The Islamic State Destroys Palmyra Temple

ISIS militants have decided to destroy a temple that was dedicated to Baal more than 1500 years ago.
ISIS took over the ancient site of Palmyra in late May the city is located between Damascus and the Euphrates River. ISIS had for a long time refrained from causing major damage to the site but this month changed their plan by murdering the Head of Antiquities of the site along with more than twenty others.

That was within a week before they had destroyed buildings that had remained through the Byzantium era and the Arab conquest as well as the Crusades.

In Christian Fundamentalism pagan temples do not need to be destroyed by human efforts* (especially when no one is worshiping a pagan god there.) However, many Islamic fundamentalists see thing differently: They view any image of a creature as something that should be destroyed--it doesn't have to be worshiped by anyone.

Palmyra (Image from BBC)

Like in Christianity and Judaism the worship of physical idols has always been condemned. In Islam one example can be found in Surah 29:17:

"You worship only idols instead of God, and thus you invent a mere falsehood. Surely those that you worship instead of God do not have power to provide for you; so seek all your provision from God, and worship Him and be thankful to Him. To Him you are being brought back. "

*: To be clear Christian Fundamentalism insists that Pagan practice to wiped out but necessarily not the physical building or all the images in it--so long as they're not worshiped. 

Canadian Immorality Table

This graph Shows the percentages of those who indicated that they considered the item morally wrong.

Moral Issue	Canadian average	British Columbia	Prairie Provinces	Ontario	Quebec*	Atlantic Provinces
Adultery	73.96%	76.47%	48.57%	70.45%	83.33%	80%
Abortion	36.46%	41.17%	28.57%	34.09%	50%	20%
Using Jesus’s Name disrespectfully	35.05%	23.52%	25.71%	40.90%	50%	40%
Getting Drunk	30.21%	23.52%	14.28%	29.54%	66.66%	60%
Homosexual sexual relations	26.80%	23.52%	17.14%	27.27%	50%	20%
Fornication	26.32%	17.64%	14.28%	29.54%	33.33%	40%

      

*Quebec in particular was lacking in surveys completed; only six Quebecers completed the survey. 

Canadians on what they consider most to least immoral

Currently incomplete.

In the month of August a survey was conducted with Canadians to find out what they consider morally wrong. Lists (will be) were composed to show a list of what Canadians consider the most immoral to the least immoral.

I) Canada as a whole
II) British Columbia
III) The Prairie Provinces
IV) Ontario
V) Quebec
VI) Atlantic Provinces


Canada as a whole:

Adultery (73.96% said they considered it immoral)

Abortion (36.46%)

Using Jesus's Name disrespectfully (35.05%)

Getting drunk (30.21%)

Homosexual sexual relations (26.80%)

Fornication (26.32%)

British Colombia:

Adultery (76.47%)

Abortion (41.17%)

Homosexual sexual relations, using Jesus's Name disrespectfully and getting drunk (23.52%)

Fornication (17.64%)

Prairie Provinces:

Adultery (48.57%)

Abortion (28.57%)

Using Jesus's Name in a disrespectful manner (25.71%)

Homosexual relations (17.14%)

Fornication and getting drunk (14.28%)

Ontario

Adultery (70.45%)

Using Jesus's Name in a disrespectful manner (40.90%)

Abortion (34.09%)

Fornication and getting drunk (29.54%)

Homosexual acts (27.27%)



Quebec (Respondents Severally lacking):

Adultery (83.33%)

Drunkenness (66.66%)

Homosexual relations, Abortion and using Jesus's Name disrespectfully (50%)

Fornication (33.33%)


Atlantic Provinces 

Adultery (80%)

Getting drunk (60%)

Fornication and using Jesus's Name in a disrespect manner (40%)

Homosexual relations and Abortion (20%)

Report: Canadians Surveyed on What They Consider Morally Wrong

A survey was conducted this August asking Canadians a total of ten questions largely dealing with what they considered to be morally wrong.

Table of Context

I) Where this survey is lacking
II) What Canadians consider immoral


I) Before giving out the data it is important that we are open about where this survey is lacking. This survey was completed by about one hundred Canadians: 4.12% lived outside Canada, 15.46% lived in Alberta, 17.53% lived in British Columbia, 3.09% lived in Manitoba, 3.09 lived in Saskatchewan. The majority of those surveyed were from Ontario (45.36%). Only 6.19% resided in Quebec. 1.03% came from Newfoundland, 3.09% came from Nova Scotia and 1.03% came from Prince Edward Island. No one resided in the Nothern Territories or New Brunswick. This survey is lacking mostly in Quebecers.

59.38% of those surveyed were male, only 40.63% were female.

They were asked what age group they fell under, of those who answered:

7.29% were children (aged twelve or under)
18.75% were teenagers.
37.50% were young adults (18-30)
36.46% were older adults (older than 30)

As most Canadians are over thirty this is an area where the survey is lacking.

II)

Do you consider fornication (having pre-martial sexual intercourse) to be morally wrong?

26.32% said yes.

73.68% said no.

Do you consider sexual relations between people of the same gender to be morally wrong?

26.80% said yes.

73.20% said no.

Do you consider adultery to be morally wrong?

73.96% said yes.

26.04% said no.

Do you consider abortion to be morally wrong in all or the majority of situations.

36.46% said yes.

63.54% said no.

Do you consider using the Name "Jesus" in a dis-respectful manner to be morally wrong?

35.05% said yes.

64.95% said no.

Do consider getting drunk (in most or all situations) to be morally wrong?

