re: Libyan revolution, Allahu Akbar?

[Electric Monk]

Poll question: re: Libyan revolution, Allahu Akbar?

I'm hearing a lot of that in the background on CNN...

[Taverner]

1. "God is NOT Great" - Hitchens

[gateley]

2. I don't think I've heard it at all -- have you? I DID hear some

audio of prayers, but that's it.

[Electric Monk]

3. CNN had a reporter on site as Ghadaffi's compound was breached, and it seemed to me like

every second comment overheard was one of the 'rebels' shouting Allahu Akbar. There was plenty.

[kenny blankenship]

4. ZOMG!11!! Theys Muslins in Labia! Theys alll Al-Kalaidah!111

[dmallind]

5. Fair enough - even I use god-based exclamations

They are probably more literally intended by most Libyans (and Americans) than by me, but had I been raised in that culture I'd probably be shouting that in relief and triumph too. For me personally though every "Alleluia" and "God damn it" serve the same roles as "everything is ship-shape" and "everything went pear-shaped" - simply positive or negative cliches. I am no more actually praising God or invoking his damnation than I am saying good things are shaped like ships and bad things like pears.

Again, many of the crowd may be being literal, but not necessarily.