ISIS: Math, social studies, and lessons on non-authoritarian forms of governance banned

[Thanatos]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/17/world/...sis/index.html

In swaths of Syria now controlled by ISIS, children can no longer study math or social studies. Sports are out of the question. And students will be banned from learning about elections and democracy.Instead, they'll be subjected to the teachings of the radical Islamist group. And any teacher who dares to break the rules "will be punished."
ISIS revealed its new educational demands in fliers posted on billboards and on street poles. The Sunni militant group has captured a slew of Syrian and Iraqi cities in recent months as it tries to establish a caliphate, or Islamic state, spanning Sunni parts of both countries.

In the letter, ISIS said alternative courses will be added.

Educators cannot teach nationalistic and ethnic ideology and must instead teach "the belonging to Islam ... and to denounce infidelity and infidels."

Books cannot include any reference to evolution. And teachers must say that the laws of physics and chemistry "are due to Allah's rules and laws."

The letter ends with a firm warning:

"This is an obligatory announcement, and all violators will be punished."

Yeah, that's right. If Allah wanted Muslims to know math, he would have blessed them with the understandings of Algebr-.... oh.

Well, at least they don't have to learn about astrolabes, which totally weren't pioneered by Musli-...... oh.

Fine, fine. At least they won't have to learn about algorithms, which were clearly invented first in the western worl-..... oh.

How will ISIS count how many bullets they have and how much money they make each day, if they won't even teach math?

[hellheaven1987]

How will ISIS count how many bullets they have and how much money they make each day, if they won't even teach math?

Through experience.

[Toho]

nothing shocking, it is easy to rule over the stupid and the uneducated...

[Markas]

In swaths of Syria now controlled by ISIS, children can no longer study math or social studies. Sports are out of the question. And students will be banned from learning about elections and democracy.

So the future recruits of ISIS are going to be fat children that can't count and don't care or know anything about Democracy. I thought they hated the Western World?

[dogukan]

In swaths of Syria now controlled by ISIS, children can no longer study math or social studies. Sports are out of the question. And students will be banned from learning about elections and democracy.

So the future recruits of ISIS are going to be fat children that can't count and don't care or know anything about Democracy. I thought they hated the Western World?

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I can understand banning the other things, but banning maths just seems weird. I know this is IS we're talking about, but I cannot think of a scenario where knowledge of maths would undermine what they're trying to achieve. The article mentions referring to the laws of physics as Allah's fundamental laws, so perhaps it's just a spin on that, as I can't imagine an outright ban on all mathematics would be of any benefit.

Maths > Geometry > Pythagoras >Descartes >Spinoza > God is dead

[Roma_Victrix]

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Maths > Geometry > Pythagoras >Descartes >Spinoza > God is dead

The connection has now finally dawned on me. I thank you. The fact that Spinoza was a Jew must also rile the Islamic State.

However, I'm perhaps being far too generous...I doubt any of those ISIS folks have looked inside a book besides the Quran, let alone has knowledge about philosophers like Descartes and Spinoza. One has to wonder how many ISIS fighters are even fully literate. I'm willing to wager that some are entirely illiterate.

[Napoleonic Bonapartism]

The connection has now finally dawned on me. I thank you. The fact that Spinoza was a Jew must also rile the Islamic State.

However, I'm perhaps being far too generous...I doubt any of those ISIS folks have looked inside a book besides the Quran, let alone has knowledge about philosophers like Descartes and Spinoza. One has to wonder how many ISIS fighters are even fully literate. I'm willing to wager that some are entirely illiterate.

You'd be correct on that last point I suspect. I can't speak for the more local elements of ISIS, although I can't imagine they had the best education on earth, but there is a study about the composition of the European - specifically German - detachment.

Seems they are attracting Lumpenproletariat from all over the globe. Further evidence in the 'ISIL as a Fascist Organisation' folder I suspect. And I don't just mean fascism as the catch-all insult but as the actual social phenomenon.

The world's uneducated and dispossessed elements all bound up in one corner of the globe and given weapons, a chilling thought.

[DaVinci]

In swaths of Syria now controlled by ISIS, children can no longer study math or social studies. Sports are out of the question. And students will be banned from learning about elections and democracy.

