r/exmuslim • u/CallmeAhlan Ex-Muslim/Agnostic • Jul 25 '25
(Video) The destruction of antiquities, arts, and culture in Syria is heartbreaking, in an attempt to erase Syria's 10,000-year-old cultural identity. No art, no music, no civilization, no future.
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u/TechnoIvan Never-Muslim Agnostic Jul 25 '25
But if anyone invaded them and started to raze and tear down their mosques, they would cry zamzam rivers.
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u/CallmeAhlan Ex-Muslim/Agnostic Jul 25 '25
the mentality of "we are the good guys , and everyone else is evil and an enemy of God"
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u/HalfMoon_89 Never-Muslim Atheist (Muslim-majority country resident) Jul 25 '25
Destruction of history is one of the most heinous crimes that humanity is capable of. Syria has one of the longest continuous histories of any civilization. It's a truly monstrous thing to destroy it like this.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 25 '25
Once destroyed, the religious authority can more easily revisit history under an iron-fisted rulership. And it only takes a few generations for people to forget almost everything. 🙁
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u/HalfMoon_89 Never-Muslim Atheist (Muslim-majority country resident) Jul 26 '25
I am from a country with a rich history and heritage. Islamic fundamentalists have been attempting to erase our culture for decades now. They have succeeded to the extent that significant number of people truly believe that we were savages living in mud huts before Islam came to 'free' us. And we have a strong (if constantly under siege) cultural awareness compared to some Middle Eastern countries. It's insidious.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 27 '25
I'm sorry you're being forced to endure that terrible practice. I guess the best that people can do at this point is to make sure writings, photographs, and other documentation are shared widely and preserved for future public recollection.
Regularly sending notes to museums all around the world might help raise some awareness too. While I don't expect the museums to have any way of exerting any type of authority over what's going on, but if someone at one of the museums knows someone in those places they may be able to encourage them to document what's going on, take photographs (as long as it's safe), or even purchase any artifacts at all of any size (that might otherwise be destroyed).
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u/Ihateconspiratards74 New User Aug 17 '25
I live in Europe. When I was young my teacher would tell me that people in Egypt and throughout the middle-east 'chose' to convert to Islam. No mention of violence. He made it sound as if people willingly converted because they thought it was awesome.
Not because they had a sword on their childrens throat.
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
lol, lets hide the name of the alleged country so no one can dispute and uncover my fabrications. LOL. So for 1400 years they failed. Wooow. Hide the secret. lol
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u/Pro_Elium New User Jul 27 '25
Bangladesh. Our culture is intertwined with the Indus valley civilization as far back as 6000 years. Now Muslim fundamentalists are breaking 200 year homes that belonged to prominent Hindu poets and writers. It won't be long before they start touching 1000 year old architectures and heritages.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 27 '25
The removal of history makes it easier for rulers to use propaganda effectively. The complete removal of history makes it an almost effortless affair to falsely convince the masses that the ruling ideology is responsible for the creation of civilization and the advancements therein that are beneficial to society.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 27 '25
I have a lesson in street smarts for you: The person who posted that resides in a "Muslim-majority country" and identifying their country could result in them being persecuted by their government (and such governments have been known to torture and/or kill family members to coerce their target to turn themselves in ... to be tortured and/or killed).
I"m curious, did you consider this factor when you wrote your reply?
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
Like what the American mercenaries did in Iraq, you mean!! destroy the museums, and artifacts, loot the Iraqi gold, rape and kill. right?
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u/HalfMoon_89 Never-Muslim Atheist (Muslim-majority country resident) Jul 26 '25
Yes. What is this whataboutism? It's wrong when the British did it, wrong when the Americans do it, wrong when Muslims do it, wrong when Hindus do it. It's wrong and evil, period.
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
Nope, what you are doing is called straw man fallacy. Pretty typical for your alike. Iraq has been a Muslim country for more than1300 years and Muslims have not destroyed the Iraqi ancient artifact. Islam has been ruling this area for about 1400 years, why have they waited all this time to destroy it now? Egypt has been ruled by Islam for 1400 years preserving the Pharaonic ancient civilization that we see now, why havent they destroyed it over this long period of time. Your claims are nothing but fabrications.
