Posted on 10/06/2001 5:14:11 PM PDT by Pokey78
There is an Islamic terrorism based on socio-religious perceptions. It may not include the whole Arab and Muslim world, but it perceives the terrorism it wages against the West as an integral part of its religion. The West in general and the USA in particular cannot ignore it and should therefore unite their efforts in an attempt to find different means of countering this kind of Islamic terrorism.The West should learn from one of the best students of Islamic fundamentalism and radicalism, the Dutch scholar, Prof. Johannes Jansen:
“In a fiercely competitive society the dominant religion may preach that the greatest virtue is to love one’s neighbor. The religion of a group which over the centuries has become marginalised may, on the other hand, preach that God has exclusively and explicitly chosen those who follow his commandments. This group may come to believe that it plays a central role in the history of God and his creation. In a society where the law is not much more than an interesting but highly theoretical matter, the major religion may proclaim that following God’s laws is the only way to put things right. . . Islamic fundamentalism is both politics and religion. It has a dual nature. When it is analyzed as if it were a movement that has political nature only, mistakes are made because fundamentalism is fully religion at the same time.” [3]
In the Islamic world one cannot differentiate between the political violence of Islamic groups and their popular support derived from religion. They, at any rate, do not recognize any disparity.
The important question remains as to how the West should defend itself against Islamic terrorism. To address the question would require another article. Suffice it to say that in order to deal with this problem, the West must first recognize that the present terrorism on the part of the Arab and Muslim world is Islamic in nature.
Link to full ICT article: Is There an Islamic Terrorism?"
Contrary to some not-so-authoritative officials, I don't find it peaceful, forgiving and kind, unless you are already a Muslim. Rather I find it accusatory and full of anger. That's my impression, having read it. Read and be you own judge.
Ever read the Old Testament, bud? Or, the Talmud? Even the devil can quote scripture for his own purposes.
Yes. I read it and I came to the same conclusions you did.
"Oh," say my liberal co-academics, "no Islamic authority believes in a literalist interpretation of the Koran!"
("Have you ever read it?" I ask. "Well, no, but no Islamic authority believes...")
But as my significant other says, religion isn't defined by the scholars, it's defined by the people who read the text and then strap a bomb to their chest and walk into an Israeli pizza parlor.
I suspect there are a similarly secular breed of Muslims who think Islam means, "Oh... you know... be nice to people... and... uhm... don't eat pork!" and that's about it. I'm aware that these people are not the enemy. (Heck, most of them aren't even sure what direction Mecca is in and would turn in circles like an Irish Setter if you told them "time to pray!") And that's fine.
But those violent individuals who would kill for Islam are fundamentalists in the truest sense: these are the fundamentals of Islam and they are following them to the letter.
Bump to that truth! Of course, it also holds for religion. Any "true" religion would be definition by tyranny.
I remember that.
Oh, I know! As long as you do exactly what they tell you, they really are the nicest folks you'll ever be assassinated by!
I suggest anyone willing to comment on this should read the Koran first.
Contrary to some not-so-authoritative officials, I don't find it peaceful, forgiving and kind, unless you are already a Muslim. Rather I find it accusatory and full of anger. That's my impression, having read it. Read and be you own judge.
YES, YES, YES. The Koran is a piece of nasty hate literature. It is obvious that Mohammed was duping a bunch of ignorant people into accepting Arab supremacy. It is amazing how the Koran ridicules and denigrates Christians and Jews, just to mention an example.
The rising tide of nationalism, not only among the European millets, but among the Arabs too, who had allied with the British against the Ottoman Empire during World War I, persuaded the Turks that Islamization was no longer a viable ideology for Turkey. This left Westernization and Turkification as alternatives.
Because there had been no tradition of modernization within the Ottoman Empire itself, the only available model of it was Europeanization, which the Ataturkists chose
One day the Turks woke up to a new government mandate that rags were no longer allowed, all Turks were to start wearing suits and ties, rags on the heads were now not allowed, "hats" with brims were now the only legal headdress.
In that the Taliban has only recently outlawed the education of women and mandated that all women be covered head to toe, it's only logical that these stoneage types will basically do what ever they are told.
I say make them eat Sushi on Thursdays.
There may be few exceptions - educated Iranians, Turks for the most part, a few Jordanians, Berbers, etc. But I believe the vast majority of Arabs are our religious, political and theological enemies and will remain so as long as Wahhadism is the main sect in Arabian Islam. The REAL enemy are the sheeted pious bigots in the Saudi Sheikdom and neighboring states who use our petro dollars to bankroll maniacs like those of Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Al Qaeda.
By the way, Palestinians HAVE a country - its called Jordan and they should all go there or somewhere a lot HOTTER.
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