ISIS

We've discussed Ebola. Perhaps we should discuss another deadly threat. DW in the Safehold series has pointed out that religious fanaticism can be a killer, and sometimes there are counter atrocities. There is another possible reaction.

However, the new Holocaust is continuing, and growing.

From:

http://townhall.com/columnists/pauldrie ... sletterad=

I doubt that you will get an argument from anyone here regarding the depravity of ISIS. There may be some discussion as to how best to contain it before eventually eliminating it. Another point could be is it a genuine world wide threat like NAZI Germany was in the 1930s, or a localized atrocity that wouldn't find traction away from its roots?

My theory is that most people are fundamentally decent but there are a percentage of evil lunatics who use religion to pathetically justify atrocities that they enjoy doing. If that is correct then perhaps we should value their self selection and identification, and take advantage of it to reduce that percentage?

If recent news reports are accurate then their long term viability may be impacted by their moving from banning all education for females to males as well. Bit hard to use or make sophisticated weaponry if you can't read.

Daryl wrote:My theory is that most people are fundamentally decent but there are a percentage of evil lunatics who use religion to pathetically justify atrocities that they enjoy doing.

I would like to agree but if it was true in general then those murderous lunatics would be [more or less uniformly] spread amongst all the known religions, which - statistically speaking - doesn't really seem to be the case.

Dr. Arroway wrote:

Daryl wrote:My theory is that most people are fundamentally decent but there are a percentage of evil lunatics who use religion to pathetically justify atrocities that they enjoy doing.

I would like to agree but if it was true in general then those murderous lunatics would be [more or less uniformly] spread amongst all the known religions, which - statistically speaking - doesn't really seem to be the case.

I hate political questions, but...the Irish Republican Army, Hindu Fundamentalists, the David Koresh and Jim Jones cults, Am Ryu Sohno (sp) in Japan.

Daryl wrote:I doubt that you will get an argument from anyone here regarding the depravity of ISIS. There may be some discussion as to how best to contain it before eventually eliminating it. Another point could be is it a genuine world wide threat like NAZI Germany was in the 1930s, or a localized atrocity that wouldn't find traction away from its roots?

They have no industry or logistics, and no ability to manage same. Unlike 1400 years ago, spreading by the horse and the sword is not viable.

My theory is that most people are fundamentally decent but there are a percentage of evil lunatics who use religion to pathetically justify atrocities that they enjoy doing. If that is correct then perhaps we should value their self selection and identification, and take advantage of it to reduce that percentage?

I tend to agree, having lived in the Middle East (United Arab Emirates) for 4 years and visiting Egypt on numerous occasions. And if folks there have issues with the West, and they do, the vast majority I have met are folks just trying to get by in the world.

If recent news reports are accurate then their long term viability may be impacted by their moving from banning all education for females to males as well. Bit hard to use or make sophisticated weaponry if you can't read.

Exactly. They have sowed the seeds of their own destruction. Unlike the earlier Mohammadens, who incorporated those they conquered, allowed a degree of religious freedom unknown in Western Europe at that time (early Middle Ages), and embraced science and culture from many lands, today's 'conquerers', like so many before them of all races and creeds, look back to a fictional "Golden Age" that never existed and never can be attained.

I'll predict by 2016 ISIS will be pretty much forgotten and dispersed (not that life for the people in the region will get any better).

We shall see.

Hutch wrote:allowed a degree of religious freedom unknown in Western Europe at that time (early Middle Ages)

Ehm, early middle ages didn´t have any single allmighty religion.
And even in the late middle ages, a noticeable portion of Europeans were something else than mainstream christianity.
The christian church spent lots of time and effort into arguing what christianity was.

It was during the renaissance that religious opression became "fashionable".

Dr. Arroway wrote:I would like to agree but if it was true in general then those murderous lunatics would be [more or less uniformly] spread amongst all the known religions, which - statistically speaking - doesn't really seem to be the case.

And if you´re claiming that the lunatics are not spread out among religions, then you are definitely not looking.

If you think they have to be uniformly spread, ALL the time, then you fail basic statistics and random distrubution knowledge.

Don't forget the protestants in Northern Ireland either. The Ulster something.

Annachie wrote:Don't forget the protestants in Northern Ireland either. The Ulster something.

Or the fundamentalist idiot in Florida who burns Koran's to incite trouble.

Tenshinai wrote:

Hutch wrote:allowed a degree of religious freedom unknown in Western Europe at that time (early Middle Ages)

Ehm, early middle ages didn´t have any single allmighty religion.
And even in the late middle ages, a noticeable portion of Europeans were something else than mainstream christianity.
The Christian church spent lots of time and effort into arguing what christianity was.

It was during the renaissance that religious opression became "fashionable".

True enough, Tenshinai, but the point that the Islamic world initially was a bit more open than Chrisitanity does hold, I believe. Otherwise Spain and the Balkans would still be Muslim today.

Not that it was an ideal situation-it wasn't, in most cases the 'infidels' had to pay extra taxes and duties...which was still better than what the Christians often offered.

Interesting Thread and thank you. I am not religiously oriented. However, having said that, is it possible to separate bad people from a non bad religion? What we may be seeing here is the basic human condition ... all over again?

Greed? Power? Control? A natural human fault? A tiny number of people may just be crazy. Could they be just hitching their insanity to religion as a convenient wagon? History might say so. We might be in for some interesting times.

HB of CJ (old coot) A rather serious subject for this Excellent Forum. Just me. I try not to blame the religion. Just people.