic Name
Reply-To: a.Faris@trl.oz.au 
Organization: Telecom Research Labs, Melbourne,Australia
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 22:36:55 GMT

In article <11236@crackers.clearpoint.com>, martillo@nero.clearpoint.com (Joachim Martillo) writes:
||> 
|> What cultural nobility?  The myth of the nobility of the Arabic and
|> Islamic cultural heritage is a creation of Western conquerors of the
|> Arabic and Islamic world who want Arab and Muslim people to fixate on
|> the past while the future belongs to Europeans and Yankees.  Is it
|> surprising that this ridiculous myth of past glory was spread among
|> Arab and Muslim people by non-Muslim Arabs who in their heart of
|> hearts really hate Islam and Muslims (and not without reason by the
|> way)?

I think you have been raising and waving that American flag for too long. The
Arabic culture whether you agree or not is more noble than that of western 
society. However, you are confusing it with religion. Nobility here is defined
in terms of the attitudes and human customs of the Arabic people before that 
destructive influence of Ottoman rule, and now the destructive political
obression that is instigated by the west so that you pay $1.10/Gallon Gas
while every one else pays twice as much.
 
|> 
|> In any case even if there were something worthwhile in the Arabic and
|> Islamic cultural heritage, how could it possibly compare to modern
|> Western science, philosophy, historical method, technology and
|> mathematics?

For your information the people of the M.E. have laid that stepping stone
that western civilisation that you are so proud off is built upon. You simply
continue to confuse the culture with that of religious beleif, the too are not
the same. all present day religions are derived from the ancient M.E religions
that was used by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Aramaics, and Pheonecians.

It is also a known fact that, thje roman languages ( English, French, etc) are
derived from the Pheonecian language. The ancient Assyrians and Baylonians were
scientifically minded. I have seen some documetaries that indicated that they
might have understood electricity and might have been the first to develop
the battery.

The present problems were all due to the Ottoman rule and discovery of Oil in
the area that western society is enslaved to. Islam was the problem for allowing
a foreign rule to take over, but don't blame the entire population and denounce
their culture. I think Islamic teaching can be good for getting read of greed
and criminal behaviour if it was more open minded to give equality for other
religions and Women.

|> 
|> Why?  Better that the child should concentrate on his own achievements
|> so that he can be proud of *himself* not some Arabic or Muslim people
|> of long ago (to whom he -- by the way -- has no relationship anyway
|> because 95% of all Arab and Muslim people are descended from that 95%
|> of the population who were used by the other 5% to fund their
|> grandiose lifestyles and mindlessly stupid military escapades.

How will this hamper his potential to acheive or be something, besides I hope
that he will grow up in the middle east when it gets all sorted out. The arabic
based culture is not entirely based on the myths that you seem to be pre-
occupied with. Its not based on the Ali baba novel, Lawerence of Arabia, and
Arabian nights etc. 
|> 
|> 
|> You should have more courage.  A lot of these guys need to be
|> offended.
|> 
|
You miss the point again, One of the virtues of the Arabic culture is being
polite, unlike the way you approach things based on western culture of going
gong ho and kick butt.
|> -- 
|> Joachim Carlo Santos Martillo Ajami
|>
 
A.Faris