Anyone notice how the press is lifting up Islam while smearing Christianity?

[John Dibble]

No, not really, but I can see how you might say that. I don't think that's what they are explicitly trying to do anyways.

Let me try to frame it in another context - Christianity is not news in America. The supermajority of the population is Christian, or at least claims to be, and for the most part they aren't doing anything strange. So, again, not news. On the other hand there are those who are indeed loony, and they get attention in the news because they do things that get people's attention. (like Jerry Falwell claiming that 9/11 was divine punishment for gay people, or the WBC protesting funerals, or a bunch of xenophobic types who happen to be Christians screaming at some legal Muslim citizens, etc)

On the other hand Islam does also get into the news. I imagine the uplifting thing is an attempt to be balanced and present another side of a group that is largely foreign, (and being foreign people do have some interest in it) as Islamic terrorism does also make the news. This may be further advanced by Islamic outreach groups that want to ensure their religion isn't seen in an entirely negative light proactively approaching the media. So, I would guess this phenomenon may be due to simple omission (because of understood cultural standards by the audience in regards to their own religion makes them not think to include it) and lack of such proactive outreach groups. (which again may be lacking because the cultural norm is understood and they may not feel the need to have such media outreach)

[John Dibble]

1. There aren't billions of Muslims in the world. There might be 2 or so by this point, but I think even that might be a stretch (last time I checked they were 15-20% of a world population of about 7 billion)

It's 1.57–1.65 billion according to Wikipedia, just FYI.

[John Dibble]

again, numbers aside, why are we siding with anyone opposed to freedom?

Overgeneralization much?

[John Dibble]

dibble, sharia is tyranny...and tyranny is tyranny...so unless ur going to argue sharia isn't tyranny, how can u support, generally or specifically, anyone who advocates it?

*facepalm* Do you even understand what the word "overgeneralization" means?

Also, keep in mind that the world is more complex than "tyranny is tyranny" - some tyrannies are worse than others.

[John Dibble]

dibble, so you think the forcing others to accept a religion is worth openly supporting over what existed in egypt?

Maybe, maybe not - as I said, some tyrannies are worse than others, be they religious in nature or not.

The premise is that the status quo wasn't acceptable and as such change is needed. Whether that change ends up being for the better has not been established yet. Hopefully it will - not all people there there support imposing sharia, and that includes many Muslims, and hopefully their voices will have influence. I harbor no delusions that the results will turn Egypt into paradise on Earth or anything, but should they at least gain more political rights and freedoms it should allow for the possibility of future improvements. Under the old regime such progress would have been veritably impossible.