origin myths

Submitted by Prof. H---- (United States), Oct 12, 2015 at 13:02

>Alawi beliefs date to 5000 years earlier. Their philosphy [sic] is the source of all religions. This belief evolved over centuries and they are one of the sects of Islam now.

This sounds remarkably similar to the stuff the Hindutva movement in India says about the primacy of Hinduism. One must always be skeptical about grand claims of this sort. None of the three propositions above is supported by the writer, and at least in the case of the last one Daniel Pipes seems to have refuted it pretty thoroughly in the preceding article.

Barrel bombs are an atrocity. One may of course write off the Asad government's use of them against civilians as a deviation from "true" 'Alawi belief, but then one is left with the fundamental issue of whether such a government deserves the support of the 'Alawi community as a whole, let alone fellow Syrians of other faiths.

Whatever one's belief system, it is to be hoped that one will be welcomed by compassionate other copuntries when fleeing the carnage of this civil war. If barrel bombing is bogus 'Alawism, how credible is the profession of "Christianity" by legislators and presidential candidates who would deny refuge to those seeking it in America?

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