So the future recruits of ISIS are going to be fat children that can't count and don't care or know anything about Democracy. I thought they hated the Western World?

Nice ironic note.

I can understand banning the other things, but banning maths just seems weird. I know this is IS we're talking about, but I cannot think of a scenario where knowledge of maths would undermine what they're trying to achieve. The article mentions referring to the laws of physics as Allah's fundamental laws, so perhaps it's just a spin on that, as I can't imagine an outright ban on all mathematics would be of any benefit.

Perhaps the reason is, because mathematics is a (competetive) thinking model, which doesn't fit to the IS doctrine model.
I guess, you know, that mathematics belongs not to nature-science but is seen as philosophy, just a thinking model based on logic ... and everybody with a bit (sane) grip knows, that the IS-"religion" is not based on any logic.
So in that case, IS proves at least some logic for their illogic authority decisions.

[Emperor Arcturus Mengsk]

http://dsi0fanyw80ls.cloudfront.net/...s_and_measures

: D

[Akhenaton]

Oh ISIS, you can be so hilarious at times....

I have an exclusive photo of ISIS-citizens in the future


And the best academy of the great caliphate

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Best course of action is then to leave ISIS in peace. In about 10 to 15 years, we'll just be fighting a bunch of village idiots

[Portuguese Rebel]

This is why these middle age idiots won't even get to rule over other muslims. This isn't the 1500s. Every moderate muslim state should be stomping these idiots down, hard...

[fkizz]

This is why these middle age idiots won't even get to rule over other muslims. This isn't the 1500s. Every moderate muslim state should be stomping these idiots down, hard...

Back then, the Muslim Golden Age wasn't so far away, and the jihadists were probably more pro-learning than today

About the math seems impratical and unpragmatic, except perhaps lying on the body counts.

[Jom]

I can understand banning the other things, but banning maths just seems weird. I know this is IS we're talking about, but I cannot think of a scenario where knowledge of maths would undermine what they're trying to achieve. The article mentions referring to the laws of physics as Allah's fundamental laws, so perhaps it's just a spin on that, as I can't imagine an outright ban on all mathematics would be of any benefit.

[GrnEyedDvl]

I can understand banning the other things, but banning maths just seems weird. I know this is IS we're talking about, but I cannot think of a scenario where knowledge of maths would undermine what they're trying to achieve. The article mentions referring to the laws of physics as Allah's fundamental laws, so perhaps it's just a spin on that, as I can't imagine an outright ban on all mathematics would be of any benefit.

Its pretty simple actually: knowledge is power.

If people cant do basic math, then they certainly cannot make good economic decisions. People that cannot make good economic decisions are easier to control, precisely because they have far less control over their personal lives than does someone in a better economic position. Its that nasty stuff like money and the desire to give yourself a better life that leads to most revolutions. So this is an attempt to stem that by removing the knowledge that you do have a lot more control over your personal situation than these nutjobs are leading you to believe. If people discover that things can be better than they are, then they will revolt and we cannot be having any of that!

[Napoleonic Bonapartism]

This, to me, just goes to show that Islamofascism is a valid term of description for groups like these.

[Condottiere 40K]

You either need to know is how to cook, or strip and use a Kalashnikov.

[Thanatos]

You either need to know is how to cook, or strip and use a Kalashnikov.

And how will they know how to field strip and repair a Kalashnikov if they cannot even count how many working parts are inside? How will they purchase the right sized 7.62 if they cannot even do simple addition? Who will tell them that a 7.62x54r is bigger than a 7.62x39?

Nobody ever taught them maths!

[Heathen Hammer]

So basically they are using US experience in dumbing down education. How progressive!

[sumskilz]

How progressive!

Progress depends upon one's goals. Considering an aspect of the movement is a reaction to modernity and Western influence, progress for them is moving closer to reclaiming an idealized past, not the actual past I'd say, but the past how they've imagined it.

[Heathen Hammer]

Progress depends upon one's goals. Considering an aspect of the movement is a reaction to modernity and Western influence, progress for them is moving closer to reclaiming an idealized past, not the actual past I'd say, but the past how they've imagined it.

Not really, both aim at having a dumb submissive population incapable of critical thinking, ideology here doesn't play any significant difference.