Pardon my ignorance, but i just recently learned that Islam prohibits charging or paying interest.

From that premise alone, it would seem that our administration's strategy has no chance of success. Are there any Bush-apologists out there that can point out measures taken to account for this major social difference?

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Originally posted by ResonantDrag Pardon my ignorance, but i just recently learned that Islam prohibits charging or paying interest.

Christianism does as well.

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Originally posted by d-miurge Christianism does as well.

Yeah, but our christians aren't really christian

Just because you can't charge interest doesn't mean you can't pursue personal goals and individual prosperity. While it is certainly a hurdle, I think it's akin to throwing out the baby with the bathwater to say that 1 quirk throws a wrench into the entire system. Capitalism doesn't operate identically from region to region, nor does it need to to work. There just needs to be a good way to adapt the system to the culture in question. Perhaps I'm just being a glass half-full kind of guy today.

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Originally posted by Shakka Perhaps I'm just being a glass half-full kind of guy today.

well it is beautiful in the southeast. can't wait to get out and hike this weekend

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Originally posted by ResonantDrag well it is beautiful in the southeast. can't wait to get out and hike this weekend

True dat. I can't wait to wash and seal my deck! yay for backbreaking labor!

Lending money under Sharia law forbids charging interest, but it does nothing to forbid the charging of fees. Plenty of these products exist, and I'm sure they work no differently to other kinds of loans in the end

___________________
A witty saying proves nothing.
-Voltaire

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Originally posted by ResonantDrag Yeah, but our christians aren't really christian

And you think current Muslims are all "really muslim"? The hedge-funds that are based in a "Muslim" country represents 1,500 billion dollars.

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Originally posted by d-miurge And you think current Muslims are all "really muslim"? The hedge-funds that are based in a "Muslim" country represents 1,500 billion dollars.

Seriously--$1.5T? Where did you get that stat? Source?

the last i saw petro-hedge funds globally marketed around $1T total. the Middle East represented less than %10 of that.

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Originally posted by Shakka Seriously--$1.5T? Where did you get that stat? Source?

That's basically what my professor in economics tought us.

I have links but only in french though.

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Originally posted by d-miurge That's basically what my professor in economics tought us. I have links but only in french though.

I have google translaater so it can work for me.