Is this true?

hmm, gambling chess...

*nods*

They are great farmers, that makes them much more then cavemen.  Besides, its wrong to insult an entire nation because of what amounts to horrid luck.

 I agree. The Taliban are just about the wackiest tyrant nut jobs on the planet.

I've seen worse.

Yeah, I hear they are some of the best heroin farmers on Earth.

And they play that cool sport where they bash a cow's head around like polo.

And hey... that crazy fundie b.s. wouldn't fly if it didn't have broad support.

Don't forget Alexander the Great.

We have that stuff in the U.S.

...or if it wasn't originally financed by the CIA, I guess.

These "nut jobs" were going to be completely supported by the U.S. in 2001, when negotiations between the Taliban and the U.S. were on-going. The U.S. wished the Taliban to consolidate all the people of Afghanistan under Taliban rule, and would create a positive PR campaign for that rule. The U.S. wished to build and control a pipeline through Afghanistan. Negotiations broke off in July of 2001, when the Taliban became weary of trusting the U.S. The Clinton administration were the first to support the Taliban governing Afghanistan, having invited these "tyrants" to the Whitehouse, and calling them "our friends". Within 3 months after negotiations were broken off between the Taliban and the U.S., the U.S. invaded Afghanistan looking for Osama Bin Laden, whom the Taliban said they would gladly give up if, the U.S. produced evidence for his guilt. The U.S. refused to produce evidence. Thus, the Taliban were no longer our "friends" but just a bunch of "tyrants".

Here it is:

Sa'id bin Jubair. "A black African who allegedly took up chess to make himself ineligible for an appointment as a judge,which he thought would fit ill with his beliefs (Under Muslim law chess was disapproved of, though not forbidden, and regarded as incompatible with judgeship)."

He became the best blindfold player known and the first to turn his back on the board in contrast to the contemporary custom of feeling the pieces.

 You don't think they're tyrants? If what you say is true, than the pin heads in the white house are tyrants, as well.

You're not kidding. The history of Afghanistan is absolutely mind-blowing!

I don't support religions in the least. But, I do want to know why some are tolerated and some aren't when they all seem crazy. It smells like a political agenda to me. The beauty of the internet. Look it up. Completely true. But vague enough to make one want to continue to investigate. The "coincidences" are startling.

Yes, we do... because it has broad popular support.

Of course, there is a far cry between our "crazy fundie stuff" (abortion protests, etc.) and theirs (stoning women, making them cover up, banning games, etc.)

I'm all for people having the right to believe whatever wacky stupid crap they like. Of course, I also support my right to call it what it is.

Now, this thread being destined for a lock, I'll wish you folks goodnight.

as an Iranian
it was banned for about a decade because the big islamic guys thought it was a form of gambling and in iran that is not allowed so it was banned until the ban was removed
pretty dumb if you ask me