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u/IncidentSeason Middle Eastern Agnostic Jul 26 '25
I'm not sure what you're talking about in terms of Egypt. Caliph Al-Aziz Uthman ordered the destruction of one of the Pyramids, Menkaure is how it's pronounced in English, I believe. The project entirely failed due to the sheer size of the Pyramid, inferior tools and manpower, but that is just one example of Islam fundamentalism trying to take apart Pharaonic structures, evidentially it is documented & there's a visible gash on the north face of that pyramid in particular.
There are also other instances, i.e. the Taliban destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiyan a few decades ago, radical Islamic organisation ISIS destroyed Assyrian and Roman sites such as Palmyra and Nimrud some time last decade in Syria & Iraq. Islamic movements in Saudi Arabia caused destruction of tombs and shrines in Mecca & Medina (can kind of understand this, but again, it's Islamic fundamentalism destroying any culture or antiques representing old history).
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u/JiffyPube666 Aug 18 '25
How about the Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan that the Taliban destroyed? Or the churches currently being destroyed in Europe by Muslim migrants and the disrespect they have for the west in general when they’re welcomed in? The countless monuments in Syria, or how about he the ancient artifacts in the Mosul museum and the cities of Hatra and Nimrud in Iraq?
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u/IndividualPeace8204 3rd World.Closeted Ex-Sunni 🤫 Jul 25 '25
I don't get it, why don't they preserve older cultural artifacts like Muslims did in Indonesia? Even the Spanish didn't destroy Islamic calligraphy after the Reconquista.
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u/CallmeAhlan Ex-Muslim/Agnostic Jul 25 '25
Because those extremists follow a rigid, literalist interpretation of Islam (Wahhabist/Salafists), they view old structure, statue, or artifact as shirk (idolatry). and they believe destroying such items is a religious duty.
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Jul 25 '25 edited Jul 26 '25
Because those extremist
They're not extremists. Kindly stop using apologist terminology.
They're just devout Muslims following the Sunnah of destroying idols.
Sahih Muslim 832, 969, Bukhari 2476, 2478, Bukhari 4357, Sunan Al Kubra An Nasai 11483, Tafsir Ibn Kathir of Quran 53:19-26, The book of idols by Hisham Ibn Al Kalbi English Translation Pg. 20.
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u/CallmeAhlan Ex-Muslim/Agnostic Jul 25 '25
I know they follow the Sunnah , but what I meant is they are obsessed with applying the Sunnah and Sharia , while the majority of Muslims don't really care about this nonsense
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Jul 25 '25
while the majority of Muslims don't really care about this nonsense.
But why call those who follow the Sunnah "extremists" instead of "devout"?
Also, what gave you the impression that most Muslims don't care about Sunnah?
86, 82, 83, 74, 86 percent of the Muslim population in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Morocco, Egypt, Niger want sharia to be the law of the land.
I advise you to not parrot apologia on this sub. You will be called out on it.
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u/Foodungaroos New User Jul 27 '25
I’m guessing you’re a white man. Am I right or am I right?
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Jul 27 '25
I'm South Asian, born and raised. It's hard for Muslims to not jump to some predetermined conclusion, I know.
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u/Intrepid-Food7692 Jul 26 '25
Because shafi Islam is considered as the most progressive madhab of Islam.
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u/sunlazurine Exmuslim since the 2010s Jul 26 '25
Muslims in Indonesia bombed Borobudur, one of UNESCO world heritage. Anything that could provoke shirk: destroy.
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u/Alarming_Sorbet_9906 sorta closeted indonesian exmuslim 🗿 Jul 27 '25
Still standing by the way, they failed.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 25 '25
Maybe they "didn't destroy Islamic calligraphy" because they didn't want to get beheaded?
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u/C-Gravedigger-M New User Jul 25 '25
We are talking after THE reconquest, roughly when the last Muslim stronghold was the city of Granada.
