Jews in Afghanistan

[afghan]

Afghan Jews? Wow.

judaism is a faith like islam, not a race, they should clarified the term they use.

[RoseyT]

Now Simentov is the last Jew in Afghanistan. In 2001, he said the Taliban stoll all his supplies and he had to close his store. He says he now has nothing and lives “like a dog.”

That is so sad =x. I was a bit confused by the story lol, but nevertheless, no one deserves to live like an animal. God did not want this.

[Roshina]

That's really sad to hear. Imagine how it'd be if one of us were the last living Muslim or the last Pashtun in a non-Pashtun/non-Muslim country!

judaism is a faith like islam, not a race, they should clarified the term they use.

You must be confusing the "Jews = a religious group only" idea with convert Jews, most of whom would obviously not be Jew by ethnicity/race.

In reality, the term "Jew" doesn't just apply to someone who assumes the religion of Judaism but also to someone who is an ethnic Jew. A Jew may change his religion and become whatever he wants, but he remains a Jew in terms of ethnicity -- just no longer in terms of faith.

Further, Jews = Hebrews = Israelites (Bani Israel). Hebrew is these people's original name. Another name for Prophet Jacob (Yaqub) is "Israel" throughout the Bible. Jacob had 12 sons, one of whom was named Juda. "Judaism" and "Jewish" are descendants specifically of this Juda. In former times, a Jew was Jew by ethnicity and religion, but in today's times, he's Jewish by nationality as well.

[imb706]

I wouldn´t want to be a Jew, or anything unislamic in Afghanistan.

[Roshina]

^I think you misunderstood him.

Perhaps, yes.
But he did say that Jewish is just a faith and not a race ...

What do you think he meant, though?

[imb706]

Well, nowadays being a jew or atheist or christian will warrent death there. Hell, look at that Afghan convert to Christianity, he was in mortal danger until he was taken to Europe for safety.

[imb706]

Conspiracy theory? You can´t just use terms of mine without knowing what they mean. When I say that, I mean a bunch of nonsense without proof backing it up. Sorry to say, but claiming its a conspiracy theory, is ironically a conspiracy theory. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/28/in.../28afghan.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Rahman_(convert) Islam sure terrorizes people over there who aren´t muslim or seek to leave Islam.

[imb706]

You have never been to Afghanistan and you are using American favorable sources to backup your insane laims.

First time Ive heard the NY times and Wikipedia described as american favorable sources. Chances are you don´t know what you´re talking about as you most likely pulled that description right out of thin air. So what if I havent actually been to a place, that excludes someone from knowing about a specific issue? What, is your antidote supposed to be a proper rebuttal or something? Seriously, stop peddling conspiracy theories.

even our Hindu members

I see you keep bringing up Hindus (not jews, mysteriously) so I did some looking, and here´s what I found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduis...an#Persecution Yeah, not a good example. As for Jews...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_in...ry_Afghan_Jews

[Master Khan]

No I got a Sikh friend who father spend time in Afghanistan (Jalalabad).
He told they didn't say nothing to him, his father can even speak pashto.
All the Media wants to do is in**** Islam.

[Roshina]

It's the Taliban and other extremists and militants. And it's not just the non-Muslims they're against and are out to annihilate; they're against non-Sunnis, too. They've even influenced some average Pashtuns to stand against non-Sunnis and non-Muslims as well. For instance, when the Taliban were at their peak in Swat recently, some of my relatives were applauding them for killing Shiites. One relative even said, "What? They're not doing anything wrong. They're JUST killing heretics and non-Muslims; Shiites aren't Muslims, you know." My dad was really disappointed them 'cause these people weren't thinking, not trying to put themselves in the victims' shoes.

This doesn't mean, however, that all Pashtuns are against non-Sunnis and non-Muslims. Shiite Pashtuns on this forum can tell us themselves how their life is back home (including the name of their area), if they don't mind. We'd get better insight into the situation.

[Roshina]

Great, so this genius here just like everyone else puts all the blame on the Taliban.

Well, yes. What good have the Taliban done for our people, or for the world -- or for even a few people? All I've seen is nothing but destruction after destruction after destruction; I've lost uncles and tons of neighbors, butchered in the most cruel, most inhumane manner BY the Taliban, as well. My folks had to flee their homes, as poor as most of them are, and become IDPs only to return to flattened villages (I know of people who got heart attacks right after coming back to Swat to see their houses destroyed). Post-war depression is on the rise among my people, and thousands children have been left orphaned BY the Taliban and breadwinners have been beheaded.

