Yes, wrong question

Submitted by Erich W (United States), Dec 27, 2010 at 16:49

That the question was misconceived is evident in that all four participants in the discussion thought that the answer was "No", for different reasons. Islam is by nature radical, but so is Christianity. (The historian Roberts: "Christianity is nothing if it is not heroic.") The distinction is not in radicalism, but in what one should be radical about. The doctrine of Islam, and its own relationship to its own history and development make a difference. Islam is totalitarian about social and political, legal and military control vis a vis its own and unbelievers. That is a doctrine. There is a radical violence in the doctrine of Jihad that is necessary to uphold the doctrine of total control. Radicalism is an issue, but a Budhist monk is radical too...just radical about levels of consciousness and enlightenment (his doctrine), rather than total control of society. Doctrine makes all the difference, even more than radicalism. When Islam claims to be a totally unified doctrine for all of human existence, it is not being merely radical. More disturbingly, it is being itself. Allah is by definition overwhelming and all-intrusive--so is Islamic Law. When a Muslim decides to act upon Islam, he is being radical in ways that compromise all of our freedoms and the nature of our human existence. This is because of the doctrine. If the Muslim can deeply reinterpret his doctrine in the light of all human beings being made in the image of God, then he can be a good neighbor. The doctrine must transform itself into something it has not yet been, in the main.

I think Dr. Pipes observation that since Islam used to not be so political and militant as it is now, it can reverse itself to be what it once was, is too simple. Islamdom is now faced by globalization to an extent that it never was before. It is no longer subjugated as it was under the Colonial Empires. It is no longer dispirited to the same degree. Islamdom is, however, faced with realities beyond its historical experience, as we all are. Muslims must find reasons to be neither subjugated nor dominant, but merely equal and free. That is new, and requires a transformation of doctrine to deal with the reality. In Islamdom, transformation probably spells violence for some time to come.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".