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"I understand that you do not support the goals of Hamas. More specifically, I would suspect you do not support their methods. While I would never profess to be an adamant supporter of Hamas' goals or methods, I do respect their right to have certain goals defined according to their values and to pursue them by what they consider to be acceptable methods given their means."

OPINION: Killing Jews (or any person for the sake of jihad) is just not a priority I could ever understand. You'll have to forgive me if I'm not as wide-minded as you; but scattered body parts for no reason is not a priority I endorse. Targeting children is not a priority I can endorse, either.

I could show you a whole bunch of info links on Hezbollah, too; but that would just waste your time.

Anyway, thanks for signing up on FR.
You could learn a lot here if you so desire to do so.

Good luck with Ph.D.

That's the end of this "lively debate" with me.

I respect your decision to end our "lively debate," but I would argue that you might learn something as well from those who challenge you to think about things differently. Consider that conditions in which those who support Hamas and Hezbollah find themselves. Desperate situations create desperate people who choose desperate tactics. I am not condoning, nor saying these are tactics I could ever see myself pursuing, but I do understand how/why someone might be pushed to that point. When ignored for so long, one does anything he feels will get him noticed.

FYI: Because I am asked this a lot given my stance on this particular issue (and related ones), I am not a Muslim. I am Christian and have spent my whole life in the South (somewhat the opposite of what many might think given my statements). I do, however, have an appreciation and understanding of many cultures that are not my own (which should not be taken to be unpatriotic).

Again, thank you for the discussion. Maybe we'll have another sometime on another issue. Maybe we'll even share similar viewpoints.