It's not just the Taliban; the army has been no better for the most part.

So, yeah! I'm not exactly sure why I should hold positive thoughts about the Taliban, khorey. Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking? Perhaps you can enlighten me about the Taliban so I don't think so badly of them. I'd be more than happy to be shown a positive aspect of Talibanization, if you really think there is/are any.

Well?

[Roshina]

I don't even want to get into this with you, you are brain-washed with the media.

I don't care what the media says. I'm aware of the lack of awareness of the media itself about the people/cultures/religions it attempts to cover.

BUT what I said was, as I said in my post, based entirely on my experiences. Just so you know, my mother was in Swat for several months during the Taliban reign, so a lot of what I know is also what she has shared with me.

Again, it perhaps depends on where you're from and where you live. I'm from Swat, and I have yet to meet someone from/in Swat who supports the Taliban. I have relatives who cringe when their young sons PRAY five times a day or express any love for Islam at all -- all because they fear that these sons might grow to become Taliban.

And now, tables turned and people like you are spreading this nonsense propaganda of people who wish to eleminate our Pukhto/Pashto and our culture.

Oh my! People like ME trying to eliminate our language and culture? LOL. C'mon, that's ridiculous. One of my very first threads on PF was about the preservation of Pashtun culture / Pashtunwali and an attempt to go more into studying and writing about it because there's a lack of literature on Pashtuns from Pashtuns' point of view, khorey.

And our language? I don't know whether to laugh or just stare at your post in amazement, because, whether this means anything to you or not, I avoid using Arabic phrases (like Alhamdulillah, Assalamu alaikum, SubhanAllah, etc.) and Urdu terms (like mehrabani/shukriya, khawand, etc.) just because I think that we have thousands-times-better phrases and terms, equivalents, in Pukhto; why replace them with words from other languages when nothing's wrong with ours?. You're new on PF; as you read more posts of mine, you'll notice this about me, khair dai.

I'd love to talk more about my personal passion and love for and attention to Pukhto, but perhaps I might go too far. But you get the point, and if you don't wanna believe it, that's perfectly all right with me; I don't plan to convince you.

Take care, That post of yours prevents me from further discussing this with you.

Sure. That's fine with me, but just remember that this is a discussion, so you shouldn't take anything personally. If you beleive that anyone who's against the Taliban is brainwashed, think again and try talking to people who have lost limbs, loved ones, homes, and all possible hope for a future all because of the Taliban (and now the army). Try not to assume that all people are as indulged into the media as you wanna beleive they are. Some of us talk from our own experiences and observations because it's happened to us or people we care about.

And you disagree that the Taliban are harmful to Pukhtuns and to the world. That's fine, too, but then you need good evidence to prove this. I've evidence to prove they're monsters, beasts, and beyond harmful to our culture, heritage, people, and land, and I'll be more than happy to share more evidence with you *from experiences and observations* if you still need more.

Manana.

[Roshina]

^Your comprehension skills seem to be quite weak.

Carefully read what I posted.

I never said "You tried to eliminate our culture" I said you are spreading propaganda,perhaps unintentionally OF PEOPLE i.e N.A

I don't like discussing this kind of stuff with people who merely have a clue what they are saying your first post spoke for itself.


I wish you good luck.

As you wish. But like I said, you need better evidence that the Taliban are good people or have done/are doing nothing wrong. Otherwise, then avoid being involved in discussions on them because you WILL come across people who will hate the Taliban as much as you might love them.

[imb706]

It's the Taliban and other extremists and militants. And it's not just the non-Muslims they're against and are out to annihilate; they're against non-Sunnis, too.

Well, yes, I'm well aware of that. The Taliban are sectarian to their core, all religious fundamentalist are.

hey've even influenced some average Pashtuns to stand against non-Sunnis and non-Muslims as well. For instance, when the Taliban were at their peak in Swat recently, some of my relatives were applauding them for killing Shiites.

They can't be too fun to have at dinner.

This doesn't mean, however, that all Pashtuns are against non-Sunnis and non-Muslims.

Of course I didn't suggest that. I'm sure there's even a few atheist Pashtuns :D

[abubaker]

Well, nowadays being a jew or atheist or christian will warrent death there. Hell, look at that Afghan convert to Christianity, he was in mortal danger until he was taken to Europe for safety.

most people fake that, so they could get of afghabnistan and go the western countries, i personally know people who have faked taliban paperwork, so that the UNHCR would grant them refuge in a western country