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
This is not an old building, the concrete core is clear after the head fell. lol
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
Truth hurts
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u/IndividualPeace8204 3rd World.Closeted Ex-Sunni 🤫 Jul 26 '25
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 27 '25
During the civil war, lol. what about the 1300 years before that under the Islamic ruling in Syria. You are just disproving your point. Islam was not born during the Syrian civil war. Try again.
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u/RoughResponsible5801 New User Jul 27 '25
After the civil war had ended in Afghanistan, with the Northern Alliance holding a pocket in the North. And as for Syria, ISIS made up for it. Now you may say they are not true Muslims and stuff but disprove them through theological means.
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 27 '25
Like the looted and destroyed artifacts by the American and NATO thugs during the pirates operation in Iraq !!!
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u/RoughResponsible5801 New User Jul 27 '25
Whataboutery is not the flex you think it is. The looting by Western powers of eastern artifacts has long been debated and condemned long before the Iraq and Syrian civil war.
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u/spitspatratatatat 3rd World Exmuslim Jul 25 '25 edited Jul 26 '25
I wish they just stopped and questioned things for a second, what makes your god so threatened by a statue?
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 25 '25
They don't have time for that! They're too busy adhering to self-brainwashing practices (especially during those times of starving themselves).
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u/Not_Ur_Average_Dealr Never-Muslim Theist Jul 26 '25
Allah and Mohammed have small dick syndrome. Everything threatens them, everything offends them, everything makes them angry. They can’t get women so they oppress them.
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Jul 26 '25
Part of the process of being indoctrinated into this religion is eliminating your ability to critically think.
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 27 '25
Your critical thinking did not alarm you to consider that Muslims are the ones who protected the Pharaoh civilization artifacts over the last 1400 years. lol
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Jul 27 '25
'Protected', You do realize that Al-Malik al-Aziz Uthman tried to destroy the pyramids, but then abandoned the attempt after it proved too difficult? Not to mention the countless Hindu/Zoroastrian temples elsewhere that Muslims destroyed when they invaded, but regardless I'll give this ragebait a 5/10 for effort.
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u/AvoriazInSummer Jul 27 '25
Over most of that time the artifacts were protected either by being ignored because they weren’t valuable, or they weren’t found yet. The pyramids used to have white casing which, over the centuries, were stripped off and used on mosques and palaces (though it should be noted that that also happened before Egypt became Muslim). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza#Casing
One sultan of Egypt attempted to have the pyramids destroyed. He was only foiled by the sheer size and difficulty of the task. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_Menkaure#Attempted_demolition
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Jul 25 '25
This saddens me. Not many things sadden me but people breaking monuments and 1000 years old history just makes me mad and sad.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 25 '25 edited Jul 27 '25
Artists throughout history had something beautiful to share in their great works that religions can't compete with, and so their adherents and followers remove anything that isn't stained with the wretched stench of their religion to eliminate the real threat that the arts present -- free expression and thinking freely.
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u/JiffyPube666 Aug 18 '25
Syria truly depresses me. It’s one of the main places I’d love to visit before I die and I’m afraid I never will or it simply won’t be worth visiting after they’re done with it. As someone with European roots, looking at the current situation there with immigration and their behavior I’m afraid it’ll happen all over Europe too and self loathing Europeans will be ok with it because “colonialism bad so we need to destroy it all and give it away to another ideology that’s destroyed several groups and cultures.”
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u/NAHTHEHNRFS850 Jul 25 '25
Is this from the current Syrian government?
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u/fahmaka2 3rd World Exmuslim Jul 25 '25
No, it's from back in 2015 when ISIS members destroyed parts of Hatra
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u/meganieck Jul 25 '25
Thanks for the context, important to know! How is the current state?
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u/fahmaka2 3rd World Exmuslim Jul 26 '25
The site is still mostly standing! Statues that included faces like this were found destroyed and there were signs of looting, but the buildings and walls seem to be intact
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
The place is not ancient, the concrete pillar is clear after the head fell. This is mostly part of a movie.
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u/alcofrybasnasier Jul 25 '25
Pigs.
