Radicalism and religion.

But Christianity leads to radicalism, too. Who do you think keeps bombing those abortion clinics?Prior to September 11, the big incidents of domestic terrorism were mostly from Christian white folks, not arabs. What, you thought Tim McVeigh was a Muslim or something?The point is, your question is kind of weird - there's nothing special about any religion that insulates it from radicalism, or especially promotes it. It's just a feature of religion, particularly any mindset that suggests there's a war between good and evil. Once you're convinced you're part of a war, there's little stopping you from rationalizing all kinds of horrors as "casualties of war."

According to them, yes. Did Christ not drive the moneychangers from the temple? Did Christ not say "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword"?There's plenty in the Bible to suggest the use of force to accomplish ends, if you're enclined to read it that way. According to them, though, they're entirely consistent. Uh-huh. And it's your deep study of the Quran that leads you to this conclusion? Funny that the majority of Muslims don't seem to agree.Anyway I wasn't aware you spoke Arabic so fluently.This message has been edited by crashfrog, 06-18-2004 03:44 AM

You're missing the point. There's nothing in the Qur'an that makes people be terrorists, just like there's nothing in the Bible that compels people to shoot abortion doctors.It's the social and economic conditions that breed terror, just as it breeds gang violence in our country. People become terrorists because the terror groups offer angry young men a chance to strike against the people they view as responsible for everything that sucks in their lives, that is, the US.The religious overtones are just frosting. They're just gang colors. They're a source of identity. They're not the reason people become terrorists. It's like saying that a pair of BK shoes makes someone join the Crips.