some dissent

Submitted by Richard B Kappler (United States), Jul 29, 2004 at 10:45

This article is a wonderful mix of hard facts and assumtions and in some cases total misinformation. I was not aware of the fact that Timothy Macveigh & company were Islamists; nor the Japanese sect that sarin gassed the Tokyo subway, nor the Red Brigade, Badderr-Meinhoff gang,Basque nationalists and others.

The assumption here is that only those terrorists of any stripe that confront the United Staes are in fact the only terrorists. Should we once again assume that once the enemies of our nation are defeated or neuturalized then the war against them is concluded; and that other nations and cultures had better just look out for themselves?

It smacks of the worst form of compartmentalized thinking I can imagine. Would it not be better to fight these practicioners of violence with other affected or potentially affected nations? Or just we just go it alone? I think not.

The inference that Islamic thought is non tolerant displays a basic lack of understanding of tradional Muslim thinking. While Jews were being persectued the length and breadth of Europe they found safety and religious tolerance[ if not poltical] in Islamic states or societys throughout the Middle East. This is not a speculation; it is hard fact.

With the notable exception of Turkey; all Muslim nations are clerical and not secular. Law, as we in the West define it; is drawn chapter and verse from the Koran. Interpretation may be by a group or singular cleric or an appointed official, whose obligation is the application of the intent of the Koran.

The Shia and Suni sects are; and have been in constant strife and violence one against the other. They approach in ferocity the religious wars and persecutions between Roman Catholics & Protestants.

While forced and enforced secularization of this area of the world may gain long term positive results as regards the fundamentalist theological approach to problem solving; it is not so much the establishment of these locally adopted forms of society that will engage the demon but the advent of a Muslim enlightment as occured in Europe. It cannot be based on the same principia; as this is , and shall surely remain for a long time, a community of clans and tribal affiliation.
Israel; the greatest potential loser in this confrontation, stands historically guilty; not as a nation but as a theological order, with ashkenazic Jews persecuting and displacing shepardic Jews over many centurys.

The villain here is not one or the other brand of theological society but theology; and in particular organized religions themselves.
The religions mentioned are just examples of the whole spectrum of religious thought as we begin another ascent into an intellectual dark age in the name of a particular invisible man.

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