On Iran, Islam, and Amazingly Stupid Comments
2009-07-12 · Q&A · John · 3:17 · watch on YouTube
Topic: World affairs (also: Philosophy & meaning, Internet & YouTube) · mode: News analysis · tags: timely hook, community lore
John points viewers to Shawn's new Bangladesh video, then answers three commenter objections to his Iran election video, arguing that caring about Iran matters and that Islam, like every religion, is not a monolith.
What is said
The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).
00:00:00 — Greeting (no calendar); Sean's new video about pwning poverty in Bangladesh
- ★★ John says Nerdfighters have a guy in Bangladesh, Shawn, who pwns poverty with their money, and that Shawn has an amazing new video about his work there. (playful) — 00:00:00 · Nerdfighteria
- ★ John asks viewers to check out Shawn's new video in the sidebar. — 00:00:00
00:00:29 — Amazingly stupid YouTube comments on his Iran election video vs thoughtful Nerdfighter comments
- ★★ Since his Iran election video John has read many amazingly stupid YouTube comments; he says Nerdfighter comments are generally thoughtful and respectful, unlike non-Nerdfighters'. (playful) — 00:00:29 · YouTube, Nerdfighteria, giant squid of anger
00:00:59 — Answering commenters: why care about Iran; why the Iranian president matters despite the Supreme Leader; "all Muslims" objection
- ★★★ Answering a commenter, John says caring about America and caring about Iran are not mutually exclusive; Iranians must solve Iran's problems, but the two countries share a planet. — 00:00:59 · United States
- ★★★ John says it still matters who Iran's president is, despite the Supreme Leader: Ahmadinejad ruined Iran's economy and unleashed morality police, and relations were better under his less crazy predecessor. — 00:01:27
- ★★★ To the claim that they're all Muslims who want to destroy America, John replies that Islam is not a single monolithic thing; all religious traditions are massively diverse. — 00:01:56 · United States
00:02:26 — Religious traditions are diverse; religion as a response to revelation; the revelation is not the problem; sign-off
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★★ John says he is a Christian but theologically probably has more in common with some liberal Muslims than with some conservative Christians. (hedged) — 00:02:26
“I am a Christian”
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★★★ John argues religion is not a set of practices or a monolithic belief system but a response to revelation, which people respond to differently. — 00:02:26
“Religion is a response to revelation.”
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★★ John notes that the Iranian protesters, those fighting them, the Bangladesh work and Bangladesh's corrupt government are all inspired by Islam. — 00:02:26
- ★★★ John concludes that with every revelation, religious or secular, some respond by making the world better and some worse: the revelation isn't the problem, we are. — 00:02:55
Threads in this video
- looked back · Nerdfighter donations to the Uncultured Project for rural Bangladesh (2008) — John says Sean in Bangladesh uses Nerdfighters' money to help pwn poverty and has a new video about his work. (00:00:00)
- restate · Can election results be trusted? — John again calls Iran's 2009 presidential election rigged. (00:00:29) → refers to Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results
- callback · John's 'giant squid of anger' (2009) — John says the non-Nerdfighters who show up in YouTube comments are all giant squids of anger. (00:00:29)
- restate · Is there really an 'us' and a 'them', or are distant and different people just facets of us? — Against 'they're all Muslims who want to destroy America', John says Islam, like every religious tradition, is not one monolithic thing. (00:01:56)
- first on record · Does God exist, and is religious faith worth having? — John states he is a Christian, though theologically probably closer to some liberal Muslims than some conservative Christians. (00:02:26)
Mentioned
Central: Iran · Islam · Mahmoud Ahmadinejad · religion
Also: People: Ali Khamenei · Shawn Ahmed
Organizations: YouTube
Terms: giant squid of anger · link in the sidebar
Concepts: Christianity · stereotype
Places: Bangladesh · Mars · United States
Events: 2009 Iranian presidential election · 2009 Iranian presidential election protests
Memes: Pirates versus Ninjas
Also centred on Iran: Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results
Also centred on Islam: Is Obama a Muslim? Examine the Evidence! · On Religion (Redux) · Muslims Aren't Dangerous
Also centred on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results
Also centred on religion: On Religion · On Religion (Redux) · Religion and Gay Marriage · Death, Love, and John's Religion: The Big Questions Take Over Question Tuesday
Replies to
- continues · Iran Election Fraud: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Results — “since I made a video about the rigged presidential election in Iran a few weeks ago”
Later videos replying to this one
- 2009-07-14 · Sell Outs! (John) — continues — “on Sunday I made a video” (00:00:00)