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Old 06-08-2009, 10:13 AM
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dellinger63 dellinger63 is offline
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: U.S.A.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Riot
"As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam - at places like Al-Azhar University - that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality." - Barack Obama





So tell me, in the above, where are the specific falsehoods?
Algebra? The word is Arabic, but the concepts aren’t; they were developed by Babylonians, Indians, Egyptians, and Greeks long before Muhammad. The magnetic compass? That was developed by the Chinese, not the Muslims; it was Chinese fleets who visited Arabia and Africa in the early 15th century, not vice versa. Printing? Not only did Muslims not invent the printing press, they absolutely forbade its use for nearly three centuries until 1727, and then shut down the first operating press after a few years because the ideas it was pumping out threatened the supremacy of the God experts. Printing in the Muslim world did not resume until 1783, by which point the West had Newton’s laws of physics, the steam engine, joint stock companies, etc. Understanding how disease spreads? As late as the 19th century, a Sufi brotherhood in Morocco attacked the authorities for ordering the evacuation of towns in an attempt to curb the spread of a plague, because the spread of disease should be left to the decision of God.

That good enough? Just because the Obama says so doesn't make it true!!!
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