Why are Jews so powerful and Muslims so powerless?

[Rifat]

Originally Posted by mufi_02
What is the definition of this so called "power"?

I will echo Assad bhai's observation (post#16). The Jews traditionally have a strong sense of community. Their population is small enough to have that commune feeling while Muslims are much more diverse. Jews can be divided into Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi and a small minority of Ethiopian. That's why starting from Zionism they were able to retain that and centuries of oppression Holocaust made the feeling only stronger. Muslims can be from the Caucus to the Southern Africa, Morocco to Indonesia.

This similar problem was momentarily faced by Jewish community when the Ethiopians started to migrate to Israel. In the beginning, they were not considered "Jewish" enough and was not able to donate blood to other Jews. There were many violent riots in the streets. After much struggle and government intervention things got better and now they live in comparatively better condition.

Today, there are many to cry for Muslims, but how many are there to cry for Islam? During Juma Khutbah, Khateeb will add one or two line about the welfare of the Muslims and we all say Ameen. But how many of us pray Tahajjud and cry for Islam. During the last third of the night, Allah comes down to 1st heaven and asks His slave to ask from Him. I never ask Him to improve the condition of the 1.5 Billion Muslims and so how can I expect things to get better.

Going back to the initial question, "power" ultimately resides with Allah. He is the Most Powerful. It's not like Allah has more power and others have some. Allah has all the power. This is Tawheed, this is believing in the Oneness of Allah. Now if we don't ask from the All Powerful then things will never get better. Some say we lack education, some creative thinking. But before anything, we have to turn to Allah first. Yes, it's that simple. We have to change ourselves and beg from Allah. Even with all the disobedience, He is showering us with so many mercies. Now, if we turn to Him, imagine how much more bounties he will give us.

really beautiful post Mufi bro, wonderfully put

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by Jadukor
How about oil? We might have the excuse of poverty but what excuse do the oil rich arab countries have?

The article points to Knowledge generation, diffusion and application where we are still falling behind. While you can argue about the indicators used, the original point of us falling behind on education still remains the same. Don't make this an east vs west debate. We have had many great minds even from our own poverty stricken region but the question is how many of them are muslim? This is more about education in Islamic societies vs non islamic societies. Even in Asia the scenario is the same. A quick look at the standard of universities, scholars, economies, medical facilities would confirm that belief. You can argue many countries did not have a favorable history (wars,oppression, poverty etc) but how long can that still be an excuse?

Did Hadith start the decline of Islamic societies? I fully agree with Nasif that it played a part. When societies start to believe earthly matters are less important than "Akhiraat" why would people push harder in life? The problem is compounded when societies also believe in social and legal inequalities when it comes to women. The day Myanmar starts laughing at our faces would probably be the day we stop making excuses and admit that it is still and has always been our choices and actions that shapes our future.

Middle East sells a ton of oil...don't know what percentage of world total, but I would wager a guess at no less than 50%. However a barrell of oil goes for maybe $200. This is a raw, minimally processed commodity. Thus entire Arab League GDP is less than that of Spain. Thats a famous statistic. If you are poor, you will have poor educational institutions because you need money to build a decent campus, fund research, pay professors, etc, etc, etc. Things don't happen for free. There is a reason why rich countries produce most of the advancement in the world: because they can afford to. Bangladesher rickshawallah has no ambition to win a Nobel because he can't even find a plate of rice at night!

This is very much an East v West issue. All Jews are Western. The West has been at the forefront of advancement for the past 500 years. Makes sense. 98% of Muslims are Eastern, and the 2% that are western have been then for less than 50 years. Do the math.

500 years from now, I expect a great number of Muslim accomplishments, but very few form Muslim countries. Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia may achieve something. Bangladesh is too corrupt, although even we have great minds...we won't achieve much outside the cricket pitch. Pakistan might not even exist. KSA will definitely not exist...UAE/Qatar/Bahrain are the only really hopeful Arab countries. Lets not even get into whats wrong with Africa...they're the only people who screw themselves over more than Bangladeshis.

