Welcome Turkey ?

[Gobsmacked]

I think Turkey has a long way to go before it convinces the member states that acceptance is valid, but I take your point Willow that we only make progress by looking forwards. However, sometimes in order to look forwards we have to glance back from time to time to remember what we are moving forward from.

[Darby]

This whole "it's the scary muslims" is somewhat reminiscent of the McCarthyism "reds under the bed" era in the USA.
Yes I am afraid of losing our rights and of being oppressed by an alien culture, who wouldn't be, but I do believe we should try to learn more about each other and to tolerate each other -

I'm afraid you're on very thin ice here Willow. Nice honourable sentiments, but the word tolerate just doesn't fit into the Islamic society of today. Naievity is the killer of tradition, and the demise of our society.

We play cricket whilst they stick the bat up our a*se (sorry to resort to swearing, but it's the only one that fits the bill). Learning that fire burns shouldn't need many attempts.

[WillowTheWhisp]

That's why "interviewing" Turkey is going to take a long time. The tolerance has to come from both sides. Didn't Ifty say all Islam is not the same? Where is Ifty these days anyway?

[entwisi]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

>>Personally I would rather live for the future the past. I firmly believe the phrase

"We do not inherit the earth from our parents, We borrow it from our children"<<

A laudable sentiment mate, if only the world were an ideal place, then eveyone would feel that way. Sadly however, this is not the case.

If I follow your statement about borrowing the earth from our children to it's logical conclusion, then presumably our parents borrowed it from us and their parents from them, etcetera, etcetera, ad infinitum. Thus it would seem that we do in fact inherit the world, with all its faults, from our parents after all.

Whilst we can pontificate about any of this we are only responsible for our own actions and how others are influenced by us. If we lead by example many others will follow. The only result that matters is the end one. If we at some point in the future can live in a world where black or white, Christian, muslim or any other religion can live together with tolerance and understanding then the efforts of everyone working towards that aim should be looked on as a victory. By living in a world where we look back for excuses to put up barriers between others and ourselves we will never reach utopia. We may never get there anyway but I would be happier going to my grave knowing I had played any part in the journey to wards that goal.

Ian

[WillowTheWhisp]

You said that far better than I could Ian. I couldn't agree more.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Mind you, I'm not sure your avatar agrees with me! lol

[entwisi]

I'l find a 'more friendly' Tux just for you Willow