From: Zero Powers (zero_powers@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Sep 19 2001 - 22:52:16 MDT
>From: Greg Burch <gregburch@gregburch.net>
> Third, it's a historical fact that Christianity has been largely "tamed"
>in
>the sense that - outside of a few notable localized exceptions like N.
>Ireland, there are very few religiously-inspired wars being *initiated* by
>Christians *on the basis of religion* these days. Again, I'm open to
>seeing
>examples to the contrary. (There is a religious component to the Balkan
>violence, but it's just as much simple ethnic tribalistic bigotry as
>religious hatred.)
>
> Fourth, there is absolutely no question in my mind that there is a
>primary
>component of religious motivation in the 911 attacks and in the continuing
>threat that Al Quaida and its co-conspirators continue to present to the
>civilized world. As I've said already, there are certainly non-religious
>causes for conflict in and arising out of the Islamic world, from the US
>foreign policy decision to lie down with dogs in opposition to the Soviets
>in Afghanistan, to the intractable problem of Palestinian nationalism. But
>there is *no* component of US foreign policy error in the bloody violence
>of
>Islamic fundamentalists in Algeria, central Africa or Egypt, where wholly
>internal struggles are going on by them against their own domestic
>"satans",
>i.e. non-fundamentalists and non-Muslims.
>
> So, yes, I'm singling out Islam. The Islamic world needs to do what
>Europe
>did over the last 300 years. It needs to tame its religion. The sooner,
>the better.
I think if you look for it you will find it. Although the middle east
conflict is largely about self-governance and lebensraum for such peoples as
the Palestinians, there is definitely a religious component to it. The Jews
believe in large part that they are providentially endowed to their
"promised land" just as much as the Muslims feel the same way about the same
land.
But while the Palestinian struggle may be motivated in part by religious
belief, I doubt that a Christian response would be any different if, say,
the League of Nations decided to displace Americans in order to make a
homeland for the American Indians, even though neither group necessarily
feels endowed by their Creator to exclusive hegemony over North America.
-Zero
"I'm a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking
that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man.
Has to be." -- George Taylor _Planet of the Apes_ (1968)
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