Re-Imagining Pakistan There is a this line in your thought provoking article, which says ``Societies change when people change their ways of thinking`` How true that is. Here`s the good professor from the goodness of his heart try to steer Pakistani society away from the wretched state they`re engulfed in, towards Truth, Diversity & Creativity and it seems like all the hell break loose. If this is the reaction of the educated & economically blessed, than Allah have mercy on all of us.

More I think of it more I believe & certain about it that the Muslim masses cause of abysmal condition is it`s unrelenting Dogma & it`s fatalist attitude. Fatalism robes one`s hope, simply put, if it`s divinely planned there is no need for creativity or any other motivation, which indeed is engine behind human ingenuity & progress. As long as these poisonous traits remains there is no hope for the Ummah. No wonder, when the fatalist defeated free will types Muslim society went into cardiac arrest and is dying since. This type of thinking is need to be changed in order to change a society.

More power to you, Hoodbhoy. I`m sure you`re not dis-hearted by these ultra patriotic & religio packs. You`re no arm chair activist, you remain in Pakistan despite the acrimonious attitude of several, indeed you put your money where your mouth is. Denial is the beginning, later we`ll be humble enough to accepts our faults & shortcomings.

Infallibility No guard Against Stupidity PM u said ``Equal before God, but clearly not before the Law`` how true that is. See we muslim cry hoarse about the egalitarian message in Islam but in practice we miserably fail to emulate it. This may be due to political reason rather than religious one, like you mentioned earlier that it would be profitable to keep them dhimmi or what not. See that`s what happened when the religion is politicized, the core meaning or essence is always lost.

In my book you`re my equal & may be bigger. Dont be discouraged by the narrow minded ppl here that`s there aim in life to redicule those who dont conform to their ideology.

And to Godot, if he has used ``idiot`` to make a point you could have used Bapu`s technique (couldn`t resist saw the `Lage Rahoo Muna Bhai` last weekend) to shame him but you chose the silly third grade theatrics & came out a bigger fool. Look even with the pseudonym your ego got hurt that tells lot about you. I think Moharr has point in # 197.

Escalation of Hostilities in Middle East ``We, as Muslims, need to look in the mirror instead of blaming everybody else!``

One delegate tested the young clerics. ``Is Islam the only way to salvation?`` A Danish imam gripped the microphone. ``The short answer,`` he said, ``is no.``


...the rest of the story at:

``Moderate Islam on the March`` http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-manji21jul21,0,6036461,print.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail

Anatomy of a Karachi Bomb Blast Hamidm, may I forward you post# 14 to Mowlan Sami-ul-haq, Fazulr Rehman & that wide eyed Qazi Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami, I heard that they have great sense of humor.

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder ``There are many alternatives that can be worked out, situation and person and location specific...`` What are those alternatives? for e.g. care to tell.

But still my question remains how Islamic banking can protect itself from the risks, you haven`t elobarate on that.

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder If we bar interest and do axactly according to your theory (principal & Inflation and all that) then can you explain how lender can protect oneself from the RISK of default. Isn`t the unIslamic bank of West charge the interest, in part, in order to protect them from few defaults. Or you just assume that the pious Muslims will never default regardless of circumtances(s) beyound theri control.

please enlighten.

Assessing Pakistani Science One important issue that Hoodbhoy pointed out and nobody is arguing about is the Rote learning. That might be the crux of the problems in Pak. that may be we`re socially inclined toward non-critical thinking and that explain current state of morass in science & technology we find ourselve in.