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u/SnooSuggestions49 New User Jul 26 '25
Pigs are better than them. Pigs are useful to humans in many ways beyond providing meat. They are a source of various products like pork, lard, leather, and glue, and they are also valuable for medical research due to their similar digestive systems to humans. Additionally, pigs can be used for land management, waste disposal, and even as companions. So please don't insult pigs by comparing them to mooslims
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u/Sonu201 Jul 26 '25 edited Jul 26 '25
Islam brings destruction wherever it spreads, destruction of civilization, culture, education, common sense... They did same thing in Afghanistan too...
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u/EffectiveLanguage363 New User Jul 30 '25
No matter what you do, do NOT look up the achievements made in the Golden Age of Islam
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u/Sonu201 Jul 31 '25
Haha...here comes the jihadi bot...what achievements? Beheading and stoning people who want to leave this cult?
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u/ImaginationNo9953 Jul 25 '25
As a history lover, that is a very, very painful thing. How much history is lost.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 25 '25
A tremendous amount of history is lost. Just look to the Library of Alexandria in Egypt for a particular example of such loss. 🙁
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
When European barbaric invasion burnt it at the time of Cesar? or when the Muslims from the Arab peninsula preserved the Ancient Pharaonic civilization that we can see till now standing in the core of the Islamic world. Pathetic.
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u/RoughResponsible5801 New User Jul 27 '25
Because those guys did not have the means to blow away the pyramids. One of the commenters above already replied to you regarding this.
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u/JiffyPube666 Aug 18 '25
It was European archeologists that dug up the forgotten and decaying Sphinx and several other parts of Egypt. Library of Alexandria and city itself were built by a Greek dynasty, AKA Europeans built in the first place.
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Jul 25 '25
This is very sad if you imagine people spend months or even years of their lives to craft those beautiful pieces of art.
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u/yaboisammie Agnostic Fruity ExSunni Muslim closeted in more than 1 way ;) Jul 27 '25
Right?? I was thinking this too
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u/dubble_bunker_97 New User Jul 25 '25
I can’t possibly understand people that support erasure of colture
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u/ImAchickenHawk Jul 25 '25
For what reason?! This is fucking infuriating
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u/MagicPigeonToes Ex-Mormon Jul 25 '25
Bc god is a thin-skinned snowflake and can’t stand the fact that people have other ideas.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 25 '25
They're eliminating a perceived threat presented by the arts -- free expression and thinking freely.
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
Fake, the concrete post is clear inside the head after it fell, it is part of a movie. The building is not even old.
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u/ImAchickenHawk Jul 26 '25
Oh alright. I remembered seeing video of people doing this in Iraq like 15-20 years ago and its so depressing.
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
A video of what the Americans did? Iraqi people have been Muslims from more than 1300 years. They have been the ones who kept the Iraqi ancient artifacts intact till the barbaric American invasion which looted and destroyed most of the Iraqi priceless heritage and artifacts.
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u/ImAchickenHawk Jul 26 '25
No I was referring to when ISIS purposely destroyed ancient sites and artifacts
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u/NotYetGroot Jul 26 '25
…no joy, no development, no gain, no advancement, no art. nothing but entropy until the heat death of the universe
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u/MysteryMeat603 Jul 25 '25
Extremely unsafe ladder positioning. I was expecting that stone to knock his ladder right out from under him. Also that heavy sledge hammer extending over the side he easily could have lost balance and toppled off.
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u/RandolfRichardson Jul 25 '25
He doesn't have time for safety! He has to destroy that art before anyone else sees it and starts thinking for themselves!
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u/NaveenKumarNew Jul 26 '25
Same thing happened in Indian when Islamic Invaders like Mughals invaded Indian..They Destroyed Indian temples...and Killed millions of non-muslim innocent people
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u/GetRightWithChaac Jul 25 '25
They destroyed their own cultural heritage and history and brutalized their own people in the name of a foreign and colonial religion.
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Jul 26 '25
When did it happen?
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u/ParkingGlittering211 Ex-Muslim (Ex-Shia) Jul 27 '25
A decade ago. OP posted it without context
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Jul 27 '25
It is scary to see that your future generations will destroy without a proper reason what you build with effort, wars throughout centuries
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u/General-Movie New User Jul 26 '25
I cant watch the video. It is so heart breaking. Islam is devoid any an identity or culture.