But the list of folks out there today isn't all that shabby. Muhammad Yunus, Salman Khan, Javed Karim...and 2/3 are products of the WEST. There's a professor out in WV who developed a novel and cheap way to decontaminate Bangladesh's water of arsenic, and a few other bright guys...most if not all from the West.

We have had many great minds even from our own poverty stricken region but the question is how many of them are muslim?

Developing countries have probably not even produced 5% of what the West has, non-muslims included. Its a situation typified by Muslims, but not exclusive to them. Muslims are famous for blowing up stuff, but we're not the only ones who do it. And by that argument I would estimate that most if not all of those 180 Nobel winning Jews are actually atheists and agnostics, which is how the scientific/academic community usually swings.

[PoorFan]

Power of a nation/race is integration of development in every sect. Development is a birth of sustained process for long time, process which required hard work, non-confused but strong will. Obviously, the reverse outcome is imminent with confused, lazy and lifeless ideology or society.

Human race, since their first step on this earth, learnt to raise, use inherent potential the way which can maximize the development to power. Evidence is there in human history regardless of race, nation, religion or anything of that kind. While inherent potential can be called as God gifted [to some] yet its outcome is certainly not, nor God has any business doing favor to certain people or race. To me its all about process and ideology that make the difference at the end.

[al Furqaan]

OP topic kind of addressed by Mitt Romney:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...for-bad-press/

"He says if you can learn anything from the economic history of the world, it's this: culture makes all the difference. Culture makes all the difference. And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things."

Apart from already being entrenched in modernity and culture by way of Europe by the time they created their country, Israel gets something like $570 of free US aid, per head. On top of their 30k per capita GDP. Bangladesh with its 1500 per capita GDP aar koi poisha pai? You've got better luck expecting Ashraful and his infinite string of ducks to surpass Tendulkars international runs tally.

If you don't think origins and time at origin matter...take my example. I'm American, but my father was born in a village under a tin roof, walked to school every day, and read next to a candle. You can't compare that history with young Baruch in my class.

[F6_Turbo]

Off Topic: I'm going to come out and say it....GWB was more likable than Romney.

[F6_Turbo]

Don't have too many arguments(though I have little respect for the people that contribute to the Weekly Blitz)

Just one question, how powerful and successful are african jews? How many Nobels have they won? How many patents have they filed for? And how many of them run Fortune 100 companies?

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by F6_Turbo
Don't have too many arguments(though I have little respect for the people that contribute to the Weekly Blitz)

Just one question, how powerful and successful are african jews? How many Nobels have they won? How many patents have they filed for? And how many of them run Fortune 100 companies?

Fits very well with my "Origin Hypothesis". African Jews have grown up in a modern, first world country only since the 1980s (Falasha Airlift) or at the earliest 1948. On the other hand other Jews have been prominent in the first world since the beginning of the modern era (AD 1500-present).

[M.H.Rubel]

Originally Posted by Electrequiem
I found this to be quite an interesting article. It's a little dated (from two years ago) - but a good read, nonetheless.

Opinions? Discuss away!

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/394/why-a...s-so-powerless

Don't know if it was ever posted here before... if so, apologies, and feel free to merge the threads.

Very simple but very nice article. Thanks for sharing.

[bujhee kom]

Jews, Moslems and Christians all of them are big mouths and all of them are powerful, actually on that note, I will rephrase and say this again, Jews, Moslems, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus are all powerful and big mouths......ekbar ei 5-tar majhkhaney ekbar porley jaan jai jai korey.....eijonney Athiest-rai ebong Agnostic-rai onek onek bhala.


Tobey taar thekeo bhalo...ei BC-tey na aisha nijey nijer kaaj korey jawa, instead of Bora Bora Kotha aar kaamer belai Foottoosh!!!