30.21% said yes.

69.79% said no.

Do you consider cannibalism to be morally wrong?

67.01% said yes.

27.84% said yes, except in certain circumstances.

5.15% said no.

Ten Most Known Cities of the Middle East

10.) Manama: The Capital of Bahrain has a population of about two million with more than three million annual tourists.

9.) Doha: The capital of Qa'tar has a population of over two million with about the same number of tourists.

8.) Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv is an extremely modern city in Israel known for it's beaches. Four million people call it home and about three million people visit annually.

7.) Dubai: Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates with a population of over two million. It's known as an extremely luxurious place and receives over eleven million tourists every year. 

6.) Riyadh: Riyadh is the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is by far the largest country in the Middle East. It's become intriguing to tens of thousands of investors. With a population of more than four million it's among the largest desert cities. It receives close to four million tourists annually.

5.) Baghdad: The Capital and largest city of Iraq its population is about four million. And it receives less than million tourists a year (because of the ongoing war with ISIS.)

4.) Damascus: Damascus is one of the oldest cities ever founded; it's known to Christian worldwide as the place Paul of Tarsus was going to persecute Christians before being Born Again, and to Arab's its remembered as a major city of the Caliphate. Today it's the Capital of Syria. With a population near two million it's suffering greatly with the ongoing conflict and because of it get's no real tourism.

3.) Medina: Medina is known as "the city of The Prophet" and is considered holy by Muslims. The city itself has about one million people but it attracts over ten times as many people every year.

2.) Mecca: It's at Mecca where two million Muslims visit annually for the Hajj and where they face when they pray. Overall approximately twelve million visit the city annually. How many live there?
1.6 million.

1.) Jerusalem: Overall however, the best known city of the region is Jerusalem. It's where King David ruled from, where the Great Jerusalem Temple was built and it was outside this city that Jesus of Nazereth was crucified. Christianity began here. And according to Muslims Muhammad traveled here on a creature called the Buraq. Jerusalem is among the most ancient cities as well as the most populous in the region. Eight million people call Jerusalem home and receives 3.5 million tourists annually.

Ten Best Known Cities in Europe

10.) Vienna: Located in Austria this city was founded back in  , it has just under two million people and is visited by over eleven million people every year.

9.) Warsaw: The capital of Poland and the nation`s capital has under two million residents as well, in terms of tourists it has over fourteen million.

8.) St. Petersburg: This northern city has more than five million residents and is the most populous city to be that far north to ever exist. It makes Russia proud. About five million people visit every year.

7.) Madrid: Less well known among English speakers Madrid is the capital of Spain. Over three million people call it home and over six million visit it annually.

6.) Budapest: The capital of Hungary has a little less than two million people living in it. It`s not too hungry for tourists either, it has a mouth full--over eight million.

5.) Berlin: The capital of Germany. Berlin isn`t lacking in population or tourism. It has a population of over three million and 20+ million tourists annually.

4.) Moscow: The capital of the largest country on Earth (by far) and of Putin`s government this city is huge with twelve million people and five million visited the city.

3.) Rome: This city has been known to north Africans, southern Europeans and Middle-Easteners since at least the 3rd century BC. It`s empire ruled every land around the Mediterranean without exception and every educated Westerner knows it as the foundational city of their culture. Today it has a population of over two and a half million with more than thirty million tourists a year.

2.) Paris: The capital of the French has a population of near two and a half million. How many people visit Paris? Over thirty million.

1.) London: At the top of the list is the capital and economic center of Great Britain. This is no small capital: 8.6 million people along with the Queen of the Commonwealth call this city home. Over 16 million people visit it every year.

Ten Most Known Cities in North America

Population, tourists per year and Political importance.

10.) Vancouver: Located on Canada's west coast Vancouver represents the most northern city on the list (despite the fact that it's only about 20 miles from America's border.) Vancouver has a population of less than a million but receives almost two million tourists annually.

9.) Toronto: Toronto is Canada's best known city but not it's capital (which would be Ottawa). It's located in South-Eastern Ontario and has a population of two and a half million receiving several thousand more tourists than residents.

8.) Mexico City: Both Mexico's capital and largest city it is also the southern most city on the list. Mexico city is known as the former capital of the Aztec Empire and is very attractive to Latin Americans who are eager to visit somewhere familiar but 'more advanced.' About nine million Mexicans call the city home and more than three million visit it annually.

7.) Dallas: Home of the Dallas cowboys this Texan city has a population of nearly one and half million it receives over fifteen million visitors annually.

6.) Philadelphia: Home of the Flyers this Pennsylvania city has a population of approximately 1.5 million and welcomes over 25 million people annually.

5.) Houston: Houston has a population of over two million and is visited by over 14 million people annually. The city stands out in its size: it covers an area of over 650 square miles.

4.) Chicago: This American city located on the southern edge of the Great Lakes has a population of nearly three million and is visited by more than forty-five million people every year.

3.) Los Angeles: The "City of the Angels" is the top city on the Western part of the Continent. With a population of about four million the Los Angeleans welcome over forty million people every year.

2.) Washington: The capital of America is known in every country in the world but without it`s Political importance it wouldn`t be on the list. Home of the White House (the former being burned down by some angry Canadians) this Atlantic city has less than a million people yet it is visited by more than 17 million.

1.) New York City: New York City is both the economic capital of the New World and a competitor for the cultural capital. More than 8.5 million people call the `Big Apple` home. An amazing number visit the city every year--more than 50 million.