Among the Most Ironic Phrases Ever Uttered

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

Though Shelby's map was interesting, I do wonder how the colors would shift if the Industrial Revolution had taken place in Iran or Saudi Arabia in stead of in England, or if there had never been a Protestant Reformation in Europe, or if the USA did not enjoy many of the advantages that it has over it's neighbors in the Americas and was also a third-world country. Hard to say but it would be interesting to see if there was any way to find out.

 

[DC_DEEP]

Though Shelby's map was interesting, I do wonder how the colors would shift if the Industrial Revolution had taken place in Iran or Saudi Arabia in stead of in England, or if there had never been a Protestant Reformation in Europe, or if the USA did not enjoy many of the advantages that it has over it's neighbors in the Americas and was also a third-world country. Hard to say but it would be interesting to see if there was any way to find out.

Or if the Spanish Inquisition had been either more or less successful that it was. I have several "what-ifs" floating around in my mind, now that you bring up such interesting points.

 

[Shelby]

Based upon the observation that primarily Islamic cultures the world over seem to have lagged far behind us infidels makes me wonder if there isn't something about that faith that prevents the kind of creative thinking needed for things like the Protestant Reformation or the Industrial Revolution.

Of course that's not a politically correct thing to say so I reckon the thought police will go crazy.
​

 

[Shelby]

back on topic (sort of)

It's ironic that Alanis Morissette's song Ironic from Jagged Little Pill contains few if any true examples of irony.

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

Based upon the observation that primarily Islamic cultures the world over seem to have lagged far behind us infidels makes me wonder if there isn't something about that faith that prevents the kind of creative thinking needed for things like the Protestant Reformation or the Industrial Revolution.

Of course that's not a politically correct thing to say so I reckon the thought police will go crazy.
​

I doubt it has much to do with that. All things considered, Islam is not at all very far removed from Christianity or Judaism. They are virtually the same religion, with different popular interpretations. If there was any credence to your theory, then why was the Islamic world so far advanced beyond everyone in Europe during the dark ages? Technologically, scientifically, intellectually, socially... Christians lagged behind in every area until they caught up during the Rennaissance, arguably surpassed their neighbors during the Reformation and Englightenment, and then took center stage during the Industrial Revolution.
It's not as if they had a head start, either. Though the most significant contributors to early European civilization, the Athenians, Macedonians and Romans, were not Christian. At least not before Constantine. Was there something special about Greek or Roman polytheism that so far advanced philosophy, technology, and political science in these cultures? Is there something inherently flawed in Christian thought that brought about the decline of the Roman empire and the relative barbarism and ignorance of the European Middle Ages?
I do think that frequently religion plays a vastly more important role in shaping historical events than most historians give it credit for... but in this case the two religions are so similar in doctrine that it's unreasonable to peg every difference in culture on that one thing. I think it would be more valuable to examine why, since the two faiths ARE so similar, there appears to be some divergence in how they have manifested themselves today in the regions of the world who claim to be home to their adherents. I don't think the answer lies anywhere within the doctrine of either faith.

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

back on topic (sort of)

It's ironic that Alanis Morissette's song Ironic from Jagged Little Pill contains few if any true examples of irony.

Yes, one of the most poorly constructed songs ever.

 

[Sklar]

Back on topic... one of my favorite idiotic and ironic phrases is

"Liberals hate America."

Anyone know where that one came from? 5 point bonus if you get it right!

I'll take that challenge, DC.

I'm going out on a limb here and say that it was: Sean Hannity that first coined it.

 

[tmny]

Foxnews anchors like Hannity & Colmes are no better than 1930s nazi propranganda. They did a show about scandals last night - one hour without mentioning any republicans involved in recent news - just democrats & spin spin spin.