[durasell]

Many religions are unbending in their dictates and there is nothing wrong with that. As far as I know, there is no religion based on democratic principles. So would you call someone in the west who believes in "moral absolutes" a fascist?

Fascism is a convenient negative term to describe a negative phenom., but it's not accurate and doesn't do anything to increase our understanding of either radical islam or fascism's place in world history, i.e. WWII.

[muawiyah]

Sure it does. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was a fascist. The Christian Falange in Lebanon is fascist. Hezbollah is fascist.

If you mean that fascism is not limited to one religious group, that's fine, but fascism is readily adopted by many religious groups.

My own religion believes in democratic governemnt, freedom and civil rihts. Islam, in general, believe sin authoritarian government, the leadership principal (which means no freedom), and no rights but those authorized within the umma by the ulemma (which means, in general, no civil rights and strict adherence to the grosser stupidities in the Sharia).

Islam is essentially fascism with prayer.

[RobbyS]

Fascism was a quite positive thing, in that it had definite characteristics. Very collectivist, very militaristic, exultant of the use of force' preferring emotion and will over reason, founded on the "Big Man" theory of politics. Islam has always been comfortable with this sort of government.