Slate refers to a recent, as yet unpublished study, that reports that those Muslims who went to Mecca came back with more moderate views on a range of issues, both religious and nonreligious, suggesting that the Hajj may be helpful in curbing the spread of extremism in the Islamic world. .. it's heartening to find that the Hajj may help to undermine support for the violent methods that have been so devastatingly deployed against Americans in the past.
The tone of the article is so patronising and, even demeaning. I mean, has anyone done a study on the impact of the visits to the Vatican and the Lourdes by the Catholics, and if it makes them more benevolent in their views? Or, what about the millions of devotees who go to Sabarimala, year after year? Do they come back exuding brotherly love, after the pilgrimage? And, since I can’t think of a religious context for the Americans, does their presence at the Super Bowl, rubbing shoulders with thousands of human beings, in a charged atmosphere, convert them into paragons of virtue?
And, a slight digression. If I understood it correctly, the Super Bowl involves a match between winners of two different football leagues. Do you think that the winners of the ICL and IPL leagues must similarly have a match to decide the real champion? Let’s call it the Super Bat.
The tone of the article is so patronising and, even demeaning. I mean, has anyone done a study on the impact of the visits to the Vatican and the Lourdes by the Catholics, and if it makes them more benevolent in their views? Or, what about the millions of devotees who go to Sabarimala, year after year? Do they come back exuding brotherly love, after the pilgrimage? And, since I can’t think of a religious context for the Americans, does their presence at the Super Bowl, rubbing shoulders with thousands of human beings, in a charged atmosphere, convert them into paragons of virtue?
And, a slight digression. If I understood it correctly, the Super Bowl involves a match between winners of two different football leagues. Do you think that the winners of the ICL and IPL leagues must similarly have a match to decide the real champion? Let’s call it the Super Bat.
2 comments:
Well, actually the teams in the two leagues in the NFC are divided up roughly geographically. But that's not the case with the IPL and ICL. So if the Chennai Super Stars meet the Chennai Super Kings, which team would you support?
Lekhni, that would be an interesting dilemma.
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