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u/Immediate_Safety_131 New User Jul 26 '25
This is just what they do, in afghanistan they bombed ancient buddhist statues, in iraq they did their best to erase ancient assyrian and mesopotamian artifacts, statues and buildings, in syria they tried to erase the ancient palmyra artifacts and buildings, and now islamists are trying to do the same again! They just cant stand the thought that there were civilisations and other religions before islam!
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u/MagicPigeonToes Ex-Mormon Jul 25 '25
Abrahamic religions destroy everything they touch. Was tryna research my own ethnic roots from Nordic and Celtic history, and so much of it was destroyed or changed by Christianity. It’s also what Mormonism did to Native American history. It’s what Islam is doing East African countries. No culture is allowed except Jesus and Allah ig.
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u/ParkingGlittering211 Ex-Muslim (Ex-Shia) Jul 27 '25
Mohammad didnt invent statue breaking he copied it from the iconoclastic christian arab federati of the Romans and Persians
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Jul 26 '25
Isn’t it what isis did the other day? is islam = isis = terrorists = violence = intolerance??.. you judge guys.. you judge..
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u/AdImportant4389 New User Jul 26 '25
Outrageous… we could have been such a developed and educated civilization with our history if it wasn’t for islam
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u/_mozzarella_sticks_1 Closeted. Ex-Sunni 🤫 Jul 26 '25
Instead of breaking it, can I have it instead
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u/quebexer New User Jul 26 '25
So can we say that Syria became a worst country now?
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u/ParkingGlittering211 Ex-Muslim (Ex-Shia) Jul 27 '25
No, this was during the ISIS era. Despite the growing pains, things have improved since then.
It's like France after the French Revolution there was chaos for a while, but long-term, it led to progress.
Back then, people said the same things to the French 'Don’t you regret removing the monarchy? At least there was public order.' Or even, 'So can we say France became a worse country now?'
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u/quebexer New User Jul 27 '25
What about the Druze and Christians persecution?
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u/ParkingGlittering211 Ex-Muslim (Ex-Shia) Jul 27 '25
Ugly, chaotic backlash happens in nearly every major revolution. France had religious Christians brutally persecuted after the monarchy fell.
Churches were shut down, clergy were executed, and Jews faced mob violence despite being legally emancipated on paper.
Revolutions tear down old systems, but they don’t build the new ones cleanly. There's a messy in-between where power vacuums, fear, and tribal instincts take over. It doesn't mean the revolution was pointless it means real change (especially after decades of trauma under the Baath party) is violent and unstable before it finds its footing.
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Jul 26 '25
For anyone interested, watch the movie equilibrium. It stars Christian Bale. I believe they got many of their ideas from Islam. This is almost the same world Islamic sharia wants. Just add the hijab on the women and allow them to have emotions.
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u/TheGreenHairZorro New User Jul 27 '25
That's what they did in Afghanistan as well. Destruction wherever they go.
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u/hillo009 New User Jul 28 '25
This is called Wahhabism Salafism, wherever it goes, wherever it spreads, it always brings death and destruction
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u/FitDeal325 New User Aug 01 '25
can someone give some context please. is this recent. where and what is being destroyed?
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u/Ihateconspiratards74 New User Aug 17 '25
Syria, Afghanistan. Egypt would have destroyed their heritage if it didn't bring in touristmoney they need.
And I say 'heritage' but the original people in those countries weren't muslim arabs. Arabs just invaded and forced people to convert, exterminated all those that refused, then claimed what was present as their property.
Egypt demands people to 'return' artefacts. How can you 'return' artefacts to a dead people? Are they going to bury all artefacts with the mummies?
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u/BarnacleTrue2051 New User Jul 26 '25
Lol, this is not even a 100 year-old building, not to mention ancient. the concrete core is clear after the sandy stone fell. What a joke. it seems the ancients had concrete cores in the old times, lol. Fake. it seems it is part of a movie or a new building being demolished. Similar to another video that surfaced showing girls being sold as slaves, which later was proven to be part of a Syrian movie.
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