Why?!

[CMD]

What a horrifying situation. Naturally, human lives are far more important then mere artifacts, but this is simply infuriating. Ignorant extremists like this want to see the pyramids of Egypt leveled as well.

http://www.newsday.com/news/world/new-isis-video-shows-militants-smashing-ancient-iraq-artifacts-1.9984010

"Oh Muslims, these artifacts that are behind me were idols and gods worshipped by people who lived centuries ago instead of Allah," a bearded man tells the camera as he stands in front of the partially demolished winged-bull.
"The so-called Assyrians and Akkadians and others looked to gods for war, agriculture and rain to whom they offered sacrifices," he added, referring to groups that that left their mark on Mesopotamia for more than 5,000 years in what is now Iraq, eastern Syria and southern Turkey.
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Growing up, I never could have imagined I would one day see the return of armies from the Crusader Era. What an incredible clash of cultures in this, the 21st century. Such madness! So discouraging! An outbreak of group insanity that is absolutely intractable in it's madness. Good Lord, can anyone say "failed species"? Well, I still have hope, but this is so sickening!

[JoshinMO]

Religion related tantrum.

[CMD]

JoshinMO wrote:

Religion related tantrum.

  I would not go so far as to say religion has anything whatsoever to do with the ongoing destruction. Nope, might sound like it, but that isn't possible. It's truly not related to religion at all, IMO. Rather, these are people absolutely terrified of change, fearful of the West and it's morally corrupting influence on Islamic culture. They are living in the 12th century or so, and that is where they wish to remain.
I think there is much about Western civilization and culture that can be criticized. The emphasis on material possessions as the purpose of life almost( yes, I exaggerate, but we are very focused on material prosperity as a barometer of a healthy society, and not so much focused on what might truly matter in life). I would look at this as a form of cultural insanity, far more complex then just saying "we destroy ancient art to restore respect for our religion".  Whatever the form of Islam they practice, it long ago ceased to be a religion. It's a disease, a very serious disease, with no known cure. Of course, I fully realize there are "modern",  "post-modern" Westerners who would argue this disease is in fact called religion! And these lunatics only provide justification for believing that.
At this time in humanity's history, there are those who will claim all this is proof that religion, what Karl Marx called "the opiate of the masses" is our fatal flaw, the very death of us. Not saying this to raise rankles at all! These are just the thoughts that arise in the wake of madness like this.

[JoshinMO]

I see what your saying. I think the world is stuck with that group.

[sailorjoe]

JoshinMO wrote:

Religion related tantrum.

Yes, I agree. Condensed into a nutshell that about sums it up. The fanaticism that seems to crop up from time to time in some religions does produce some horrifying results. Whether a group of religious nuts like the ISIS bunch beheading "non-believers" and destroying their religious symbols or in this case the symbols of past religions that were in existence before the rise of Islam or the priesthood of the ruling Aztec or Mayan civilizations doing the same thing to "appease the gods" so that an abundant maize harvest will result, the bottom line is the same and that is a whole bunch of innocent folks get their heads chopped off for no logical reason at all.  The savage behavior that man as a species is capable of is not limited to religions either, as witnessed by the events of the holocaust and the tribal warfare that has occurred in recent years in certain central African countries.

[Olden]

.
The 'golden rule' of treating others as you'd like to be treated has been tossed by the isil thugs: it's clearly time for them to reap what they have sown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1n4EqHo0lA

[CMD]

I hope, in the long run, and it's tragic that it has to be long, they represent the death knell of Islamofacism, or whatever one would call it. You can say it's a "religious tantrum", and point to other examples from history of horrific events like the wars of Catholics vs. Protestants in 16th century Europe, the role of Spanish missionaries in eradicating native culture. The sheer madness of the Crusades. And we're entitled to be stunned by the realization that it's in fact the Crusades 2.0 that stares the West squarely. The cynic is entitled to double over laughing at the seeming folly of human efforts to maintain a civilization. Avoid a group mental illness that can somehow destabilize civilization. We can't seem to do that, but then, who or what can direct the movements of history? The inability to avert, correct once it appears, diseased outbreaks like this, is a stunning answer to the belief progress is our future.
But, religion is only the public face of Islamofacism. I do not pretend to understand a culture that demeans women, enacts an eye for an eye barbaric criminal justice system, etc. but it is that culture the Islamofacists are waging war to preserve. And worse. The final solution for anybody who stands in the way of their "heaven on Earth" These are people who feel their culture, still living in the Middle Ages, must survive. The 21st century Western culture is the enemy. It's all of this I think, but, as Olden says, thugs might as well cover it all. Their ranks are full of thugs and those attracted to and swearing allegiance  to Darkness by whatever name it be called.

[CMD]

BTW, I posted this thread because we all love artifacts and the study of prehistory. It is archaeological news, up there with looting Mesoamerican sites, but while the destruction of the past in SA is under cover and for $$$, the destruction in ancient Sumer is in our face. I didn't post this to critique religion itself, or invite even some of the musings I actually posted myself. Strictly speaking, it's archaeological news to witness the destruction of irreplaceable artifacts from Mesopotamia, if you look at it that way. I guess what I'm saying is The ISIS thugs have come up in the past on forums, sometimes with polarizing results. Religion and Politics! :rolf: You know what they say   I appreciate every comment and opinion left above, don't get me wrong. And thugs by any name, using any justification for their actions, are still just thugs.

[Hoss]

Very similar to what the Taliban was doing back in 2001  http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/...an-buddhas.htm